Mountain wedding with views at Granby Ranch Ski Resort – Vista Ridge Site
Shelby and Giles were married at Granby Ranch, and the mountain views at this venue can’t be beat. Their day started with a chairlift ride to a ceremony site surrounded by aspen groves, and it ended with sunset photos in a field of yellow wildflowers. In between was a reception full of the people who matter most to them.
The day began in the yurts, where Granby Ranch gives the bride and groom each their own space to get ready. They’re cozy, private and tucked into the mountain setting, so getting-ready photos feel relaxed and natural instead of cramped in a hotel room. It’s a calm start before everyone heads up the mountain.
Riding the chairlift to the top
At Granby Ranch, the Vista Ridge ceremony site sits at the top of the mountain, and everyone rides the chairlift to get there. It’s an experience your guests won’t forget. Up top, it feels remote, with aspen groves on every side and nothing but mountains past them.
A mountaintop ceremony in the aspens
Shelby and Giles said their vows at the top of the mountain, framed by aspen trees and big Colorado sky. With a backdrop like this, every wide shot does the storytelling for you.
The chairlift ride down: my favorite photo op at Granby Ranch
The ride back down to base is one of the best photo opportunities at this venue. I ride in the chair right behind the couple, so I can photograph them gliding down the mountain together and arriving at the bottom. It’s a quiet few minutes alone for the newlyweds, and those photos are some of my favorites from the day.
An intimate reception with close friends and family
The reception was filled with close friends and family. With a smaller guest list, everyone knows each other, and the room feels like one big conversation. It made for warm, candid photos all night long.
Sunset photos in a field of Tall Grass
We ended the evening by slipping away for sunset photos in a field of yellow flowers. Golden light, mountains in the distance and the two of them alone for a few minutes: it was the perfect way to close the day.
Watch a Granby Ranch wedding film
This isn’t my first wedding at Granby Ranch. Last year I filmed Samantha and Ryan’s wedding here (their dog Hudson was the ring bearer), and the film shows what photos can’t: the sound of the wind in the aspens, the speeches, and the vows with the whole valley behind them. If you’re thinking about photo and video for your day, this is what the two look like together.
Watch more of my wedding films.
Is Granby Ranch the right wedding venue for you?
After photographing a wedding here, here’s my honest take:
Best for small and medium weddings. It shines when the guest list is close friends and family.
The chairlift is part of the fun. Riding up to the ceremony is an experience your guests will talk about for years. Ask the venue about options for any guests who can’t ride the lift.
The views are absolutely stunning. Plan your timeline so you have time for sunset photos.
Plan for mountain weather. Afternoon storms can roll in quickly in the summer, so talk to the venue about their backup plan and pack a layer for the evening.
I’m a Colorado wedding photographer and videographer based in Colorado Springs, and I travel to mountain venues across the state. If you’re planning a mountain wedding, see my collections or check your date. You can also see another mountain celebration in Stephanie and Lucas’s wedding at Chief Hosa Lodge.
