PRESCOTT, AZ — A trend is emerging in Prescott: saying “I do” in a rustic and romantic camp setting.
Arizona couples are turning cabins and campfires into a dreamy wedding venue, tying the knot at Friendly Pines Camp. The owners, Matt and Mary Gilmer, hosted their own wedding under the pines at the camp in 2024.
The weekend wedding package for Friday-Sunday starts at $15,000 and includes lodging in cabins for guests 300 guests. Mary Gilmer says the outdoor, wooded ceremony space and pavilion reception area is best suited for 150 guests.
The 130-acre camp hosts weddings in the spring and fall. During the weekend-long stay, guests enjoy all the amenities of the camp.
"There's a zip line there. We can do ax-throwing. We can put out lawn games, we even do barbecue 'welcome dinner' down there a lot. We've got a private lake on the property, hiking trails...,” Matt Gilmer, the Friendly Pines Camp co-owner, said.
Meals are a separate cost, with on-site catering ranging from elevated banquet dinners to casual pasta bars.
"Whatever your price point, or kind of vision for what you're wanting for meals, we can do all that in-house,” Mary Gilmer, Friendly Pines Camp co-owner, said.
While they now run Friendly Pines Camp, Matt and Mary Gilmer met there years ago as kids. So in 2024, tying the knot in a place so close to their hearts felt natural.
"Now that I've been a bride at a camp wedding too, I can say for sure, from personal experience, the value of what we do here and the beautiful backdrop is really hard to beat,” Mary Gilmer said.
They’re now offering that experience to others.
During a free open house on Sunday, engaged couples had the experience to tour the camp and envision it as their wedding venue.
"...Togetherness is huge. And so a camp style like this is perfect!” Sage Cook of Prescott Valley said.
Cook and his fiancée, Trinity Dube, got engaged in an outdoor setting.
"We went to Washington, actually. I proposed to her, right in front of the Tree of Life, right out there on the beach,” Cook said.
Now they’re looking for a wedding venue to replicate that peace.
"Wanting to create that little special piece of magic again,” Trinity Dube said.
For many couples, the biggest question is cost.
According to analysis from Zola, the average Phoenix wedding with 150 guests costs $53,000. Around half of that goes to the venue, catering, and beverages alone.
For Cook and Dube, Friendly Pines Camps presents a romantic setting and an enticing option.
"I think in a time where like everybody's already trying to be budget conscious, I feel like it's extra important when planning an event,” Dubie said.
If you want to check out the camp firsthand, Matt and Mary Gilmer encourage you to reach out for a private tour.
For more information about hosting a wedding at Friendly Pines Camp, call 928-442-7979 or visit gocampway.com. The camp is located at 933 E. Friendly Pines Road, Prescott, AZ 86303.
There are more affordable venues across Arizona.
For retreat venues for a large number of guests, wedding planning sites suggest Agave of Sedona Wedding and Event Venue, Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort in Tucson, and The Aspen Lodge in Alpine.
Take a look at some of these affordable wedding venues in Phoenix from The Knot, as well as Here Comes The Guide’s suggested retreat wedding venues in Arizona.
