A Guide to Getting Married in Crested Butte

Crested Butte is truly a Colorado gem and one of my favorite recommendations for couple’s looking for a mountain town experience for their wedding or elopement. Located four hours southwest of Denver, the unique town has some amazing wildflowers, hiking, and a ski resort. It’s a popular spot for outdoor enthusiasts and visitors in the fall and summer months due to all the natural scenery in the area and the small town charm of the downtown area.

Table of Contents

Why get married in Crested Butte?

How to access Crested Butte

Where should we get married in Crested Butte?

Top Recommendations for the Area

Why get married in Crested Butte?

The Crested Butte area has become increasingly popular as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts as well as weddings. With the town sitting in a valley, the access to it gives it a more remote feel surrounded by mountains. In the summer seasons, wildflowers and greenery cover the hills and valley bringing in tourism from all over. In the fall seasons, the yellow aspen trees create a stunning wedding backdrop. There are many accommodation options from camping, hotels, resorts, and short term vacation rentals allowing guests to enjoy the area as well.

For adventurous couples, miles of off-road trails, mountain biking, and fly fishing options are all accessible in the area. The downtown area of Crested Butte has a charm to it as well with it’s farmer’s markets, shops and art galleries.

How to Access Crested Butte

Guests and couples can access Crested Butte by flying into the nearby airports, and/or a drive. For flying in, the nearest airport would be in Gunnison-Crested Butte (GUC) which is about a 30 minute drive from town. Another option – Montrose Regional (MJT) is about an hour and forty-five minutes away. Colorado’s main airport (DIA) located in Denver is a four and a half hour drive away and tends to offer more affordable options for rental cars, and flights.

The main road into Crested Butte is Colorado State 135, and is one of the only paved road access options into town. Driving up 135, you’ll notice the how quaint the surrounding areas are, and this attributes to the unique feel this valley has to offer.

An alternative option for travel would be Kebler Pass, a maintained dirt road that has limited access pending the time of year. Kebler Pass is a beautiful scenic drive in the fall and will take you through hills covered in golden aspens and ferns. There are also a few options for off-road access into town. A 4×4 is recommended for Ohio Pass and Pearl Pass.

See an elopement in the Kebler Pass area here: Fall Crested Butte Elopement

Once in the area, Crested Butte has a great public transportation system as well as paved trails throughout town, making it easy to commute between the mountain and the main town area.

Where should we get married in Crested Butte?

There are many options for locations and venues depending on your guest count, accessibility, and time of year that you’d like to get married.

Reservable Outdoor Wedding Spaces

If you’d like exclusive use of an area and/or have a group of guests attending, it’s recommended to check out a reservable space.

• The Crested Butte Land Trust has two reservable options for outdoor wedding ceremonies: Woods Walk and Peanut Lake. Each spot has a $2000 rental fee, and can be reserved seven days in advance through their online site. These sites can hold up to 100 people total, and allow you to use the site for three hours including set-up, ceremony, and tear down. Receptions are not permitted at these locations. Both locations area easily accessible from town.

• If you’re envisioning a mountain top ceremony surrounded by wildflowers – Ten Peaks is a great option. It is an outdoor amphitheater space with a cocktail patio perfect for hosting. This spot is rentable from June-September and can accommodate up to 180 guests. Rates start at $5,000 + a food and bev minimum.

• Just outside of Mount Crested Butte is the Mountain Wedding Garden. This venue books out far in advance and has two rentable areas, allowing couple’s to host their ceremony and reception on-site. Surrounded by greenery and wildflowers nearby, in the late summer months, the Garden site can host 125 guests seated. Following ceremony, a short walk up to the Pavilion which can host up to 200 is the perfect space for an intimate outdoor cocktail hour and reception. Rates range from $700-$2000 depending on the date and inclusions.

Take a peek at a Mountain Wedding Garden day filmed on Super 8:

Wedding Venues with Lodging

• The Lodge at Mountaineer Square is located at the base area of Mt. Crested Butte and has a rentable ballroom space. With the ability to host 300 people, all of your guests can enjoy the area and the walkability of the area. Rates start at $5k for the venue in addition to a food + bev minimum.
• Eleven Scarp Ridge Lodge is a unique lodge with character with easy access to the town area. The lodge offers a buyout option for all six rooms making it great to host an intimate event with your closest people. Check out their Guide for more info.
• If you’re looking for a fly-fishing based weekend on the river you should check out Harmels River Ranch. Located outside of CB in the town of Almont, the lodge puts you right near the river, making it the perfect spot for a camp styled wedding weekend enjoying the outdoors.
• For a more elevated experience, the Taylor Ridge Lodge is a gorgeous home off the grid. This home creates a luxury and unique experience for your weddings guests with access to guided activities and a more private experience. Property buyouts start at $26k.
• Academy Place by Crested Butte Property Management is a small modern community in the middle of Crested Butte in which allows smaller events and gatherings on-site. With the many cottage styled homes, you can host smaller or larger groups with a family style feel.
• This Private House with Mountain Views on VRBO gives you great views of Mount Crested Butte while having the space to host an indoor/outdoor event. Check out this intimate wedding hosted here:

Other Event and Reception Locations

• Crested Butte Arts Center
• Crested Butte Museum
• Billy Barr Community Center ran by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory

Top Recommendations for the Area

While you’re visiting Crested Butte to celebrate your marriage, I would recommend spending a few extra days in the area to enjoy.

• Take a Scenic drive up Kebler Pass to enjoy the fall colors and stop at some of the trails along the way for a hike.
• One of my favorite parts of visiting Crested Butte is the mountain bike trails. Whether you like to cruise paved paths, or want to explore the backcountry, there are endless options. Rent bikes in town.
• Looking for a place to stop for coffee and a quick bite – Camp 4 Coffee is a staple in town as well as Butte’s Bagels.
• On Sunday’s May-October, head to the downtown area off of Elk Ave. and shop with local businesses at the Farmer’s Market.

If you’re looking to elope or get married in Crested Butte – reach out. It’s one of my favorite Colorado spots. Growing up and traveling to this region, I’d love to share my favorite spots with you.