Cement Creek Ranch is a stunning wedding venue in Crested Butte, Colorado. It’s the perfect place for an intimate elopement or larger wedding because it’s off the beaten path, and the scenery is breathtaking.
The ranch is nestled in Gunnison National Forest, a 1.7 million-acre area of natural beauty. It’s the perfect location for a mountain wedding in Colorado, and it’s about 20 minutes from Crested Butte’s charming mountain town area.
Below, I’ll discuss everything you need to know about planning a Cement Creek Ranch wedding or elopement, including why it’s an incredible place to get married and the best time of year. I’ll also share a step-by-step guide for planning your wedding and how much it may cost.
Why Get Married at Cement Creek Ranch
Cement Creek Ranch is easily one of the best outdoor wedding venues in Colorado because it’s picture-perfect, peaceful, and romantic. It’s no wonder it’s one of my favorite places to photograph couples!
I love joining couples for their wedding or elopement at Cement Creek Ranch for many reasons, including the following:
- Natural beauty – Settled in the massive Gunnison National Forest, the venue is surrounded by nature and gorgeous mountain scenery.
- Secluded – Tucked in a valley 20 minutes from town, the ranch is off the beaten path for a quiet wedding getaway.
- Romantic – The unique character, stunning scenery, and peaceful atmosphere create a romantic experience unlike any other.
- Fun activities – Enjoy your wedding with fun activities like hiking, biking, and fishing. You can also visit the nearby town of Crested Butte to explore the downtown area and other outdoor adventures.
- On-site accommodation – The on-site cabin rental is incredibly convenient and offers the perfect setting for spending quality time together.
When to Have a Cement Creek Ranch Wedding or Elopement
While Cement Creek Ranch is a stunning wedding venue any time of year, my favorite season is fall because the hillside of aspens come to life, horses roam the meadow, and the weather cools off. That said, each season offers a unique experience.
Winter
Cement Creek Ranch is perfect for a winter wonderland wedding, but it’s only accessible by one-mile snowshoe or cross-country ski when there’s a lot of snowfall. I recommend planning a small elopement during winter since guests can’t easily access the venue, which is perfect for couples who want to enjoy a secluded, peaceful wedding experience.
Spring
Cement Creek Ranch is more accessible during spring when snow starts melting, and you can experience beautiful snow-capped mountains around the venue. The weather is cool, and you can likely still enjoy snow activities to make fun memories with your love and wedding guests.
Summer
Summer offers warmer days, sunshine, and beautiful green scenery around Cement Creek Ranch. It’s the perfect time of year to relax at your cabin and listen to the stream before or after your wedding. There are also many fun activities around the venue and national forest, including hiking and biking.
Fall
Fall is an incredible time to get married at Cement Creek Ranch. The weather is incredibly comfortable, and the fall colors are beautiful. It’s also a perfect time of year to explore the national forest and nearby nature.
How to Get Married at Cement Creek Ranch
Follow the steps below to plan your dream wedding or elopement at Cement Creek Ranch.
Step 1: Make Your Reservation
Reserve Cement Creek Ranch for your wedding or elopement by emailing cementcreekranch@gmail.com.
You can reserve Cement Creek Ranch for a wedding any time of the year for up to 200 guests. Typically, dates are available up to a year in advance.
You can also book a two-bedroom cabin rental separately from the venue, which we’ll discuss more below. Many couples choose this accommodation option to enjoy the venue for a few days before and after the wedding.
Step 2: Hire Vendors
Some couples who get married at Cement Creek Ranch keep it simple with a small elopement or intimate wedding, and others plan a larger wedding with various vendors. The venue does require you to have a wedding planner.
As a wedding and elopement photographer, I can capture the special moments on your wedding day, make vendor recommendations, and help with timeline planning.
Step 3: Apply for Your Marriage License
One of the best parts about getting married in Colorado is how easy it is to get a marriage license and handle the legalities. You can even self-solemnize your own wedding if you want to!
Here’s what you need to do to get your marriage license:
- Prepare for requirements – Review the requirements to prepare and gather documents, including valid photo IDs and information about previous spouses, if applicable.
- Go to any Colorado County Clerk’s Office – Many require an appointment, which you can usually make online. You’ll submit your documents and pay your application fee when you arrive.
- Get married within 35 days of receiving your marriage license – Within two months of your wedding, take your marriage certificate and license for recording.
Step 4: Plan Your Wedding or Elopement
When planning your Cement Creek Ranch wedding or elopement, prepare for the following:
- Your vows – Traditional vows or write your own vows for a personal touch
- Wedding attire – Bride and groom outfits and wedding party if you have one
- Wedding events – Rehearsal and other week-of activities
- Decorations and equipment – Rentals for tables, chairs, etc., if needed
- Reception – At the venue or plan one in downtown Crested Butte
Step 5: Enjoy Your Wedding Day
Yay, your wedding day is here! While it’s easy to stress over having the perfect day, remember to enjoy the special moments.
What’s most important is that you spend the day celebrating and appreciating your love. Create fun memories with unique ideas, like enjoying spontaneous moments, having a first look, and doing a fun activity together.
Cement Creek Ranch is an amazing venue with breathtaking scenery, a peaceful environment, and fun activities – making it easy to enjoy your wedding day!
Cement Creek Ranch Wedding Cost
It costs $8,500 to rent the ceremony and reception space at Cement Creek Ranch.
Other wedding and elopement costs vary, depending on how affordable, simple, or elaborate you want your wedding to be.
I typically work with couples who want to plan a relatively simple wedding day without too many frills so that they can experience the intention behind their wedding with little to no stress. It’s really all about celebrating love, creating new memories, and starting a special chapter with your partner. With that, you can usually eliminate some costs, like fancy attire and decorations – plus nature is the decor at Cement Creek!
That said, here are additional expenses to consider for your wedding or elopement:
- Wedding planner – $1,000 to $3,000
- Photographer – $3,000 to $10,000
- Accommodations – $150+ per night
- Attire – Up to $3,000
- Florist – Up to $500
- Hair & makeup – Up to $600
Cement Creek Ranch Cabin Rental
Cement Creek Ranch’s cabin is the perfect place for newlyweds to spend a few days. It’s settled in a stunning valley surrounded by nature. It’s the perfect accommodation for an intimate elopement or peaceful wedding.
The cabin has two bedrooms and a maximum occupancy of four people. It’s the only accommodation on the ranch, ideal for a private getaway.
A minimum stay of three nights is required, which is perfect for enjoying a few days together and celebrating this new chapter away from the hustle. Crested Butte’s downtown area and other activities are a short drive away if you want to explore away from the ranch.
Cement Creek Ranch’s cabin rental rates vary by season:
- November 1st through May 19th (excluding Christmas week) – $150 per night for two people; $30 per night for each additional person
- May 20th through May 31st and October – $200 per night for two people; $25 per night for each additional person
- December 23rd through December 31st and June – $250 per night for two people; $40 per night for each additional person
- July 1st through September 30th – $285 per night for two people; $45 per night for each additional person
Cement Creek Ranch Wedding Packages
As a Colorado wedding and elopement photographer, I offer various packages to fit your ideal experience, including multi-day, full-day, or mini elopements or weddings.
Each package includes:
- Timeline planning – We’ll get your wedding timeline just right for a fun and stress-free experience.
- Vendor recommendations – I can offer suggestions for other vendors, including a videographer, florist, and makeup artist—whatever you need!
- Planning guide – My 90-page planning guide offers helpful resources for wedding or elopement preparation.
- Photography and custom online gallery – I’ll capture the big and small moments of your special day so you can remember your wedding forever and share it with loved ones (you’ll even get sneak peek photos!)
kinsley + caden
“Brooke was the perfect choice for our wedding day! We had a micro wedding at Sapphire Point in August. I had never been to Sapphire Point and Brooke was so helpful suggesting vendors, picture locations, parking, marriage license info etc. She was so kind and helpful before and during the whole process and was a large part of why the day went so smooth. She does so much more than just show up and take pictures, Brooke will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect! The photos are gorgeous and I keep getting so many compliments! I truly cannot recommend her enough!”
"Brooke was a large part of why our day went so smooth and will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect!"
We chose Brooke to capture our Colorado elopement and she did exactly that and more. She made it easy to plan our day out with locations and timelines so that we could focus on ourselves. We decided last minute to change our afternoon/evening elopement to a 6am sunrise one so beat the heat of the day. Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise. She was kind and understood what we wanted in terms of our elopement and we are so grateful to have her capture the day. Our photos turned out beautiful and truly helped us relive the day. I would recommend Brooke to anyone wanting their special day photographed.
"Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise."
erica + stacy
kirstie + colin
Brooke not only photographed our mountain elopement beautifully, but she put so much thought into the details and knew all of the answers the questions I didn’t even know to ask. She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had. She even helped pick the perfect spot for us and advised us on the logistical details like securing a reservation at the mountain lake where we wanted our ceremony. She is SO easy to work with and very friendly and chill. My husband and I are super awkward in front of a camera but she made it so natural and easy - and the shots came out better than we could have imagined.
"She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had."
amanda + jace
Brooke is many things; talented, calm, flexible, experienced/ knowledgeable, patient, incredibly responsive, organized, resourceful in a pinch, supportive, creative, professional yet a blast to work with, and goes above & beyond w her clients. Our wedding was a spectacular dream and we couldn't be more grateful that she made that single day last forever. Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be. We couldn't recommend her more and we look forward to booking with her for all of our vow renewals, seasonal and family pictures for as long as she'll have us.
"Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be."
linden + brent
Working with Brooke was a dream come true! Before we even met, my husband Brent and I were impressed by her portfolio. After meeting, we were even more convinced that her photography skills and knowledge, and her fun and easygoing personality were exactly what we were looking for in an elopement photographer. Brooke was able to take our vision and facilitate everything so that it worked out beautifully, especially when it came to finding the perfect location (the incredible mountains surrounding Ouray). Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible, and made it clear that her goal was for us to be 100% happy. In the end, her creativity and our happiness totally shine through in every single photo.
"Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible."
lauren + branden
I can't begin to express my gratitude for the intimacy and beauty behind Brooke's photographs. In capturing our wedding day, she went above and beyond to document our story, our families, and the depths of our love in ways that I'll forever be grateful for. Brooke has an eye for not only capturing the adventure and magic of your love, but deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way. She is truly an artist and tells your story in an authentic and creative way for you to look back on for years to come. We are forever grateful to Brooke for spending the time to get to know us, our story, and capturing the memories that we'll relive for years to come.
"Brooke deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way."
heather + jedd
“If you're contemplating which photographer to go with, THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO CHOOSE BROOKE!!!! She is so so so talented and was able to capture our elopement exactly how I pictured and wanted! We eloped in Ridgway, CO this past September and she was so helpful figuring out picture locations, recommendations of timeline for the day, and just made the whole day feel so smooth. She schedules multiple check ins, phone calls, etc., leading up to the big day to ensure everything is as you want it. Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever after just the first time of meeting."
"Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever."
christy + austin
Brooke is the absolute best. She truly went above and beyond for my fiancé and I to be able to get our engagement photos taken with the fall colors. Brooke is so sweet, fun, personable and incredibly talented. We could not be more in love with our engagement photos! Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever.
"Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever."
