Pioneer Park is an excellent spot in Stanley to have your wedding ceremony and/or reception. Reserving the park is easy and super cost effective and there’s a stunning view of the Sawtooth Mountains. With the information gathered below we’ll help you decide if Pioneer Park is the right fit for you and your partner’s wedding.
Location
Pioneer Park is located right outside of the middle of Stanley and is a super quick drive from town. This also makes it easy to get ready wherever you’re staying in Stanley and then hop over quickly for the ceremony. The park is located on top of a small hill and you don’t quite feel like you’re right in the heart of town.
Pioneer Park Wedding Cost
Deciding to have your wedding at Pioneer Park is a super cost-effective way to have your wedding in Stanley. The cost for reserving the park for 1-100 people is only $350 for the entire day and the cost for 100-300 people is only $500 for the entire day. Thanks to the super low cost of reserving the park for your wedding day you’re able to allow more budget for travel, lodging, and your vendors like photographers/videographers, hair, makeup, and your dress/suit. Here’s a link to more information on booking the park for your day.
You could also decide to have your ceremony at the park and then your small celebration/reception wherever your lodging is if they allow it. Here’s a link to an example of an airbnb location that has allowed one of our couples to have their post-ceremony gathering at the airbnb. When you’re booking your lodging speak with the owner of wherever you’re booking to see if this is something that is possible. If that’s not an option, Pioneer Park is definitely a stellar choice to also have your reception at. There are also at least two restaurants in town that we know of that host receptions, these being the Stanley Supper Club and Mountain Village Resort (The Stanley Supper Club is absolutely delicious and our favorite restaurant in Stanley!!).
Other Things to Note
If you’re looking to have your wedding at Pioneer Park and don’t want to worry as much about weather we recommend Mid-May through Mid-October as this is the best weather period in Stanley. It’s definitely possible to do it in the winter or early spring but be prepared for very cold temps and snow!
Another great option is to have your ceremony at the Sawtooth Meditation Chapel (which is right next door) and then have your reception at Pioneer Park. This is what the couple in the photos seen above decided to do, and the Meditation Chapel is another great spot for ceremonies. Check out our in-depth guide on the Meditation Chapel for more details.
Pro’s and Con’s of Pioneer Park
Pro’s:
- A gorgeous Sawtooth Mountain backdrop
- Fits into budgets spectacularly
- Possible to have both a small and intimate wedding or a larger wedding
- Super close to the rest of Stanley
- Makes for beautiful photos and videos
Con’s:
- You’re pretty much on your own as far as the location goes (no venue staff to help with anything)
- The weather can be very cold and variable after October
The pro’s certainly heavily outweigh the con’s, and Pioneer Park is probably the best combination of a great view and a low cost that you’re going to find in pretty much all of Idaho. We love capturing weddings here because the backdrop is stunning and Stanley is a lovely place. There’s also tons to do in the Stanley area so you and your families will have lots to explore while you’re there. We absolutely love Stanley, and if you’re having any hesitations about having your wedding in Stanley we can say without a doubt that it’s a great idea.
Summary
| Location | 2 minute drive from the middle of Stanley |
| Pricing | $350+ |
| Highlights | Stunning view of the Sawtooth Mountains, Intimate, Lower cost than a venue |
You can watch a wedding that we filmed at the Sawtooth Meditation Chapel below. Brooklyn and Thomas had a beautiful late September wedding at the chapel and we were very fortunate to capture photo and video for them. They had their reception at Pioneer Park and there’s a great field for bridal shots right below the park.
