GROWING UP, Karly Candelaria dreamed of getting married on the historic farm now known as Houser Raspberry Ranch. “It’s a sentimental place,” Candelaria says of the Mora County property, where her grandparents once worked. “The ranch feels like part of my family.” 

Established in the 1850s, the ranch’s wheat fields, fruit orchards, and gardens supplied the general store that still operates as a gift shop, while the grist mill delivered flour to military installations throughout the state. “I picked raspberries and blackberries there when I was a kid and had my first ice cream at the cafe at two months old,” she says. 

It was a natural choice when Karly and her fiancé, Josh, were putting together their 2020 wedding. They’d both grown up around Mora and met 11 years ago at a local gas station. But the pandemic upended their big day. A quick trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, on their original wedding date sealed the union, with the promise of a big ceremony and party later surrounded by friends and family.

Last September, their fairy tale came true under an archway that Josh made by hand and decorated with bright yellow flowers. They said their vows on a corner of the ranch closest to the cemetery where Karly’s grandmother was buried so she could be there in spirit. The event included 215 guests, eight bridesmaids and groomsmen, and their four youngest daughters as sunflower girls. Their eldest daughter and Karly’s uncle walked her down the aisle. 

“We had rain the night before, so we moved the rehearsal dinner inside the ranch’s hacienda,” Karly says. “But the day-of weather was beautiful. It was truly a dream come true.” 

Karly and Josh Candelaria pose for wedding pictures at San Rafael Church in La Cueva. Photograph courtesy of Karly Candelaria.

“It’s one of the most spectacular wedding venues in the region,” says Phil Houser, who bought the 186-acre property in 2024 with his wife, Theresa. As only the fifth owners of what was previously known as La Cueva Raspberry Farm and Salman Raspberry Ranch, they quickly set out restoring the grand Territorial Style hacienda, which sleeps 20. It serves as the centerpiece of a property that includes a second renovated house, a cafe with a full liquor license for rehearsal dinners and reception catering, and one of the few remaining historic grist mills in the state as a photogenic backdrop. 

“There’s an overlook with views of the entire Mora Valley and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains,” Houser says. “In spring, we have a backdrop of white snowcapped mountains; in fall, the colors are beautiful, with seasonal raspberry picking and a chance to experience life as a rancher with guided cattle herding sessions.” 

For couples like the Candelarias seeking wide-open spaces, rustic charm, and warm hospitality, Houser Raspberry Ranch provides a way to economize too. With a $10,000 budget, less than half of the average cost of a New Mexico wedding in 2025, the couple enlisted family to cook the reception buffet of New Mexican favorites: beef and chicken tacos, posole, and chips and salsa. A friend baked 250 chocolate and vanilla cupcakes decorated with piped sunflowers for dessert. Guests danced the night away to cumbia, ranchero, and salsa music by Las Vegas, New Mexico’s Kenny Medina and his band. 

Casas de Suenos Old Town Historic Inn features an outdoor gazebo. Photograph courtesy of Casas de Suenos Old Town Historic Inn.

WHILE TRADITION MARKED THE DAY FOR the Candelarias, New Mexico offers plenty of options for weddings of all sizes, themes, and settings, whether that means big-city energy, historic ambience, expansive desert and mountain landscapes, or a dramatic night under the stars. 

In northern New Mexico, locations such as Log River Ranch, in Chama, and Blame Her Ranch, in Ribera, provide stunning mountain scenery, cool evenings, and a peaceful atmosphere for large groups. Santa Fe’s more intimate venues, like the Mystic and El Rey Court, plus interactive art destination Meow Wolf, feature a younger, hipper vibe. The city’s historic museums, such as the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Vladem Contemporary, deliver elegant, upscale settings with authentic Southwestern charm. 

“Walk through the doors of the Museum of Art, and the open courtyard is stunning, with ristras and flowers and gorgeous gardens,” says Mary Brophy, events coordinator for New Mexico Museum of Art, who oversees weddings at both museums. “Then you look up and see Santa Fe’s blue skies against the adobe walls. It’s almost like looking up to heaven.” 

Located in the Railyard Arts District, the Vladem Contemporary opened in September 2023 in a former Charles Ilfeld Company warehouse and offers “a totally different, exciting feel,” adds Brophy. “The terrace looks down on all the street action downtown with the Capitol, cathedral, and the Sangre de Cristos in the background.”

Log River Ranch, in Chama, has rustic charm. Photograph courtesy of Log River Ranch.

Central New Mexico boasts upscale, urban venues including Hotel Chaco and the Albuquerque Country Club, with easy access to scenic open spaces and the Albuquerque International Sunport for out-of-town guests. Bernalillo’s refurbished 135-year-old convent, El Zócalo Plaza, combines modern amenities with thick adobe walls and a fountained courtyard.

In the southern part of the state, couples can celebrate their union under a canopy of more than 100 pecan trees at Carlsbad’s Valley Venue. In Las Cruces, D.H. Lescombes Winery’s tree-shaded grounds make for an elegant escape in the state’s second-largest city.

“We’re best suited to boho- or vintage-style weddings because of our outdoor ambience, our expansive lawn, and old barrel trucks that are great for photos with the Organ Mountains in the background,” says D.H. Lescombes event manager Madison Manicki. The property recently installed lighting for evening events and the covered patio is adorned with more than 150 green plants and wine barrels, making it well-suited to smaller gatherings with a more private, intimate feel. 

As one of the first states to legalize same-sex unions, New Mexico makes it easy for anyone to marry—there’s no blood test, residency requirement, or waiting period. Once couples obtain their license from any county clerk, they can be joined anywhere in the state. In 2025, 9,388 couples did just that, spending more than $223 million on all aspects of their occasion, according to the Wedding Report. The state’s budget-friendly options—no matter the size of the guest list, flavor of the cake, or theme of the reception—rank it second in affordability, too, with an average guest count between 88 and 98 and average wedding cost under $24,000.

Dylan Tucker and Matteya Salazar picked Old Martinez Hall for their reception. Photograph courtesy of Matteya Salazar and Dylan Tucker.

The urban energy of Albuquerque’s Casas de Suenos Old Town Historic Inn attracts couples who want historic style without being too stuffy, says LeeAnn Cumbow, who co-owns the property with her husband, Mark. She’s been coordinating weddings there for 21 years. 

Built in 1938 by artist and photographer J.R. Willis, the adobe, bed-and-breakfast-style compound is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Each of the 21 rooms has its own personality, decorated in eclectic Southwestern style with art and furniture by local artists and an adults-only hot tub area that provides another gathering place for the wedding party. Event packages include overnight accommodations, use of the tree-filled gardens and gazebo, a separate 4,800-square-foot reception hall, and plenty of parking for ceremonies and receptions hosting 50 to 160 guests.

“We’re not for the high-strung bride,” adds Cumbow, who notes that the Old Town location offers easy access for out-of-town guests to restaurants, shopping, and museums. “We want you to walk in, relax, and not be obsessed with all the little details. Being in Old Town near the Plaza means couples don’t have to be cruise directors for the weekend.” 

Couples can even choose to hire their own caterer and other vendors. “We have a list of recommendations but don’t require that they use them,” she adds. “The out-of-town couples appreciate the list, because they don’t have to start from scratch.” 

Inside Old Martinez Hall. Photograph courtesy of Heritage Hotels.

FOR THEIR UPCOMING June ceremony and reception, Taos couple Matteya Salazar and Dylan Tucker chose the sophisticated El Monte Sagrado for their vows and historic Old Martinez Hall for the reception. In 2025, Heritage Hotels purchased the historic hall, which had been closed for six years, across from San Francisco de Asís Mission Church and reopened it in March 2026 as a vibrant community gathering point, restaurant, bar, and dance hall with live music and private dining rooms for up to 300 people. 

“My dad helped with the Old Martinez Hall remodel years ago,” says Matteya, who attended many weddings and other events there while growing up in town. “There is an emotional connection. We love the vintage, rustic vibe and can’t imagine a more beautiful space for such an important day.”

Matteya and Dylan are planning a formal black-tie affair with four bridesmaids and groomsmen, two ring bearers, and three flower girls. Matteya’s mother has been acting as unofficial wedding planner, coordinating with Heritage Hotels’s northern New Mexico event liaison Lila Arender on day-of logistics for the DJ, photographer, cocktail hour, and cigar bar on the upstairs hall patio. 

“The hall has the traditional look of Taos with adobe and wood, a ton of history, and a strong connection to the community,” says Arender of the two-story Pueblo Revival building.

The nursing student and her groom, a construction superintendent, had considered spending the entire day with their more than 200 guests at Old Martinez Hall. But in talking with El Monte Sagrado executive chef Cristina Martinez, they learned of the hotel partnership that offers special occasion menus at the hall and discounts on hotel room blocks and other amenities for guests.

“Chef Cristina recommended we do our ceremony at El Monte Sagrado,” says Matteya, who chose the property’s Sacred Circle, which is surrounded by waterfalls, ponds, and majestic cottonwoods. For a personal touch, Dylan is making a wooden cross decorated with flowers for the altar. “It’ll be a peaceful, intimate setting for our vows,” Matteya says. 

WEDDING ADVICE

FROM A BRIDE-TO-BE:
Keep an open mind about your venue. “The first place we looked at wasn’t big enough,” bride-to-be Matteya Salazar says. “We kept searching to find the perfect space that was meant to be.” 

FROM A HOTEL OWNER:
“Don’t write off a venue as too expensive until they’ve had a chance to show it off and discuss their packages, which might include catering, decor and/or music,” says LeeAnn Cumbow, of Casas de Suenos. “And you never know when a cancellation might free up your date.” 

FROM A PHOTOGRAPHER:
Santa Fe photographer Daniel Quat advises couples to ask whether the photographer knows the venue, its best locations for photos, and the people working there. “Pulling together the team that has worked together before will ensure a smooth event,” he says.

FROM AN OFFICIANT:
“Writing vows is not an easy process,” says Jeannette Corbin Chapman, a Universal Life Church reverend and owner of Saffron & Sage Weddings, in Deming. “Find inspiration in favorite poems or song lyrics or religious verses.”