Planning an intimate wedding doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the luxury and charm of a traditional wedding venue. In fact, many venues across Colorado offer tailored packages and shorter rental periods that are perfectly suited for micro weddings and elopements. So, if you’re dreaming of an intimate celebration with your nearest and dearest, you’re in luck. In this guide, I’ll be sharing some of the best wedding venues for your Colorado micro wedding!
Although intimate gatherings are on the rise, traditional venues still hold appeal for many couples. Accessibility, well-maintained grounds, and the convenience of having all services on-site are just a few reasons why couples may opt for a traditional wedding venue. For some, easy access to amenities such as restrooms and accommodations for guests is essential. That’s why I’ve curated a list of Colorado wedding venues that not only cater to intimate weddings but also offer the full wedding venue experience.
From charming garden settings to luxurious ranches and upscale restaurants, Colorado has a diverse array of venues to suit every couple’s style and preferences. So, whether you’re seeking a rustic outdoor celebration or an elegant urban soirée, I’ve got you covered.
Colorado Wedding Venues for Your Micro Wedding
Each venue on this list has its own unique draw, with tailored packages, distinct atmospheres, and an array of perks and amenities. Whether you picture your intimate wedding in a cozy mountain lodge or a stylish downtown boutique hotel, there’s something here to match your vision. Let’s explore these venues and find the ideal backdrop for your Colorado micro wedding!
Airbnb / VRBO
Although not a “traditional” venue, starting with Airbnb and VRBO Micro Weddings + Elopements is an obvious choice for me. They hold a special place in my heart, and it’s easy to see why. These rentals offer unparalleled freedom to choose almost any location you can imagine, coupled with a cozy and homey intimacy that traditional venues often lack. Celebrating your special day in a space that feels like home has a certain magic—it sets the stage for an unforgettable celebration, easing tensions and adding a unique comfort that’s hard to replicate.
One of the standout advantages of choosing a VRBO or Airbnb property for your intimate wedding venue is the opportunity to discover a space that mirrors your authenticity and aligns seamlessly with your wedding aesthetic. With an array of options to explore, you can find the decor and specific elements you’ve envisioned for your big day. Whether you picture mountain-top vistas, lakeside cottages, or a tranquil desert retreat, these vacation homes offer the flexibility to create the wedding atmosphere of your dreams.
Planning a micro wedding or elopement at an Airbnb or VRBO property does present its challenges, particularly when it comes to navigating rules and regulations. It’s crucial to communicate directly with your host and carefully review all house rules to ensure a seamless experience. For more information on booking an Airbnb or VRBO for your intimate wedding, along with some inspiration, be sure to check out my other blog post about some of the best Colorado Airbnb and VRBOs for your micro wedding or elopement!
Flagstaff House Restaurant
About 45 minutes from Denver, in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado, the Flagstaff House Restaurant offers an unforgettable and upscale setting for your micro wedding. The restaurant offers a variety of rooms and terraces accommodating 10-150 people, allowing you the flexibility to choose the perfect space for your intimate celebration.
Surrounded by majestic peaks and serene meadows, couples can exchange vows immersed in timeless romance and breathtaking views. But the magic doesn’t stop there; the Flagstaff House is renowned for its culinary feats, with each dish crafted to perfection using the freshest local ingredients. With an impressive array of awards, including 42 Forbes Travel Guide Four Star ratings and 33 consecutive AAA Four Diamond ratings, the restaurant promises an unforgettable dining experience.
Patak Ranch
Patak Ranch is situated in the serene landscapes of Snowmass/Aspen, just a little over 3.5 hours from Denver. Offering a haven away from the chaos of everyday life, this mountain retreat is a true sanctuary in the Rocky Mountains.
An ideal escape for micro weddings with 60 guests or fewer, Patak Ranch leaves you immersed in the tranquility of nature. The property has many cozy features, including both indoor and outdoor fireplaces, adding to the charm and ambiance of your event.
Additionally, the ranch features unparalleled amenities throughout the property and an impressive home on site. Lodging for your nearest and dearest is taken care of with 9 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms available, accommodating up to 22 guests across 17 beds.
Whether you’re looking for epic outdoor activities like skiing fresh powder or hiking the Ute Trail, indulging in local and seasonal treats at the farmers market, enjoying a movie night at the drive-in theater, or unwinding in a steamy hot tub, you and your guests are in for an unforgettable experience filled with constant adventure and great memories.
River Bend
In Lyons, Colorado, River Bend offers a picturesque setting for your intimate wedding day. Conveniently located just a short drive from both Denver and Boulder, this venue seamlessly combines natural beauty with accessibility.
River Bend prides itself on being an inclusive and accessible venue, thoughtfully designed to accommodate all guests’ needs. From accessible pathways to facilities ensuring everyone’s full participation in the celebration, River Bend warmly welcomes and embraces each and every person. As you arrive, you’re greeted by stunning natural surroundings, including a towering red cliff wall along the St. Vrain River.
The venue features an open-air bridal cottage and a glamping tent dressing area. River Bend also has a large white sail-cloth dinner tent that provides a picturesque (and weather-friendly) setting for your reception. This is all complemented by a spacious flagstone patio adorned with lovely string lights for outdoor gatherings and photo opportunities.
When you choose River Bend as your wedding venue, you also get a wealth of amenities. They go above and beyond to provide you with everything you need to create a stress-free and memorable celebration. You’ll have the convenience of selecting from their handpicked list of approved caterers. Although you are required to choose from this preferred selection, rest assured that you’ll find a diverse range of options to suit your unique tastes and preferences, with 23 companies and 8 food trucks available.
With prices starting at $5000, rental includes all property amenities from 12 noon to 11 pm, with the festivities ending at 10 pm. River Bend can accommodate a range of guest counts, from intimate gatherings to grand celebrations of up to 200 guests. (Fun fact: I had my own wedding here with only 7 guests!)
For more details and to get a glimpse of a River Bend wedding day, be sure to check out my dedicated blog post on this stunning Colorado wedding venue.
RHIZE Mountain Retreat
RHIZE Mountain Retreat offers a truly unique Colorado micro wedding venue situated within a 43-acre aspen grove high in the Rocky Mountains. Specializing in intimate ceremonies, small weddings, micro-weddings, and elopements, RHIZE is a top choice for couples seeking a one-of-a-kind wedding experience.
With several stunning wedding decks and reception areas accommodating up to 20 of your nearest and dearest, RHIZE offers both outdoor and indoor options to suit your vision. Located within the Pikes Peak National Forest, this mountain gem is just 75 minutes from Colorado Springs and approximately 2 hours from Denver. Please note that a high-clearance vehicle with all-wheel drive or 4×4 is recommended for the last mile, as it traverses unmaintained dirt roads.
Sitting at 10,300 feet above sea level and surrounded by National Forest, RHIZE offers unlimited hiking opportunities on a variety of trails and terrains, with options ranging from easy strolls to challenging hikes just minutes away. The expansive views overlook the Pring Reservoir, the Wet Mountains, the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range to the South, and Pikes Peak to the North, offering natural beauty at every turn. Additionally, the nearby mining towns of Victor and Cripple Creek provide easy access to additional amenities, including extra lodging, groceries, dining, entertainment, and historic mine tours.
If you are looking to extend your stay, RHIZE offers a unique glamping experience with four distinct A-frames and a cozy R-pod camper, comfortably accommodating up to 12 wedding guests overnight.
As for intimate wedding packages, RHIZE’s elopement packages are available on Fridays and Sundays and start at $3500 for up to 10 guests. Elopements include a three-hour window at any of the wedding platforms, along with personalized coordination services and access to stunning photo spots.
For micro weddings of 2-20 guests, RHIZE offers a customizable package starting at $9,500. This package includes wildflower bouquets and boutonnieres, mountain-inspired decor, sophisticated table settings, a wedding coordinator to ensure a stress-free experience, and access to the Hummingbird Barn and other recreational amenities on-site.
With only 8 small weddings permitted per season between June and October, you might want to act fast. RHIZE offers a truly exclusive and intimate mountain wedding experience if you are seeking a unique, personal, and authentic celebration of your love.
Pine Cone Avenue Social
Pine Cone Avenue Social is an excellent choice for those envisioning a rustic setting for their micro wedding or elopement. The venue is situated on a family-owned flower farm, only a 30-minute drive from Denver.
With a casual atmosphere and personalized touches, Pine Cone Avenue Social offers a distinctive outdoor venue for creating unforgettable memories with your nearest and dearest. Additionally, the venue’s botanic gardens, mountain views, and historic train car guarantees a stylish event.
Whether you prefer a cozy farm-to-table dinner or a more formal event with glamorous decor, venue staff will tailor packages to match your preferences. At Pine Cone Avenue Social, you have the freedom to select your own caterer and bartender or bring your own prepared food. From there, trust staff to handle everything else, from beautiful farm tables and vintage chairs to curated tablescapes and personalized guest favors.
Their micro wedding packages start at $3200 and provide 5 hours of event time for gatherings of up to 50 loved ones. If you are seeking a more intimate ceremony, their elopement packages start at $1500 and offer 3 hours of event time for gatherings of up to 10 loved ones. Both packages include floral arrangements, property access for photos, an onsite venue host, and much more.
Red Rocks Trading Post Backyard
At Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, you’ll find a venue that’s not only iconic but also ideal for your micro wedding. The Trading Post Backyard offers an intimate garden setting, striking Southwest architecture, and stunning views of the park’s Red Rocks formations. The venue’s flexibility, with shorter reservation increments, makes it perfect for an on-site micro wedding followed by an off-site reception. Because parking can pose challenges, especially during concert season, be sure to arrange a guest shuttle for you and your guests’ convenience.
With towering slanted red rocks and breathtaking mountain vistas, Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre is just a short 20-minute drive from Denver, providing easy access to a variety of vendors and restaurants for your wedding day. With multiple jaw dropping photography spots along the park’s trails, this extraordinary venue ensures a memorable backdrop for your special day.
The Trading Post Backyard has a maximum capacity of 100 for banquets and 200 for receptions, with site fees starting at $1,250. To see what a full micro wedding at Red Rocks Trading Post looks like, be sure to check out my other blog post.
Blue Sky Mountain Ranch
Blue Sky Mountain Ranch offers a secluded mountain top lodge situated on a 100+ acre estate. This wedding venue is just over an hour away from Denver and offers breathtaking views of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.
The packages at Blue Sky Mountain Ranch cater to various wedding sizes and preferences, starting at $3000 for a ‘just us’ elopement. The ‘just us’ elopement package is only available from Monday through Wednesday and includes a private chef reception dinner & a bottle of bubbly.
For intimate gatherings of up to 12 people, packages start at $6000 with discounts available for Monday through Wednesday bookings. This package includes a 4-course dinner reception and 2 bottles of bubbly.
If you’re planning an intimate wedding with 13-50 in attendance, you can opt for their micro wedding package priced at $7500. This package includes 1 hour at the ceremony site, 5 hours at the reception site, and 6 hours of logistical assistance, parking attendants & security. It is offered from June 1st through the first weekend of October, with all events involving over 12 attendees required to be held outdoors.
All packages include 2 nights of lodging, with the specific days available and the number of people included in lodging dependent on the chosen package.
Shaw’s River Ranch
Shaw’s River Ranch, in Salida, Colorado, lies just over 2.5 hours from Denver. The sprawling venue is surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes of the South Arkansas River and Green Creek, with towering 14,000+ foot mountain ranges as its backdrop. The stunning natural beauty of this location is sure to leave you and your guests in awe.
With its rustic charm and picture-perfect views, Shaw’s River Ranch promises an unforgettable experience for your intimate wedding day. They offer several wedding packages, including their intimate wedding package, designed to accommodate up to 30 guests. The pricing for their micro weddings varies depending on the season, starting at $2,000 in the low season and reaching $6,250 during peak times.
It’s worth noting that for your micro wedding, you can reserve the lodge building and amenities or the event center and wedding tent, but not both. Additionally, micro weddings are not available on Saturdays between June 1st and September 30th, unless the date is available as of March 31st of that year.
Ramble Hotel
The Ramble Hotel, located in Denver’s River North Art District has a variety of unique spaces for your micro wedding. With over 4,300 square feet of versatile indoor and outdoor space, their goal is to create a truly unforgettable and stress-free wedding experience for you and up to 80 seated guests. The hotel provides comprehensive event planning services, complemented by specially curated menus from Death & Co.
Inspired by Madame Rambouillet’s French Salons of the 17th century, each space within the hotel is designed to facilitate meaningful conversation, engagement, and interaction. This creates the ideal setting for a heartfelt and meaningful micro wedding celebration with your nearest and dearest.
Denver Botanic Gardens
Located in the heart of Denver, the Denver Botanic Gardens is an ideal micro wedding venue available for reservation in a variety of time increments to suit your intimate wedding needs.
The Gardens offer versatility like no other, with wedding sites surrounded by lush botanical beauty and stunning natural backdrops. From traditional to whimsical, rustic to chic, you can choose the perfect space or combination of spaces to make your wedding beautifully unique and utterly unforgettable. With over a dozen rentable spaces, the Gardens cater to weddings of all sizes, accommodating anywhere from 10 to 1,200 guests.
Whether you prefer to exchange vows in the gazebo, the pavilion, or the fairytale-like Solarium, the Denver Botanic Gardens provides a dreamy setting for your intimate wedding day.
All sites are available seven days a week, although availability may vary depending on the season.
Surf Hotel
In the quaint South Main neighborhood of Buena Vista, the Surf Hotel presents itself as a chic yet natural venue for your intimate wedding. Situated along the banks of the Arkansas River, this Colorado wedding venue is just a little over a 2-hour drive from Denver, making it easily accessible for you and your nearest and dearest.
Drawing inspiration from European hotels and the stunning landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, the Surf Hotel combines luxury with a laid-back atmosphere. From its welcoming lobby bar and restaurant to the charming Ivy Ballroom’s courtyard, the venue provides versatile spaces to accommodate weddings of various styles and sizes. The hotel has a profound commitment to exceptional hospitality and specializes in crafting unforgettable events, with weddings being their passion.
In addition to its beautiful event spaces, the Surf Hotel features a concert venue that regularly hosts acclaimed performers. You can also check out the Surf Hotel’s sister property, the Surf Chateau, which is a serene retreat in stone cottages reminiscent of French hill towns, and perfect for intimate weddings. With skilled on-site chefs crafting fresh and elegant cuisine and custom-curated bar packages featuring signature cocktails, the Surf Hotel ensures that every detail of your wedding day is tailored to perfection.
Younger Ranch
At Younger Ranch, located just over an hour from Denver, you’ll find more than just a wedding venue – you’ll discover a fifth-generation family cattle ranch transformed into a haven for unforgettable private weddings. Established in 1914, Younger Ranch offers breathtaking Colorado views and an unparalleled sense of peace and homeliness.
As one of the last remaining original ranches in Colorado, Younger Ranch is a place where time seems to stand still. The vast pastures, lush meadows, and panoramic views bring you to a place of tranquility from the moment you arrive. Driving up the winding gravel driveway, you’ll be led to what they affectionately call a ‘little slice of heaven’ – a homestead adorned with original barns, cattle working pens, and the “cutest ranch wedding venue in all of Colorado.”
Younger Ranch provides a variety of event spaces to make your intimate wedding day truly memorable. From The Bride Barn and The Groom’s Tipi to The Reception Barn and Patio, each space is filled with rustic charm and warmth. The “Grain-Bin-Bar,” complete with a whiskey-barrel table and handmade copper bar top, adds a touch of rustic elegance to your celebration, while The Cocktail Barn offers a cozy atmosphere for mingling and enjoying drinks with your loved ones. And let’s not forget about the Younger Ranch Ceremony Site, offering an unmatched 25-mile view of Pikes Peak amidst towering pines.
For an extra touch of uniqueness and excitement, you can even add the Texas Longhorn Experience to your wedding day festivities. They bring the longhorns in from the pasture so you get to celebrate among these incredible animals.
FREIGHT
Step into a different era at FREIGHT, where history and charm combine in a stunning Colorado setting dating back to the late 1800s. Once a bustling train depot and lumber yard, this transformed event space now offers a picturesque setting against the backdrop of the Continental Divide. Conveniently located just over 1.5 hours from Denver, FREIGHT seamlessly blends the rustic allure of a barn venue with the vibrant character of a preserved historic landmark.
Flexibility and personalization take center stage at FREIGHT. From special pricing for micro weddings with fewer than 50 guests to discounts for off-season celebrations and non-Saturday bookings, FREIGHT ensures your micro wedding aligns perfectly with your vision and budget.
FREIGHT gives you the freedom to choose your own wedding vendors, empowering you to curate a rockstar team that suits your unique needs. And with the included support of their dedicated wedding planner, every detail of your special day is in expert hands.
Whether you’re drawn to the cozy ambiance of interior spaces like The Whiskey Lime Lounge or the rustic charm of outdoor areas like The Red Shed, FREIGHT offers a diverse range of options to reflect your style. You can also hold your ceremony at one of their off-site locations, such as The Meadow.
With a generous 6-hour event window, FREIGHT allows you to set the pace for your celebration, starting whenever you choose. And for those looking to dance the night away, extending festivities past 10pm is easy – simply ensure all of FREIGHT’s cabins are booked by your guests, and the party can continue until 2am. Fill out the form on their website to receive a personalized quote tailored to your unique needs and micro wedding vision.
The Barn at Evergreen Memorial Park
In the Evergreen foothills, just 45-minutes from Denver, you’ll stumble upon The Barn at Evergreen Memorial Park. This special Colorado wedding venue is crafted from the timber of five historic barns hailing from the local Evergreen and Conifer areas, each with its own century-long tale to tell. But it’s the breathtaking stained glass windows that first stole my heart when I laid eyes on this place.
With three distinct levels and inviting outdoor ceremony spaces, The Barn offers versatility for micro weddings. The Loft, with its mesmerizing stained glass windows, embodies a warm and intimate atmosphere, making it perfect for micro weddings of up to 50 guests. Tucked away in the foothills west of Denver, The Barn has panoramic views of the nearby mountains and peaks of the Continental Divide. And don’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of buffalo, elk, or even deer roaming the property.
Managed by Evergreen Memorial Park & Recreation Association, The Barn offers packages starting at $3,500 for 8 hours of weekday event time up to $7,000 for 12 hours of Saturday event time. Time blocks are available from 9am to 11pm, with rates applicable from May to October. Additionally, a $500 discount is offered for weekend time blocks between November and April.
When you choose The Barn as your micro wedding venue, you’ll enjoy access to all three levels of the venue, including the Bridal Suite and Groom’s Room. The venue provides tables, chairs, and setup, along with on-site staff to ensure your day runs smoothly. Feel free to bring in vendors of your choice and supply your own alcohol – just remember, all libations must be served by a licensed bartending service with liquor liability insurance.
For an intimate wedding that combines rustic charm, enchanting stained glass windows, and breathtaking views, The Barn at Evergreen Memorial Park promises an unforgettable micro wedding experience.
Let’s Start Planning Your Colorado Micro Wedding
So, there you have it! Colorado’s best intimate wedding venues, each offering a unique charm to make your micro wedding or elopement unforgettable. Whether you envision a cozy Airbnb escape or are drawn to world-class fine dining, your perfect micro wedding venue is waiting to be discovered.
Ready to start planning your dream micro wedding? Reach out and let’s talk about your vision! I can help you navigate the wedding planning process, ensuring your intimate Colorado celebration is stress-free and an authentic reflection of your love story.
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