Everything You Need to Know About a Fort Collins Wedding at The Elizabeth Hotel
If you know anything about Colorado, you know that Fort Collins and Old Town are beautiful places to visit and they make an even better place to tie the knot. While there is a ton of charm and unique places throughout the area, one of the best places for your wedding is The Elizabeth Hotel.
As a Colorado photographer, I’ve had the chance to capture a couple of weddings at this venue, and it is truly one that I can’t stop thinking about. There are so many unique options here and with it being a hotel, it makes the entire wedding day/wedding weekend so easy.
Sound like exactly what you are looking for? Let’s dive into everything you need to know about this Fort Collins wedding venue and some of my favorite things about The Elizabeth Hotel!
All the Details About This Fort Collins Wedding Venue
Pricing
Pricing at The Elizabeth Hotel will vary depending on several factors, including the day of the week, the spaces you want to use throughout the venue, and even the time of day. The team here truly works to create a custom wedding that is exactly what you picture, so there are no set prices for the venue.
For full weddings here, you can expect the pricing to be in the $20,000 range. It is really important, though, that you reach out and chat with their team about your exact vision so you can build a custom package that helps you create your dream wedding.
Capacity
One of the best things about The Elizabeth Hotel is how flexible their spaces are. You can have anywhere from 40 guests up to 150, depending on the specific location you choose at the venue. Whether you are looking for something a bit more low-key or an all-out party, you’ll be able to find the perfect spot here.
Accessibility
One of the great things about a hotel wedding is that most of the time, the buildings are accessible. That is no different with The Elizabeth Hotel. Whether it is you or your guests, you’ll be able to get around this venue easily.
They even have accessible rooms available if you plan to have everyone stay at the hotel for your wedding. This makes your wedding day so much less stressful, allows you to have everyone you love under one roof, and lets you know that they will be taken care of!
Parking
Whether you are coming from near or far, you and your guests won’t have to worry about parking for your wedding. There is parking right at the hotel that you can use although there is a $20/night fee for parking.
In classic Colorado fashion, there is also offsite parking for larger vehicles (I’m looking at you van lifers). This does cost a bit more and ranges from $45/night for sprinter vans to $100/night for buses.
Rules and Other Important Things to Know
No one likes surprises on their wedding day, so here are a few important rules and things to know about the venue.
First, outside catering is not permitted, although you are allowed to bring your own wedding cake. You do have a food and beverage consultation with the hotel team to ensure the perfect menu for your wedding.
Other than that, they do have a preferred list of vendors that you can look at, but they do allow any other vendor that is licensed so you have a ton of flexibility in who you book for your wedding.
Second, as it is a hotel, you and your guests can stay right at the property for your wedding. They do have an option to book a block of rooms starting at a minimum of 10 rooms. This is perfect if you are having a full weekend wedding or have a lot of guests traveling in from out of town.
They can even give out guest favors at check-in to add a special touch. For $4/favor, they will deliver the favors directly to the guests’ rooms.
One of the great things about this hotel is the live entertainment that you can find in their Magic Rat and Sunset Lounge. It is important to know, though, that booking these spaces at your wedding doesn’t include live entertainment.
Don’t worry, though! They can help you book some amazing options for your wedding to make sure that it is just as lively and unique as your wedding is.
What’s Included
We all love a good wedding package that checks off lots of boxes on our to-do list, and The Elizabeth Hotel definitely does that! A few of the highlights of what’s included in your wedding package are:
- Consultations for your food and drink options to find the perfect menu for your big day. This can also include a signature cocktail for your wedding!
- A rehearsal space
- Access to audio and video equipment
- Self-parking options for you and your guests, as well as valet parking
- Tours of the property for you as well as your family, wedding parties, vendors, and anyone else you need.
- Setup and breakdown of the spaces—because, let’s be honest, who wants to deal with that on their wedding day?
- Service staff for your wedding
- All of the tables, chairs, linens, and flatware for your reception
If you book the Magic Rat venue for your wedding, you even get marquee billing, which not only gives your wedding a unique feel but also creates the perfect pictures.
If all of that wasn’t enough to convince you, another amazing part of this venue is that it is pet-friendly. We all know how hard it is to leave our fur babies at home when we are away, but you can bring them along for the ride here. They can even stay with you at the hotel overnight!
Spaces Around the Venue
Getting Ready Spaces
There is no shortage of options when it comes to getting ready spaces. The Chestnut Meeting Room and Beer & Bikes Suite are both great options for dedicated getting-ready spaces for you and your wedding parties.
Since you are right in a hotel, you can also use the rooms themselves as your getting-ready spaces. This is a great option if you are staying overnight at the hotel and makes it a really relaxing morning for you.
Lobby with Staircase
The lobby is one of my favorite places to do your first look and take some of your portraits. There is a beautiful spiral staircase with a landing about halfway up that creates the perfect places for these pictures.
You are in the lobby, so there is a chance that other people will be around, but I would absolutely recommend adding pictures here to your wedding timeline. Because of the location and different levels, you can get some really cool photos here that you just can’t get anywhere else.
Plus, it is right in the lobby, so if you choose this for your first look, it will be a really easy spot to get to without feeling like you have to run all over the place!
Terrace
The Terrace is one of the outdoor options here, and it is absolutely stunning. You get beautiful mountain views, and the layout is so simple that it gives you a ton of options when it comes to decorating the space.
I love venues that are more open like this because they are so versatile. You really get to create your own unique vision here and have beautiful views. This is also one of the larger venue options for your wedding, with a maximum capacity of 120 guests.
The space can also be used for anything from your ceremony to your dinner or even your entire reception. If you know Colorado, you know that you can’t really go wrong with outdoor venues and this truly is a beautiful place to celebrate this special day.
Magic Rat
If you’re looking for something that is a bit more unique because, let’s be honest, who wants a wedding that feels average, The Magic Rat is truly a gem of a place for your reception.
This space is normally used as the live music venue for the hotel, but when it comes to your wedding, it can be transformed into your dream reception venue.
The space has everything from a bar to an indoor stage and even a patio right outside. If you want something a bit more non-traditional, this space is exactly what you want. You can even have your name up in lights on the marquee!
Firehouse Alley
To go along with the Magic Rat reception space, you need an equally unique ceremony location, and the Firehouse Alley is just that. This alley brings together everything that is great about the old town of Fort Collins.
This is a great space because you can bring decorations or even an arch to decorate it, or you can just leave the alley as is and show off its natural charm. Whatever you choose, you’ll have a unique space that is the perfect backdrop for your ceremony.
It is important to note that you will need a permit for this space, which does entail a small fee. The one caveat is that you can only get the permit if you are not planning on serving alcohol in the alleyway itself.
Sunset Lounge
We are finally to the last space on this list which is the Sunset Lounge. On an everyday basis, this is home to the Elizabeth Hotel’s lounge, but for your wedding, it can be transformed into the perfect space for your cocktail hour or reception.
What is amazing about this space is that it is a rooftop lounge, which means you get the best views of the Front Range. The lounge also has indoor and outdoor spaces, so it is the perfect mix for Colorado days when it’s not too cold outside.
Why Choose The Elizabeth Hotel
This is all great, but why is this venue perfect for your wedding day? After capturing a few different weddings here, there are a couple of things that definitely stand out to me and that I love about The Elizabeth Hotel.
Right off the bat, this is a beautiful luxury setting. Even if you are just looking for a space to get ready in Fort Collins for your wedding, this hotel is a perfect option for you.
The venue also has so many different spaces with different vibes, so it has something for all of the different parts of your day. Many of the spaces also have their own charm, so you don’t have to spend hours decorating them to make them look amazing.
We can’t forget about how great it is to be right next to Old Town. Being a photographer in this area, I can’t pass up a good session in Old Town, and having your wedding right here gives you so many options. Whether you want to pop into town to take a few pictures on your wedding day or even go to one of the nearby natural areas, everything is so close and accessible that it makes it a breeze.
I also cannot emphasize enough how amazing it is to have everything all in one place. You won’t believe how much easier it is when you are staying right at the venue. I’m talking about everything being easier pre-wedding and even your wedding night being less stressful.
Because let’s be honest, after the exciting and exhausting day that you’ve had, how amazing would it feel to just hop in an elevator and be right in your room? That alone is worth checking out this hotel venue.
The vibes are great, and since it is a live music venue, the energy just makes your reception that much better.
Ready to Plan Your Own Wedding at The Elizabeth Hotel?
Hopefully, this guide helps you decide if this is the perfect venue for your big day. I truly love all that this Fort Collins wedding venue and area have to offer, and you have everything you need to create a wedding that no one will forget anytime soon.
Now all you need is the perfect photographer to capture these memories for you (*wink, wink*). In all seriousness, I would be honored to be a part of your wedding day and help create memories that you can look back on for a lifetime.
You can check out more about my wedding photography services here, or you can click here to get in touch, and we can chat about how to make your dream wedding a reality!