You're Engaged! Now Where Are You Getting Married?

November 20, 2025
Weddings

Photography credit: Epic Imagery

Congratulations—you're engaged! After the excitement of saying "yes" settles in, one of the first questions everyone asks is: "When's the big day?" It's natural to want to circle a date on the calendar immediately, but here's some wisdom we've gathered from hosting countless weddings at Spruce Mountain Ranch: choosing your venue before your date might be the smartest decision you make during wedding planning.

While it may seem counterintuitive to book a location before knowing exactly when you'll need it, this approach opens up possibilities you never knew existed and helps ensure your wedding day truly reflects your vision as a couple.

Your Venue Equals Your Experience

Even for the most prepared couples, wedding day nerves are completely normal. But feeling confident in your venue choice and venue staff can dramatically minimize those pre-ceremony jitters. Having your wedding in a space that genuinely resonates with you as a couple doesn't just help your day flow seamlessly—it allows you to be fully present and have the positive, heartfelt experience you're meant to have when you tie the knot.

"The Venue sets the intention and the backdrop for the wedding," explains Brus Osborne, Spruce Mountain Ranch's Director of Business Development. "The date is second in importance."

When you choose a venue that aligns with your vision first, everything else falls into place more naturally. You're not forcing your dream celebration into a space that doesn't quite fit—you're allowing your vision to unfold in a setting designed to support it.

Dates Change, But Venues Don't (Well, Not That Often)

Throughout your relationship, you'll accumulate a collection of sentimental dates: when you met, your first date, your engagement anniversary, and ultimately your wedding date. While it can feel meaningful to honor one of these dates by choosing it for your wedding, couples may inadvertently limit themselves on crucial wedding factors like venues and vendors if their dream choices aren't available.

Here's the truth: while everyone remembers their wedding day, the memories you create and the space where you celebrate your love matter far more than a specific date on the calendar.

"Nobody is going to remember the date on a calendar," emphasizes Ryann Olme, Senior Property Manager at Spruce Mountain Ranch. "They will remember the experience and the actual day itself."

Tara Ames, Owner and Operator of Spruce Mountain Events, puts it even more directly:

"Inventory is limited and, unless you are able to be flexible on a date, in many cases you may have to wait years to tie the knot. Be prepared with a vision, and then honor that vision by seeking a venue that naturally fits. Rather than having 'a date,' pick a season and then be open to a day within that season."

The Importance of Considering Venues Early

Touring and evaluating venues early in your planning process helps you discover what aspects matter most to you as a couple. For newly engaged couples, the process can feel overwhelming—there's an entire world of options, styles, and possibilities to navigate.

Exploring different venues with varying aesthetics, settings, and packages helps clarify your priorities. For example, do you really care about being surrounded by nature as an outdoorsy couple? Will having a wedding oasis outside the hustle and bustle of the city help you feel more relaxed on your special day?

"Couples should go into the venue selection process with the overall experience in mind," advises Olme. "Not just the date or one or two important things. Think of the overall experience and everything will work out way better in the planning process and day of."

Spruce Mountain Ranch offers the perfect solution for couples seeking tranquility without sacrificing convenience—located just 30 minutes from both Denver and Colorado Springs, you can escape to a serene mountain setting while keeping travel manageable for guests.

"Location, Location, Location! It is what sets the tone and feel for the entire day," Tara Ames explains. "It also allows [you] to save on décor, trying to replicate a venue that does not fit [your] vision. If you are open to an alternate date, you will get what you want, without the work and expense."

How the Right (or Wrong) Venue Impacts Your Wedding

Your venue choice reverberates through every aspect of your celebration. The right venue naturally enhances your vision, provides stunning backdrops for photos, and creates memorable experiences for guests.

"The wrong venue can make you feel disconnected and rob you of the vision you had always dreamed of," Ames notes. "The right venue will set the tone and overall feeling and aesthetic you are trying to achieve."

Sarah Merrow, Spruce Mountain's Business Manager, adds another crucial consideration:

"Although specific wedding dates can be significant to couples, the memories manifest within the walls of your wedding venue with the people you cherish and love."

Minimize Stress by Choosing Venue First, Date Second

Once you've found your dream venue, selecting a date becomes remarkably simpler. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by choosing one date out of 365 days in a year, you're selecting from your venue's available options—a much more manageable decision.

This approach cuts down on decision fatigue for you and your partner, and may even allow you to tie the knot earlier than anticipated. If you're trying to book a specific date at a specific venue, you might wait two years or more. But if you fall in love with a venue and choose from their available dates, you could be celebrating within months.

"It's important for couples to be flexible with their date because settling for a subpar venue with subpar vendors is not what you want to remember about your wedding day," Ryann Olme emphasizes. "Even if you have to move the date a little, you want the perfect day of stunning surroundings and amazing food and drinks."

At Spruce Mountain Ranch, peak season weekends (Saturdays throughout May-October) book 15 months or more in advance. However, we host beautiful weddings 365 days a year! Our off-season months (November through April) and weekday celebrations offer more availability, cost savings on both venue and vendor fees, and equally magical experiences—especially winter weddings with thousands of additional twinkle lights illuminating snow-dusted evergreens.

Start With Your Vision, Then Find Your Perfect Fit

The most successful wedding planning journeys begin with a clear vision of what matters most to you as a couple, followed by finding a venue that naturally supports that vision. Don't compromise on the space where you'll create lifelong memories just to secure a specific calendar date.

As Sarah Merrow wisely encourages couples to

“find the perfect fit that will make them feel the most celebrated. Finding a team that cares about their individual wedding and not becoming a 'factory' of weddings. Each couple deserves to be recognized as the individuals that they are, and knowing that their celebration will be a reflection of them and only them."

Ready to find your perfect venue and book your wedding date? Schedule a tour at Spruce Mountain Ranch and let us show you how prioritizing the "where" before the "when" can transform your entire wedding planning experience.