The Venue Pageant

In our search for a venue, Jakob & I found some really unique places that were incredible in their own right - just not the right fit for our wedding. I thought I'd share some of them with you before revealing The One.
These are our requirements:
1. Located in or near Estes Park, Colorado
2. Views of the mountains
3. Nearby lodging for our out of town guests
4. On-site catering

The first runner up is Taharaa Mountain Lodge, a quiet bed & breakfast with a completely unique vibe. From the moment we walked through the door, we knew it was someplace special. It has nine lodge rooms and nine suites, each with its own fireplace and deck with stunning panoramic vistas. Each has its own unique motif that reflects the beauty & history of the Rocky Mountain region.

Taharaa is a chic venue which combines Native American with American West, from the Arapahoe Room to Columbine Room to Cattle Baron Suite. It also boasts a Great Hall, where our reception would be. It met all of our requirements and then some - except for the last one. Catering is done by a pre-approved outside vendor.
Next time, we'll reveal the lucky winner!
Black Canyon Inn came in second runner up. It is located in Estes Park, but its views, while beautiful, are not of the mountains. Futhermore, catering is done by Twin Owls Steakhouse, which is next door.
Our reception would be in the Steakhouse, which has three rooms. The loft was far too small to accommodate a dance floor. The garden room had a strange view and was too dark for our tastes. The main room was much too large for our small reception, even with a dance floor.
The people there were very nice and helpful. They seemed like they would have been great to work with had the venue been a good fit for us.

Finally, our third runner up was Lionscrest Manor in Lyons, Colorado. Lioncrest boasts unobstructed views of Steamboat Mountain, Hatrock, Mount Meeker and Longs Peak, so it definitely met our mountain view requirement. It's only 20 miles from Estes Park, but catering is done by an outside company of your choosing although they urge you to use an approved vendor from their list. However, the largest drawback to this venue is its distance to accommodations for our guests. In the end, we knew it would be selfish to ask our families to fly from New Orleans to Denver, rent a car and drive an hour and a half to Estes Park to their lodging, then turn around a drive 30 minutes back down to Lyons for our ceremony. It's really too bad - this staircase totally made me swoon!