There's more to choosing a "mountain" town for your wedding than how close it is to DIA.
All too often we as vendors hear or see the same thing, “I am really wanting a mountain wedding within X of DIA.” and I’m here to loudly yell it from the rooftops - YOU ARE GOING ABOUT THIS ALL WRONG if this is the biggest determining factor on finding your venue.
Now that your defenses are up and you’re thinking, “well…that’s nice but I can’t expect my guests to fly from _______ and then drive to ________ just for the sake of my wedding”, I’m going to really push your buttons. You’re wrong again and I bet you they will. But it’s all about selecting a mountain town that fits not only the two of you but what you want to provide your guests with as far as a weekend long (if not more) experience. Hear me out.
Here are just a few of the many things to consider to broaden that range:
There are more airports in CO than DIA
Of course most of the main mountain towns have airports - Vail, Aspen, Steamboat, Telluride, and Crested Butte (Gunnison) but the other biggies get forgotten about and often have pricing that’s similar to Denver. Check out flights into Grand Junction, Montrose and even Durango to give you access to a whole other side of the state with mountain venues galore.
PRICING FACTORS
Pricing CAN be lower the farther you get from Denver (this of course does not factor in The Little Nell in Aspen or more resort style venues). But you do tend to pay for convenience when it comes to comparing apples to apples for venues with a mountain view within 1 hr vs 2 hrs or further away. Also, didn’t I mention EVERYONE says they want to be within X of DIA? The farther you are away the more availability you tend to find when it comes to venues.
You should be thinking about what it’s going to cost your guests to stay nearby your venue before pulling the trigger. This goes beyond their flights and rental cars, think about their lodging options, where they are going to eat and what it will cost them to truly experience the area.
this is your Wedding
Really this should be the #1 reason you should broaden your search if it’s a mountain wedding you’re looking for and you’re just not finding the place within the convenient range of Denver you had hoped for. Let me say this again, it’s YOUR wedding. I promise you, the people who want to be there to be part of it and to celebrate you will make it happen.
If it’s a wildflower vision you have in mind and you love the idea of running into everyone all weekend long no matter where you’re at in town - Crested Butte is calling, you should probably go.
If it’s BIG mountain views with less fashionable tourists and more outdoorsy / casual vibes you’re envisioning, Ouray may just be THE place.
If going out to a club post wedding is more your vibe for an after party, Breck or Steamboat are both options to look at.
The point is what do YOU want your wedding day and just entire experience to feel like? Every single mountain town is wildly different and will define the majority of what both you and your guests will remember from your wedding - what do you want that to be starting with the two most important people there?
Your guests experience
As a planner, I believe that your guest experience starts when you send them their save the date and ends when they leave your wedding to head home. Everything that happens in the middle that’s associated with your wedding is part of what will define what your wedding was to them. Let’s make it one for the books.
I will tell you a little life hack that I use to help make decisions all the time - there are two main stressors for the average American these days. #1 is time and #2 is money. The life hack part though is that only one of these things you can make more of. So if you’re going to ask your guests to spend not only their hard earned money but also time to get to your wedding, the time they spend there should be well thought out and an enjoyable experience from start to finish! Now how do you do that?
Think about what it is your guests NEED in a mountain town. Does your mom need 5 star accommodations? Do you need to have lodging, dining and activity options under a certain price point for your college friends? Does grandma need to stay under a certain elevation? Print yourself a map and start X-ing out towns that don’t fit this.
What other activities are you hoping to have for your guests whether organized as part of your wedding or for them to orchestrate on their own? Skiing? Spa days? Jeeping? Rafting? A downtown area to shop? And are these activities non negotiable or just something that would be a plus?
If you’re set on a date - are there any other local events taking place on the same weekend that could make getting around, finding lodging or even just getting a dinner reservation more difficult? *Sometimes these events can be a major plus too, EX: The Telluride Balloon Festival.
Once you’ve decided on the spot you’re going to want to put ALL of the need to know info on a really great wedding website (TheKnot.com is the best option by the way). This includes where you recommend flying into and distances for each (I would even note the ones you wouldn’t recommend so they know why), lodging AND the sell on whatever location you decide on - what makes it amazing, what should they do while they are there, etc.
Still unsure of where to look or how to narrow it down?
Get in touch. I am a mountain town connoisseur and can take your answers to just a few questions and tell you what town is the best fit for your wedding FAST. Plus give you all the best spots to check out while you’re there.