When I talk to couples who want to have an intimate wedding, Colorado is a location that almost always comes up! Colorado is absolutely breathtaking, and it’s home to countless destinations perfect for a small ceremony. In this guide, I’ll share the best Colorado small wedding venues.
From outdoor and affordable venues to indoor locations and those with lodging, there’s something for every couple ready to tie the knot in Colorado! Best of all, these sites don’t have minimum guest counts, so they’re perfect for a small ceremony and reception.
Why Colorado for intimate weddings?
Colorado is easily one of the best places to say “I do” for couples planning an intimate wedding. While many venues have a minimum guest count, Colorado is home to so many magical places that don’t. These venues are ideal for a small ceremony, and many of them also offer a reception space.
Below, I’ll share incredible locations for your intimate wedding and their capacity. The venues are divided into 4 sections – venues with lodging, affordable (& gorgeous!) venues, outdoor locations, and indoor spaces.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Venues with Lodging
- Juniper Mountain House; Evergreen, CO
- Dunton Hot Springs; Dunton, CO
- Piney River Ranch; Vail, CO
- The Lodge at Breckenridge; Breckenridge, CO
Affordable Venues
- Maroon Bells Amphitheater; Aspen, CO
- Sapphire Point Overlook; Dillon, CO
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park; Golden, CO
- San Sophia Overlook; Mountain Village, CO
Outdoor Venues
- Great Sand Dunes National Park; Southern California
- North Star Gatherings; Idaho Springs, CO
- Denver Botanic Gardens; Denver, CO
- Rocky Mountain National Park; Northern Colorado
Indoor Venues
- Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art; Boulder, CO
- Great Divide Brewing Co. The Barrel Cellar; Denver, CO
- The Manor House; Littleton, CO
Keep reading for details on these locations, or contact me if you don’t see what you’re looking for!
Colorado Small Wedding Venues with Lodging
Planning a Colorado wedding and want to make sure you have a convenient place for you and your guests to stay? These intimate wedding venues are not only epic locations to tie the knot, but they also offer on-site accommodation options.
Juniper Mountain House
- Location: Evergreen, CO
- Maximum guest count: 60
- Description: Juniper Mountain House is a boutique hotel and wedding venue that sits on 10 wooded acres and overlooks the foothills of Evergreen. Various indoor and outdoor areas offer unique spaces to hold a ceremony and reception.
Dunton Hot Springs
- Location: Dunton, CO
- Maximum guest count: 44
- Description: Dunton Hot Springs offers the ideal romantic setting for an intimate wedding. It boasts scenic views of mountain peaks, rivers, aspens, and meadows. You can rent the entire property for a magical experience. If you have less than 14 guests, no need to rent it out, and you can use this gorgeous space on a budget.
Piney River Ranch
- Location: Vail, CO
- Maximum guest count: 200
- Description: Couples can book Piney River Ranch from June 21st through the last Saturday in September for an unforgettable wedding. This venue sits next to the Piney Lake and offers breathtaking mountain vista views. Guests can stay overnight at this stunning site in cabins or glamping tents.
The Lodge at Breckenridge
- Location: Breckenridge, CO
- Maximum guest count: 150
- Description: The Lodge at Breckenridge is an award-winning wedding venue, and rightfully so! It’s beautifully nestled cliffside with a captivating backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. The rustic boutique hotel offers charming accommodations for guests. And if you’re looking to bring your fur babies along, this one is also one of the best pet-friendly Colorado small wedding venues.
You might also be interested in reading: Elopement vs Wedding: What’s the Difference & Which One is Better?
Affordable Colorado Small Wedding Venues
Who says you can’t have the perfect wedding day on a budget? These venues are stunning and affordable!
Maroon Bells Amphitheater
- Location: Aspen, CO
- Maximum guest count: 50
- Description: Maroon Bells Amphitheater is every nature enthusiast couple’s paradise. This scenic venue boasts meadows with colorful wildflowers, lush Aspen trees, various wildlife, and outdoor activities. While there’s no place to hold your reception on-site, there is one nearby at the East Maroon Portal Picnic Site.
Sapphire Point Overlook
- Location: Dillon, CO
- Maximum guest count: 35
- Description: Sapphire Point Overlook is one of the best Colorado small wedding venues for a picturesque panorama and easy planning. This popular overlook offers gorgeous views of Lake Dillon and the Gore and Tenmile mountains, with plenty of space for a few guests to join.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
- Location: Golden, CO
- Maximum guest count: 40 for Panorama Point & 150 for Red Barn
- Description: Golden Gate Canyon State Park is a photographer’s paradise and a dream spot for couples wanting to tie the knot on a budget. Couples love renting out Panorama Point for the ceremony and the rustic Red Barn for a reception, although there are endless places to enjoy throughout the park. Guests can also camp out at Golden Gate or rent a guest house.
San Sophia Overlook
- Location: Mountain Village, CO
- Maximum guest count: 200
- Description: Say “I do” with sweeping ridge and valley views at the San Sophia Overlook. There’s a wooden deck for the wedding party and a grass amphitheater for guest seating, both surrounded by beautiful scenery and natural landscaping.
Outdoor Colorado Small Wedding Venues
If you’re an adventurer like myself who loves being outside, you’ll love these outdoor locations. Two of them are iconic national parks, while the other is a notable hidden gem!
Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Location: Southern California
- Maximum guest count: 15 for the dunefield; larger weddings held at the Amphitheater
- Description: Get married surrounded by the tallest dunes in North America at Great Sand Dunes National Park. While ceremony sites can’t be decorated as you would for a traditional wedding, the natural beauty is more than enough for couples who love the outdoors. Best of all, the photo-ops throughout Sand Dunes National Park are unlike any other!
North Star Gatherings
*outdoor wedding with indoor reception
- Location: Idaho Springs, CO
- Maximum guest count: 170
- Description: North Star Gatherings is the best small wedding venue for couples who want to get off the beaten path while remaining close to the city. This modern space provides seclusion and a picture-perfect mountain backdrop. Say “I do” on an outdoor ceremony deck that looks out at the Continental Divide, then enjoy the cocktail deck and indoor reception space with your guests.
Denver Botanic Gardens
*indoor and outdoor spaces
- Location: Denver, CO
- Maximum guest count: varies depending on the chosen site
- Description: While the Denver Botanic Gardens offers outdoor garden wedding venues, its indoor spaces are just as magical. From a secluded plaza to a charming solarium, there are plenty of spaces to fit almost any small (and large) wedding and reception.
Rocky Mountain National Park
- Location: Northern Colorado
- Maximum guest count: 30
- Description: Rocky Mountain National Park is easily one of my favorite outdoor Colorado small wedding venues! It offers a dreamy outdoor setting, with glistening lakes, cascading waterfalls, mountain peaks, and large meadows. While you can’t set up chairs and decor in the park, it’s the ideal spot for a simple ceremony with breathtaking backdrops and your loved ones.
Indoor Colorado Small Wedding Venues
If you prefer indoor spaces for their atmosphere or you’re planning a winter wedding, these spaces are amazing!
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
- Location: Boulder, CO
- Maximum guest count: 150
- Description: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art offers a unique space for art lovers to hold an intimate wedding ceremony. Galleries feature fabulous art displays, natural lighting, and striking architecture. There are various spaces for your ceremony and reception, with multiple options to have the wedding you’ve been dreaming of.
Great Divide Brewing Co. The Barrel Cellar
- Location: Denver, CO
- Maximum guest count: 125
- Description: Great Divide Brewing Co. The Barrel Cellar is a unique space for the beer-loving couple to say “I do!” Enjoy this warm, fun, and welcoming space with your loved ones. It’ll be the wedding every guest raves about for years to come!
The Manor House
*indoor and outdoor spaces
- Location: Littleton, CO
- Maximum guest count: 200
- Description: If you’re dreaming of a simple yet luxurious small wedding, The Manor House is the perfect venue. This mansion offers various locations for your ceremony and reception, from an outdoor space in front of Dry Creek Canyon or inside next to a cozy fireplace.
Let’s Plan Your Colorado Wedding
With so many fabulous Colorado small wedding venues, I’m not surprised if you’re ready to start the planning! And if you’re interested in learning about other locations for an intimate wedding, I’d love to share more.
Among the Pines (that’s me!) is a Colorado wedding photographer for couples looking for a unique and personalized wedding day experience. I take photos of your special day and help with the entire planning process – location selection, vendors, carrying your dress train, and more. I can even officiate your wedding!
CHLOE + CONNER
Brooke is professional, prepared, and provides all the peace of mind that a bride needs on her wedding day. Because of our conversations leading up to the day, I had no doubt that she would capture every important moment and more. Throughout the day, she was present and helpful, but never overbearing or controlling. She beautifully captured the moments that happened naturally & her experience allowed for insight and ideas that I wouldn't have thought to ask for but that I'll now cherish forever! She is flexible, understanding, and patient, and looking back, we can't imagine our day without her. If you are looking for someone to capture your wedding day, or just any day, Brooke is your girl. She goes above and beyond to serve her clients, and she is absolutely gifted at what she does.
"SHE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SERVE HER CLIENTS, and she is absolutely gifted at what she does."
Linden + Brent
In the end, her creativity and our happiness totally shine through in every single photo. Brooke made both of us feel so at ease, from our individual sessions before we had our first look, to strolling through downtown Ouray, to our ceremony and in the scenic spots we visited afterwards. Her talent is beyond compare and we are absolutely thrilled with our gallery of photos we will treasure forever. We give Brooke our highest recommendation and can’t wait to work with her again!
"Throughout the entire planning process, Brooke was honest and flexible, and made it clear that her goal was for us to be 100% happy."
Emily + Nick
Brooke is hands down the most talented photographer I have ever met in my entire life. I gave her my inspiration and she took it and made it into something entirely unique and beautiful. Brooke was able to work with my budget and offer me options. Along with all of this, she was always there to communicate with me from ideas to concerns. The day of never goes as planned, she was thrown curveball after curveball and dodged them all with ease. The photos we received memorialized the best day of our lives and we are forever grateful for the beautiful artwork she created.
"we are forever grateful for the beautiful artwork she created."
ERICA & ZACH
Brooke was booked to do our wedding June 6th. However, the virus hit and we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to have our wedding in June so we decided to go ahead and get married with just our parents there. I called Brooke and told her our plans and literally we were getting married in a week and she was so quick to say yes and capture our day for us. She helped make our day very special. She was super fun and made Zach and I feel very comfortable. I got my pictures back and I felt so overjoyed to see the happiness and love I felt on that day. Even though we didn’t have our wedding like we planned, it was still very special and Brooke was a big hand in that. She truly captured some very special memories that I will have for the rest of my life.
"SHE TRULY CAPTURED SOME VERY SPECIAL MEMORIES THAT I WILL HAVE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."
Our wedding was in Kentucky in September. Brooke not only traveled for us but made a custom package for us because we had a unique situation. She took pictures the day before, and just seemed to be in the right place at the right time. She met with me before the wedding and we communicated a few times up to the wedding about my specific requests, and she hit the nail on the head. I am so very thankful for Brooke's story-telling, organic nature. She captured our wedding for exactly what it was and what I will remember it to be...full of joy, laughter, love and hope for the future!
"I AM SO VERY THANKFUL FOR BROOKE'S storytelling, organic nature."
JENNA + JOSH
KRYSTAL & BRANDON
She’s professional, creative, organized, kind, and just a blast to be around. She made my husband comfortable instantly in front of a camera so she’s a miracle worker too. We can’t stop staring at our photos! So many people keep telling us how amazing they are!
"YOU WON'T FIND A PHOTOGRAPHER BETTER rounded than brooke!"
Jessica & Robby
Brooke has a true talent. She is able to tap into and capture moments you didn’t even realize were happening. Absolutely 100% recommend Brooke and her beautiful pictures. We booked her services for our engagement pictures and then immediately realized we needed to have her for our wedding also. I’m already preemptively dreaming of the anniversary shoot I want!
"Brooke will make you feel comfortable and like a friend - she will take your ideas and inspiration and produce something better than you thought."
Rori + Eli
Brooke truly listened to what we wanted as a couple, our hopes, and took time to understand our "vibe," which came through in her work she delivered.
I can't thank Brooke enough for her amazing work - seriously the BEST decision we made and brings me to tears each time I look at these beautiful, photographic memories we'll have forever.
ALYSSA & HUNTER
Not only is Brooke an amazing photographer, but she is so fun and easy to work with! She made the whole process feel natural and comfortable for someone who typically feels awkward and weird while getting pictures taken! I love all of the pictures and I highly recommend Brooke as a photographer!
"SHE MADE THE WHOLE PROCESS FEEL natural & Comfortable."
ALI & KYLE
That's exactly what Brooke does, she captures a story. No words needed. You can see it and feel it. You can remember the exact moment and how you feel for that person and see how they feel about you. Her intuitive eye has only gotten sharper. I can’t wait to see what other adventures await for her to capture.
"SHE CAPTURES A STORY, NO WORDS NEEDED. you can see it and feel it."
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. Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever.
Brooke is so sweet, fun, personable and incredibly talented. We could not be more in love with our engagement photos!
