Top 5 Unique Wedding Venues in Colorado
Embarking on the journey of wedding planning in Colorado opens doors to a myriad of stunning venues, each offering its own unique touch and variety of scenery. Searching for a venue can be quite overwhelming when it comes to knowing what to look for if you have never been to a wedding there. As an experienced Colorado Wedding Photographer and Videographer who has shot at venues all over the state, I’m here to offer my view on what I believe are the Top 5 Unique Wedding Venues in Colorado. When making this list, I’m not just judging the venues by their stunning scenery - though that is definitely a requirement when it comes to getting in married in Colorado - but I’m also judging it from a perspective of how adequate and well serving the space is for the guests, ease of access and amenities for the couple, and many others.
In this guide, we explore five unique wedding venues that promise to set the stage for an unforgettable day amidst the picturesque landscapes of Colorado. Whether you're seeking rustic elegance, mountain vistas, or serene and private countryside settings, these venues cater to diverse tastes and preferences.
5 Unique Wedding Venues in Colorado
Discover five exceptional wedding venues in Colorado, each offering its own distinct ambiance and charm. Whether you envision exchanging vows amidst the rugged beauty of the mountains at high altitudes or amidst serene countryside landscapes, these venues cater to every couple's dream. When ranking the venues certain things I looked for were: its accessibility to Denver, its scenery and views, its size and accessibility, and yes, the vibe of wedding that will be held there.
Here are what I consider to be the Top 5 Unique Wedding Venues in Colorado in no particular order:
Northstar Gatherings
Juniper House
Blackstone Rivers Ranch
Spring Creeks Ranch Weddings
The Manor House
Northstar Gatherings Weddings
Northstar Gatherings is a fairly newer wedding venue located a stones throw from Denver into the mountains in Idaho Springs, Colorado. Northstar Gatherings offers some of the best views I have seen from a wedding venue of this size. Nestled on the peak of a smaller summit, the winding dirt road you take to get to the venue will be well worth the views.
The venue offers a Wedding Loft for bridal parties and family to prepare for the day as well as an additional space in the vibey and newly built Polaris Geodome, for the other party to get ready.
Ceremonies are held out on the patio deck that has views for miles with snow capped peaks residing in the distance no matter what season you get married here. While the seating is closer together than some other spaces, the deck boasts an impressive 170 person capacity limit to fit even larger weddings.
Around the corner from the ceremony deck is The Cocktail Deck, a perfect space for all your guests to share a drink and stories while they gaze off into the stunning mountain scenery as the sunsets.
Receptions are held in the main hall with towering ceilings and garage style raised doors to fit any type of weather in the season. A dreamy fireplace is the backdrop for the couple’s head table, and the seating can easily be arrange or styled to offer as big a dance floor as you would need.
From a Colorado Wedding Photographer’s standpoint, Northstar Gatherings is a dream. The views you get from the venue are enough to rival many Colorado Elopements. The venue has built in stone steps leading up to a ridge where only more views await. As well as the views, everything at the venue is conveniently located and easily accessible via walking.
The Venue: Northstar Gatherings
Pros: Close to Denver. Incredible Views. Larger Capacity. Accessibility.
Vibes: Epic. Adventurous. Party.
Max Wedding Capacity: 170 people
Best Season to get married: Summer/Fall(Aspens!)
Fun Fact: Runs completely on Solar Power
See a Real Wedding Here: A Mountain Top Idaho Springs Wedding
The Juniper Mountain House
The Juniper House is first and foremost a Bed and Breakfast. Deep in the heart of Evergreen, Colorado, The Juniper House caters to more intimate weddings or elopements and offers beautiful rustic cabin charm deep in the piney Colorado mountain forests to enchant your soul.
While The Juniper House may not necessarily contain the expansive views as some other Colorado venues, what it lacks in scenes, it makes up for in mountain charm and coziness. Upon pulling up to the large cabin resort, the immediate feeling is a mountain forest covered in softly fallen snow as a crackling wood fire burns inside. A small deck out back hosts the reception space that also boasts the best views of the venue, with mountain peaks off in the distance between the pines. The ceremony is held a short hike up the ridge and through the forest from the cabin venue to a clearing in the woods complete with carved wood benches for guests and a platform for the couple.
With only hosting smaller weddings, the venue does not offer much in terms of spaces to get ready at. But it’s close proximity to Denver and nearby accommodations make that an easy workaround. From a Wedding Photographer’s standpoint, the convenient location offers the possibility of traveling nearby for more photo opportunities different from what the venue can provide.
The Reception space is a picturesque back porch with views of the mountains through the forest. A smaller space directly inside and adjacent to the patio hosts the bar and adequate space for serving food. Couples getting married here are encouraged to book a room to stay the night of their wedding so no post-wedding transportation needs to be had which is always a bonus.
The Venue: The Juniper Mountain House
Pros: Rustic Cabin Charm. Scenic Forest. Cozy Reception Patio.
Vibes: Cozy. Moody. Intimate.
Max Wedding Capacity: 50 people
Best Season: Spring/Summer
Fun Fact: The Venue was originally built by a couple from Scotland 25 years ago and was first known as the Royal Scot Bed & Breakfast.
Spring Creeks Ranch
Spring Creeks Ranch may not be the first venue to pop up when one Googles: Colorado’s Best Wedding Venues, as it is a little farther into the mountains than most with the closest town to Spring Creeks Ranch being Carbondale, Colorado, but if you decide to choose Spring Creeks Ranch for your wedding, whether that involves the travel it takes from Denver to get there or not, you will be well rewarded.
Embracing the simpler and more quaint ranch vibes of towns out in the mountain valleys, Spring Creeks Ranch provides a country side charm with epic views. The land the venue sits on is sprawling, and Spring Creeks offers much more for the wayward traveler than just a spot for nuptials. From Fly Fishing Tours to Horseback Riding, it is a unique venue for many reasons. With it being nestled in the valley, the venue is able to offer wedding services year round.
While nestled on a ranch in the valley, the venue has multiple water features from crystal clear streams to still reflective ponds. The views are not to be discarded either, the aesthetically pleasing solo peak of Mt. Sopris, Carbondale’s resident 13,000 ft peak, sits in the near distance and provides the backdrop for the whole wedding day.
Ceremonies are held a short walk out onto meadow with a rushing stream behind and perfectly aligned with the views of Mt Sopris. It make for quite a sight! The venue also offers small spaces for both smaller wedding parties to get ready at, although they are more for functionality than for photos ops.
The main hub of the wedding day is in The Barn, a large structure that holds both the getting ready spaces as well as hosts the reception.
An outdoor Pavilion is nestled up the Barn, and is a perfect addition for cocktail hours, and after hours dance parties.
From a Colorado Wedding Photographer’s standpoint, this venue is well-rounded. While you may not think originally getting married on a ranch would provide the best views, Spring Creeks Ranch proves that theory wrong. All the main parts of a wedding day are easily accessible to each other and are within walking distance for the couple and their guests. The staff was especially of note here, as they were consistently available for help where ever was needed, and when it came time for portraits, the manager on duty took myself along with the couple on their cart to various scenic spots on the property that would not have been accessible by walking.
Venue: Spring Creeks Ranch
Pros: Beautiful Scenery. Friendly Staff. Variety of Amenities & Accommodations.
Vibes: Western. Cowboy. Ranch.
Max Wedding Capacity: Not listed, but large.
Best Season: Year Round.
Fun Fact: Spring Creeks Ranch has been a working ranch in Colorado since 1927.
See a Real Wedding Here: The Magic of a Spring Creeks Ranch Wedding in Carbondale, Colorado
Blackstone Rivers Ranch
Another “Ranch” Wedding Venue makes my list of Top 5 Unique Wedding Venues in Colorado, but this one is far different from the sprawling meadows of Spring Creeks Ranch.
Blackstone Rivers Ranch, isn’t quite what I would call a ranch as it resides on a mountain stream tucked up to the slopes of the mountains right outside Idaho Springs, Colorado. It’s easily accessible to Denver and can accommodate weddings of 200+ guests.
The venue offers a large resort cabin as the main hub with rooms and board available for booking the night before or the night of the wedding for family and wedding parties. The main cabin provides ample room for everyone involved to hang out before in a vibey cabin space complete with mountain charm such as hanging elk antlers and other decor.
The ceremony space is held down a short stone walkway out of the cabin under the row of pines that stand by one of the crystal clear rivers that run through the property. The trees provide nice shade for even the sunniest of days and a beautiful backdrop for marrying couples. The Cocktail Hour is held across the property with scenic benches for guests and a number of built in fire pits around for your guests to enjoy a drink while they take in the beauty of the mountain air. The venue can host the reception in their permanent reception tent set outside in the front lawn of the cabin and is a welcome and cozy space even as the season turns.
From a Wedding Photographer’s standpoint, Blackstone is a great option with adequate variety for any occasion. While not offering views of peaks, the venue offers several different photo opportunities from wooden bridges over streams to golden aspen forests. Every aspect you will need for the wedding day is easily walkable and accessible to guests.
Venue: Blackstone Rivers Ranch
Pros: Proximity to Denver. Cozy Mountain Setting.
Vibes: Forests. Campfire. Cabin.
Max Wedding Capacity: 200+
Best Season: Spring/Summer/Fall
Fun Fact: Blackstone Rivers Ranch hosts exactly 1 event a day, so no need to worry about other weddings going on elsewhere on the venue on the day of.
The Manor House
Completing my list of the Top 5 Unique Wedding Venues in Colorado is a staple: The historic Manor House in Littleton, Colorado. Odds are if you have lived in the Denver vicinity for any length of time you might have been invited to a wedding here.
The Manor House is a historic venue outside Denver residing in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It offers a clean vintage elegance blended with simple natural elements.
The wedding ceremonies at The Manor House are held out on the properties back lawn, where instead of offering a views of towering mountains, The Manor House has a clear view of the scenic Denver Skyline perfectly composed between two adjacent foothills.
The venue has a beautiful upstairs room for the bride and bridesmaids with lots of natural light and space for preparation, while the other wedding party gets the exposed brick pool room in the basement, perfect for groomsmen hanging out before the festivities.
The high ceilinged Main Hall provides a different option for ceremonies during winter and hosts the reception space year round. With towering walls, dangling candle light chandeliers, and plenty of space for dance parties, The Manor House has it all when it comes to weddings.
From a Denver Wedding Photographer’s standpoint, the meadow behind the house in the foothills offers a serene and dreamy locale for photo ops for couples looking for a variety of scenes outside of the main structures of The Manor House and is especially picturesque at sunset. Other objects of note such as a vintage car parked out front and a towering tree on the back lawn make for other great backdrops as well.
In conclusion, The Manor House is great for larger weddings with a needed convenience of traveling from the city, while still offering enough natural scenes to round out its charm.
The Venue: The Manor House
Pros: Ease of Travel. Variety of Scenes. Spacious Accomodations.
Vibes: Elegant. Modern. Dreamy.
Max Wedding Capacity: Unlisted but Large.
Best Season: Year Round.
Fun Fact: The Manor House Property was purchased in 1914 for a colonial style summer home for John Charles Shaffer. Frequent visitors to The Manor House and guests of included Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft.
See A Real Wedding Here: A Dreamy Manor House Wedding in Denver, Colorado
That rounds out my Top 5 Unique Colorado Wedding Venues covering weddings of all shapes and sizes. While there are plenty of other extravagant Wedding Venues across Colorado, these 5 of: Northstar Gatherings, The Juniper House, Spring Creeks Ranch, Blackstone Rivers Ranch, and The Manor House offer the most well-rounded and unique options for couples looking to tie the knot in the beautiful state of Colorado, whether you are from there or not.
And if Wedding Venues aren’t quite your cup of tea, you could alway think about eloping in Colorado!
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