Thanksgiving Ranch

Dream wedding! Stunning scenery

Fact: on June 21st my now husband and I made the difficult decision to cancel our wedding and here’s some insight as to why. Prior to cancellation we spoke to the owner and agreed upon an amount he would keep if we canceled, we thought the number was fair and after lots of discussion we made the difficult decision to cancel. We verified the amount he would keep based on his cancellation policy attached to our invoice and all was settled, so we thought.

Fact: on wedding wire and according to Brads former event coordinator the corkage fee is $13.00 pp (see screenshot) After Brad let go of his event coordinator he claimed the corkage fee had NEVER been $13 pp it was $22 pp (70% mark up) in the end he was actually going to charge us $30.49 pp (135% mark up) for the rehearsal dinner as well as the reception. This is all before a mandatory 20% tip.

Fact: From day 1 speaking to this venue, we expressed how having an open bar with cocktails was ESSENTIAL for our wedding day. Exactly one month before our wedding I received an email stating the ranch did not have the capacity to make cocktails and if we wanted cocktails we would need to buy them in can or bottle format. This would have been a large added expense and came as quite a shock to us especially after the ranch had raised the corkage fee so much. When we questioned it we were told, “skilled mixologists are simply not available, they will be people old enough to serve liquor” and that they “fear(ed) that you should have stayed in the city at a large hotel venue.” Can you imagine saying that to a bride a month prior to her wedding? We began to question why we were paying such a large corkage fee if there wasn’t going to be an actual bartender or mixers to make cocktails.

Fact: After being told by the website and the former event coordinator that chair covers could be provided by the ranch for a fee, suddenly they no longer existed. Their website also stated that they provide napkins and a month before I was told I would need to rent those as well. These, along with other inconsistencies were very stressful as a bride especially since many of them came to light so close to my wedding.

Fact: Brad decided to follow me on instagram. I won’t speculate why as I’m trying to stick to facts :)

Fact: Brad claims in an email that he sent us all of our money back and gave us dates with payments. We replied to him stating we had received all of the payments except for one and we politely asked him to check his etransfers to ensure no typos were made. He responded with “back off and go away.” He later sent an email stating that the “hold up” is that he's waiting on a non disclosure agreement to be drawn up from his lawyer, this is just an example of his many contradictions. This NDA would prohibit us from “publishing or spreading false and negative reviews.” should we sign this document he will then send us the remainder of the agreed upon amount. Our last email from Brad was sent on August 5th, we’ve received no further communication and have decided to settle the manner in small claims court for the remainder of our money.

In my opinion, I would not bother with thanksgiving ranch especially for a wedding. In addition to being very disorganized, there are too many inconsistencies with pricing and services offered. When confronted about the inconsistencies the owner became extremely rude and unprofessional (examples shown in emails). We refused to sign the NDA not to “publish and spread false and negative reviews” but to share our honest experience with this venue. The constant bait & switch was extremely frustrating and stressful especially as a bride. I feel an obligation to share my opinion and experience with thanksgiving ranch.

Absolutely everything about Thanksgiving Ranch blew every expectation we had away. From the long private drive into a hidden gem of a working ranch, log house lodge with 6 bedrooms, jaw dropping landscapes butting up to the Rocky Mountains. Pictures do not do this place justice. The food was amazing. We had brisket for dinner and lemon blueberry cake for dessert. The most delicious meal we have ever had. Sunsets on the deck, horseback riding, small creek running through the property and an abundance of wildlife all around. 10/10 experience. We had the most amazing wedding we could have ever imagined. Definitely booking a stay again at least once a year.

It was tricky planning a wedding that depended on 3 international borders opening in the summer of 2021. Fortunately, Thanksgiving Ranch was able to be flexible as we waited for things to open up. We ended up with a very small but wonderful weekend wedding. The food was amazing, the lodge was beautiful and cozy, and the outdoor setting was breathtaking.

I had my elopement at the ranch in August of this year. We originally had another venue booked but because of COVID, they cancelled all bookings.
We reached out to Brad and Christi to see what they could accommodate.
I had my heart set on a big wedding but It was better than I could have ever imagined.
The location is breathtaking. The venue fit right into my theme, and the food was impeccable!
They went above and beyond to make sure the day was perfect and it exceeded our expectations!