Horseback Weddings! 4 American Marriage Venues
Do you consider yourself an avid horse lover? Have you always dreamed of tying the knot with your significant other on horseback? Equitrekking’s Claire Caldwell has scouted out four American wedding destinations where one’s dream of a horseback marriage ceremony can come true…
Seventy-Four Ranch
9205 Highway 53 West
Jasper, Georgia 30143
Tel. 706.692.0123
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Happy couple aback one of the Seventy-Four horses on the expansive ranch grounds on their wedding day
If you are seeking beauty and tranquility on your wedding day I would look no further than Seventy-Four Ranch tucked in the mountains of Georgia! This ranch features a Bed & Breakfast where bride and groom and the rest of the party can stay during wedding festivities. The ranch welcomes you to bring your own stallion if you’re a proud owner; otherwise, they offer their own horses (whom you can peruse online prior to arrival) and horned cattle for the bride and groom and the rest of the wedding party members, too, if so desired.
The ranch hands are charged with grooming and saddling the horses in preparation for a grand entrance to the wedding ceremony from across the pastures. After the vows, they take the steeds back to the stables where they rest overnight. The day following the big event, you and your significant other are invited to enjoy a personal trail ride across the 1,200 acre ranch.
Spring Fever Farm
3430 West Watersville Road
Mt. Airy, MD 21771
Tel. 301.829.5048
The Spring Fever Farm is a catering service, of sorts… for wedding horses! Though the Farm does not function as a host site for weddings, you may choose to have white horses, decorated horses or South Asian Baraat horses to be in your wedding. Couples generally request the white horse for wedding photos as those at Spring Fever are described as “calm, well trained and photogenic… who’ve been performing in front of audiences… for over 15 years.”
The decorated horses are used more often during the wedding ceremony. They are dressed in ribbons and flowers to match the colors of the wedding party and are lead by handlers also dressed to match. The bride and groom may choose to ride from the ceremony to the reception or the bride may wish to ride down the aisle to meet the groom. For added color and oomph, select one of the South Asian Baraat horses or Andalusian breed.
Prices vary depending on the type of horse and number. The white horses cost $600; the Baraat horses cost $700; and one decorated horse costs $800 as opposed to $1000 to rent two of the decorated steeds.
The above prices include the cost of transportation, which the farm provides given the wedding location is within an hour of Spring Fever. For transportation to destinations that are farther away, an additional fee will be added to listed prices. This is a great pick for D.C. Metropolitan horse aficionados wishing to make their wedding day a most memorable event!
Sagebrush-Ranch
3941 Canyon Meadows Court
Las Vegas, NV 89129
Tel. 702.641.5536 OR 1.866.627.4014
A bride and horse on the Nevada plains of Sagebrush-Ranch
Tie the knot on horseback at Sagebrush-Ranch. Designed for a more intimate ceremony, the ranch offers pick-up at one of a number of different hotels. The bride, with a bouquet of roses or wild flowers, and the groom, are married officially by a minister, also on horseback. Afterwards, as newlyweds you embark on a two hour sunset horseback ride followed by an outdoor steak dinner with wedding cake and non-alcoholic champagne. The current price for this package deal is $679; add extra guests for a charge of $149 per person.
Smokey Mountain Wedding
Smokey Mountains Tennessee
Tel. 865.428.6392
If you’ve dreamed of being married on horseback by the water, then Smokey Mountain offers a variety of wedding packages to suit your fancy. The ceremonies take place by the Douglas Lake View Stables, and are performed by an ordained minister. In the evening after sharing vows, enjoy a honeymoon ride along the lake. The “Simple But Elegant” package includes a heart-shaped wedding cake and non-alcoholic champagne for the toast. In addition, a professional photographer will capture twenty original shots of you and your significant other.
To up the ante, opt for the “Celebrate with Us” package, which offers thirty pictures of the bride and groom, bouquets for the lady’s wedding party, a garter and 3 boutonnieres. To keep it simple and sweet, you have the choice of the “Just the Two of Us” package. Prices range from $200 to $559 for the above listed options each of which allow for you to upgrade certain specific aspects of the ceremony from the cake to the photo shoot. The Smokey Mountain Wedding hosts also offer a wedding package that caters to your choice of location; you can view details on the website and recommendations for nearby lodging. Take advantage of the mystery of beauty and seclusion of the Tennessee Smokey Mountains.
All of the above locations offer you the option of incorporating two loves of your life, horseback riding and true love, into what is considered the grandest moment of one's life. Whether you live on the East Coast or West, there is a ranch venue for you!
Learn more about horseback riding travel destinations, including ranches, resorts and equestrian travel outfitters in the Equitrekking Vacation Guide.
Author Bio: Claire Caldwell is a freelance journalist, pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature and French language at American University in Washington, DC. She is an avid world traveler, having lived in the United States as well as Europe she has also spent time in the Caribbean and Northern Africa. While living in Paris, France, Claire blogged about the differences between linguistic and cultural traditions between America and France as well as about hot-spots and tips for traveling to the City of Lights. She has also worked for the women's travel site, Pink Pangea, blogging about safe ways for women to travel the world independently. She is currently pursuing creative ventures while finishing her degrees.
