Great Family Artists has played five Crested Butte weddings since August 2025, at Ten Peaks, the Center for the Arts, Town Ranch, Sweet Reunion and Creekside Ranch, and two more are booked for 2027. Most couples book an 8-piece band for the reception, with two or three of the same musicians playing the ceremony and the cocktail hour. At Ten Peaks our couples went larger, with horns.
This page covers how a Ten Peaks wedding runs with our team, other Crested Butte venues we play, songs couples have chosen, band sizes and prices from our own contracts, and what to plan for.
Ten Peaks at a glance
| At Ten Peaks | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where | Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Mt. Crested Butte |
| Ceremony | A tiered amphitheater with views of Gothic Valley |
| Cocktail hour | On the patio next to the amphitheater |
| Reception | A dining tent with a cement pad underfoot |
| Guests | Up to 180 |
| Season | June to September |
| Our weddings there | One played in 2026, one booked for 2027 |
| Band sizes we have played | 10 and 11 pieces, with horns |
Venue details are from the Crested Butte Mountain Resort weddings page. Everything else on this page comes from weddings we have played or booked in Crested Butte.
How a Ten Peaks wedding runs with GFA
- Ceremony in the amphitheater. An acoustic guitar and piano duo from your band plays the prelude and the ceremony. Our 2026 couple closed the prelude with “Landslide”, sent the wedding party down to “I Walk the Line” and walked in to “Here Comes the Sun”.
- Horns to the patio. For the recessional, the band’s horn section played live over “All You Need Is Love”, then led the guests to the cocktail hour as a second line.
- Cocktail hour on the patio. A trio of upright bass, acoustic guitar and piano played folk, Americana, country and rock instrumentals in the style of the Eagles, Turnpike Troubadours, Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton.
- Into the tent. The full band opened the reception with “Sir Duke” for the grand entrance. The first dance, “You Make My Dreams”, was played live to match the cut from the couple’s choreographer.
- The send-off. The last song was Zach Bryan’s “Revival”, with the couple on stage, and the horns led them out to the getaway car.
Other Crested Butte venues we play
- Center for the Arts. The venue has its own sound system for the reception, so the band brings in-ear monitors only. There is a parking lot, an easy load-in, a green room and venue power.
- Sweet Reunion. A grand piano played as guests arrived for the cocktail hour while our sax, guitar and bass trio played in another spot.
- Town Ranch and Creekside Ranch. We have played both with an 8-piece band, and a private property wedding in Crested Butte is booked for 2027.
Songs from our Crested Butte weddings
- Ceremony: “Here Comes the Sun” (two couples), Elton John’s “Your Song”, “Imagine” and Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be”
- Grand entrances: Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke”, Jungle’s “Keep Moving” and Darude’s “Sandstorm”
- First dances: Hall and Oates’ “You Make My Dreams”, Lake Street Dive’s “Good Together” and Big Wild’s “Burst of Light”
- Dance floor: “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, “Friends in Low Places”, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, “Come On Eileen”, ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” for the bouquet toss, “Mr. Brightside” and “I’m Your Boogie Man”
Alt-country and Americana come up often in Crested Butte, with Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and Charley Crockett next to Motown, disco and 2000s pop. About two months before your date, we collect your ceremony songs, special dances, must-plays and do-not-play list, then build the set list with you.
Planning notes for a Crested Butte wedding
- Book early. Our Crested Butte couples booked us 11 to 17 months ahead, most about a year out. Six of our seven Crested Butte weddings are on a summer Saturday.
- Ask about sound and power. Some venues, like the Center for the Arts, supply the reception sound system; tents and ranches may need power brought in. We settle this in our technical advance with the venue.
- Plan the walk between spaces. At Ten Peaks the amphitheater, patio and tent sit close together, which makes a horn second line from the ceremony to the cocktail hour easy.
- Plan for cool evenings. Mountain nights turn cold, even in August. Ask the venue about tent sides and heaters for the reception.
- Travel for the band. Crested Butte is a long drive from Denver, so the band travels in and stays overnight. That is part of the quote.
Which GFA band fits a Crested Butte wedding
- Great Family Reunion (8 to 14 pieces): rhythm section, horns and several lead vocalists, with a DJ, MC, sound and lighting in the same package.
- The Burroughs (5 to 10 pieces): our Colorado-based soul and funk band.
- Taylor James String Band: folk and strings with a Colorado sound for the ceremony and the cocktail hour.
- Horns can join any of our bands for a second line from the ceremony or a send-off at the end of the night.
Book GFA in Crested Butte
Great Family Artists holds 478 verified five-star reviews (Google 132, The Knot 182, WeddingWire 164). Call our Colorado line at 303-351-2699, read the reviews, or check your date. For how mountain venues change band size, power and cost, read Denver or the mountains? Price ranges for every band size are on our Colorado wedding bands page. Planning in another mountain town? See our Telluride wedding band page and the best wedding bands in Colorado for destination and mountain weddings.
Frequently asked questions
Has Great Family Artists played weddings in Crested Butte?
Yes. We have played five Crested Butte weddings since August 2025, at Ten Peaks, the Center for the Arts, Town Ranch, Sweet Reunion and Creekside Ranch, and two more are booked for 2027, one of them at Ten Peaks.
What is it like to have a band at Ten Peaks?
Ten Peaks is Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s summer wedding venue: a tiered ceremony amphitheater looking over Gothic Valley, a patio for the cocktail hour and a dining tent on a cement pad, for up to 180 guests from June to September. Our 2026 Ten Peaks wedding used a guitar and piano duo for the ceremony, a trio on the patio, and a band with horns in the tent.
How much does a wedding band in Crested Butte cost?
Our Crested Butte wedding contracts for 2025 to 2027 ran from $17,500 to $25,000. 8-piece bands ran $17,500 to $22,500, and the 10- and 11-piece bands at Ten Peaks were at the top of the range. Band size, hours, production and travel for the band set the price.
What size band fits a Crested Butte wedding?
Eight pieces is the most common choice at our Crested Butte weddings. Our Ten Peaks couples went larger, with 10 and 11 pieces, including horns that led the guests from the ceremony to the cocktail hour.
How far ahead should we book a band for Crested Butte?
Our Crested Butte couples booked us 11 to 17 months before the wedding, most of them about a year out. Six of our seven Crested Butte weddings are on a Saturday in June to September, so book the band soon after you sign with the venue.