Hello, hello!!
I decided to answer the question I get most often from couples: what are the best outdoor wedding venues near Boise, Idaho!? Most people look at my Instagram or website and want to know where all the incredible locations in my photos are. Finding a wedding venue near Boise that offers amazing mountain views for your photos and a fun mountain getaway can be tough, even if you have lived in Boise your entire life! Often, couples will book me before they even find their perfect venue. I get asked the same question all the time. Finding a venue is one of the hardest parts of planning a wedding. Your venue sets the mood for your entire wedding day experience. Most couples I work with want to find a venue that has an amazing view of Idaho’s majestic mountains, but they also want a venue that allows them to party all night and offer a unique experience. It’s important to remember that not all venues fit the cookie cutter 6 hour/take down by 10pm rule. There is truly something out there for everyone! Whether you’re looking for some mountain glam or the perfect summer camp wedding, Idaho has so much to offer!
For people from out of town or planning an Idaho destination wedding, The Treasure Valley is surrounded by multiple cozy mountain towns. As a Boise wedding photographer, I love escaping to the many gorgeous wedding venues within a three hour drive of Boise. McCall, Idaho is popular both in winter and summer, as it sits right on Payette Lake and is home to Brundage Mountain Resort. It has multiple grocery stores, a few hotel chains in town, and lots of restaurants & shopping. Sun Valley, Idaho is famous nationwide for its ski resorts and resting place of Ernest Hemingway. It’s the most developed of Idaho’s mountain towns, offering a cozy mountain getaway without sacrificing any luxuries. Stanley, Idaho is home to the incredible Sawtooth Mountains, but is easily the most remote and hard to get to. However, as a Boise Wedding Photographer, the Sawtooths are one of my favorite places in Idaho to work. The view is almost unparalleled and worth the extra 60 miles in the car. Stanley itself is extremely small, with one grocery store and one gas station, but has the bare essentials.
With that being said, here are some of my favorite non-traditional outdoor wedding venues in Idaho!
(1) Pilgrim Cove in McCall Idaho
I had no idea Pilgrim Cove existed until one of my favorite couples, Koji & Abby, told me they were getting married there. Pilgrim Cove has a variety of uses. As a McCall wedding photographer, I can’t recommend finding alternate venues that aren’t strictly wedding venues enough! Some of the coolest venues are a little more off the beaten path! Pilgrim Cove only takes limited weddings, the rest of the year it’s used for church camp and business conferences. What’s most amazing about this venue is the ability to rent out the entire camp with room for up to 90 people. Koji and Abby got married on a long weekend and they invited their friends and family to stay with them all weekend long. The camp offers lake-front access on Payette Lake for your ceremony and multiple options for your reception. It also has the amazing ability to be designed and flipped to any style.
(2) Blackhawk on the River in McCall, Idaho
Although still new to the wedding industry, Blackhawk on the River has already become one of the most popular wedding venues in Idaho. And for good reason! Idaho weather can be extremely unpredictable and while I know most brides are so hesitant to plan an outdoor wedding in Idaho, having a safe alternative is my best advice. Blackhawk on the River has an indoor & outdoor space. My favorite part of Blackhawk is that the interior space is modern and clean, rather than dated or too rustic. If you love the mountains but still want a modern space for your reception, you might love Blackhawk on the River! Plus, just look at that ceremony view. The name isn’t lying- you can get married directly on the river in the middle of the forest!
(3) Moose Creek Ranch in Victor, Idaho
What a lot of people who come to Jackson Hole, Wyoming don’t know is that the Idaho side of the Tetons are just as beautiful as the Wyoming side. 😉 The Idaho side of the Tetons is not only a lot more affordable, but far fewer crowds. If you’ve ever tried to hike around Jenny Lake in the middle of July, you know hiking in the Tetons isn’t exactly a peaceful retreat in the summer. If you’re trying to elope or have a tranquil wedding, it’s a lot trickier to find some solitude in Jackson Hole or Teton National Park. However, just over the mountain is Victor, Idaho- with every bit of charm and a few more dive bars ;). Moose Creek Ranch has everything to fit your mountain & barn wedding dreams. With a huge barn and loft, a beautiful property on the river, and forests everywhere, you can have the Teton wedding of your dreams without all the tourists.
(4) Shore Lodge in McCall, Idaho
I think just about everyone in Boise knows about the Shore Lodge. Their reputation is basically unmatched for their exceptional service and incredible lodging. The Shore Lodge is so special to me because it remains humble while still feeling like a luxurious experience. Every single employee goes above and beyond to make their guests feel cared for and the interior is immaculate. If you’re looking for rustic elegance at its best, the Shore Lodge is truly your only option in the greater Boise area.
(3) Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch in Stanley, Idaho
Nestled between Stanley and Sun Valley, the amazing Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch offers an unmatched experience. As an all inclusive ranch, Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch has incredible individual log cabins with fireplaces and the bathtubs of your dreams. If you’re new to Idaho or have guests from coming out of town, they offer horseback riding, guided hiking tours, fishing expeditions, and so much more. If you are looking for an intimate, outdoor wedding, Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch is unparalleled in their service and AMAZING mountain views of the Sawtooths and White Clouds!
(4) River Dance Lodge in Kooskia, Idaho
Every single time I ask someone if they have heard of the River Dance Lodge, they look at me like I’m crazy. This little hidden gem isn’t that well known to many Boiseians yet, but it’s one of my favorite venues for the true “Idaho” experience. Although it’s the furthest destination from Boise on this list, if you are adventurous enough to make the trek for a truly remote experience, the River Dance is your only option. Travel accommodations are already taken care of for your guests when you get married at the River Dance, with cabins, tent & RV sites, and glamping tents. There’s little to no cell service and the venue is located right on the river so if fishing on your wedding day, this is the place.
(5) Burgdorf Hot Springs in McCall, Idaho
Unfortunately, it took a solid 24 years as an Idaho native to visit Burgdorf Hot Springs. I had heard amazing things about it from so many friends and family but it took until last winter to visit for the first time. Idaho is known for its incredible hot springs. You can literally find them right off Idaho’s mountain highways in the river and if you haven’t sat in a natural hot spring in a river before, are you really living!? Burgdorf immediately became one of my favorite places. You can rent rustic cabins that surround the hot springs and for weddings, they allow you to rent the entire facility. It feels like you walk through a time capsule with its log cabins and signs from the late 1800’s. Surrounded by rocky mountains, amazing forests, and tons of wilderness, Burgdorf is definitely where I could imagine planning my own boho cabin wedding!
(6) Redfish Lake Lodge in Stanley, Idaho
I grew up camping along the shores of Redfish Lake and I still pinch myself every time I get the opportunity to work in my favorite place. Hands down, if you’re into water sports and you’re a water lover, there isn’t a more gorgeous lake in Idaho. The Redfish Lake Lodge is only steps from the beach with incredible views of the snowy Sawtooth mountains. It’s always been a dream of mine to boat across Redfish Lake and hike up to the Bench Lakes in the Sawtooths for the most epic alpine lake views.
(7) Bogus Basin in Boise, Idaho
Just 30 minutes from Boise, the Pioneer Lodge at the top of Bogus Basin is the perfect mountain getaway if you want to keep the party close to the city. The Pioneer Lodge is rustic and has all the bare essentials to get your party started. With the option to bring in your own caterer, rentals, photographer, DJ- it’s a blank canvas to make your own. There’s nothing quite like getting married on the very top of a mountain with sweeping views of the Treasure Valley. Plus, there’s zero noise ordinance so along with the adjoining cabins + condos, you can quite literally dance until dawn without bugging any neighbors.
(8) Trail Creek Cabin & Pavillon in Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is literally a destination wedding dream. Their lodges and cabins are as cozy as they are elegant. The Trail Creek Cabin and Pavillon is a gorgeous venue right at the base of Bald Mountain. If you’re into the rustic mountain vibe, but want the best bathtub of your life, Sun Valley is probably your best option. It’s luxurious but still nestled in some of the prettiest mountains of Idaho with tons of wildlife, hiking, fishing, and recreation nearby. Plus, it’s easy to get to the Sawtooth Mountains for an epic first look or your bridal portraits!
