10 Micro Wedding Venues in the Mountains of Colorado
Micro weddings are some of my favorite wedding day experiences to document! They’re such a unique mixture of the intimacy of an elopement and the energy and excitement of a more traditional sized wedding. They’re honestly so cool which is why I love how popular they’ve become here in Colorado! Even with the smaller size though, there is still a LOT of planning that goes into your micro wedding, and one of the biggest decisions you’ll make is finding a wedding venue! While this is one of the most important decisions for your wedding day it is also one of the most exciting, which is why I cannot wait to share 10 of my favorite venues in the mountains of Colorado that specialize in micro weddings!!
What is a Micro Wedding?
If you’re unfamiliar with the term micro wedding, the name is thankfully a very accurate description of them! They are wedding days with a much smaller guest list. The term is often interchangeable with intimate wedding, but no matter which name you go with it is a wedding with 50 or fewer guests. This smaller scale is the driving force in what makes these weddings so unique. Like I mentioned above, they are an incredibly cool mixture of intimacy and celebration.
Why Have a Micro Wedding?
That mixture I mentioned allows couples to really get creative with the look and feel of their micro wedding! With a micro wedding you can structure the timeline of your day in a way that just isn’t possible with a full size wedding. You can also book some of the best and most unique wedding venues in Colorado that only are available thanks to the smaller size of micro weddings! We’ll take a look at those venues here in just a second, but if you’re looking for more reasons to have a micro wedding, I have you covered!! Check out this article I recently wrote that covers some of the amazing benefits of these celebrations!
10 Micro Wedding Venues in the Colorado Mountains
Now, without further ado we can take a look at some of my favorite micro wedding venues in the mountains of Colorado! If you’ve read any of my other top ten lists you know that I like to make a disclaimer that while I ADORE these venues I know that every couple is different. This list isn’t meant to be your only options to choose from, rather something to inspire you in your search for your wedding venue! If you find the venue of your dreams on this list that is FANTASTIC! If that isn’t the case I hope this list helps to show you some of the best wedding venues out there, and also what to look for in your ideal wedding venue!!
Ok, enough rambling on! Let’s check out these wedding venues!
1. Gold Mountain Ranch
Found in the mountains above Ouray, Colorado is our first epic micro wedding venue, Gold Mountain Ranch! The venue has a literal jaw dropping view of the town of Ouray below, and with access to 1200 acres on their property there will be no shortage of portrait opportunities throughout your day! The home itself acts as a perfect getting ready space for your wedding day. It also has room for up to 18 guests to stay at, so you and your wedding party members can all stay together to make a weekend out of your wedding day! The venue also offers an on-site manager to assist you throughout your wedding as needed. Gold Mountain Ranch really sets the bar high in terms of micro wedding venues, but we still have plenty more fantastic options to look at!
2. The Observatory at Alta Lakes
Our next micro wedding venue is the gorgeous Observatory in the mountains of Telluride, Colorado. This stunning log cabin has an amazing ceremony space that looks out towards one of the Alta Lakes, with the San Juan Mountains looming overhead. The beauty of this venue on its own is enough to sell it, but there is a LOT more to love about this space! 45 guests can attend weddings at The Observatory, and the cabin can sleep up to 12. The cabin has everything you’d need to make your wedding day into the perfect weekend long celebration, and there is SO much to explore and enjoy in the surrounding area as well!!
3. The Summit
Next on the list is the aptly named, The Summit! This micro wedding venue is in the mountains of Woodland Park, Colorado, and has a literal jaw dropping view!! The venue has breathtaking views, which you’ve probably come to expect in this list, but also provides a wonderful experience for your stay. The Summit has all the modern comforts you could want for your stay making things simple, easy, and most of all comfortable for your entire wedding weekend!
4. Maroon Bells Amphitheatre
The mountains of Aspen, Colorado is where you’ll find our next micro wedding venue! The Maroon Bells Amphitheatre features some of the most photographed mountains in the country, and they can be all yours to enjoy for your wedding day!! The amphitheatre can be reserved a year in advance, and I recommend booking as soon as you can to ensure you get your dream wedding date. Up to 50 guests can be present for your ceremony, but no reception can take place at the amphitheatre, instead you can reserve the nearby picnic site if you would like to have your reception nearby. As for where to stay, the city of Aspen is full of wonderful places to choose from, and offers a ton of activities to keep you and your guests busy for the entire weekend!!
5. The Surf Hotel
The Surf Hotel offers a wholly unique wedding day experience for its couples. While it can host larger weddings, this wedding venue in the mountains of Buena Vista, Colorado also lends itself incredibly well to micro weddings! Fabulous in house catering, multiple indoor and outdoor spaces to choose from for your ceremony and reception, views of the mountains in Buena Vista, the Surf Hotel’s iconic style and elegance, and the sheer amount of rooms available for you and your guests to use for your stay are just some of the reasons you should consider the venue for your day!!
6. Piney River Ranch
Our next venue is Piney River Ranch, and can be found in beautiful Vail, Colorado! Piney River Ranch is just on the edge of being a micro wedding venue, having a minimum guest requirement of 50 in order to book the venue for the weekend. You can still book the venue for smaller gatherings during the week though! Whichever route you go, Piney River Ranch is a fantastic option for your wedding day festivities! The venue operates from June 21st through the last Saturday of September, so they specialize in those beautiful summer weddings. The outdoor ceremony space is immaculate with some of the best mountain views in the state. There’s a couples suite to use, an indoor reception space, in-house catering, 8 lodges available for rent, and a TON of amenities to make your wedding day the best it can be!
7. Pikes Peak Ranch
Next on the list is Pikes Peak Ranch in Woodland Park, Colorado! This wedding venue is a more recent one, with the current owners purchasing it in 2023! They came into ownership with a clear vision in mind though, and have created a space for some of the most beautiful wedding day experiences you can have in the mountains of Colorado. The ranch’s modern amenities give you the comfort you need to relax on your day, while the beauty of the land around Pikes Peak Ranch creates a setting that’s impossible not to fall in love with! There are 6 total cabins available for rent, an indoor reception space incase of inclement weather, 110 acres of property to enjoy, and SO much more for you to enjoy on your wedding day!
8. Venue on the Rocks
This is our one and only coffee shop wedding venue on the list! Venue on the Rocks is a coffee shop in Estes Park, Colorado, which also operates as an outdoor micro wedding venue! While only offering outdoor wedding ceremonies and receptions, there is a tent available to use in the case of inclement weather on your wedding day. The location is absolutely gorgeous though, as it is right on Big Thompson River, and is surrounded by the beautiful mountains that make up Estes Park. Being inside the city limits of Estes Park also means that the venue is incredibly close to a number of options for you and your guests to stay at!
9. Rhize Weddings
Tucked in the mountains of the Pikes Peak National Forest is the stellar micro wedding venue Rhize Weddings! As a wedding venue, Rhize offers a few different options for their couples depending on the size of their wedding day. Consisting of 2 unique ceremony spaces, and 2 unique reception spaces, the venue offers a truly one of a kind wedding day experience!! The spaces can comfortably host up to 40 guests, other than the outdoor ceremony space “Goldbug Rock Ledge” which can host 10. They have on site staff there to ensure that your day runs as smoothly as possible, and exactly as you envisioned it. You can also upgrade to their highest package for an all inclusive wedding experience, meaning they’ll take care of EVERYTHING for you! You’re also able to add on lodging for you and up to 12 guests for an additional fee.
10. Sapphire Point Overlook
In Dillon, Colorado, just north of Breckenridge is our 10th and final micro wedding venue, Sapphire Point Overlook! You may recognize this venue from Mavany and Mike’s blog a little while back. I love Sapphire Point for a wedding ceremony, and highly recommend you check out Mavany and Mike’s day for a full look at this location. The ceremony space has to be reserved through the recreation.gov link, and can host up to 35 guests for a ceremony looking out over the beautiful Dillon reservoir and the mountains framing it! With Breckenridge also being only 15 minutes south, finding a place to stay and celebrate after your ceremony is simple as well!
There you have it! 10 of my favorite micro wedding venues in the stunning mountains of Colorado!! Be sure to check out their contact pages if you’re interested in booking any of these venues for your own wedding day. If you’re looking to have me document your wedding day then head over to my contact page so we can start planning your day together!!
