What It Really Takes to Cater a Mountain Wedding
- Joy Wige
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
When guests arrive at a wedding, they see beautifully arranged tables, delicious food, smiling servers, and a celebration that feels effortless.
That's exactly how it should feel.
What most people don't see is everything happening behind the scenes to make that experience possible.
At Hippie Chicks Catering, we're not just preparing food. We're bringing an entire restaurant to your wedding, often in the mountains, where there may not be a kitchen, running water, or even reliable power nearby. Every event requires planning, teamwork, and a crew that's ready to adapt to whatever the day brings.
Every Wedding Starts Long Before Guests Arrive
Long before the first guest takes their seat, our team is already hard at work.
Mountain weddings often mean long drives on winding roads, early mornings, and arriving hours before guests to begin transforming an empty venue into a beautiful celebration.
Our goal is simple: when your guests arrive, everything is ready, and you can simply enjoy your day.
Bringing the Restaurant to You
Many Colorado mountain venues offer incredible views, but not every venue includes a commercial kitchen.
That means we bring everything we need.
Portable grills.
Travel ovens.
Serving equipment.
Food preparation stations.
Refrigeration.
Everything needed to prepare and serve fresh, delicious meals in locations that weren't originally designed for full-service catering.
Cooking outdoors takes experience, flexibility, and a team that knows how to deliver consistent quality no matter the setting.
There's More to Catering Than Serving Dinner
When people think about catering, they often picture the meal itself.
In reality, a full-service wedding involves much more.
Depending on the venue and coordinator, our team may help with:
Setting ceremony chairs
Arranging cocktail hour tables
Setting reception tables
Preparing and displaying appetizers
Managing beverage stations or bar service
Passing hors d'oeuvres
Serving dinner
Refilling drinks and pouring wine
Clearing tables throughout the evening
Cutting and serving cake
Cleaning the event space
Packing every piece of equipment back into the trucks
Returning to our kitchen to unload and prepare for the next event
A mountain wedding can easily become a 14-hour day for our staff, and sometimes even longer.
Expect the Unexpected
One thing we've learned after years of catering weddings across Colorado is that every event is unique.
Weather changes.
Timelines shift.
Road conditions change.
Sometimes unexpected situations require everyone to think quickly.
Recently, while catering a wedding near Leadville, an active wildfire forced an evacuation during cocktail hour. Our team immediately began working alongside the couple and other vendors to find a safe solution. After exploring multiple options, the celebration continued at a local business that graciously welcomed everyone inside.
Even while facing uncertainty themselves, our staff remained focused on caring for the couple and their guests. One of our Buena Vista team members even volunteered to return another day to retrieve equipment so the rest of the crew could travel home safely before conditions worsened.
Moments like these remind us that great catering isn't just about preparing great food. It's about staying calm, working together, and doing everything possible to help our clients enjoy their day.
Our Greatest Ingredient Is Our Team
The equipment matters.
The recipes matter.
The planning matters.
But the people make all the difference.
O
ur team shows up before sunrise, works long hours outdoors in every kind of Colorado weather, lifts heavy equipment, solves problems on the fly, and serves every guest with kindness and professionalism.
Finding people who genuinely care isn't always easy, but we're incredibly grateful to have built a team that treats every wedding as if it were their own family's celebration.
Their hard work, compassion, and dedication are what make Hippie Chicks Catering what it is today.
Creating Memories Worth Celebrating
At the end of the night, the tables are cleared, the trucks are packed, and another celebration comes to a close.
While guests head home with full hearts and happy memories, our team is still loading equipment, making the drive back, and preparing for the next event.
It's a lot of work.
And we wouldn't have it any other way.
Helping couples celebrate one of the biggest days of their lives is an honor we never take for granted. Every wedding is different, but our commitment remains the same: serving exceptional food with genuine hospitality and caring for every detail so you can focus on what matters most.
Planning a Colorado mountain wedding?
Whether you're celebrating on a mountaintop, at a ranch, or at one of Colorado's beautiful outdoor venues, Hippie Chicks Catering is here to bring the food, the experience, and the team that helps make your day unforgettable.
Contact us today to learn more about our wedding catering services or to reserve your date before our calendar fills up.
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