Wilderness Ridge weddings are elegant and beautiful

Wilderness Ridge is a gorgeous venue for weddings. All that’s really needed are centerpieces and decorations for the fireplace mantel, says  The room is pretty enough without anything more, says social sales manager Isabel Reichel.

Wilderness Ridge opened as a golf course in 2001. The building opened two years later. It is a popular place for weddings. In 2018 50 large weddings were held in the Yellowstone Ballroom, which has log walls and resembles a Colorado ski lodge. In addition to the 50 large weddings, another 12 were scheduled in the next largest room. I’ve photographed and filmed some weddings at Wilderness Ridge and it’s one of my favorite venues in Lincoln.

The rental fee is $1,000 for Wilderness Ridge weddings in the Yellowstone Ballroom on Saturdays and $800 for weddings on Fridays and Sundays. That includes tables, chairs, linens, dinnerware, a dance floor and stage decorations. Wilderness Ridge caters all its weddings.

Ceremonies can be in the ballroom or the island

Ceremonies can be held within the ballroom. Guests can either sit at the banquet tables, or traditional row seating is available. Wilderness Ridge does charge a $200 room flip fee to remove the row seating and set up the banquet tables.

During the summers couples generally opt to use the outdoor island, which also rents for an additional $1,000 on Saturdays and $800 on Fridays and Sundays.

While the island is a short distance from the lodge itself, golf carts are provided to transport guests to and from the island.

Facts about Wilderness Ridge

Here are some facts about Wilderness Ridge from its website:

• The building was actually built in Montana, disassembled and transported to Lincoln, where it was reassembled.
• The front doors each weigh 400 pounds and were designed and carved in Wyoming. The chandeliers were handmade in Montana from real elk antlers.
• With the exception of the banquet chairs, the tables and chairs were custom made.
• Each fireplace mantle weighs 700 pounds.
• The granite boulders in the landscaping are from northern Minnesota. It took 300 train car loads to transport them to Nebraska.

This article is part of a series about wedding venues in Lincoln. Read about Suite One Eleven and Apothecary Lofts. Read about the DelRay Ballroom here. Read about The Jasmine Room here.