Idaho is home to epic landscapes from mountain ranges to sparkling lakes. It’s an adventure lover’s paradise with an endless opportunity to escape into nature. Even though there are no official National Parks within Idaho’s borders (other than a small portion of Yellowstone), that doesn’t mean there aren’t some pretty amazing wedding venues here!
Whether you’re searching for a venue for a big wedding or an intimate elopement, I’ve compiled a list to walk you through the best mountain wedding venues throughout Idaho that will give you all of the National Park vibes!
This guide will show you the best adventurous wedding venues, how much a mountain wedding costs, and how to plan a destination wedding in Idaho.
Idaho Mountain Wedding Venues
Whether you’re getting married in Coeur d’Alene or Idaho Falls, these are the most scenic wedding venues in the entire state! Have fun exploring and good luck on finding the perfect venue for your big day!
Mountain Wedding Venues in North Idaho
Coeur d’Alene, Sandpoint, and Wallace
Schweitzer Mountain
North Idaho’s most popular ski resort, Schweitzer Mountain is home to beautiful views all year round! The resort offers indoor and outdoor venue options for weddings throughout the year with full amenities.
Location: Athol
Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor & outdoor options
Wedding Size: Up to 300 people
Find more wedding venues near Athol here!
Firebrand Cocolalla
Situated on 20 acres of wooded land, Firebrand Cocolalla is an outdoor wedding venue in North Idaho. It’s beautifully decorated with dozens of fairy lights strung throughout the trees giving it a whimsical forest feeling.
Location: Cocolalla
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor
Wedding Size: Up to 200 people
Cider Mountain
Cider Mountain is a beautiful North Idaho wedding venue with a rustic charm. With lodging for up to 40 guests to stay on-site, a bridal suite, and grooms lounge, this venue offers everything you need for your wedding!
Location: Athol
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor
Wedding Size: up to 200 people
Farragut State Park
Sitting on the shores of lake Pend Oreille in the foothills of the Selkirk Mountains is Farragut State Park. Known for it’s stunning mountain and lake views, this park is a popular spot for weddings and elopements. There is a covered day use area that you can reserve for your wedding.
Location: Athol
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor
Wedding Size: Up to 150 people
Check out my full guide to eloping at Farragut State Park!
Mountain Wedding Venues in North Central Idaho
Grangeville, Moscow, Lewiston, and Riggins
Hells Canyon Grand Weddings
With beautiful views of the Lewis-Clark Valley, Hells Canyon Grand Weddings offers a scenic wedding venue with indoor and outdoor options! The venue offers onsite catering, guest rooms for the wedding party and guests, as well as all chairs and tables.
Location: Lewiston
Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor and outdoor options
Wedding Size: Over 50 people
Spiral Rock
This venue may be small, but it comes with everything you need plus a spectacular view of the Lewis-Clark Valley! Equipped with tables, chairs, and a private kitchen space, this venue has a lot to offer!
Location: Lewiston
Indoor or Outdoor: Primarily outdoor with indoor/covered space available.
Wedding Size: Up to 150 people
Mountain Wedding Venues in Southwest Idaho
Boise, McCall, and Mountain Home
Ponderosa State park
Sitting on the shores of Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho, is Ponderosa State Park. A beautiful location with mountain views and lake access. The park has cabins available to rent as well as a day use area you can reserve, making it the perfect backdrop for adventurous couples.
Location: McCall
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor
Wedding Size: Up to 150 people
Bogus Basin
A ski area in the winter, a beautiful intimate wedding venue in the summer. This area is a great option for couples looking to elope with beautiful mountain views near Boise.
Location: Boise
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor
Wedding Size: Less than 20 people
View my full guide to eloping in Boise here!
Tamarack Resort
This ski resort also offers wedding packages for couples wanting an intimate and adventurous wedding experience. Take a ride up the chairlift and exchange vows with sweeping views of Lake Cascade and the surrounding mountains.
Location: Tamarack
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor
Wedding Size: Up to 75 people
Pilgrim Cove
This multi-use camp offers all-inclusive wedding packages that include lodging, meals, as well as tables and chairs. If magical forests and water access is what you’re looking for, this is the spot!
Location: McCall
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor
Wedding Size: Up to 125 people
Mountain Wedding Venues in South Central Idaho
Twin Falls, Hagerman, and Burley
Canyon Crest Event Center
With outdoor views overlooking the Snake River, this event center can host even the biggest of wedding parties! With an outdoor ceremony location and indoor reception room, this is a perfect option for couples looking for a space with both indoor and outdoor options. The venue includes use of their audiovisual system, tables, chairs, and catering.
Location: Twin Falls
Indoor or Outdoor: Both
Wedding Size: Up to 350 people
Mountain Wedding Venues in Southeast Idaho
Pocatello, Lava Hot Springs, and Montpelier
Mink Creek Group Site Campground
This group campsite is an untraditional wedding venue, but a popular location for couples looking to get married out in nature! With a covered pavilion, this site is available year-round and makes for a great spot for weddings of all sizes!
Location: Pocatello
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoor with a covered shelter
Wedding Size: Up to 200 people
Mountain Wedding Venues in Eastern Idaho
Idaho Falls, Rexburg, and Island Park
Snake River Meadow
With beautiful trees and mountain views on the property, this wedding venue is a beautiful option for couples getting married in Eastern Idaho! They’re all-inclusive packages include lodging in addition to use of their wedding venue.
Location: Rire
Indoor or Outdoor: Both
Wedding Size: Up to 150 people for indoor weddings and up to 250 for outdoor weddings
Moose Creek Ranch
With views of the Tetons and 25-acres of private property, this venue is the perfect blend of nature and tradition! With on-site lodging, firepits, lawn games, and more, this venue has just about everything you need covered!
Location: Victor
Indoor or Outdoor: Outdoors
Wedding Size: Up to 150 people
Mountain Wedding Venues in Central Idaho
Sun Valley, Stanley, and Salmon
Redfish Lake Lodge
This charming lodge sits on the north tip of Redfish Lake in the heart of the Sawtooth Mountains. It was built in 1929 and has been carefully cared for to retain its rustic charm. It sits on 16 acres of U.S. Forest Land with lodging, dining, has cabins throughout the property, as well as several motel style buildings to stay in.
Location: Stanley
Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor options
Wedding Size: Up to 40 people for indoor weddings and up to 225 people for outdoor weddings
Lazy H Ranch
This rustic lodge is surrounded by natural hot springs and views of the Sawtooth Mountains. They have 18 bedrooms with overnight accommodations for up to 50 people. It also has a private 4,000 foot runway for anyone wanting to fly in or out!
Location: Atlanta
Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor & outdoor options
Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch
Sitting in the heart of the Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch is the perfect backdrop for an adventurous wedding! This ranch sits on almost 900 acres and offers views of the surrounding mountains, options for indoor or outdoor weddings, with a cozy, rustic ambiance.
Location: Stanley
Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor options
Wedding Size: Up to 50 people
Stanley Chapel
This non-denominational chapel in Stanley Idaho is perfect for couples that want to balance tradition with adventure. This is a rustic chapel with exposed overhead log beams, wooden floors, and big windows with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
Location: Stanley
Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor options
Wedding Size: up to 200 people
The Best Time to Get Married in the Mountains
July through September are going to be your best months for getting married in the mountains of Idaho. This is because the snow will have melted and higher elevations will be accessible. The drawback to this is that it can get really hot and public locations can be busy with lots of tourists. Of course, you can always opt for a winter wedding with snow capped mountains. This is great if you enjoy the winter season!
How Much Does a Mountain Wedding Venue Cost in Idaho?
The biggest expense for couples getting married is typically the venue. The Knot did a study in 2022 and found that the average cost of a wedding venue that year was $11,200, about 40% of a couple’s budget.
The average cost for a venue in Idaho, however, was only $4,300. Weddings in Idaho have a significantly lower average cost at $19k compared to the national average of around $30k.
Wedding venues in Idaho range from as little as $200 to over $5k depending on the type of venue that you want. Keep in mind that cheaper options like State Parks offer really beautiful views, but they don’t come equipped with chairs or tables and require more work for larger weddings.
When Should You Start Planning Your Destination Wedding in Idaho?
It’s best to start planning your destination wedding as soon as possible. While I’ve known couples who pulled off their Idaho wedding in as little as 2 months, I would recommend planning at least 6 months in advance to have the best choices for venues and vendors and to have less stress pulling everything together.
Many wedding vendors will book up to 2 years in advance, so it’s always best to start planning as early as possible.
How to Plan a Mountain Wedding in Idaho
- Choose a Venue and a Date
- Hire a Local Photographer
- Plan Your Day
- Book Your Travel and Accommodations
- Get Your Marriage License and Any Necessary Permits
- Get Married!
Choose a Venue and a Date
Now that you’ve hopefully found a few options that you love, it’s time to narrow down your options and choose one that fits your needs for your day.
Once you have chosen your dream venue, it’s time to start looking at dates! If you are getting married in an outdoor venue, keep the weather in mind. Idaho experiences all 4 seasons, meaning cold winters with heavy snow in some areas and dry, hot summers with a high possibility of wildfires in certain parts of the state.
If you have concerns about when the best time would be to book your date, check with your photographer or planner.
Hire a Local Photographer
The best thing you can do when planning a destination wedding is work with someone who knows the area. Finding a a local Idaho photographer (like me!) who knows the area you want to get married in will be a huge help in planning your day. They will be able to make recommendations for the best locations, vendors, and times to plan out your day.
I include planning assistance (like location recommendations, creating a timeline, and more) in all of my elopement photography packages to help couples create a custom-tailored wedding experience! If you’d like to learn more about eloping with me, click here!
Plan Your Day
Now for the fun part, plan out your entire day! Create a timeline for your day, choose the music for your first dance, and plan out all the little details of what your day is going to look like.
Mountain Wedding Vendors
Now that you have a date and venue booked, it’s time to start pulling together the rest of the vendors for your day. The most common wedding vendors for weddings in Idaho are:
- Photographer and videographer
- Florist
- Catering
- Hair and Makeup artist
- DJ
- Planner
Check with your planner or photographer if you need recommendations for the best local vendors!
Book Your Travel Plans
Plan out your travel to get to your destination wedding. If you’re flying, this would include airfare, transportation to and from the airport or possibly a car rental.
Book Your Overnight Accommodations
Also book your overnight accommodations for you and anyone you’re bringing with you. If your venue also has a lodge, see about booking onsite with the venue for a fun experience to stay close to your venue! Also check out Idaho’s Airbnb’s for a unique place to stay.
Get Your Marriage License and Any Necessary Permits
Apply for a Marriage License
Take your partner and visit the County Recorder’s Office and apply for your marriage license. In Idaho, marriage licenses are issued in-person by County Records and may require an appointment made ahead of time. You will also need a valid form of I.D. and proof of age. For full details, see my guide to eloping in Idaho.
Get Married!
The day is finally here and it’s time for all of your planning to come together! You get to marry your best friend and have the best party of your life!
I hope this guide was helpful and that you found the perfect wedding venue for your mountain wedding! If you’d like a planning partner and photographer for your adventure wedding, please contact me! I help couples like you plan and document adventurous elopements throughout Idaho!