Pine River Ranch Wedding Destination and B&B — Hotel in Leavenworth

We had our wedding at Pine River Ranch. There were a number of positives. As other reviewers have said the venue is gorgeous and worked really well for our 70 or so person wedding. While planning the wedding, Patrick, one of the owners and the main one we corresponded with, was always responsive and thoroughly so. When Covid hit, they weren't willing to refund the deposit in any degree but were willing to reschedule it at no cost which seemed a reasonable middle ground.

However, and I still don't understand quite why, Patrick and portions of his staffs attitude on the day of ranged from abrasive to rude to a number of individuals throughout the night. For specific cases so you can have an idea of what to expect if you do go ahead with a wedding here:

My now wife was at the venue the day before, hoping to understand the hesitancy around placing chairs as we had some guests that have difficulty standing. In the end, I think Patrick's opinion was correct that we shouldn't seat chairs as they would slide, but he was rude to her at even the mention that we might want to have seating for our guests. We had folks staying in the cabins and when one asked if they could check in an hour or so before so his wife and infant kid could get ready while he was doing officiant duties he was told no. And when he parked near the cabins, Patrick got up in arms about where specifically his wife was parked. Then the code itself to enter wasn't provided until later in the night, when their whole point was to have a place for their kid during the wedding if needed. We were still charged for this room, and nothing was said to me about it from Patrick. My mom was talking about a slippery spot. Patrick refused to here and just told her point blank it wasn't slippery already slipped on it and told her his staff had done a great job. Which.. she did slip, and so did the father of the bride down the aisle on that spot. We signed up for snow, but a hospitable demeanor would have been great. A groomsmen asked to use the beer cans the contract provided by the venue for the entrance ceremony, which Patrick grudgingly acquiesced to but that groosmen felt he'd upset Patrick in even asking and then felt the need to skirt around the bar. Which I get wanting to keep alcohol controlled, but this was 5pm and for an entrance to the wedding and no one was even remotely out of control as far as I know. At the end of the night as everyone was leaving, Patrick's staff was clearing everything away and told myself and my sister that specifically these 15 wooden decoration rounds needed to be moved. His staff moved everything else, nor is there any mention of this in the contract. While doing this, I am walking back up to grab another set and leave a doorway as someone is rolling a table and stop it to not get hit, and his staff member swears at me to "get the ** out of his way". Which is great, especially since Patrick requires an 18% gratuity for this individual and I'm only in his way as per Patrick's abrasive request. We had included catered meals for the Patrick's staff, though the caterer ran out of one of the entree options. Patrick then emails me the morning after the wedding and indicates he charged me an extra $100 for two pizzas for those that didn't get enough food. Here I'm glad they got food, and I'm sorry the caterer ran out of one entree, but two pizzas delivered aren't $100 anywhere I've seen.

We had a great wedding in the end, and Patrick's rudeness never crossed into outright hostility. Some folks seem to have had similar experiences, some have had great experiences with him. Potentially there's something we did that set it off on the wrong foot, he can respond and clarify on that but I have no interest in interacting with...

A seamless combination of beautiful scenery, nestled amongst severe frustration and disappointment.

My wife and I were married here in January, 2017. We had been in contact with Patrick for several months and discussed several ideas with him, all of which he made out to be no big deal. Everything seemed to be on the right track...

Fast forward to the day before the wedding. We arrived on site and Patrick made damn sure that we did not feel welcome. The things that we had discussed in person, he made out to be major setbacks to himself, personally. We had discussed using the barn from 9AM-9PM instead of 10-10. Patrick's new response, "I'm sure not getting up that early to turn the heater on." Huh. The over $11,000 in your bank account suggests otherwise, but maybe he's new to the hospitality industry.

That welcoming attitude continued through the weekend. One of the water pipes in the barn was frozen, and Patrick said he would work on it that night. My wife asked what we could do if it wasn't cleared by morning, and Patrick snapped back that someone would just stand in the restroom with a bucket to flush the toilets. Beautiful.

Several guests pulled into the wrong parking lot. There are two driveways into the venue. One large, marked one. One unmarked and really hard to find if you're not aware. Guess which one he wanted the majority of visitors to use? Naturally, Patrick was right on cue to snap at anyone who didn't go into the correct one. Because Patrick is unable to set up any sort of logical parking situation, he conveniently parks his quad in the middle of the driveway, which really makes things difficult to load and unload into the barn. Don't you dare use the other road he's plowed around the barn though. Apparently there's $10,000 worth of slate under that snow and he's just itching to tell your guests that he'll sue them.

Patrick's genuine hospitality followed through the evening, where he found himself standing by the bar, smiling at no one and reminding anyone who cared to ask that it's, "his barn." He went as far as to ask my father in law when he planned to leave his barn. He was so nice that several of my guests asked why he was so pissed off. Even some family members that are also in the hospitality industry said he seemed very off-put by any kind of hosting. How embarrassing is that?

Fear not, the disappointment doesn't stop with the host. The rooms were obviously dated and we found that even with the heaters all the way up, my wife and I were both freezing in our room. The shower was only luke-warm, and we couldn't use the bathtub during any hours one normally would, per Patrick's drill sergeant-esque explanation of the rules. The breakfast, though very tasty, was portioned for... I don't know. A runway model perhaps. Bring your own food, you'll need it. Also, if you or anyone in your party has kids, don't bother coming. He will make sure you know he will not make extra food, and that he will count a 7 year old as "practically an adult."

Interestingly, I'm reading that several wedding coordinators have said they had a great experience with Patrick. I was also told that they are very defensive of their reviews. So maybe he thinks he only has to by cordial to people within the industry? Well, here's an honest one for you. I gave it 2 stars only because the venue really is beautiful. But I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. Literally. It's not worth the headache. Patrick will only go out of his way if it means reminding you that this is his place and you're really not welcome. Lovely...

I recently worked a wedding at Pine River Ranch as a bridal hair and makeup artist. The property itself is beautiful and peaceful—definitely a charming setting for a mountain wedding.

However, a few logistical notes for future brides and vendors:

Access to the bridal suite was restricted until 10am, and earlier access required an additional fee—even though the bride and her family were the only guests on site. This can put major pressure on hair and makeup timelines, especially for larger parties.

The owner was unexpectedly present during prep time and entered the glam space multiple times unannounced, which was unusual and disruptive.

The bridal suite is only accessible via a steep staircase—no ramp or elevator—which made hauling professional equipment a challenge. It’s something to keep in mind for anyone with accessibility needs or for teams arriving with multiple kits and lighting setups.

While the venue has its charms, I recommend confirming all access policies and preparing for some extra physical effort if you're part of the getting-ready crew.

EDIT: TO REPLY TO THE VERY INAPPROPRIATE COMMENT FROM THE VENUE OWNER: Thank you for your reply. I’d like to take a moment to correct a few key inaccuracies and provide clarity for the sake of anyone reading this.

I was hired independently by the bride and groom, not by the venue. I was never contacted directly by your team prior to the event—no calls, no voicemails. The only message I received about parking or access came from the bride herself, who reached out on May 24th, just weeks before the wedding, expressing concern and confusion about the timing and access for beauty services. That message, and the lack of prior communication from the venue, is what prompted my review.

Upon arrival on the wedding day, no venue staff were present. The groom greeted me, showed me where to park, and directed me to the appropriate space. I did not encounter the venue owner until he unexpectedly entered the bridal prep space, which the bride and her party expressed discomfort about at the time. I referenced that experience not to disparage, but to reflect how that moment impacted the atmosphere we were working to maintain for the bride.

Regarding my departure: I did not “walk through a procession.” I personally asked both the bride and the photographer if they were comfortable with me exiting down the front stairs, and both gave full assurance that it was completely fine. The family was still finding their seats at the time, and there was no music playing yet. In fact, I watched the bride begin her walk from the upper lot after I had already packed and left.

At no point was I informed of an alternate exit or ADA access. I absolutely would have taken advantage of it had I known.

Finally, the use of the couple’s shared planning document to obtain my personal contact information was, frankly, inappropriate. I did not consent to being contacted and kindly asked not to be. That boundary should have been respected.

My review was written from the perspective of a vendor seeking to provide helpful, honest feedback for others working in this space. It was not intended as an attack, and it’s disappointing to see such a defensive and retaliatory response—especially from a fellow business owner.

I wish your venue continued success, and hope that moving forward, professional feedback is received with more...