There are two venue options at the Sonnenalp, riverside or the ballroom. Most couples opt for a riverside ceremony with a reception in Ludwig’s under the glass ceiling. The capacity for these two spots is 100 guests. The Grand Bavaria Room will up your capacity to 160 guests, but doesn’t have quite the wow factor.

When mentioning that it’s authentic, we love that each suite has it’s own layout and design. The views on either side of Gore Creek are Vail Village are equally beautiful.

In regard to Sonnenalp Weddings, the creek side location can feel a bit tight if you are trying to fit 100 guests. The reception space, Ludwig’s feels grand with its glass ceiling. The staff is well acquainted with flipping the room if you need more dancefloor space. In the summer months, they’ll leave the sliding glass doors open, allowing you and your guests to dance under the stars.

Our photography tips for Sonnenalp are to either head into Vail Village for photos on the cobblestone street looking back on the Gore Range, or to head up Vail Mountain. The second option will require a short drive, but gets you on the ski runs and into the large aspen groves. It is less than 5 minutes and well worth the small hassle.

The Sonnenalp does require you to have a wedding planner and will provide one for a cost. Secondly, they also provide Wedding Design Packages. With that said, the Sonnenalp is a beautiful Vail Wedding Venue and one of our favorite in the Vail Village.

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The floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Telluride valley floor below makes you feel as if Allred’s if floating in the clouds. The view to the north of the San Juan Mountains is breathtaking. With room for up to 130 guests, the interior has your quintessential log cabin ski lodge vibe. The bar is located near the stone entrance to the restaurant and can serve as a cocktail hour area, but is a bit tight for 130 people.

With that said, Allred’s is a wedding reception space. Just outside and up the hill is one of our favorite ceremony locations in Colorado, San Sophia Overlook. To our knowledge, there aren’t any other ceremony locations near the town of Telluride or Mountain Village.

Buy-out for the venue on a weekend with its food and beverage minimum puts you around $36k, but in all fairness, the Allred’s experience is like none other.

The Telluride Free Gondola is the only way to access Allred’s. We suggest parking at the Mountain Village Gondola Parking Garage, free during the day, and riding up from there. Parking in the town of Telluride can be tight, especially near the lower Telluride Station.

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If you’ve ever been to Telluride, you’ll quickly discover the free gondola that connects the town to Mountain Village. While the Free Intercept Gondola won’t directly drop you off at Mountain Lodge, it is just a short walk from The Village Market. We love that it’s so close to a grocery store.

In regard to the Mountain Lodge as a wedding venue, there are several ceremony locations outside. The Back Lawn or the Grass Knoll can fit either 60 or 80 guests. If either of these ceremony options don’t quite cut it, heading up the gondola for a San Sophia Wedding is well worth your time and money. It it one of the most breathtaking venues in Colorado.

The 2000 square foot reception space inside the lodge has room for 120 guests. You’ll have to get a little creative with the layout as there is a massive fireplace in the middle of the room. The bar is adequately sized to serve guests plenty of refreshments.

Step outside to the pool area and you’ll find a beautiful space to host your cocktail hour. We do suggest checking with the Mountain Lodge about guest access during your reception. We’ve had wedding where guests were swimming and then other times where it was blocked off.

For wedding photos around the Mountain Lodge, there are plenty of views just outside. We also suggest making your way down Mountain Village Blvd to Elk Lake, which has a beautiful dock and views of the Sneffels Mountain Range to the north.

As for parking, there is very limited availability onsite. Guests can use the free Gondola Parking Garage behind the Village Market. Overnight parking is available for a fee.

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It does have on-site ceremony location options available, but most of our couples opt for a San Sophia Wedding and then finish up with a reception at Gorrono Ranch. The actual location of the ranch is mid-mountain, meaning that shuttles are involved in getting your guests to the site. The road is well maintained and just a quick ride from the overlook or Mountain Village below.

From the deck, you and your guests get a breathtaking view of Mount Wilson to the South. Head inside the rustic ski lodge and it feels intimate, vintage and authentic. Telluride Ski Resort has done a good job of updating the lodge while not making it feel too modern or sterile.

Gorrono Ranch has space for up to 200 guests and plenty of amenities. The firepit outside is always a hit for guests to roast a smore. Couples usually always enjoy a cocktail in the historic saloon. Have your formalities inside or outside as there is plenty of room in either location.

As you can tell, we’re huge fans of this Telluride Wedding Venue and if you have questions about logistics or what makes for the best pictures, please get in contact with us.

• How do we get guests to Gurrono Ranch?
• There are several shuttle companies that are authorized to transport your guests. Some of the ones we’ve had experience with are Mountain Limo Telluride and CO West.
• Can we use our own vendors?
• You are required to have a day-of wedding coordinator and you are required to use Gorrono’s food & beverage services. Outside of that, you are welcome to use any florist, DJ, live band or wedding vendor you would like.
• What is the price per guest?
• On average, expect to spend anywhere from $150 to $250 per guest.
• Can I have my ceremony & reception at Gorrono Ranch?
• Yes. The location has accommodations to provide both a wedding ceremony and reception at the same time. Guest counts for this limit you to 200 people.

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The 10th’s wedding deck is right outside the reception space and gives you an epic overlook of the Gore Mountains to the north. Some ski mountain venues can complicated from a logistics standpoint, but it doesn’t get easier than The 10th. For scenic wedding portraits, it doesn’t get much better. While the Holy Cross Wedding Deck has 360 degree views, it’s reception space is dated.

Our only suggestion is to ask for advice on ceremony timing because it can be tricky during certain times of the year with regard to shadows and lighting.

With all that said, you can’t go wrong with The 10th if it’s within your budget. Vail Resorts and their venue management is always on-point and professional. They’ve done plenty of weddings and have seen it all, so rain or shine, things proceed according to plan.

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In our experience, the staff, lodging and accommodations have always been great. Overall, it is slightly more expensive than some other nearby venues, but the convenient location is hard to put a price on.

Parking at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek

Parking in the Beaver Creek Village can be tricky. The Park Hyatt does offer valet parking if they aren’t too busy. Depending on the season, valet parking can run anywhere from $30 to $80 a night. During off-season times (fall & summer), free parking can be found at either the Ford Hall Garage or the Villa Montane Garage. Both are a short walk to the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek. If those aren’t an option, parking at the base in the Elk Lot is also an option. From here, you can ride the Beaver Creek Village Connect Shuttle for free. Their mobile app is the best way to see transit times or even request a ride within the village.

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You can fit just about any size wedding at the Hotel Jerome. The large ballroom can accommodate 400 people, but there are rooms with capacities of 30 and 40 for more intimate weddings. All have high ceilings and plenty of character, requiring very little outside décor to have that feeling of elegance.

Step outside to the courtyard for cocktail hour and you and your guests are looking at Aspen Mountain. If you are considering an outdoor ceremony, we do have a few suggestions on setup that can help alleviate outside guests from peeking in on your big day.

About 15 minutes away is the iconic Maroon Bells, a favorite Aspen Wedding Venue of ours.

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