These two words are for the bride-to-be who wants to be married in an exotic, outdoor location but thinks that beach weddings are overdone. Dude ranch.

Yep! Head west, young girl! Or more specifically, head southwest to Tucson, AZ, where the Tanque Verde Ranch awaits you and up to 250 of your closest family and friends for a spectacular ceremony set against the glorious mountains of Coronado National Forest and Saguaro National Park, followed by a  rootin’ tootin’, rip-roarin’ reception. You can tie the knot with real, western rope! Let me say upfront, however, that you’d be wise to plan a late fall or early spring wedding in this lovely spot in the Sonoran Desert—unless you and your 250 friends absolutely love seriously warm summer weather (100+ degrees) and heavy rains.

Get ready for a weekend that can be as relaxing or as rowdy as you and your guests desire. No matter what you decide to do, you’ll be doing it surrounded by extraordinary scenery. There’s something fun for everyone—kids and adults. The ranch has indoor and outdoor pools, spas, saunas and tennis courts. You can plan an outdoor BBQ, a nature hike, a breakfast ride or an all-day ride.

The ranch has several gorgeous, outdoor locations to hold your wedding ceremony, including the Spa Top Patio where water cascades down a ten-foot rock fountain. Tanque Verde’s  Saguaro Ballroom, which accommodates up to 150 guests, has a “gentle feel of rustic elegance,” and it’s a separate building away from the main ranch house for extra privacy.

So saddle up and start your lives together in southwestern style! But, if you’d prefer another part of the country, dude ranches dot the country, so check the Internet. Happy trails—to you and your “pardner!”

~Susan