WEDDING & EVENT TERMS & CONDITIONS
THE A-Z OF EVENTS AT THE BLACK DIAMOND LODGE
By booking an event at The Black Diamond Lodge, Client agrees to these Terms & Conditions and assumes responsibility for communicating them to all guests, vendors, and contractors. The individual signing the event agreement (“Client” or “Responsible Party”) assumes full financial and legal responsibility for all guests, invitees, vendors, contractors, and minors attending the event.
ALCOHOL
Guests of legal drinking age may consume their own alcohol on property. No alcohol is permitted on the hot tub deck. A sober driver must be designated for all guests driving off property. Shuttle service is strongly recommended. An in-house bartender contract is required for any alcohol service in the upstairs dining room. The Lodge assumes no liability for alcohol-related injuries, incidents, or violations of law.
ARBOR
Ceremony sites do not include arbors. Clients may provide their own.
ASSUMPTION OF RISK – OUTDOOR & MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT
The Black Diamond Lodge is located in a mountain and outdoor environment. Client and all event guests acknowledge and voluntarily assume all risks associated with the property and surrounding terrain, including but not limited to uneven ground, gravel, dirt paths, stairs, snow, ice, mud, wildlife, insects, altitude, sun exposure, wind, limited nighttime visibility, and changing weather conditions.
The Lodge is not responsible for injuries, accidents, or losses resulting from these inherent conditions. Client agrees to communicate these risks to all guests and vendors.
AUDIO/VISUAL
Built-in speakers are available but are not professional-grade. Hiring a DJ from our recommended vendor list is strongly encouraged. A small speaker and microphone are provided for basic use (toasts or ceremony audio). TVs in the game and movie rooms may be used for slideshows with Client-provided equipment. The Lodge is not responsible for compatibility issues, technical failures, or user error with A/V equipment.
BATHROOMS
Event restrooms are located near the front desk. Additional restrooms are located throughout the lodge, including in guest rooms.
CAPACITY
Maximum event capacity is 120 people total, including the couple, all guests (including children), and overnight lodging guests. Vendors and BDL staff are excluded. Exceeding capacity may result in fines, removal of guests, or immediate event shutdown due to fire code and safety restrictions. No refunds will be issued if an event is shut down due to capacity violations.
CATERING
All food served upstairs must be provided by a professionally licensed caterer due to health code and kitchen licensing restrictions. Friends, family, or unlicensed individuals may not prepare or serve food in our event space. The Lodge is not liable for foodborne illness, allergic reactions, or food safety issues arising from catering services.
While we prefer plated meals for the ease of an event, our space can accommodate a buffet style dinner as well. Our tables are not ideal for a family style dinner service.
Again, all food for your event, with the exception of wedding cakes/desserts and certain dry snacks, must be provided by a licensed caterer. Any outside food must be discussed with your caterer in advance as Colorado law holds them liable for any food served during an event which they are hired for.
CHILDREN
We ask that children are supervised for the entirety of your event for the safety and enjoyment of everyone. If you think it would be helpful to hire a childcare provider for the duration of your event, please let us know and we can provide references. The Lodge is not responsible for childcare or supervision.
CLIENT RESPONSIBILITY FOR GUEST & VENDOR CONDUCT
Client is fully responsible for the conduct, behavior, and compliance of all guests, vendors, contractors, and invitees during the event. Disorderly conduct, excessive intoxication, unsafe behavior, verbal abuse of staff, or failure to comply with venue rules may result in immediate intervention, removal of individuals, or event shutdown without refund.
COORDINATION
We contract The Perfect Day Co to provide day of coordination services. All events hosted in The Black Diamond Lodge MUST have a coordination package with The Perfect Day Co for the day of their wedding/event. Coordination is required to ensure safety, vendor compliance, and timeline management.
DAMAGES
As host of the event, the client is responsible for the actions of their guests. The client will be held responsible for any theft or damage to The Black Diamond Property made by them, their contractors, or their guests during their use of the venue spaces. With exceptions for normal wear and tear, the client will be expected to promptly pay for any needed replacement or cleaning costs. Client liability is not limited to any damage deposit.
Under no circumstances will The Black Diamond Lodge be liable to the customer or any of the customer’s guests or contractors for any personal injury or property damage at the venue in connection with an event. Client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless The Black Diamond Lodge from claims arising from the event. Client waives all claims for incidental or consequential damages.
DECORATIONS
We encourage the use of decorations at our venue, however the use of any glitter, fake flower petals, rice or bird seed is prohibited on our property. We are happy to suggest decoration alternatives that are more sustainable and respectful of our space. We prohibit nailing, screwing or placement of other hardware into any venue structure, furniture, walls or trees. Decorations may not be fastened to the walls with thumbtacks, nails, screws, staples, tape or other fasteners except for command hooks or masking tape. All decorations must be taken down and stored in the designated pick up location before the end of your allotted contracted time. Unauthorized decor installation or removal resulting in damage will incur repair fees.
DIRECTIONS AND PARKING
The best address for Google Maps is “48475 Highway 550; Durango, CO 81301.” Please instruct your guests to drive past the lodge on their left and park in the designated parking lot. The main lodge entrance is the one with a large patio as you drive up.
Our parking lot can accommodate 36 cars including our staff, vendors, and those of overnight guests. Please instruct your guests to ONLY park in designated parking areas or along Silverpick Drive. Any violation of existing parking signs may result in your car being towed. Guests are not permitted to stay overnight in the parking lot in their car. We HIGHLY recommend you hire a shuttle for your off-site guests as we are located over 40 minutes from town and need to avoid drinking and driving.
Overflow parking may be used along the neighborhood road for 6 additional cars during summer months as long as no exits or fire hydrants are blocked.
Because of the location of the ceremony site, we strongly recommend that you provide 1 greeter for every 50 guests. The greeter will direct guests as they arrive for your event. Greeters can be family members or friends and are only needed during the start of the event.
DISHWASHING
The Black Diamond Lodge provides dishwashing services for dishes used by event guests during the event, including plates, glassware, flatware, barware, and serving items provided by or approved by the Lodge for guest use during the contracted event time.
Dishwashing services do not include any items used by professional caterers, vendors, or service teams. All dishwashing, cleanup, and breakdown related to catering operations is the sole responsibility of the licensed catering company hired by the Client. The Client is responsible for communicating these dishwashing policies to their caterer prior to contracting services.
Dishwashing provided by the Lodge is limited to normal operating hours and staffing availability and does not extend beyond the contracted event end time unless expressly agreed to in writing in advance.
DISPLAY RIGHTS
The Black Diamond Lodge and Durango Event Planners reserve the right to use photographs from your event for business related purposes such as promotion, display, advertisement, publication, portfolio, etc. If you are having a “no screen” event, please let us know ahead of time and we will be respectful of your wishes to avoid photos. Clients requesting a “no screen” or non-promotional event must notify the Lodge in writing prior to the event.
DRONES
The use of drones on or above the property is prohibited without prior written approval from The Black Diamond Lodge. Any approved drone operation must comply with FAA regulations and be operated by a licensed and insured operator. Client assumes all liability for any drone use and agrees to indemnify the Lodge for any resulting claims or damages.
ELECTRONIC ACCEPTANCE & SIGNATURES
Client acknowledges that electronic signatures, digital acceptance, and agreement via online booking platforms are legally binding and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
EXCLUSIVITY
The client acknowledges that The Black Diamond Lodge may schedule venue tours on the day of the customer’s event. Management will schedule the tours during the setup or teardown times and will not invite tour guests to be present during the customer’s event.
The Black Diamond Lodge also reserves the right to schedule any events on the property during your lodging stay or event date so long as they do not interfere with your event. This could include, but is not limited to, breakfasts in the upstairs event space prior to the start of your contract, workshops or banquets the day before your event, wedding ceremonies on the site you’re not using, etc.
No exclusivity is implied unless expressly stated in writing.
FIRE
INSIDE: Candles are allowed in our banquet room and lobby. No candles whatsoever are allowed on outdoor decks, patios, or inside lodging rooms.
OUTSIDE: Because of forest fire danger, absolutely no candles or flames of any kind at either of our outdoor ceremony sites. Battery operated candles are allowed. No sage burning, fires, or sparklers at the ceremony sites.
FIREWORKS OR SPARKLERS require pre-approval and must have a BDL staff member on site. No paper or Chinese lanterns or sage burning allowed on site.
FIRE PIT: We provide the use of 1 fire pit which can be placed on the front or back patios at any point during your event. We do provide firewood. All fire pit use is at the whim of Colorado fire bans. We will let you know as soon as we do whether we think a fire pit will be an option at your wedding. Fire pit use is subject to fire bans and staff approval.
S’mores stations and grills can be set up by your caterer with the proper equipment and should be discussed ahead of time with our venue manager.
Client assumes all risk related to approved fire features.
FIREARMS
Firearms are allowed on property but please adhere to all local, state and federal firearm regulations. Law enforcement will be called if legal regulations are not adhered to. Firearms may not be displayed or handled in event spaces.
FIREARMS & ALCOHOL INTERACTION
While firearms may be permitted on property in accordance with applicable laws, the handling, display, or use of firearms while consuming alcohol is strictly prohibited. Any violation of this policy will result in immediate removal from the property and may involve law enforcement.
FORCE MAJEURE
If the Black Diamond Lodge is unable to perform the services in this agreement due to a fire, or other casualty, strike, act of God, or other cause beyond the control of the parties, then the client and management shall in good faith, find alternative dates for the event. If alternative dates are not possible, management shall return the deposit to the client, but shall have no further liability with respect to this agreement.Liability is limited to amounts paid. In the event the management fails to perform for any other reason, the management shall not be liable for any amount in excess of the total fee.
The Black Diamond Lodge may assign its rights and obligations to a party who purchases part or all of the venue and will transfer the deposit and contract obligations to the new party. The Lodge may assign this agreement upon sale or transfer of ownership.
Management will not be liable for failure to perform this agreement due to unforeseen or uncontrollable circumstances such as catastrophe, war, acts of terrorism, government regulations, disaster, weather, strikes, civil disorder, covid related restrictions, or other emergencies.
GOVERNANCE
This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Colorado.
GOVERNING LAW & VENUE
This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado. Any legal action or proceeding arising out of this agreement shall be brought exclusively in La Plata County, Colorado.
HANDICAP ACCESS
If any of your guests can not walk up to our Meadow Ceremony Site, the BDL shuttle can take your guests. We recommend limiting these trips to as few as possible as the walk to the ceremony site is a beautiful part of the experience. No private cars are allowed to drive to the ceremony site. No private vehicles may access ceremony sites.
The interior venue spaces in the Black Diamond Lodge are handicap accessible except for the spa area and rooms 8-12.
PATIO HEATERS
We provide patio heaters in the winter months for guest use. Please ask one of our staff members to turn them on for you, but PLEASE turn them off when you are done to save propane. We provide propane and can refill them on site so please let us know if a heater is running low. We currently provide 6 heaters for our patios. Please confirm with our venue manager if you would like these out during your stay.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Our team will work with you to determine a rain plan well in advance of your event date. Should rain or snow prevail on your event date, we will work with you to move your event to an indoor space if possible. Though we wish you a wonderful stay with wonderful weather, it cannot be guaranteed. No refunds will be given in the event of inclement weather, lack of snow, or poor skiing conditions.
Our property does not accommodate event tents. We provide 100 white wedding umbrellas free of charge if needed.
Outdoor events may be relocated indoors at staff discretion.
INDEMNIFICATION & HOLD HARMLESS
Client agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Black Diamond Lodge, its owners, affiliates, employees, agents, and contractors from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to the event, including but not limited to claims involving guests, vendors, alcohol service, children, decor, equipment, or activities associated with the event.
INSURANCE
All clients are required to obtain a general liability special event insurance policy covering the event with limits of no less than $500,000 per occurrence, $1,000,000 aggregate.
All insurance policies must name the following entities as additional insured:
The Black Diamond Lodge: 48475 Highway 550; Durango, CO 81301
Bower Dog, LLC: 3703 Eastledge Drive; Austin, TX 78731 3703
The Perfect Day Co; 7581 County Road 203; Durango, CO 81301
Insurance may be obtained through your choice of carrier. The client must provide proof of insurance two weeks following booking if within the same calendar year or 1 year prior to your event date, whichever is allowed by the carrier.. Failure to do so will entitle management to terminate this agreement and retain the total deposits paid. This will also result in the forfeiture of your prior deposits and event date. Check HERE for a full tutorial.
KITCHEN ACCESS
Our venue fee includes access to our staging kitchen for your professional catering team ONLY. Our kitchen access is provided for STAGING and not cooking. All caterers must be on our approved list or schedule a meeting with our venue team prior to you hiring them. No friends or family members can cook in our kitchen. The use of our kitchen must be reserved prior to your event date and unless you’ve reserved it, the doors will be locked. Unauthorized kitchen use may result in event suspension.
LODGING
We have lodging accommodations for 42 people in 12 rooms. A two night lodging package is required unless otherwise determined by our event staff. Event clients will have the option of paying for the spaces directly or having their guests pay for the rooms themselves.
Check in time is at 4pm on the day of arrival and check out time is at 10am. For this reason, we HIGHLY recommend you scheduling your lodging check out day TWO days after your event to allow for a relaxing post-event morning. There is no daily maid service.
All lodging will be booked separately through theblackdiamondlodge.com. For more information on lodging amenities, please visit our website. Lodging policies are governed by separate Lodging Terms & Conditions.
LOST & FOUND
The Black Diamond Lodge assumes no liability for lost, misplaced, stolen, or damaged valuables or belongings. If you discover that you have left behind something of value to you, please fill out THIS FORM immediately and we will try to assist you in locating your lost item.
Any item, with the exception of perishable items, left behind by our guests and found after departure by Housekeeping will be collected and kept in a secure location for collection by the owner for up to fourteen (14) days. Reasonable effort will be made to notify the guest that an item has been found. If we are unable to contact the guest during the fourteen (14) day holding period, the unclaimed item(s) are thrown away, given to local organizations, or disposed of accordingly.
We would be happy to return your lost item(s) to you by United States Postal Service. We are not responsible for any item lost or misdirected during shipment by the United States Postal Service.
MAILING
You or your guests are welcome to ship packages, decor, or attire to the lodge within 14 days of check in. Our address is 48475 Highway 550; Durango, CO 81301. For organizational purposes, it works best to add Bride’s Name + Groom’s Name so we can find the correct party if the package hasn’t been picked up.
MEDICAL EMERGENCIES & NO MEDICAL STAFF
The Black Diamond Lodge does not provide medical services and does not have lifeguards, EMTs, or medical personnel on site. In the event of a medical emergency, accident, injury, or health-related incident, it is the responsibility of the Client or affected individual to immediately call 911 or appropriate emergency services. The Lodge assumes no responsibility for medical care, response times, or outcomes related to medical emergencies occurring during the event.
NO WAIVER
Failure by The Black Diamond Lodge to enforce any provision of these Terms & Conditions at any time shall not constitute a waiver of the right to enforce that or any other provision in the future.
NOISE
Noise should be kept to a minimum past 8pm outdoors and 10pm indoors. That means no screaming, partying, playing music, etc past these times. We will work with you to establish a reasonable noise level. Let’s respect our neighbors! Repeated violations may result in event shutdown without refund. Noise levels are monitored and enforced at the discretion of venue staff. Warnings are not required prior to enforcement. Repeated or severe violations of noise policies may result in immediate shutdown of music or the event itself without refund.
PETS
Pets are allowed in your room, the lobby, both ceremony sites, and downstairs, NOT the banquet hall upstairs. Please plan accordingly. You must clean up after your dog outside. If they bark you will be asked to leave or referred to the kennel down the street. We HIGHLY recommend using a crate for any pets left alone in the rooms to avoid damage or mess that could result in a deduction from your damage deposit. We love Here Comes The Floof for pet sitting references.
POWER
We do not provide power at either of our ceremony sites so please plan accordingly for any power needs your DJ may have. Most DJs will provide a quiet generator exactly for this purpose.
At the reception site, we should have adequate electricity for all your needs, but if you’re having an espresso bar or other things that use a lot of power, please tell your venue manager and coordinator so we can talk about any special power needs ahead of time. We have a small supply of extension cords, but it’s a good idea to bring your own!
PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS
The Black Diamond Lodge assumes the right to make any changes and/or improvements to the grounds or structures without the consent of the client. Any changes will be communicated to the guests as early as possible and all construction will be scheduled around events as much as possible. Should any major construction impede your event, necessary adjustments shall be made at the sole discretion of the Black Diamond Lodge staff.
REHEARSAL
You are welcome to schedule a rehearsal at either ceremony site at the time of your choosing as long as it is arranged ahead of time to ensure there are no other event conflicts. We ask that you limit the rehearsal time to two hours and only include the persons absolutely necessary. Please do not set up any decorations prior to your scheduled event dates and times.
REFRIGERATION
There is a large refrigerator in the breakfast room, as well as two in the Columbine room that you can use during your stay. Coolers likely make the most sense for drinks to allow space in the fridge for other foods. We provide 2 XL coolers for overflow items. We also have an on-site large ice maker to fill coolers.
SET UP & TEAR DOWN
The Black Diamond Lodge team will set up and arrange our provided chairs and tables according to how the client would like them arranged - decided upon at least 2 weeks before the event. Suggested table and chair layouts will be provided for both the ceremony site(s) and the banquet hall. Please note that our outside furniture is meant to be used outside, and our indoor furniture indoors. Please do not take our indoor furniture outside! Likewise, please do not move our lobby furniture or tables. If you need something moved, just ask us! We’re happy to adjust certain areas to fit your needs.
The client’s coordinator is responsible for the set up and tear down of all decorations, florals, place settings, etc.
Due to insurance restrictions, The Black Diamond Lodge does not supply any ladders or dollies. All rented equipment delivered to and used by the renter in connection with the event is the sole responsibility of the renter. All equipment must be removed from the venue at the completion of the event time unless otherwise arranged prior to the event date.
When you arrive for your stay, please unload your decorations into the dedicated Mud Room/Storage room, NOT the lobby. Ideally all your decorative items should be brought in and removed within the duration of your lodging stay.
Please leave our event spaces as you found them. Although we don’t expect you to wipe all the tables or vacuum the floor, we do expect that there will be no damage, furniture will be back where you found it, decorations will be cleared out, and our spaces will be left tidy!
SEVERABILITY
If any provision of these Terms & Conditions is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
SMOKING & DRUGS
NO SMOKING is allowed in any inside space at the Black Diamond Lodge. That means vape, marijuana, and tobacco. The ONLY designated smoking areas at our venue is 30 feet from our doorways in the parking lot.
NO SMOKING of any kind is allowed at our ceremony sites. This is Colorado and forest fires are a real and present danger. This is a non-negotiable rule.
If the fire alarms or sprinklers are set off as the result of smoking inside, you may be subject $1200 fine.
Any form of illegal drugs anywhere on property is prohibited. Violations may result in fines or eviction.
STAFFING
Any of the Black Diamond staff will be happy to help you with any questions you have during your stay. Our front desk is staffed 9am-5pm many days of the week, but our team is busy and frequently out and about. Please refer to your lodging information for contacts for our virtual front desk, accessible anytime during your stay.
STAFF AUTHORITY & ENFORCEMENT
All decisions made by Black Diamond Lodge staff, venue management, and the contracted coordination team regarding safety, timelines, noise, alcohol service, or rule enforcement are final and binding on the day of the event. Failure to comply with staff direction may result in penalties, loss of deposits, or termination of the event without refund.
TIMING
Event guests may only be in the venue spaces during the times they are contracted for. Any access outside of these hours including rehearsals, tours, walkthroughs, etc. must be requested prior to guest arrival. Please see the section on rehearsals to schedule your two hour included rehearsal time!
If the client prefers to have additional time for a dinner or set up the day before the event(or earlier than the scheduled venue access time), then the customer must reserve the venue space for a second day in order to ensure the venue and staff are available.
Last call for alcohol will be no later than 9:45 pm and all party activities (including but not limited to music, dancing, send off) must be completed by no later than 10:00 pm. The last hour is reserved for tear down and clean up. All personal or rented items MUST be removed from the ceremony site, lobby area and banquet hall prior to 12:00am. Personal items may be stored overnight in the Columbine room or breakfast room for pick up the next morning. Events not cleared from the event spaces by 12:00am following the event will forfeit 100% of their lodging and venue damage deposit.
Feel free to consult our recommended timeline for a smooth flow of what usually works the best in our space.
TOURS & WALKTHROUGHS
We provide complimentary tours prior to booking your event after you are on our calendar. However, these tours and walkthroughs MUST be scheduled ahead of time to allow our staff to be on property to provide access to any needed areas. Please be respectful of our staff and our current guests and limit walkthroughs to as few visits as possible.
TRASH
Please take all trash after your event to our dumpster located on the north end of the parking lot. It’s VERY important that you break down any boxes before you put them into the dumpster as our trash only gets taken out twice a week and we want to leave room for any catering food waste!
TREE DAMAGE & ENGRAVING
Engraving, carving, cutting, or marking trees on the property in any manner is strictly prohibited. This includes initials, names, symbols, dates, or decorative carving. Any guest or vendor found engraving or damaging trees will be subject to a fine of up to $1,200 per incident, in addition to the cost of repair, arborist services, or replacement as determined by The Black Diamond Lodge. Client is financially responsible for all such damages.
VENDORS
We are a flexible venue and do not require you work with any specific vendors. That being said, you must hire The Perfect Day Co for day of coordination, a professionally licensed caterer, and an in house bartender (if serving alcohol) to use our space. A list of all event vendors must be submitted to the venue manager at least 2 weeks prior to the event date. We also require that if they have never worked in our space that they schedule a walkthrough with us prior to your event so we can show them the details and make sure they are aware of our policies.
We require meals be provided for 2-6 event venue staff depending on the size and scope of your event. Furthermore, remember to review your other vendor contracts as you typically are required to provide meals for all vendors during your event.
All vendors are required to remain sober while on property at The Black Diamond Lodge or may be asked to leave, whether or not they have delivered services. Please communicate this to your bartenders and vendors.
Client is responsible for vendor compliance.
VENDOR INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
All vendors hired by the Client must carry appropriate professional and general liability insurance. The Black Diamond Lodge reserves the right to request proof of insurance from any vendor prior to granting access to the property. Failure of a vendor to provide proof of insurance upon request may result in denial of access to the venue, without refund to the Client.
WIFI
Our wifi is free for guests, and they are expected to use this access fairly and appropriately. The internet access is intended for general use such as email, messaging, or social media. It is not intended for heavy media streaming or extensive downloads or uploads. Access to illegal activity or the use of our network for illegal activity is prohibited and will be reported to local authorities. Should you need to work during your stay we recommend you go to one of the awesome Durango coffee shops for a more reliable and quick connection. The Lodge is not responsible for connectivity issues.
QUESTIONS
For questions, contact hello@theblackdiamondlodge.com or 970-509-2199.