A. Hallinan
5/5
Our Straus Review
The Straus Siblings: Michael and Vivian are two of the friendliest and warmest souls we have met. As soon as we arrived on Straus for the initial tour, we knew it was the place for us. They made us feel like a part of the family and were extremely helpful and accommodating. On the day of the wedding Michael drove our limited mobility guests up to the Ceremony site and waiting during the portraits after the ceremony to take my mom back down. One of my favorite parts of the wedding was having Michael around and my Uncle had brought down his specialty salmon from Chelan, WA he had caught and smoked for us to share. We made sure Michael was given some as a thank you for all of his generosity.
The Area: if you live in the Bay Area you know how special and beautiful Western Marin is. Straus Ranch encapsulates the natural beauty of the regional plants. The Ceremony site is in the organic pasture with a Cypress and Eucalyptus grove that overlooks Tomales Bay. We highly recommend taking the less efficient root of going through Fairfax, making a stop in Point Reyes Station, and then continuing on the 1 till you hit Straus. There are a ton of outdoor activities in the area: kayaking, hiking, horseback riding. Tomales Bay is known for its oysters – go to Nick’s Cove, Marshall Store (our favorite), or Hog Island Oyster if it isn’t too packed! You’ll tell by how much parking there is on the 1.
The Home Ranch: The house is absolutely stunning. As soon as you walk up to it you see a gorgeous open porch, and green window shutters that tie to the vibrant grass color. Each room upstairs is extremely cozy. You feel transported to a rustic heaven and everything is where it belongs. The décor reflects the historical functionality of the ranch and family history. There is a top deck that was fun to hang out on while the sun is shining.
The Dining room has a stunning wooden farm table that seats 8-10. The kitchen has every amenity you can think of. The morning of the wedding and the morning after we made breakfast in the kitchen and set everything up on the dining room table casually. It was perfect and has a great layout.
The Living Room + TV Room both have ample seating and the Steinway Piano is a bonus. Especially if you have persons who play in your group!
I enjoyed the outdoor table and benches the most in the front lawn. It was a gathering space for the bridal parties in the morning and we were able to eat out side and drink our coffee after eating our food.
The Lawn: We had our wedding set up on the west lawn for dinner with long farm tables and a few rounds with canapes. The ground is flat enough and more functional than we originally thought. That allowed us to have our dance floor next to the wooden floor in the front of the lawn near the house. Since our wedding was in September (summertime in the Bay Area) we wanted our dancing outside! It was the right amount of room and we were able to set up tables and chairs around for our older guests to sit and watch.
Barn and Shed: While we did not use the Shed for any of our wedding, it was used as storage which was great! The Barn was under construction, but it was a joy to go in and see. The next time we go back to Straus we will definitely be utilizing the newly renovated barn!
Accommodations: There are two VBROs across the street that sleep a substantial amount of people (10-12) and give you access to a dock on the Bay. We had our first look photos there. About a 5-minute drive away is Nick’s Cove – these are a little pricey but extremely convenient.
Pricing: you cannot beat the pricing for a venue in the Bay Area. Not only is it affordable compared to other venues, you get so much more than what you pay for. Straus is a very special place with rich history. You can feel it as soon as you arrive.
