Instagram Worthy Colorado Airbnbs & VRBOs for your Wedding or Elopement
Find a Colorado Airbnb or VRBO wedding or elopement venue from this list of incredible, jaw-dropping properties. Plus, learn everything you need to know about having your microwedding or elopement at an Airbnb with this complete guide.
Page Contents
- Instagram Worthy Colorado Airbnbs & VRBOs for your Wedding or Elopement
- Reasons why you might have your Colorado microwedding or elopement at an Airbnb or VRBO
- What you need to know before booking an Airbnb or VRBO wedding venue!
- Airbnb or VRBO Elopements
- How to find an Airbnb or VRBO for your wedding
- Colorado Airbnb/VRBO Wedding Venues
- More tips for your choosing a Colorado Airbnb for your Wedding or Elopement
- Add the final touches!
- Colorado Airbnb Elopement Inspiration
- Airbnb Wedding FAQ
Updated: June 3, 2022
Reasons why you might have your Colorado microwedding or elopement at an Airbnb or VRBO
More and more couples are considering alternatives to big, traditional weddings these days!
Whether that be eloping on the top of a mountain or getting married at a private rental home, there are really a lot of options once you start to think outside the box a little bit.
Here are my top 8 reasons to consider getting married at an Airbnb or VRBO!
- Privacy. As anyone who lives in Colorado can attest, there can never be any guarantee of privacy when it comes to public lands. Maybe 20 years ago, you could expect to be the only person at a beautiful location, but not today. If you want guaranteed privacy, the only way to get it is to be on private lands, and a rental property is a great way to do this.
- A unique wedding venue. There are some truly unique and fun properties on Airbnb once you start to dig in. Check out my list below for a few examples!
- Double duty as your hotel and venue. You’ll hit two birds with one stone by having both a place to stay and a venue for your ceremony or reception when you have an Airbnb wedding.
- All your friends and family can stay together. When you rent a large Airbnb, you can extend the celebration with your friends and family by all staying there together!
- Built-in backup plan for inclement weather. This one is huge in Colorado, where the weather can change at the drop of a hat! When you have your wedding at an Airbnb, you have a built in backup plan for bringing the wedding inside.
- All the amenities of being at home. When you get married at an Airbnb, it’s almost like being at home. You have a kitchen right there, your getting ready area right there, and a cozy place to celebrate with friends and family.
- Separate getting ready rooms. Another great facet of an Airbnb elopement or wedding is that you already have separate getting ready areas for the bride and groom in the same location.
- Reception options. Last but not least, you have some great options for a reception or celebration, including ordering catering from a restaurant, hiring a private chef, or having a more casual potluck or BBQ style dinner after the ceremony!
What you need to know before booking an Airbnb or VRBO wedding venue!
UPDATE: As of August 20, 2020, Airbnb updated their policies to strictly limit guests at all properties to 16 people and prohibiting all parties. For this reason I recommend checking out properties on VRBO instead for larger groups.
An important reminder about using an Airbnb or VRBO as your wedding venue or elopement location:
Always contact the owner and get approval for your specific plans with them BEFORE booking the property.
You can message the owners, and get confirmation (in writing) from them quickly and easily!
This is a very important step, regardless of what the listing says, because rules can change at any time! Also, some properties have additional costs associated with hosting events, and you’ll probably want to know about this upfront. The last thing you want is to put money down on a property, and then be surprised to learn that your wedding won’t be allowed at the location after all.
Also, make sure to read all the rules on the property listing very carefully before booking. If there are rules, such as quiet hours or pet restrictions, you’ll also want to be aware of these to make sure they match your needs!
Airbnb or VRBO Elopements
The properties I’ve included in my list below are those that don’t have a restriction on parties or events (at the time this was written).
But if you’re planning for your elopement day to just be the two of you and the photographer, or just one or two guests, you might find you have more flexibility, even if the rules disallow parties.
Many property owners are okay with having a very small elopement at their home, as opposed to one with 20 to 30 guests or more, because it is less risky for them. So if you find a property you really like that says “no parties or events,” it may still be worth messaging the owner to ask about your plans.
Pro Tip: I’ve found that owners are much more open to having a vow reading ceremony at their home when all the guests attending are actually staying in the home as well. For example, if it will be you and your partner, plus all immediate family members attending, I recommend renting a house big enough for everyone and having them all stay at the property as well.
How to find an Airbnb or VRBO for your wedding
When looking for a property to use as your wedding venue or elopement location, the first thing to check is whether the property has a rule against “Parties or events.”
Airbnb used to have a search filter to be able to easily find such properties, but unfortunately they removed this. VRBO still does have a filter where you can search for properties that allow events, so I usually recommend starting with VRBO.
Of course another option is to talk to your local photographer! I’ve found dozens of great properties for my couples, whether that be for their actual ceremony, or just an awesome place to stay.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to get more information!
Colorado Airbnb/VRBO Wedding Venues
Here are just a few of my favorite properties I’ve found that would make a great location for a wedding or elopement!
UPDATE: As of August 20, 2020, Airbnb updated their policies to strictly limit guests at all properties to 16 people and prohibiting parties. Because of this, I have updated the properties below to only include VRBO properties which still allow events (at the time this was written).
*****IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember to always confirm your specific plans for hosting a wedding or elopement with the owner BEFORE booking the Airbnb! Policies can change at any time or extra fees could apply for the event.
Photos above from VRBO listings.
More tips for your choosing a Colorado Airbnb for your Wedding or Elopement
When considering a property, there are a number of questions you’ll want to ask yourself about the property to make sure it’s a good fit for your needs.
- Is the location of the Airbnb a good fit for my needs?
- If the ceremony is in another location, is the Airbnb nearby?
- Are there local vendors in the area, such as florists, hair and makeup artists, officiants, etc.?
- Are there restaurants or grocery stores nearby for supplies and food for a reception or celebration?
- Are there hiking areas or other activities nearby that fit my needs?
- Is there sufficient parking at the Airbnb for us, the vendors, and any guests?
- Does the Airbnb have good natural lighting for photos?
- Does the decor and vibe fit what I’m looking for on my wedding day?
- Are pets allowed?
- Are there any noise ordinances or neighboring houses nearby that I need to be aware of?
- Are the reviews good for the Airbnb? Always check these before booking!
Add the final touches!
Photos above from Amazon and Etsy product pages
Colorado Airbnb Elopement Inspiration
When S&B first reached out to me about their Colorado elopement, we were still in the middle of the major swings of the COVID pandemic, going through ebbs and flows of certain locations being shut down or capacity limits for groups even on public lands.
It was this uncertainty that initially led us to talk about having their intimate ceremony at a private Airbnb, but ultimately even if it weren’t for COVID, this ended up being an amazing choice.
I was able to help them find an adorable a-frame cabin not too far from Denver, and we even visited a nearby lake for S&B to have some “just us” time exploring and taking more photos. Once we got back to the cabin, their closest family members arrived for the ceremony and a celebration of cake and champagne toasts.
Airbnb Wedding FAQ
Yes, as long as the property owners allow events! You can check this in the rules of the property, but it’s always a good idea to contact the owners before booking.
Yes, many VRBO properties allow weddings, but you’ll want to check that the rules of the property state that events are allowed. It’s also a good idea to contact the owners to confirm your plans before booking.
First, find a property that allows parties or events, and confirm your plans with the owner before booking. Then, book the property as you normally would book a rental. It’s a good idea to rent the property for at least the day before through the day after your event.
There are so many unique and fun ways to have an amazing wedding without paying exorbitant venue fees. You just have to think outside the box a little bit. One of my favorite ways is to rent a beautiful Airbnb or VRBO for your wedding.
Are you planning an elopement or microwedding?
I’m more than just a photographer. Helping couples create their dream day is what I do best!
Get in touch and let’s chat about your vision!
Or check out more elopement planning resources…
Hi I’m Kim, a Denver, Colorado based photographer specializing in Adventure Elopements in Colorado and worldwide! Photographing couples on the most special day of their lives is a true honor for me. But I’ve made it my mission to take it one step further than that. When you work with me, you’re getting more than just a photographer. I’m here to help you with all of the planning resources you need to have the most amazing elopement day ever! That includes everything from assistance with location ideas, timeline planning, and lots more free resources. So you can forget the work, and focus on having fun!
This post contains affiliate links. While I may receive a small amount through affiliate links, it is always at no cost to you and all opinions are entirely my own.
Hi Kim,
I am curious if you would have a recommendation for a wedding that would be just my fiance and I?
Hi Beth! Yes absolutely–one of the things I help couples with is finding their perfect location, including Airbnbs/VRBOs. Some couples choose to combine their Airbnb with another beautiful nearby location out in nature, while others love the idea of just finding a place with a great view and doing everything at one site. Either way, I can definitely help! Please feel free to reach out via my contact form for more info!
Hello!
My fiancé and I are looking to get married in Breckenridge, on October 1st of this year and would love to be in a space such as an Airbnb for our wedding. I was wondering if you could help us with this! Thanks so much!