How to plan a small sleigh ride wedding or elopement

If you're dreaming of an enchanted winter wedding with snow-capped mountains, then you've come to the right place. Imagine gliding through a winter wonderland on a horse-drawn sleigh, surrounded by your closest family and friends, exchanging vows in the middle of a snowy field or a pine forrest that only a sleigh ride can offer. Sounds magical, doesn't it? Well, buckle up and get ready to plan the most charming and intimate celebration of your life – a horse drawn sleigh ride wedding in the Rocky Mountains!  We'll guide you through everything you need to know to turn your winter wedding dreams into a reality, with a touch of fun and playfulness. So, let's grab our mittens, hop on the sleigh, and dive right into the snowy adventure of planning your perfect sleigh ride wedding! ❄️🎩💍

​What time of year is best?

Of course the best time of year for a sleigh ride wedding is in the winter, which in Colorado would be late November through mid-March.  But, just because December brings on the holidays, it doesn't mean that there will be be deep snow - sometimes we can get wild storms, other years it can be slim.  Mother Nature is the one who decides.  Therefore, our best advise for some deep powdery fields will be mid-January through February.  Regardless, whether you're planning a romantic escape or a unique wedding celebration, embrace the charm of winter and plan your sleigh ride adventure in Colorado during the winter months for an unforgettable experience.

Find the right location, destination and operator 

The first step in planning a sleigh ride wedding is finding the right outfitter..  You'll have to research local operators or resorts that offer sleigh ride wedding packages.  Most of these will be located in mountain areas such as Estes Park, Winter Park, Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail and Beaver Creek.  

Know that sleigh ride operators have to have to obtain permits to operate commercial services.  Thus, you'll have to find an operator and book directly with that company.  Many operators will offer private group rides on lands in which they are approved to operate.  Sleigh ride operations cannot simply ride on the streets due to safety and city/town ordinances. Some companies do have permits and can operate on specific streets (for example, Main Street in Breckenridge), on specific routes. But with this design, they are usually open to the public and do not take reservations.

Depending on your group size, operators will have sleigh of various sizes - some pulling 2, 4, 6 and even 8 guests.  Some operators have sleighs that hold 10, 12 and up to 20 people. So, you may be able to load everyone in one sleigh or reserve several sleighs.  Most horse drawn sleigh ride companies will provide comfortable, cozy blankets and steaming sweet hot cocoa for the ride out to a field..... and sometimes a cookhouse for a lunch or dinner.  Many horse-drawn sleigh operators will suggest a spot on the ride to stop, hop off and exchange vows.   

Contact Wendee About a Package

How to design a wedding package with a horse-drawn sleigh

Step One:  simultaneously research sleigh ride operators and connect with Wendee at Custom Weddings of Colorado.  Let her know of your vision and she'll work on designing an intimate small wedding or elopement package that includes photography, florals, officiant (optional), a tiny cake, planning and onsite coordination. 

• For the actual ceremony, ask the operator if they can stop during the ride so you can all hop off and exchange vows.  

Sometimes for dinner sleigh rides (Beano's Cabin is amazing), where you arrive to a cookhouse or restaurant, you can do an exchange of vows outside before going inside for the festivities​

Step Two:  once you decide on the destination and sleigh ride company, Wendee will setup all the logistics (timing/sequencing).  Also, you'll pick out your photographer and officiant through Wendee's network. 

Step Three: Wendee will guide you through the rest of the planning such as florals, cake.  Its also time to shop for that amazing attire - anything goes from dresses, fun snow boots, capes, shawls, mittens, glove, cowboy hats.  Just dress cozy and in layers! She also sends out final confirmations and coaches you on what to pack and how to prepare. 
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Step Four: its the wedding day!  Wendee's onsite coordinator will pickup the cake & flowers, bring a Bluetooth speaker (if a little walk-in music is allowed), and is with your group throughout the service to ensure that everything flows smoothly. 

All-Inclusive Packages

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Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride Operators in Colorado

These recommendations are in the Central and Northern Mountains of Colorado. Not included are destinations in the Southwest Corner (Durango, Telluride) because the distance to travel there for our packages are quite significant.
​
Summit County:

• Golden Horseshoe - Breckenridge. They offer both private rides as well a mining camp dinner theater rides.
• 2 Below Zero - Frisco. They offer private sleigh rides with hot cocoa
• Breckenridge Stables - they offer both sleigh rides and dinner sleigh rides. Call to ask about private rides.
• Keystone Ranch Stables - offers a dinner sleigh ride to a cookhouse. They also offer scenic sleigh rides (TBD if
  it can be private).
• Tennessee Pass Cookhouse (near Leadville & Copper Mountain) - this is not a sleigh ride, but you cross-countryski (only 1 mile) to the cookhouse for a fine dining four course candle-lit meal in a yurt heated by a wood-stove. There are 6 yurts nearby in which your tiny group could lodge, or snowshoe back and stay in nearby Leadville.

​Grand Lake and Winter Park

• Rocky Mountain Stables at YMCA Camp of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch in Tabernash - Offering scenic rides throughout the resort. You can stay at the YMCA or in the towns of Winter Park, Fraser, Tabernash or Grandby. Asl about private rides.
• Dashing Through the Snow in Fraser, CO. Their private rides on a small sleigh hold up to 6 people.
• Devils Thumb Ranch & Resort (+ Sap) in Tabernash - high-end resort that offers sleigh rides on property.
  Stay, dine, and enjoy activities (spa, swimming, x-country skiing) all on one property.
• Winding River Resort - located near Grand Lake, this small rustic resort offers sleigh rides. You can stay on-property or in Grand Lake. Start the wedding day by getting ready and exchanging vows at Point Park. Then, head over to Winding river resort to do a sleigh ride before heading back into town for a celebration dinner.

Near Vail:

• 4 Eagle Ranch in Wolcott (west of Vail) - they feature a sleigh ride dinner with entertainment. This would be a situation in which we’d do a quick “roque” ceremony after the ride and before going into the dinner. It would not be private, but part of a larger group. With the logistics, the vendors do not have to stay.
• Bear Cat Stables (west of Vail) offers sleigh rides, private groups welcome, as well as sleigh ride dinners.
• Beaver Creek Resort Snowcat Ride to Beanos Cabin - stay in Beaver Creek and experience one of the most
  high-end dinning experiences only accessible in the winter via a group snowcat ride.
• Not a sleigh ride experience, but you can ride a gondola to the top of Vail Mountain and then take a snow cat over to Game Creek Restaurant, a fine dining chalet atop the 10,000 Vail Ski Resort. 
  

​Steamboat:

• Saddleback Ranch - take a winter horseback ridge. 1.5 to 2 hours. Must be 8 years of age. They also offer snowmobiling too!
• Bar Lazy L Ranch - offers dinner sleigh rides with a 20 minute ride followed by a ranch-style meal.
• Steamboat Resort Snowcat Dinner - not a sleigh, but take a gondola to the top of the mountain and then
  ride in a heated snowcat to Four Points fine dining restaurant (Northern Italian style).

​Aspen

• Pine Creek Cookhouse - this is actually a cookhouse, but the only way to get there is by a horse-drawn sleigh, each holding 15-18 guests.
• Aspen Carriage & Sleigh - they have small sleighs that offer private rides. Medium sleight can hold up to 4 adults, large sleighs can hold up to 6 adults.

Contact Wendee about a Sleigh Ride Package