ALCOHOL

Can I bring in my own alcohol?

Spruce Mountain Ranch has selected not to acquire a liquor license, as a cost benefit to our clients. However, to help manage the liquor coming on and off the premises, we do require that you use Peak Beverage as your liquor vendor, and that ALL alcohol be served by TIPS trained bartenders also provided by Peak.

How much money can I save on my bar at Spruce Mountain, compared to other venues that have a liquor license?

A LOT! Recently, we did a cost comparison between Spruce Mountain and a Colorado venue with a liquor license that does not allow you to use Peak Beverage. The comparison was conducted from using a guest count of 160 people and having a full bar for 5 hours. The average cost savings was between $3,000-$5,000!

AUDIO/VISUAL SERVICES

Does Spruce Mountain offer any on-site AV services or equipment for weddings?

No. We recommend utilizing your DJ, or an outside audio-visual company for these services.

Who do you recommend for sound, for our ceremony?

Your DJ or band can typically provide a ceremony sound system for you, which may include a lapel mic for the officiant and groom, a wireless handheld mic for readers, singers, etc., and a PA sound system with recorded or live music capability. We are also happy to refer a company to you that can assist with your ceremony sound needs.

Is there power at the outdoor ceremony sites for a sound system?

Yes, all our ceremony sites have power.

Can I live stream my ceremony?

Yes, most of our ceremony sites have Wi-Fi capability.

CATERING

Can I bring in my own caterer?

No. However, at Spruce Mountain you have the flexibility of choosing from 12 caterers with various price points! Budget friendly to high-end. For an accurate food cost estimate, we recommend reaching out to a couple of our caterers. But before doing so, we would love to help! We are happy to help direct you in selecting one that best fits your budget, dietary, and cultural needs.

CEREMONY

Can we include a religious fire as part of our ceremony?

Yes. The fire must be contained, and you will need to check the current fire ban status for Douglas County. If no fire ban is in place, you may have the fire outdoors with a Spruce Mountain Property Manager present and a fire extinguisher on hand. If there is a Stage 1 fire ban, you will need to hire a fire watch through the Larkspur Fire Department. If there is a Stage 2 fire ban, your ceremony will need to be moved indoors, and you will still be required to hire a fire watch through the Larkspur Fire Department.

If I select the Mountainside ceremony site, how do my guests get to this location?

If you book our Lower Ranch and select the Mountainside ceremony site, we will provide a 24-passenger shuttle to bring your guests to the ceremony location and back.

CONTRACTING/COSTS

Is Spruce Mountain an all-inclusive venue?

We are a family-owned property that believes that each couple deserves a celebration that reflects their individual style, vision, and budget, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach. Rather than being an all-inclusive venue, we take a hands-on approach to provide personalized vendor lists and dedicated support tailored to your unique vision and giving you choice of vendors with minimal requirements, ultimately giving you a "customized" all-inclusive experience. We are here to help make your planning easy, customizable, and seamless!

What is included in the cost of the venue for a wedding?

225 beautifully landscaped acres, 11 consecutive hours of venue use, property manager, ceremony site, bridal cottage/loft, groomʼs lounge, tables and chairs for both the ceremony & reception, 1 hour rehearsal, set up and clean up.

Are there any "hidden" costs over and above the listed price of the venue?

We have very simple and straightforward pricing. In addition to the cost of the venue fee, we require a $1,000 damage deposit which is due 30 days prior to your event. This damage deposit is 100% refundable if no damages above normal wear and tear occur. We do not have additional service fees, or per person fees.

What is the cost to secure a date?

We ask for 50% down.

When is the final payment due?

The final payment and damage deposit are due 30 days prior to your event date.

We love Spruce Mountain and are ready to go to contract! What does this process look like?

As soon as you know you would like to move forward in securing a date with Spruce Mountain, contact your Spruce Mountain representative. We will immediately take your date off our calendar. We will send you a contract. You will have 5 days to review your contract and get your questions answered. Once you get your questions answered, you will submit your payment and send your signed contract back to your Spruce Mountain representative. This whole process can be done electronically.

Does Spruce Mountain offer a military discount?

Yes. Thank you for your service. For any bride or groom that is active duty, and presents a military ID, we offer a 10% military discount.

Does the cost of the venue include food and beverage?

No. Food and beverage are an additional cost. For a food and beverage cost estimate, please contact one of our required caterers. https://sprucemountainevents.com/weddings/vendors

Do you take credit cards?

Yes. We take VISA and Mastercard. Credit card payments can be made safely and conveniently online, by going to our websiteʼs payment page. https://sprucemountainevents.com/payment

Is there a fee to use a credit card?

Yes. A 2% fee will be added if you use a credit card. There is no fee to use a debit card.

DÉCOR

Do you allow candles?

Yes. However, no open flames are allowed. Candles can be used if they fall within these guidelines: all flames must be contained in glass (examples include votive cups, hurricane lamps, and lanterns). Lit candles may never be placed on the floor, used with artificial floral (unless a non-flammable certification is provided from the manufacturer) or within or near large amounts of eucalyptus or pampas grass. Flameless or LED/battery operated candles are always allowed.

Can we hang fabric and/or flowers from the ceiling or on stand-alone structures inside the venues?

Yes. Real floral can be hung. Fabric and artificial floral may also be hung when a non-flammable certificate from the manufacturer is provided to Spruce Mountain. Please note, this is a standard request for professional installers/manufacturers.

Do you allow sparklers, Chinese lanterns, or fireworks?

No. Due to the high fire danger of our area, this risk must be avoided.

Can we drop rose petals?

Yes. Only white “real” rose petals are allowed to be dropped outside. Any color of synthetic flower petals may be dropped inside. If “real” petals are to be used inside, they must be white, as to not stain the concrete areas.

Can we hang lanterns, flowers, fabric, chandeliers, etc. from the tree at Grace's Chapel?

No. To keep our tree in good health for many years to come, we ask that nothing be hung from the tree branches. However, we have built a trellis that has been secured to the tree from which you may hang décor items. Please be advised that this structure is not to be moved from its current position.

Does Spruce Mountain own a ladder we can use to hang décor?

No. Due to liability, you or your vendor must provide your own ladder.

Do you have any décor items for rent?

We have a custom-made ceremony aisle available to rent. It is rented on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost to rent is $700 and includes set up and removal. The ceremony aisle is 40ʼ long and 4ʼ2” wide. It is available for Graceʼs Chapel or Treyʼs Vista ceremonies. There is a 24-hour cancellation policy. If you cancel 24 hours prior to your scheduled/contracted venue arrival time, the aisle rental is refundable. To book the ceremony aisle, please contact your Spruce Mountain representative.

Do you have the dimensions/capacities of your rooms, outdoor courtyards, ceremony sites & parking lots?

Yes. To download a pdf of our capacity chart, and to download individual diagrams of our venues and parking lots go to: https://sprucemountainevents.com/weddings/venues

Do you have the dimensions of your ceremony pergolas, fireplaces, & Grace's Chapel wood trellis?

Yes. For these structure measurements and other valuable information to help you with your planning, go to our online planning guide https://sprucemountainevents.com/flipbook/index.html

I am trying to figure out the best room layout for my ceremony/reception. Can you assist me?

Yes. Spruce Mountain has collaborated with Prismm to provide our clients with a free and easy tool to create room diagrams to scale. All of Spruce Mountainʼs floorplans have been uploaded to this site. Simply go to Prismm.com to create your account and begin designing your spaces!

I am looking for inspiration on how to decorate for my wedding. Do you have any photos of past weddings that I could use?

Yes. We have a beautiful photo/video gallery on our website. In addition, we recommend following us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube,TikTok, and to read our Blog. Also, donʼt forget to do a web search of “Spruce Mountain Weddings” to find our published weddings, and other blogs that have been written about us.

EVENT INSURANCE

Why do I have to get liability insurance?

Event insurance is required by many ceremony and reception sites. Spruce Mountain has put this policy into place to help protect our clients in the event they are held liable for property damage or bodily injury, as well as for alcohol-related accidents.

What level of coverage do you require for my event?

We require $1 million of general aggregate and $1 million per occurrence. In addition, if any alcohol will or may be served at your event you must have host liquor coverage

How do I purchase the liability insurance required by Spruce Mountain?

This is a very simple process. We recommend going through a company called WedSafe. Go to www.wedsafe.com, fill out the short application, pay the required amount (typical cost is $175), email Spruce Mountain a copy of the certificate of liability, and you are done. The whole process takes about 15 minutes.

FINAL WALK-THROUGH

Do you require a final walk-through? If so, when and how should we schedule this meeting?

Yes. A final walk-through is required, and essential for creating a seamless event. Walk-throughs should be scheduled with your caterer, wedding planner, and Spruce Mountain representative only. If you have other vendors you would like to meet with, please schedule them after the initial walk-through with your caterer, planner and Spruce Mountain rep. Walk-throughs should be scheduled no less than 14 days prior to your event. To schedule your walk-through, first contact your Spruce Mountain representative to learn of available dates and times, and then coordinate those times with your caterer and wedding planner.

What do I need prepared for the walk-through, and how long does a walk-through usually take?

A walk-through usually takes 60 minutes. At the walk-through you will need to provide Spruce Mountain with the following information:

1. Final Payment
2. Room Diagram(s)
3. Certificate of Liability Insurance
4. Event Timeline
5. List of Vendors with Contact Information
6. Wedding Planner Checklist (this form will be provided by your Spruce Mountain representative at your walk-through)
7. Completion of the Event Permit Questionnaire

GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION

I would like to provide overnight accommodations and transportation for my guests. Do you have any recommendations?

Yes. We have done the work for you! We have partnered with four name-brand hotels, each offering a unique price point to suit a variety of budgets. These hotels are ideally situated midway between Denver International Airport and Spruce Mountain, providing overnight accommodations and round trip transportation to the ranch. This partnership ensures both comfort and peace of mind, allowing everyone to travel safely to and from the venue without worry. https://sprucemountainevents.com/weddings/accommodations

Is Uber and Lyft a reliable source for dropping off and pickup up our guests?

We recommend prearranging drop-offs and pick-ups with these apps. Typically we have found that it is easy to arrange for drop-offs, but unreliable for pick-ups.

Are there short-term rentals located near Spruce Mountain

Yes. The Estate House at Spruce Mountain has agreed to be an exclusive rental home for Spruce Mountain's contracted clients only! This gorgeous mountain oasis overlooks Spruce Mountain Ranch and has been customized for our wedding couples. The home comfortably accommodates 18 guests. Additional amenities include private back gate entry to the ranch on your wedding day, game room, golf simulator, hair and makeup parlor, and much more! For more information or to book your stay visit https://www.TheEstateHouseAtSpruceMountain.com

HOLDING A DATE

Can I hold a date?

Yes. At your request we can hold a date at no cost for 5 days. This will give you first right of refusal. If we have another couple that is ready to move forward with the date you have on hold, we will contact you first. You will then have 12 hours to decide if you would like to move forward with securing your date or release your date to the other couple.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Do you have online resources that can assist me in my planning?

We want to help make the process for planning your wedding easy and stress-free. We invite you to check out these helpful resources:

• Spruce Mountainʼs Planning Guide: https://bit.ly/SMEPlanningGuide
• Spruce Mountainʼs Website: www.sprucemountainevents.com
• Spruce Mountainʼs Free App: Download from the App store
• Spruce Mountainʼs Blog: https://sprucemountainevents.com/blog
• Spruce Mountainʼs Social Media:Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok

PETS

I would like my pet to be a part of my wedding day. Is this allowed?

Yes. We love animals! However, a ranch can be a dangerous place for domesticated pets. We need to make sure your pet stays safe and that Spruce Mountainʼs cattle are not put at risk. Therefore, the following rules apply: Pets must always be supervised, you must clean up after them, and dogs must remain on a leash. Pets are not allowed in Rubyʼs Cottage.

PHOTOS

Is Spruce Mountain FAA approved for the usage of drones?

Yes. Drone footage is a great way for you to capture the stunning panoramic views of Spruce Mountain Ranch.

Your cows are so cute! Can my photographer and I go into the pastures to get a photo of/with them?

Unfortunately, we cannot allow anyone access to our pastures. Our mama cows are very protective of their young, and by nature will charge if they feel threatened. Startling the cattle can cause them injury. More importantly, we do not want any of our guests to be put at risk.

PRE-EVENT FOOD/BEVERAGE

I understand that I must use a required caterer from your list for my event. However, can we bring in snacks for the bridal party while we are getting ready?

Yes. Remember, you will also need to provide utensils, plates, glasses, wine bottle openers, etc. Our bridal cottage/loft and groomʼs lounges are not stocked with these items.

PROPERTY MAPS/SIGNAGE

Spruce Mountain is such a large property. How do you recommend I direct my guests once they arrive?

First, we recommend not only listing Spruce Mountain Ranch, but also listing the venue you will be having your event at, on all information sent to your guests and/or vendors. For example, you may list The Ponderosa Room, Albertʼs Lodge, or The Colorado Room, depending on which venue you have rented. Once your guests/vendors arrive on the property, Spruce Mountain will have signage directing your guests to the correct venue

Do you have a property map and road map I can include in my invitations to help direct my guests?

Yes. You can download the pdfs from our website, or we can email them to you. In addition, we suggest your guests download our free app for access to our guest information page, which will provide them with directions, maps, and other helpful tips on attending a Spruce Mountain wedding.

REHEARSALS

When are rehearsals scheduled?

All rehearsals are held the day before the wedding from 9 am – 10 am. Please plan accordingly, as the rehearsal times cannot be adjusted due to the schedules of our other events and cattle operations.

Do you have any packages to do a Rehearsal Brunch, after our rehearsal at the ranch?

Yes. Exclusive for Spruce Mountainʼs couples, you can have a rehearsal brunch at our Lakeview Terrace following your rehearsal (10 am - noon). For current pricing and details go to: https://bit.ly/RehearsalBrunchatSME

RENTALS

Does Spruce Mountain provide rentals such as linens, glassware, china, etc?

No. All rentals are handled by your caterer and ordered through our required vendor Event Rents.

Can I purchase my own linens, glassware, china, etc. instead of renting them?

Yes. You will need to coordinate the items you purchase with your caterer for set up. However, please remember any additional items that you do not purchase and therefore rent, you must use our required vendor Event Rents

REQUIRED VENDORS

Do you have a list of required vendors?

We believe in providing you freedom and flexibility in your planning. Therefore, we have a limited number of vendors we require you to use. They include:

• Food: You must select one of our 12 caterers
• Alcohol/Beverages: Peak Beverage
• Rentals: Event Rents

Can you assist us in finding vendors for our event?

Yes. We are here to assist you throughout the entire planning process. We will be happy to “customize” a vendor list for you based on your own personal needs. We will do our best to match vendors to you based on similar personality, style, and budget needs.

SET UP AND BREAK DOWN

Who is responsible for setting up and breaking down my event?

This is a joint effort between Spruce Mountainʼs staff, your caterer, and wedding planner. We do not want you lifting a finger on your wedding day. Leave the set up and clean up to all of us!

Can I drop off décor items etc. before my 11-hour block begins?

No. All set up, including deliveries, are to be completed within your 11-hour block of time.

Can I pick up my décor items etc. the day after my event?

No. All items must be picked up within your 11-hour block of time.

Can my guests leave their vehicles on the property overnight?

No. Spruce Mountain is a private gated property. Our front gate closes at the conclusion of our events and does not reopen at regular times. If a guest leaves their vehicle, they are at risk of not having access to the property to retrieve it the following morning.

TIMING OF EVENT

Does Spruce Mountain have multiple weddings taking place per day?

Spruce Mountain has two different properties. Our Upper Ranch and Lower Ranch. Each of these properties sit on their own 225 acres and are divided by more than a mile. They are completely separate. They each have their own parking lots, ceremony sites, getting ready areas, etc. We only have one wedding a day at each of our properties.

How many hours do we get the venue for a wedding?

You will get the venue for 11 hours. This includes set up and clean up.

When does our 11-hour block of time begin, and what is the most popular 11-hour block of time?

You get the property for any 11 hours you would like. We kindly ask that weddings conclude by midnight. The most popular 11-hour time block is 1 pm – midnight, with guests arriving at 4 pm, and the ceremony beginning at 4:30 pm. Please note that if you select the time block of 1 pm – midnight, your ceremony time will automatically be set for 4:30 pm.

What is the best way to break down the 11-hour time block for a wedding?

3 hours for set up, 1 hour for the ceremony, 1-2 hours for cocktails, 4-5 hours for the reception, 1 hour for tear down.

What time should I have my guests arrive at Spruce Mountain for my wedding, to keep us on schedule?

We recommend having your guests arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled ceremony time. This will allow your guests time to park and find their way to the ceremony site.

When can we and our vendors arrive on the property?

The moment your 11-hour time block begins, you and your vendors may have access to the property, no earlier.

Can we purchase additional hours?

Yes. Please contact us to get current hourly rates.

TOUR SCHEDULING

How do I schedule an initial tour of Spruce Mountain?

You can simply and easily schedule a tour with one of our Spruce Mountain representatives by going to our online tour scheduler at: https://bit.ly/SMETours. If you do not see a day and time that works for you, please contact us. We will do our best to accommodate your schedule.

VISITING THE RANCH

Now that I am contracted with Spruce Mountain, how can I arrange a visit with my friends/family/vendors who would like to see where I will be getting married?

We understand how exciting planning a wedding can be. However, please remember that Spruce Mountain is a privately owned property, and walk-in visits are not allowed at any time. To visit, please request a “Visitors Pass” by contacting your Spruce Mountain representative. We will do our best to accommodate your request.

WEATHER

I want an outdoor ceremony, but I am worried about the weather. Do you have a contingency plan for inclement weather?

Yes. We are prepared for weather and have great “Plan B” options that can be put into action as early as the day of the wedding.

WEDDING-EVENT PLANNERS/STAFFING OF EVENT

Do you require a Wedding Planner to get married at Spruce Mountain?

Yes. But, we only require a planner for the “day of”. You are welcome to plan your entire event on your own. However, on your wedding day, we require that you have a planner to perform two very important tasks:

1. Create your ceremony and reception timeline
2. Facilitate the dayʼs events*

*Your wedding planner is required to be on-site and available for your entire 11-hour time block. They will be responsible for keeping the wedding on schedule and ensuring that all your wedding day details go as planned.

Do you have a recommendation for a “day of” planner?

Yes. We have worked with many planners that will provide “day of” services. Please contact us for this listing.

What qualifications does my “day of” planner need to have to work at Spruce Mountain?

Spruce Mountain requires you to have a “professional” planner. This means they work for or own a licensed event planning business.

Will Spruce Mountain provide staffing for my wedding?

Yes. Spruce Mountain will provide an on-site Property Manager for your entire 11-hour time block. The Property Manager is responsible for maintaining the property and answering property-related questions, but does not assist with event planning, coordination, or facilitation.