I'm so glad you are here to check out some recent work. I'm a Colorado wedding photographer that shoots all around the country. The blog is filled with full wedding and portrait sessions, and includes weddings planning tips and inspiration.
Piney River Ranch Wedding | Stephanie + Jeff
Stephanie and Jeff decided to do a micro wedding in the mountains of Colorado in lieu of their bigger wedding celebration in California. They had their immediate family plan the most epic ceremony at Piney River Ranch! I know it wasn’t the wedding Stephanie, Jeff, and their families originally envisioned, but the micro wedding at Piney River Ranch might have been way better than they expected!
It was so low-key, yet at the same time immensely emotional and heart warming. Everyone got to play a part, whether it be officiating, holding the chuppah, carrying out all the umbrellas to the field, or helping set up the dinner and dessert table at home! The families even got to bond with each other the week leading up to the wedding. The couple’s dad’s both told me “This was such an amazing week, and so much less stress than a bigger wedding would have had”.
We all met at one of the cabins on the Ranch, and got Stephanie dressed there, while the guys all waited outside. She then walked down to the lake to see Jeff for the first time. Everyone cheered them on from a far! After that, we quickly signed the Ketubah before the rain came! We ran back into the cabin and waited it out for about 30 mins or so as the rain passed. They did a quick champagne toast to kill time haha!
We then all gathered everything we would need for the ceremony, which was about a half mile hike past the Piney River Ranch boundaries. We found a perfect little hill, and dubbed it ‘nuptial knoll’! The rain clouds eventually turned into sunny skies as the couple said their vows. (There was a chorus of sniffles from everyone there, including a few giggles sprinkled in). We then got to frolic around the fields for a bit, before heading back down the rocky road to Vail!
(But can we chat about how insanely gorgeous this venue is!? I’d LOVE to shoot another Pinery River Ranch wedding!!)
Back in Vail, at Stephanie’s parents house, the backyard was set up for an intimate dinner. Unfortunately, another rain cloud passed by, so we quickly moved everything inside. They did toasts around the dinner table, and then did their First Dances in the living room. It was a joyous evening and so beautiful! Congrats again, Steph and Jeff!!
Fun fact! This wedding was also featured on Wandering Weddings!! Check it out!!
Want to know about Piney River Ranch Weddings?
Piney River Ranch is open seasonly (June to September) and sits at the end of a dirt road north of Vail in the White River National Forest. The road is BUMPY and takes about 45mins to drive. Vail is a fun ski town in the winter, but during the summer it is still a vibrant and lively town. This venue is a great option for a glamping wedding because of their cute cabins and canvas tents out in the remote wilderness!
Along with the views, there is a lake on site! Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the main lodge. There are many beautiful trails to hike surrounding the lake, and the aspens turn a vibrant orange in the fall time. Also on site is a restaurant, which caters all of the events at Piney River Ranch.
Lodging Capacity–
On site are 9 lodging options! They have 6 cabins (which can sleep a total of 40 people between them) and 3 glamping tents (which sleep 12 people total between them). So in total, up to 52 people! Do keep in mind though, that 52 is the max number. Some cabins may want less people in them for privacy.
Weddings at Piney River can host up to 200 guest count. So if not all your guests can fit on site, they can stay in town at local airbnbs or hotels in Vail!
Piney River Ranch is a great space for weddings, as the have a beautiful wedding deck that over looks the lake, as well as an indoor reception option inside a lodge. Couples can also use the cabins for getting ready areas!
Venue Includes-
- Ceremony Seating
- Reception Seating
- Bar top
- On-site parking
- Tables
- Silverware, glassware, etc.
- Horse shoe pit
- 20% canoe rentals on day-of wedding
Piney River Ranch Wedding Cost-
For a ceremony only options (Mon-Thurs only), the event rental is $4,500. If you’d like to also have your reception on site, Saturdays are $13,000, Friday and Sundays are $9,600, and Monday-Thursdays are $7,800. Food and beverage costs are not included in these prices, and PRR uses it’s in-house catering. Cabin pricing is also not included.
Vendors
Venue: Piney River Ranch
Photography: Shelly Anderson Photography
Florals: Little Shop of Floral
Hair and Makeup: Weemala Hair and Makeup
Wedding Dress: La Vallée Bridal
Styling: Mahjuba Styling
Want more!?
Like small and intimate weddings? Check out this fun Adirondack Elopement too!
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What a wonderful day we had and you captured it all so well! The photos are beautiful. Of course, the bride was stunning also! Thanks so much for making their day so special!
Ahhh it was SUCH pleasure!!! What a beautiful day! Congrats to both your families again! 🙂
Shelly, these photos are so beautiful and lovely. It is so special to see weddings during 2020 look and feel so personal and intimate through your photos. You can FEEL the love when I’m scrolling through these. Thank you for doing what you do and for taking the most detailed shots. These are just wonderful and I’m sure that Stephanie and Jeff will cherish these forever to come. Xo
So glad you like them!!! <3
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