River Bend

River Bend is an expansive property nestled alongside the St. Vrain River in Lyons, Colorado, with majestic red stone cliffs providing a dramatic backdrop. Your wedding will be enveloped in an atmosphere of outdoor refinement, featuring a generous lawn, ample shade from large trees, and a serene sandstone patio right by the river. Moreover, WeeCasa Tiny Homes, right on River Bend property provide delightful tiny homes for you and your guests to enjoy. Through the Farmette, they also offer comprehensive wedding flowers and design services, along with the opportunity to incorporate organic produce into your event.

Brief History

The Farmette & River Bend originated in 2010, founded by Betsy and Mike, longtime residents of Colorado. Their deep-rooted love for art, animals, locally-sourced food, education, and environmental sustainability brought this venture to life. Both, the Lyons Farmette & River Bend, host exquisite weddings and events all through the growing season. The Farmette is a fully operational organic farm, but also serves as an education center, committed to empowering and supporting their local community through engaging workshops and delightful farm dinners.

For more than 15 years, Betsy and Mike have nurtured their small farm by raising a variety of animals. Additionally, they cultivate vegetables, herbs, and flowers on the four-acre property, supplying their farm dinners and contributing flowers to weddings.

Ceremony & Reception Spaces

River Bend is a beautiful outdoor wedding venue for those couples who adore the outdoors, adventures and a truly unique space. Picture saying your vows amidst the majestic embrace of a towering rock mountain, with the gentle murmur of a winding river serving as a soothing symphony in the background. It is a dreamlike setting that captures the essence of romance and adventure, making it the perfect spot to begin your journey of eternal togetherness.

For the reception, River Bend offers a sail-cloth tent, providing a delightful space for guests to enjoy a delicious dinner. The tent offers both shelter and an unobstructed view of the surrounding natural wonders, ensuring that you and your guests can savor the magic of the outdoors without any compromise.

Adjacent to the tent, a charming stone patio beckons guests to dance the night away by silent disco under the twinkling stars. Guests can enjoy dancing to their favorite tunes with wireless headphones, creating a fun and immersive experience without disturbing the serenity of the outdoor setting. It enhances the overall ambiance and ensures that everyone can partake in the festivities without any noise restrictions, making it a memorable and enjoyable evening for all.

Noteworthy Features & Guest Accommodation

What sets River Bend apart and makes it truly unique is its exceptional location. The towering rock mountains all around and the calming sound of the river are details that make this venue amazing. Moreover, nature lovers will delight in the convenience of a nearby park with hiking trails, also offering the perfect opportunity to capture breathtaking photographs.

Adding to the charm of River Bend are delightful features that elevate the experience further. A cozy fire pit located by the riverside allows your guests to roast marshmallows and enjoy each other’s company. Additionally, the Pine Tree Bar adds a touch of rustic elegance, serving as a focal point for refreshments and merriment.

River Bend’s owners also have an organic farm called The Farmette. This farm is home to fields wedding flowers, hand crafted arbors and a professional design team, Plume & Furrow. You can also contact River Bend to include produce and herbs from the Farmette in your catering.

There is also a cute tiny house hotel right on the property where your guests can stay. WeeCasa, the tiny house resort, has tiny homes that hold from 2 to 6 people. They are all themed and beautifully decorated, they even have a hobbit themed tiny house, how cool is that?!

Cost Considerations

Cost depends on the time of year and day of the week. For a wedding in 2023, Monday through Thursday, the price starts at $3,000. For a 2023 wedding on Friday or Sunday the starting price is $4,500 and for a wedding on Saturday it starts at $6500. Weddings in 2024 the prices range from $5,000 to $8,500 for your wedding. 

Your event fee covers the following:

• Use of all facilities, including plumbed-in restrooms, catering tent, glamping tent bridal suite and groomsmen’s cottage, sailcloth tent, wedding lawn and stone patio, from 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm on the rental date.
• Tables and chairs for up to 200 people.
• Services of a venue manager to turn on lights, maintain bathrooms, set up sound systems, light bonfire, and solve any venue-related problems.
• A one-hour walk-through consultation with Riverbend staff, and time for a rehearsal on the day before your wedding.
• PA System (1 portable amplifier with both a corded and a cordless microphone plus 2 mic stands) until 5 pm.
• Spruce tree bar area.
• Large catering tent for staff to work out of.
• Parking lot attendant & big guest parking.

Staying at WeeCasa tiny homes? The nightly rates vary from $169-349 based upon on the day of the week and the particular tiny home. A $35 resort fee will be applied to each stay. There is also a 2-night minimum is required any day of the week from mid-May thru mid-October.

Other Considerations

An all outdoor wedding venue is just the thing for outdoorsy couples, but keep in mind these details. The only area with a floor is the dance floor, the rest is grass, keep that in mind when choosing footwear. Another detail to keep in mind is that the only area with a ceiling is the dinner tent. If it rains the venue does make room under the tent for a dance floor, but there are no other covered areas.