How did you meet?
We met working at a restaurant together when he was a cook and I was a busser. We both moved away for school but eventually both moved back home and went back to working at that same job, and that’s when our story really started. Travis is quite shy, and we didn’t really talk much at work but eventually he asked me on a date to a haunted house and we quickly became inseparable, hanging out all the time.
When did you become engaged, and how?
Travis proposed in August 2022 in Kings Canyon National Park. We were heading to a trail for hike and made a little pit stop to see a waterfall. It was just a little ways off the road, and once we got to the waterfall we realized we had it all to ourselves so we decided to have lunch there. Travis offered to run back to the car to get our picnic (and unbeknownst to me, the ring). When he came back he dropped to one knee and proposed. It was a complete surprise and everything I could’ve asked for.
#WeddingGoals
We knew we wanted a fully outdoor wedding, with lots and lots of flowers—a mountain meadow vibe—which we achieved with the help of our amazing vendors!
How did planning go?
Neither of us is very good at planning, nor did any of our immediate family members have experience planning a wedding, so planning was honestly quite stressful. We both agree that finally being able to see everything come together on our wedding day was the best part.
What was the biggest challenge of wedding planning?
For me the biggest challenge was finding the perfect venue. We wanted fully outdoors and just natural beauty and I felt like I looked at just about every venue in a 200 mile radius online just trying to find one that fit my vision.
For Travis the biggest challenge was that he thought it was going to be much easier and a lot less stressful than it turned out to be.
How would you describe the ceremony? Was there anything specific that made it unique to you as a couple?
The ceremony was beautiful. We wanted something outdoors with mountain view’s and that’s exactly what we got. It was small and intimate which was perfect for us.
Any funny or unexpected wedding moments that happened throughout the day?
We tried our bast to plan for anything and everything, so we didn’t have many unexpected moments. The one thing we didn’t really think about was the possibility of wind. It was a bit windy on our wedding day which caused some of our signs to get knocked over and break, so looking back we would’ve spent a little more for sturdier/heavier frames.
What was the best part of your day?
Travis: Best part of the day was watching Alli walk down the aisle. I lost it. Then we got to party with our friends for hours, which was great.
Alli: The best part of my day was the ceremony. Walking down the aisle and getting to see Travis, and just feeling so excited to finally say “I do!” I also loved waking up early that morning and going for a little walk around the venue with my bridesmaids talking about everything. I felt like it really helped me start out the day nice and relaxed.
Favorite Detail
The flowers, specifically the ground arch for our ceremony. It really enhanced the backdrop of the mountains and the meadow, and looked absolutely beautiful.
#VendorRaves
We loved so many of our vendors!! First and foremost, I could rant for ages about just how much we LOVED Annie. She was so unbelievably kind, helpful, understanding, and overall knowledgeable about all things weddings. She was always quick to respond and help with any problems that arose whether it be struggling to find and book vendors, complications with vendors leading up to the wedding, mishaps during the wedding, anything and everything, Annie handled it all and took so much stress off our shoulders. Even now, four months later, we still have guests telling us how kind and helpful she was. We would highly recommend budgeting in a coordinator/planner, specifically Annie if she’s available.
We also absolutely loved Carley, our florist. She truly understood the vision and it all looked exactly how I hoped on our wedding day.
Our guests are also still talking about the blueberry lemonade cocktails made by our amazing bartenders Shannon and Kylie!
Lastly, our caterer! Our guests were (and still are) ranting and raving about how good the food was!
Looking back, what do you think your guests will remember most about your wedding?
We think the guests will remember the venue the most. It had the most incredible views and felt so peaceful and serene.
What tips or advice would you give to couples planning their wedding today?
Tips from Travis: Start planning early; there’s way more to do than you think. And be thankful for a great wife!
Tips from Alli: Make a day-of binder with anything and everything you can think of.
I had sections for wedding party and family contacts, schedules and timelines, floor plans and seating charts, decor set-up information.
Also all vendor contracts, vendor tips (with individual labeled envelopes for each vendor), and most importantly our marriage license.
The binder was a big reason I didn’t feel stressed at all on my wedding day because I knew if anybody had any questions, all the answers would be in the binder, so I wouldn’t have to be answering a million questions the morning of!
What would you have done differently if you had the chance?
Looking back, we would have (and should have) started planning earlier—and also hired our wedding planner, Annie, much sooner!
