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 deck sits right on top of the town of Telluride below. It’s almost as if you can reach out and touch the wall of San Juan Mountains. Turn 180 degrees and the view of the Wilson Range is just as epic.

For us photographers, the way San Sophia is positioned provides for the best lighting possible. Cloudy or full sun, it doesn’t matter, it’s going to look stunning. We can guarantee it.

We really appreciate that Telluride Ski Resort has kept San Sophia Overlook clutter free from fences, signs or ugly distractions. Some mountain wedding venues are encapsulated with neon flags and signs asking for people to keep out. With that said, the usual public access to the overlook is shutoff during your ceremony.

San Sophia is a ceremony location only, so eventually you and your guests will have to make your way to the reception. There are plenty of options available, most of them in the Mountain Village, but the closest being Allred’s or Gorrono Ranch.

With that said, we’ll let the pictures do the talking now. It should be clear why San Sophia makes our list of 10 Highest Rated Colorado Wedding Venues.

• How much are gondola tickets for guests?
• It’s free. No additional costs for your guests to get to the San Sophia Overlook.
• Do we really need a wedding coordinator ?
• Telluride Resorts requires you to have a day-of wedding coordinator. Outside of that, you are free to pick all of your other wedding vendors. Contact us for coordinator recommendations.

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