This page has the most commonly asked questions about Stone Mountain Lodge Weddings. If you Click on one of the topics below, you will get to specific questions and answers.

Location, Access, Parking

Is your location and wedding site difficult to get to? Stone Mountain Lodge and Cabins’ entrance is easy to see from the road with easy access. We are located just 2 miles into the mountains, in one of the most accessible scenic mountain valleys that exist along the Front Range of Colorado. The drive from Boulder and the Denver metro area is easy. You or your guests won’t need to drive though a rugged mountain canyon, or up a winding and dangerous mountain road to get there.

Is there enough parking for all my guests? Generally there is ample parking for about 100 people (40 to 50 cars). We will direct parking for larger events as needed, or if you have a lot of guests coming from a central location, a bus can be arranged. See SML Parking Diagram

Is there vehicle access to the ceremony and reception sites for drop off and pickup for supplies, and for those who have difficulty walking? There is vehicle access to all areas, however it is limited to one or two cars at a time. Naturally, it should be kept to a minimum, especially during your event.

Support for Catering, Supplies, and other Vendors

Use of Non-Approved Caterers Approved caterers from our Vendors List provide full service for your event including full set-up, clean-up, food service and bar-tending. Other caterers may be considered.  A $250 non-refundable service charge will be added to your package price for using a non-approved caterers or if you provide your own food.

If your selected caterer is not a full service caterer (providing full set-up, clean-up, food service and bar-tending) or if you provide your own food, you are required to hire a staffing service from our approved Staffing Services on our Vendor List, to do the setup, serve and cleanup of your event as well as hire an approved Bartending Service to serve any alcohol.

Will we be able to work out how our wedding can be set up before the event? We will schedule a walk through with you, your planner, and/or caterer, to work out any issues in advance of your event. This includes mapping out locations for tables and chairs in the tent, along with a location for a head table, if desired, buffet tables, bar, where the DJ or band will set up and cake table. We will also identify where any addition electrical circuits will be needed. We will also work out the best way to set up chairs for your ceremony at the arbor, and provide electrical if needed. The more that is worked out in advance, the better we can have everything in place.

Is there a place to store supplies in advance of the event? We provide access to a locked storeroom where a caterer, or other vendors, can temporarily store supplies for your event. This storeroom can also be used to drop off liquor in advance, and for the pickup of supplies after the event. Access and use of the storeroom must be done via the staff at Stone Mountain Lodge. Items may be stored for no more than two days before or after an event. There are shelves and a full size refrigerator for your use during the day of your event.

Will someone from your staff be available throughout our event? A Stone Mountain Lodge staff member will be present during the set-up and early stages, to support you and your vendors for whatever may be needed regarding the facility. After your reception is underway, one of our staff members will be on call. If you or your vendors need any assistance, and a staff member is not present, you may call the office (during normal office hours). There is a house phone near the restroom. Just dial 0 for the front office. If your event goes past our normal office hours, a staff member will either still be on the property, or you will be given a way to contact a staff member if you need to. We want your day to be as perfect as it can be!

Our staff will be available to open and close various tent sides as needed. Often the tent is opened up more during the day, and closed up more at night as the weather cools. Of if the wind comes up or a shower rolls through, our staff will make adjustments to keep everyone as comfortable as possible.

Power, Lighting, Restrooms

Are there adequate restrooms, and how far away are they? There are two, clean and spacious restrooms that are close by to the ceremony site and reception site. No portable restrooms are needed for events up to 150 people.

Is there adequate power available for music, extra lighting, and other electrical equipment? There is one 120 volt circuit available at the ceremony site, one 120 volt circuit is available at the garden area, and multiple 120 volt, 20 and 30 amp circuits available for larger events in the pond area. We will provide adequate extension cords to locations within the tent to support what you need based on a walk through that is one in advance.

Is there lighting for evening events? There is outdoor lighting in all areas that is adequate to walk around at night. There is additional lighting in the 20’ x 20’ shelter at the Garden Area. The reception tent is lit inside with 3 chandeliers and inside perimeter lighting. These are all on dimmers, so the right mood can be set.

Time Limits, Setup, Cleanup

What are the time limits for our wedding and reception? You may have your full-day event anytime between 9am (11am for some event dates) and 11pm, with clean up by midnight. This timeframe includes setup and clean up. All items and equipment supplied by you or your venders, and any supplemental tents or temporary structures you provide, must be put up and taken down during the same day. A Saturday morning or evening event is limited to those specific time ranges.

What is expected for clean-up? It is expected that everything brought in is removed, all trash is picked up and put in covered trash containers or the dumpsters and all rented equipment needs to be placed in pre-arranged Stone Mountain Lodge storage, in personal vehicles, or guest lodging rooms. All items belonging to Stone Mountain Lodge that may have been moved by you, i.e., picnic tables, chairs, etc., are to be put back to where they came from. All items that need to be stored for future pickup, such as left over liquor, is stored in the storeroom. Any broken glass must be completely picked up. If additional clean up is required by Stone Mountain Lodge staff, the fee will be $25/staff hour with a minimum charge of $50.

Liquor and Alcohol

Can I bring my own liquor for our event? You may provide your own liquor for your event. You may also consider a liquor store that will deliver an ample quantity of whatever you would like, and then after the affair, pick up and buy back whatever is left unopened. See our preferred vendor list.

Are there any restrictions regarding alcohol? If you are using a full service caterer, you need to make sure they provide a licensed or insured bartender to serve liquor. You can still provide the liquor yourself and save quite a bit. If you have a more simple affair, you may hire a private bartender. (See our venders list). This person must serve (that is, pour) each drink. The bartender must be specified to Stone Mountain Lodge and Cabins before the event.

Weather, Climate, Altitude

What is the altitude? Is there a concern for altitude sickness or for people with respiratory problems? Our elevation is about 5,400 feet, which is about the same as Boulder and the town of Lyons. Denver is at 5,280 feet, so we are not much higher than the Denver metro area. Estes Park and Aspen are about 7,500 feet, and areas such as Vail and Breckenridge are over 8,000 feet. Since our mountain location is at a much lower altitude, any concern for altitude sickness, or any respiratory problems is no different than for the Denver metro area in general.

When is the weather the best for an outdoor wedding? One of the best things about an outdoor Colorado wedding is the weather. A generally dry climate, with low humidity, and few bugs, is one of the primary reasons the outdoors and Colorado are thought of together. May and early June have the highest chance of rain, where July is generally hot and dry. July and August often have a chance of a brief afternoon thunder shower, while September is generally dry. In reality, the best time for your wedding is whenever you want your wedding, and accept the weather as part of the outdoor environment!

Is there anything we need to be aware of regarding the sun for our outdoor ceremony? The ceremony site faces west. So, as the sun goes down in the afternoon, the sun will become more and more behind the audience, depending on the time of the ceremony. The bride and groom will be in a naturally sunlit spotlight. At the back of the ceremony site, there are large trees that provide shade. As a result, even during mid-day, there is shade at the back of the audience. So, if the sun is too hot for some of your guests, they can make use of this shaded area. Later in the afternoon, the shadow of the trees shades more of the audience, yet leaves the ceremony in the sun. Generally, unless the ceremony is very long, everything works out nicely, even on the hottest summer days.

For hot summer days, it is recommended that water, ice tea or lemonade be made available before and after the ceremony. Sunscreen and umbrella’s, which can also be used as parasols, are a good idea to have on hand for those who are more sensitive, or in event it rains.

What happens if it rains when our ceremony is about to begin? If there is a passing summer shower, it is more often short, and earlier in the afternoon at our mountain location than in the Denver area. In this case, if you have the wedding site for the whole day, you can delay the start of your ceremony. Your guests can gather in the sheltered garden area, or the reception tent to wait it out. Chairs can be dried, and you may be lucky with a beautiful rainbow!

If the weather is persistently too wet for an outdoor ceremony, we will set up for a ceremony in the reception tent with the wedding arch. Having a ceremony in our tent, in the rain, can be just as special as if there were “perfect weather”. After all, it is part of the natural scene, and can actually add to the excitement of the day. Seeing the rain drops on the pond is beautiful in itself. Your wedding will be just as memorable. If fact, it will be more memorable! Remember, it is how you react to the unexpected that makes the difference.

Even if you have a simple wedding planned with a reception in the Garden Area, it is important to have your contingency plans worked out in advance in case of rain. These plans may differ depending on how may guests you plan on inviting. This will give you peace of mind knowing that things will work out no matter what the weather.

How dry is the reception tent in a rain storm? Do we need sides? Will the ground stay dry? Our reception tent is a structural tent with strong beams and heavy guy ropes. The reception tent is custom designed special for our site and is mean to be up for the entire season.

There are enough sides to complete close up the tent. When the weather is nice, the sides can be opened up for an outdoor feel. When the sides are down, the inside is protected from rain and wind quite well. The sides have windows, so a good amount of light is let in during the daylight hours. During hotter weather, the sides can be opened up, yet during cooler weather, and when the reception is expected to go later during the evening, the sides will stop a chilly breeze. Our staff will take care of opening and closing the tent sides as needed for your affair.

The entire floor of the reception tent is raised off the ground. It is completely carpeted and there is a full wood dance floor. All is set up on a level area, over gravel, and is well drained. We made sure our tent can keep your event protected in most any weather.

Is it safe if there is a thunderstorm? Our wedding site is located in a low area. As a result, the area is more naturally protected from storms and wind than a mountain top. Lightning is generally attracted to the towering cliffs above.

When does the sun go down? The follow chart will give you a general idea about when the sun goes down at Stone Mountain Lodge & Cabins. The pond area becomes shaded by the mountains about 1 hour before sunset, while the lodge building will be in the sun until about 45 minutes before sunset. The cliffs will stay lit up until about 15 minutes before sunset. It will be dark about 30 minutes or so after sunset. The sky is the prettiest for about 15 minutes or so before sunset.

Privacy, Noise

What kind of privacy will our wedding have? The wedding and pond areas are in a separate area from most of the lodging. We restrict other lodging guests from making use of the Pond Area during your event, however, our lodge is relatively small. Generally, you may have an on-looker or two, from the upper area. It also depends on the size of your event, and how many people you have lodging with us. We do have an Exclusivity option which offers your group exclusive use of the Stone Mountain Lodge property from (4pm check-in to 11 am check-out the following day) for renting all 21 lodging units.

Are there any noise issues for music or a late reception? Due to the size of the property, and the vast amount of surrounding open space, there are generally no problems regarding noise. Most lodging is far enough away from the wedding and event sites, where other guests won’t be bothered. However, the closest cabins (21 and 22) could be affected if music or noise is excessive, especially later at night. For this reason we ask that an evening event be conscious of this after around 9pm. If your party has rented these units, or the entire property, there would naturally be less of a concern, but we don’t want to rock the valley either! Our staff may do volume checks with a sound meter to assure compliance with local noise ordinances.

Is there any noise that may interfere with our ceremony? As with almost any outdoor wedding, there is always the possibility of a low flying plane, or a loud motorcycle. Due to our location in a valley, a low flying plane in unlikely. There may be some road noise, however, depending on the time of day. Generally it is muffled, but there is a chance of that annoying motorcycle going by, just at the wrong time. Experience has shown that this doesn’t detract from the event. The sound of your officiant, your guests, the fountain on the pond, the the rustling of trees are the most prominent sounds.

Rehearsals

When can we do a rehearsal? Could we have a rehearsal picnic or barbeque prior to the wedding date? Since the wedding site is rented for the full day, the rehearsal can be earlier on the same day before your guests arrive. Or, it can be done on a prior day by special arrangement within a month of your wedding date. Just Contact our Event Coordinator.

If your group has reserved all 21 lodging units, then the Garden Area is available to you from 4pm on your Check-In night. Otherwise, unless the Garden Area is booked for an Event, it is generally available on a first-come-first-served basis for our lodging guests. You may also reserve the Garden Area for a barbeque, picnic, Rehearsal Dinner or catered event as a Non-Wedding Group use. This can work out quite well, particularly if you also make use of our group lodging. Please see our section on Garden Area Use for more information.

Decorating

What may be used for Toss-its ? Your guests may throw rice, grass seed, bread crumbs, or flower petals after the Wedding. (Please do not throw bird seed.) These are all fine for the ducks and the property. Bubbles are OK too!

Decor – You may decorate the Lodge property in a temporary manner for your Event with written permission from the Lodge Event Coordinator obtained before your event day. All decorations must be removed at the end of the Event. You will be charged $75 per staff-hour for Lodge Staff to remove your decorations. No confetti is allowed. Please discuss use of flammable items with the Event Coordinator.

Children and the Use of the Grounds

Can the pool be used by some of our younger guests? The swimming pool can be used by any or your guests who are not staying over night by prior arrangement. There is a modest charge of $3 per person. Towels are supplied and the Pond Area restrooms can be used to change. Anyone who is lodging on the property can, of course, use the pool free of charge. There is no lifeguard and children under 14 must be supervised by an adult.

Are there any safety issues regarding kids? All children, especially younger children, should be supervised at all times. It is a large property with a pond, a swimming pool, and a mountain trail. Hiring a baby sitter for the kids at your event is a good idea. This way the kids can be entertained by taking a hike, feeding the ducks, fishing, or making use of the pool. Also, there are various picnic tables on the property that can be used to set up games or arts & crafts for kids. It’s just not a good idea for children to wander around on the property away from the Reception Site without an adult.