Estes Park Wedding Venues

A complete guide to Estes Park wedding venues, elopement locations, and everything else you need to know about getting married in the scenic Colorado mountain town right east of Rocky Mountain National Park.

The first time I drove up the windy roads of 36 and saw the Estes Park valley open up in front of me, I fell in love. And if you’re getting married in Estes Park, you might have had a similar experience.

These Estes Park wedding venues have a little something for every couple. From the historic Stanley Hotel to the modern SkyView at Fall River, there’s more to this mountain town than just wood lodges and cabins. You can find small venues, affordable venues, indoor venues perfect for cold winter nights, and outdoor venues for longer summer evenings. If you’re traveling in for an Estes Park destination wedding, it’s the perfect place to give your guests a taste of Colorado. Rocky Mountain National Park draws over four million visitors a year, and for good reason!

So browse through the photos of these wedding venues in Estes Park, and start dreaming about your big day in the Rocky Mountains. Once you have a vision, look through the different venue websites to see what fits your style, then schedule tours or calls with all your favorites. There’s nothing like seeing a venue in person to help make up your mind!

The best wedding venues in Estes Park

Wondering where you can get married in Estes Park? As one of the most popular small towns in the Rocky Mountains for destination weddings, there’s something for everyone here, from grand historic ballrooms to rustic outdoor venues. Here are 15+ of the best wedding venues in Estes Park, for ceremonies and receptions both big and small.

If you want more information about any of these venues, start by checking out each of their websites for more photos and information. Then schedule a tour of the venues you’re most interested in, because nothing beats seeing a place in person. Many venues also offer virtual tours, if you are planning your destination wedding from out of state.

Want to see what your options are outside of Estes Park? I also have a full guide of every venue in Boulder County, which includes nearby Lyons, Longmont, and Allenspark, and a separate guide for Denver venues.

Do you know of (or work for) a wedding venue in Estes Park that’s not on this list? Please contact me; I’d love to add it to this guide!

Where to elope in Estes Park

Wondering where to elope in Estes Park? Most couples who are planning an elopement in nature in the Estes Park area choose to reserve a ceremony site in Rocky Mountain National Park. This is ideal for smaller ceremonies, as most sites in the park are limited to 15 people total. Some of the wedding venues listed earlier in this post also offer elopement packages for small ceremonies on weekdays and in the off-season. And lastly there are a handful of natural ceremony sites outside of the national park, but as these are still considered hidden gems (and not as strictly regulated by permits), I won’t be naming the exact locations here.

Best vacation rentals in Estes Park

If you’re traveling to Colorado for your Estes Park wedding, I’d highly recommend booking an AirBnB or vrbo instead of staying in a hotel. While there are a few great hotels in Estes Park, like the historic Stanley Hotel that inspired The Shining, AirBnBs usually make for a more relaxing trip. You’ll have more space for having a hair and makeup artist over in the morning, and getting ready separately without seeing each other before the first look or ceremony. And while hotel rooms are often small and dark, making it hard to get good “getting ready” photos, you can find rental homes with plenty natural light which makes for great photos.

There are hundreds of vacation rentals to choose from in Estes Park, but I’ve scrolled through every single listing and put together a short list of of my absolute favorites. Some are small, perfect for just a couple, while others are big enough to host all your friends and family. I’ve specifically picked homes that I think would photograph well, although I haven’t actually shot at most of these homes, so please do your own research on the listing before booking.

Please note that most AirBnBs do not allow hosting ceremonies, reception dinners, or any other wedding-related events at the property without prior permission from the host. If you’d like to use your lodging for more than just lodging, contact the host before booking, be honest about what you’re planning, and be okay with getting a no. (I also have a blog post with tips on how to plan an airbnb elopement.)

This is where vrbo beats airbnb—they have a search filter called “Events Allowed” that makes it easy to find properties that, well, allow events.

Best hotels in Estes Park

I’ve stayed at quite a few hotels in Estes Park over the past five years of shooting early sunrise and late sunset weddings in the area. Here are my favorites!

• The Stanley Hotel – yes, the one made famous by The Shining
• Trailborn Rocky Mountains – newly renovated with a modern aesthetic
• Della Terra Mountain Chateau – by far one of the nicest places to stay in the area
• The Estes Park Resort – splurge on their jacuzzi and fireplace suites, I promise it’s worth it after a long day of hiking
• The Historic Crags Lodge
• Taharaa Mountain Lodge
• The Ridgeline Hotel

When to visit Estes Park

What’s the best time of year to visit Estes Park? It really depends on two things: how much you care about warm weather, and how much you want to avoid crowds of tourists.

The tourist season in Estes Park mostly follows the warm weather, with visitation numbers peaking from Memorial Day until Labor Day. Another busy time in Estes Park is the elk rutting / mating season, from around mid-September until mid-October. During this time, large herd of elk can be spotted everywhere, as can the crowds of tourists and wildlife photographers who follow them around. In summer, busy trailheads like Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge often fill up before sunrise, and shuttle buses run nonstop throughout the day.

Personally, I love Estes Park in winter more than any other time. Rocky Mountain National Park is a playground even in the snow, with miles and miles of trails that are accessible for hiking, snow shoeing, and cross-country skiing. Trailheads that are overflowing in summer are quiet in winter (especially on weekdays), and you can even get lucky and have a place like Bear Lake to yourselves.

(Want a more in depth breakdown of the best time to elope in Colorado? I have a whole blog post on that.)

Looking for a wedding photographer in Estes Park?

I’m based in neighboring Boulder County, and love any excuse to drive up the winding roads to Estes Park for work. (And no, I don’t charge travel fees for it.) Check out my wedding photography prices, then reach out so we can schedule a video chat to talk about how I can help you plan and capture the perfect wedding in Estes Park.