Wedding guests stay right on the property. Beyul Retreat has 13 cabins and 6 lodge rooms spread across 32 acres on the Frying Pan River, 45 minutes from Basalt and an hour from Aspen, and together they comfortably sleep 60 to 70 people. We host weddings of up to 150 guests, so for a larger wedding some people sleep here for the weekend and the rest drive up for the day. A wedding here is a destination weekend, usually three nights, with your people staying alongside you the whole time rather than showing up for one evening.
How many people can sleep onsite?
Sixty to seventy, depending on how you fill the rooms. The 13 cabins are scattered through the trees, and the main lodge has 6 bedrooms upstairs. Sleeping counts shift a little based on who is willing to share and who needs a room to themselves, which is why it is worth going through the room list name by name rather than working from a single number and guessing. There are a total of 80 pillows, but we rarely see them fill 100%, but it is possible!
For a wedding of 100 or 150, that means a split. Some of your guest list wakes up here. The rest arrive for the ceremony and go home at the end of the night. Folks staying offsite can also join for other festivities, if you choose!
What is the difference between a cabin and a lodge room?
The cabins are quieter and more separate. People who want to be tucked into the trees, or who plan to be asleep early while the reception is still going, do well out there. Lodge rooms sit upstairs in the main lodge, close to the gathering spaces, which is a feature for some guests and a consideration for others.
Kitchens vary by room. Every cabin has a kitchenette or a full kitchen, and the lodge rooms and the Snug cabins share a communal kitchen in the main lodge. Each cabin's setup is shown online.
The main practical difference is wifi. There is no wifi in the cabins. There is wifi in the main lodge, the gathering spaces, and the 6 bedrooms upstairs in the lodge. If you have a guest who needs to check in with a babysitter, file something for work on Friday afternoon, or keep a phone usefully connected, put them in the lodge.
Guests can also book a single room here rather than the whole property, which is worth knowing if you are planning a small ceremony rather than a full weekend.
Where does everyone else stay?
Guests without a room here can stay in Basalt and shuttle up, so it helps to send them the plan for the day early, along with the drive time from wherever they are staying. For anyone flying in, the Aspen airport is closed from June to November 2027. Eagle (Vail) is about 1 hour 45 minutes away and Grand Junction is about 2.5 hours away.
What does a late October wedding weekend feel like here?
October is really two months stacked on top of each other. Early in the month the aspens are gold and the whole valley looks lit up. By mid October the leaves are coming down onto the trails and the cabin porches, the river runs low and clear, and the first dustings of snow appear on the peaks. Bare aspens against a grey sky photograph beautifully.
Ceremonies happen on the river banks, by the pond, in the forest or in the aspens. Receptions gather in the heated Gathering Tent, which has a stage, sound and lighting, or at a long-table dinner in the Aspen Grove in high season, and the main lodge great room can become an after-party on request. In late October, the evening moves toward warmth. The fire pit becomes the center of the night, the lodge fireplace picks up whoever drifts inside, and the sauna and hot tub are right there for the cold. There is a spring-fed cold plunge for the brave. Morning frost can linger, and guests can wander the Forest Spiral walking meditation path with coffee before anyone thinks about getting dressed.
What should guests bring in October?
Layers, a warm coat, and shoes that handle wet leaves and frost. We sit at 8,200 feet, so the temperature can swing between a sunny afternoon and the moment the sun drops behind the ridge. Tell guests in advance that heels and a thin jacket will not carry them through an outdoor ceremony and a night by the fire. A hat is worth packing. Drinking more water than usual helps with the altitude, and so does going easy on the first night of drinks.
How do meals and payment work for a wedding weekend?
Our chefs cook with organic, local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients, accommodate all food allergies and preferences, and use the best animal proteins available. From June 1 to November 1, farm-to-table meals are provided for every guest staying onsite, so an October wedding is worth budgeting with that in mind.
The couple covers the venue fee, the welcome dinner, the reception dinner and any bars they choose. Bars are not required, and the onsite bodega sells wine and beer. Guests book and pay for their own accommodation and breakfasts directly with us through a booking page we set up, so you are never chasing anyone for payments, and we collect dietary requirements and requests as people book.
FAQ
Can we host the whole wedding onsite, ceremony and reception? Yes. We host weddings up to 150 guests, with ceremonies on the river banks, by the pond, in the forest or in the aspens, and receptions in the Gathering Tent or the Aspen Grove.
Do we need a planner? Weddings require a day-of coordinator and event insurance, both arranged by the couple. Our team has run events every week for six years and works closely with you and your planner, with clear check-in points for every decision and payment.
How far is Beyul from Aspen and Basalt? Beyul is an hour from Aspen and 45 minutes from Basalt, in the Frying Pan River Valley.
Beyul turns six this year, and November stays are 50% off with code BEYULTURNS6, two-night minimum.
If you are thinking about a wedding weekend here, we would be glad to talk through dates and how the rooms might land.
Photo: @alexisahrling / Alexis Ahrling
