Vail Wedding & Elopement Guide
About Vail, Colorado
Vail History and Location
Vail, Colorado was named after Charles Vail who is a Highway engineer who routed the now, i70 in the forties. This part of Colorado was home to ranchers and training for us Army's 10th Mountain division before Vail ski area was there. Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton came together in the 60s to form Vail ski area and built The Village in Eagle Valley. Pete was a ski trooper at Camp Hale and Earl was a rancher who knew the area well and they found investors to start Vail Ski Resort.
Vail’s Best Wedding Month For:
Want to know when you're more likely to have the wedding of your dreams in the season that you're craving?!?! Well, the weather can be pretty unpredictable in Colorado! I'm here to give you the best possible chance for having a Vail skiing wedding or Vail summer wildflower wedding or a Vail fall wedding. These months are based on years of what I've witnessed but as you know, every year is different based on the amount of snowfall we get.
Vail’s Powder Day Skiing Wedding or Elopement - February
Vail’s Summer Wildflower Wedding or Elopement - July
Vail’s Fall Leave Hiking Wedding or Elopement - September
Vail’s Wedding Venues:
Vail Valley has so much to offer for wedding venues. From secluded rustic getaways to European flair in the village, every venue has a great Mountain view. Here are just a few below worth mentioning to my outdoorsy couples.
Piney River Ranch - If you're looking for something pretty darn Epic and an adventure of a lifetime for your guess I highly suggest Piney River Ranch. it's about an hour on a dirt road so it takes a little bit of effort to get there but once you're there you can get married by the lake with views you'll never want to leave. Glamping here with all your besties couldn’t be any better.
The 10th - For a fantastic on-mountain wedding ride up the gondola and I have your wedding at the deck on the 10th you will have epic views of Vail Valley and Gore Mountain Range and be steps away from your reception site with views of the mountains all night long.
Holy Cross Event Deck With Cucina - Have an amazing outdoor ceremony on the top of the mountain at the outdoor deck viewing 360 views of Vail Valley and Gore Mountain Range. Then ride down the gondola to the rustic, chic Cucina for your reception.
Larkspur - Is perfect for a mountain Garden feel at the base of the mountain. you still get fantastic views all the way around and plenty of options 4 outdoor seating.
Camp Hale - Get married at historic Camp Hale just a short drive from Vail Village with plenty of outdoor options in this secluded beautiful location.
Vail Rehearsal Dinner or Vail Reception Sites:
Vail Valley is known for its fantastic restaurants so there's a lot to choose from! narrow down with activity that you guys want to do or the type of beer do you want to eat on your rehearsal dinner or your reception. One of the best spots for a rehearsal dinner is Bol, I mean who doesn't want to eat hamburgers then bowl with all their favorite people!
Vail Places to Stay:
With all the skiing in Vail in the wintertime, there's tons of places to stay year-round!
Vail Marriott Mountain Resort - At the base of Vail, in Lionshead Village the Marriott has great views of aspen filled mountains. It has great rooms and a lovely outdoor pool and hot tub.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail - Also located in Lionshead Village, you can always find a good fireplace to get warm at. They have an outdoor lap pool and awesome views!
The Ritz Carlton Club - If you are coming for the long weekend wedding then a hotel is a perfect option! All three have great views and are walking distance from tons of restaurants and bars in the village. They all also have hot tubs and pools to enjoy year-round.
VRBO - This light and airy condo is super cute! Rental condos like this are perfect if you are making a weeklong family vacation out of it. You can also find places that have lots more room if the whole family wants to stay together.
Vail Realty - Great for finding condos in the village or houses for a crew. Great if you are staying for a long weekend.
Vail Activities:
The very best thing about being in a cute little mountain town is that you have full access to everything outdoors. The main problem is going to be wanting more days in the mountains to do all the fun activities you want to fit in.
Hiking
One of best ways to see the mountains in the summer and fall! There’s great trails from your door or a little drive!
Mountain Biking
There are trails for every level in Vail! From really easy stuff if you are just started to get on dirt to things so tuff, I’ll have to close my eyes than watch you do it! You take the gondola up with your mountain bike and enjoy a full day in the mountains going downhill.
Skiing & Boarding
So many bowls to explore! I bet you can’t do it all in one weekend.
Fly Fishing
Gore Creek offers so many great places to fly fish, it runs right through Vail Village.
Golfing
Vail Golf Club has amazing views and is perfect in fall!
Snowshoeing
If you want to slow down in the snow, it’s great to take in the views at a slower pace.
Climbing
Lots of Trad climbing available within a short drive.
Ice Climbing
Practically in town, there are tons of routes to try out.
Road Biking
There’s great paved trails, one even goes all the way to Vail Pass! Tons of ways to get your miles in!
Ice Skating
A great way to have an excuse to get a cup of hot chocolate!
Paddle Boarding
Take a tour of a flatwater lake if you want a scenic drive or do an adventurous SUP river trip.
Kayaking
Go down the Gore River to see the village like never before.
Vail Festivals:
While festivals are a fantastic town celebration, sometimes they can make wedding planning a bit difficult because of lodging, parking and day of transportation. It's always best to know what festivals or celebrations are happening in the town that you choose to have your wedding so you can plan accordingly. Part of the planning accordingly may be that your guests partake in the festivals! I mean how cool would it be to have your wedding day and then go to beer fest with all your guests the next day!
Mountain Games - There’s nothing like these mountain athletes! It’s also a great time full of music and beer. If you're not competing you’ll still have a great time!
Colorado Classic - Watching these amazing athletes cycle is fun like the tour de France, just colorado style! This one could make traffic difficult even if the finish line isn’t at Vail Village.
Vail Craft Beer Classic - If you love beer like me, this will be a must-attend!
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