Located in the heart of Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods Resort has always had a way of providing an escape from the outside world. This hotel provides some of the best amenities while offering exceptional views of the surrounding mountains. No matter what style of wedding you have in mind for your day, I know this venue is bound to deliver your ideal celebration. As a Colorado Springs wedding photographer, I have been lucky enough to document events at venues all across this area. Now, I’m here to help you out as you start to narrow down the top places for your party. If you have been considering a Garden of the Gods Club wedding, let me tell you what you can expect from this luxurious venue.
About The Garden Of The Gods Club Wedding Venue
3320 Mesa Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80904
Long before there was ever a resort, Garden of the Gods served as a place for legends. For centuries, the area housed several Native American Tribes, including the Cheyenne, the Comanche, the Lakota, the Pawnee, the Apache, the Shoshone, and the Ute. They looked at the grandeur of the sandstone formations and rightfully decided the land must signify sacred grounds. No matter what differences they carried against each other, the Native Americans would set down their weapons before entering the grounds as a gesture of peace. Starting in the 1500s, explorers from Europe would often pass through the area and take note of the land. The name came from a 19th-century explorer who proclaimed, “Why, it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We shall call it the Garden of the Gods!”
The resort was built for weary travelers in the mid-20th century. Al Hill and his wife, Margaret, considered the area to be their own personal paradise, and in 1949, they built the hotel along with a private club and a residential community. Throughout construction, they wanted to stay true to their visions of Eden. They took pieces of the rugged landscape and worked them into the architecture. They also began to think of all the accommodations they could offer to their future visitors. This then created an exclusive membership for the top clientele. As a result, VIPs like authors, politicians, musicians, and movie stars soon began to crash here.
Rebirth For The Garden Of The Gods Club Wedding Venue
In 2013, the resort was purchased back by long-time Garden of the Gods members Brenda Smith and Judy Mackey. They made a few additions while revising some of the policies. The club no longer requires an exclusive membership to access it. They now offer a spa, a med spa, personal training, a salon, and some of the most luxurious rooms in town!
When it comes to weddings, the hotel remains nothing short of exceptional. It was chosen as the #2 USA Today’s 10 Best Readers Choice 2023 2020 for Best Resort for a Destination Wedding. The resort is also highly rated across the board by couples who choose this venue for their own day.
Details of the Grounds
I always recommend that my Garden Of The Gods Club couples rent out a room at the resort for the weekend of their wedding. This is going to give you quite a few perks. To start out, you won’t have to spend your day rushing around. You will be by your bridal party and will have a large, elegant space where everyone can get ready ahead of your event. You can spend the weekend running through your rehearsal while enjoying the amenities, including the spa.
Then, once your wedding is over, you’ll have a convenient spot to crash with your partner. The resort offers lodge rooms and suites, cottages, and Casitas. If you do decide to use this option, the hotel offers a salon complete with wedding hair and makeup options. They go out of their way to ensure your morning is relaxing so you can just focus on enjoying every single second. Once you and your wedding party are done getting made over, you can head outside and snap some pictures together before it’s time for your wedding to begin.
Outdoor Ceremonies
Most couples who choose to host their wedding at Garden Of The Gods Club prefer to have an outdoor ceremony. One of the most popular outdoor spots is the Reflection Pool. Here, your wedding will take place on a lush lawn right alongside a scale of the original resort pool. As you exchange your vows, you will have an incredible view of the sandstone formations just beyond your shoulders. You will also be in sight of Pikes Peak. While your guests will have a well-manicured spot to sit, you will have the untamed wilderness to serve as your backdrop. Some couples choose to place their guests a little away from the pool, while others choose to put it right in the center of their celebration with the chairs surrounding the water.
If you love the view but want a more intimate space for your celebration, you may want to check out the nearby Hill Terrace. This area will host up to 40 guests, making it a popular option for micro-weddings.
Weather Protected Ceremony Locations
If you are the type of person who wants to keep the views but doesn’t want to risk the weather, I think you will absolutely love the Garden Room and Garden Terrace! This Garden Of The Gods Club area can hold up to 120 wedding guests and provides you with an indoor/outdoor space. If the weather is nice, you can keep it completely open so you can say I do amongst some of the best views within nature. Your ceremony will take place beneath a shelter with concrete that will keep your gown clean from the surrounding property. Should the forecast change, you will have the ability to close it off so you can keep nature in sight without having to deal with the wind and the rain. The interior room features high ceilings and gray walls with wainscotting. It’s elegant on its own, but when you add all your flowers, it will absolutely transform!
Another popular spot is The View at Kissing Camels. This space can easily host up to 130 guests. With this spot, you are going to have a wrap-around patio (perfect for a cocktail hour!), as well as an open space near the 27-hole golf course. And while this area might be well-maintained for the golfers, it still gives you the rugged wilderness you might want from the Garden of the Gods. Just beyond the course, there are deep green trees right in front of the sandstone formations. In the early hours, this area is surrounded by the haze of morning fog. As the sun sets, it becomes alive with vibrant colors.
Completely Indoor Weddings At Garden Of The Gods Club
Some couples prefer to host their entire wedding inside, so they don’t have to worry about any contingencies whatsoever. If you fall into this category, you will adore the Three Graces Terrace and Ballroom located in the Gateway Building. This area is the largest of all the event spaces, with enough room to host up to 220 guests.
Your ceremony will take place inside with floor-to-ceiling windows that bring in the surrounding beauty. The room is a gentle shade of white with wooden accents throughout that add a bit of rustic charm. There is also a fireplace that brings the feeling of warmth. If you choose this spot, you can have an outdoor cocktail hour outside on the private balcony. Your guests can walk around a bit and take in the Garden of the Gods while you get your portraits taken. You can also choose to keep this portion inside if you’d like.
Wedding Reception Spaces At Garden Of The Gods Club
One thing I love about this venue is how seamless it is to plan your entire celebration in one convenient space. Most of the ceremony spaces are ready to be transformed once it’s time for your reception. For those who would like an outdoor reception, The View at Kissing Camels is going to be your place. Because this area is paved, your guests will have a flat, smooth place where they can feast before it’s time to dance. While this view is magical throughout the entire day, it becomes completely transcendent as the sun begins to set. With this area, you can count on dinner and a show!
The Three Graces Terrace and Ballroom is another spot you can use for your reception. Because this room opens up to an outdoor patio, your party can organically move around as needed. If your guests need it, they can head outside and catch their breath before they come back in to continue their celebration.
For smaller parties, you can use The Hill Room. This rounded room is unlike any other in the building. The front of the room features red rock broken up by the floor-to-ceiling windows. A neutral gray carpet is on the floor, and there are gray curtains that add a little extra warmth. From this room, you can look out and get some of the best looks at the mountains around you. This area can host up to 70 guests, making it a favorite spot for micro-weddings.
Photography Opportunities
For your wedding portraits, you are going to have no shortage of Garden Of The Gods Club spots you can use! As you start out your day, you will want your photographer on site as you get ready. During this time, you can snap plenty of candid pictures with your bridal party. Once you are done with your hair and makeup, you can head outside and get some pictures in the sun. Inside, you can get pictures of your gown draped against the windows. After you get dressed, you can head back outside and get individual portraits that show off your look. The private balconies are a pretty good spot for these pictures!
Before your ceremony starts, you will have several areas you can use for your first look pictures. I am partial to the Reflection Pool for this part! This area is going to give you some of the best views of the rocky formations behind you. You will have several close-ups before moving on to wider shots. The pool is going to add a lot of drama to these pictures. Your photographer can head to the other side to ensure you get portraits with your reflections in the water. This area is also going to give you the feeling of glamor!
Outdoor ceremonies are going to have plenty of natural light throughout the service. Your photographer will want to move around so they can get several angles with the formations behind you. Once your guests have moved onto the cocktail hour, you can get group pictures with your friends and your family. I adore using the area near the reflection pool for this portion. Because the land is flat and accessible, it’s the perfect spot for people of all ages and abilities.
Couples Wedding Portraits
Once it’s time for your wedding couple’s portraits, you can spend some time exploring the Garden Of The Gods Club grounds. While all the above-listed spots will work for these pictures, the area surrounding the venue gives you untamed grounds that will capture the spirit of your Colorado wedding. As you wander along, you are going to find open fields with wildflowers blooming. If you feel adventurous, you can head toward the hiking trails. If you’d prefer to stay close by, your pictures will still be extraordinary!
What I love most about this venue is that it looks breathtaking, no matter the season. In the summertime, the grounds are bright green with vibrant flowers across the grounds. Once the snow falls, the red rocks peek out from beneath the dusting while the trees are covered in white. Through every season, you can count on pictures that show off the natural beauty of these grounds!
Wedding Details
Now that we’ve talked about what you can expect your wedding to look like, it’s time to chat about the accommodations. Trust me, this venue is going to have you covered! They offer all-inclusive packages that ensure every minute of your day has been taken care of. For couples who want to tour the venue ahead of time, you will be able to book private tours once you have submitted a formal pricing proposal. Once you have that, it’s time to figure out what your wedding will look like. Here’s how they are going to take care of you throughout your wedding weekend.
Guest Lodging
The Garden Of The Gods Club wedding venue wants to go out of its way to ensure your guests have the best weekend ever! While they do not require you to book any rooms to host your wedding here, I definitely recommend it. Your guests will be able to choose from their cottages, suites, rooms, and casitas. This makes it exceptionally group-friendly if you want to book with your bridal party or have some guests who prefer to pitch in for a shared space. Not only will your guests have the coziest spot to stay throughout the weekend, but the hotel also has a list of suggested activities to make sure every second of their stay is worth remembering.
Throughout your wedding weekend, your guests can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and guided tours. There are archery lessons, tomahawk throwing, and pellet gun shooting ranges. Your guests can book ziplining or whitewater rafting. They can even take a falconry class if they’d like! Then, once they’re done with a day of adventure, they can head over to the spa, where they can be absolutely pampered! They can also enjoy fresh cuisine from some of the best chefs in Colorado. The hotel offers guest room blocks based on availability.
Day-Of Accommodations
While you are always welcome to book your own hair and makeup artist, the venue will give you the ability to work with them if you’d prefer. Their salon offers stylists who know how to work with you to create the ideal style. You will start out with a consultation so you can tell them exactly what you are looking for. From there, they will get to work crafting your perfect style. They offer a wedding lookbook, so you can choose from different options. You can also choose to have a trial hair and makeup session ahead of time so you can feel confident before your wedding day arrives. They offer services for the bride, the groom, the wedding party, and the kids.
Long Rental Periods
With Garden of the Gods Club, you will have access to the grounds for a total of 9 hours on your wedding day. They will provide you with 2 hours to set up, 6 hours for the actual event, and 1 hour to tear down. You can divide up your event if you’d prefer. For couples who choose to only host their ceremony on the grounds, you will have 2 hours total. With this time, you will be able to set up, tear down, and take your photos. If you choose to have only your reception here, you will have access for 8 hours. This will include 2 hours of set-up, 5 hours of event, and 1 hour of breakdown.
Inclusive Packages
When you book your wedding here, the Garden Of The Gods Club is going to make sure you have everything you need for your wedding. They will have employees on the grounds to help you out with the set-up and the breakdown. The venue will provide you with all the tables and chairs you need throughout your wedding day. They will also offer a water station. For your reception, they will take care of the linens, the napkins, the glassware, the flatware, and the white china. The venue has a 16’ by 16’ dance floor they will set out for your celebration. They will also take care of a sparkling wine toast.
In-House Catering
While the views are definitely what bring couples to this destination, the food is what helps this venue stand apart from the rest. The chefs at this hotel know how to craft a meal unlike any other! The culinary team takes pride in their ability to create a personalized meal. Before your day begins, they will sit down with you to figure out exactly what you have in mind for your wedding day. They are pros when it comes to working around specialty diets! They can handle gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options for your day.
Their menu uses farm-fresh ingredients that shine through every dish. You will be able to choose from chilled and hot hors d’oeuvres, displays, and carving stations. They can take care of lunch and dinner, and they even offer breakfast buffets! Additionally, you can talk to them about taking care of the cake. While they do give you the ability to bring in your own, they offer sheet cakes and round cakes using fresh fruit, decadent fillings, and buttercream icing. If you would like, you can opt for cupcakes.
The venue offers bartenders who will be there to keep the drinks flowing throughout the night! If you would like, you can work with them to craft a specialty cocktail unique to you and your partner.
Extras For Your Garden Of The Gods Club Wedding
The venue offers a few extra perks that will help you have your perfect day. Before your wedding day, you will be able to host your rehearsal on-site. You can throw this dinner the night your wedding party arrives at the property so you can go into your wedding weekend feeling prepared! While the venue does not offer exclusive rentals, they will keep any parties separate. That way, you will be able to host your wedding without feeling like you are dealing with crashers. They will provide you with wireless internet throughout the day, plus they will take care of any audio equipment.
If there are any decorations missing from your wedding, you will be able to choose from a long list of rentals. The venue is wheelchair accessible, and they offer valet parking. They will not require event insurance for couples, but they do ask that your vendors provide a Certificate of Insurance with proof of liability two weeks before your event.
I Hope This Helps You Plan Your Dream Garden Of The Gods Club Wedding
If you are looking for an all-inclusive space for your Colorado wedding, the Garden of the Gods Club wedding venue is going to be your spot! Now, you just need a photographer to help you document your celebration. That’s where I come in! I am a luxury Colorado wedding photographer, and I adore working with couples so they can have lasting memories of their celebration. If you want to find out if my style matches yours, I would love to have a conversation with you so you can decide. Send me a message today so we can chat.
