Frequently Asked Questions
Many of your questions are probably addressed on the previous Rental Policies page, but here are a few more of our frequently asked questions for your information.
Is the party really over at 10?
Please remember, your contracted hours represent the entirety of your access to Camp Colton, including set-up and clean up by you, your caterers, other vendors and guests. Your event coordinator can help you set (and stick to) a schedule that allows for all of the elements of your big day to flow seamlessly.
Please plan to have your amplified music end by 10 PM. Due to the County noise ordinance and the need to encourage your guests safely to their vehicles and on the road before the gates close, Camp Colton staff will give last-call for the bar 60-90 minutes before the gates close, and ask the DJ or band to play the final 2 songs. This will give you time to wind down the party, say goodbyes, and gather your personal belongings and decorations without feeling rushed.
For those who have selected the Wedding Weekend package, Camp Colton staff will help set up an “after-party” ONLY for guests who are staying in the couple’s reserved accommodations. The last call will proceed as above, however, once you have said your goodbyes, the daytime guests have left and the gates are locked, the staff will collect and transfer your remaining beverages to the gazebo on the East side of Camp and start a campfire for you. At that point, the guests who are spending the night may continue the after-party with you. You may have unamplified music at a low volume. Please also be mindful of your guests who may have already retired for the evening. All cleanup (in event buildings, grounds, and accommodations) for Wedding Weekend clients must be completed and all guests departed by 11AM on the morning of checkout.
We need more time to get ready before the wedding, can I add extra time?
Think you will want (or need) access to Camp earlier or go later than the standard contract time for your wedding package? Speak to our Sales Manager about adding hours to the beginning or end of our standard packages at an additional charge. Added hours must be paid for at least 30 days in advance to allow us to staff your event appropriately for the hours of your event.
Do you have a wedding officiant on site?
No, not at this time.
What am I responsible for at the end of the reception?
How much do I have to clean up?
How much can I leave behind?
Can I just do it in the morning?
Overall, please leave it as you found it. Camp Colton staff will set tables, chairs, and place settings, and we will break those down and do the custodial work at the Chapel and Gathering Hall after your event is over. The client is responsible for removing any decorations/decor they set up for the event, as well as all personal items at the Chapel, Hall, cottages, or grounds by the end of their contracted time. Items left at Camp Colton will be considered abandoned and will be disposed of as Camp staff see fit.
For Wedding Weekend clients, often there will be additional rental items or large items that need to be moved or picked up the next day. That can be arranged but MUST be completed by 10 AM the following morning so that our staff can continue to care for, clean, and prepare the event space for the next client. For security reasons, please take care not to leave any personal or sentimental items.
Items left behind may incur additional labor or storage fees.
Can I have a vendor arrive before my event starts?
ALL ACCESS for clients, guests and vendors (including planners, caterers, florists, DJs, bands, officients, hair & makeup, photographers or any deliveries associated with your event) is limited to the contracted hours for your event. If you anticipate needing more time for set up or clean up, you may add hours on to any base package at an additional charge (see above).
Can rental vendors drop off or pick items up outside of our contracted weekend time (Fri/Mon)?
Sorry, we are unable to accommodate vendor rental drop-offs or pickups outside of your contracted event time.
Do you add a gratuity in your contracts?
At Camp Colton, we avoid the many fees and gratuities that other event venues add to their rental contracts, but it does take a village to run our events, and tips are very much appreciated. If you have appreciated the work done by our staff to make your event a success, we ask that you tip our staff directly for their excellent service. Cash tips may be given to your Event Coordinator or Site Manager to distribute to event staff, or you can use the Venmo or PayPal QR codes that are at the Creekside Bar to send your gratuity. Thank you in advance for your generosity! We have the hardest-working staff around and your acknowledgment of our efforts is much appreciated.
I’m confused about housing.
How to do I get overnight accommodations with my wedding package?
What if I want to use all your cottages overnight?
Can we arrive the night before our big day so we have more time to get ready?
What’s the deal with HipCamp?
Camp Colton currently has on-site accommodations for 50+ people, depending on sleeping arrangements and how much tent camping is included. For weddings, the only ways to add overnight accommodations to your event are:
Go for the Wedding Weekend package, which includes two overnights in all our available on-site accommodations except Crystal Springs, along with an on-site rehearsal dinner, much more time to decorate, dress and take photos and many other perks only included in this package.
Add an overnight in the getting-ready cottage(s) included in your wedding package. If you chose the Simple Elegance package, you get one getting-ready cottage for 8 hours, concurrent with the rest of your Camp access (usually from 2:00PM - 10:00PM). If you chose Classic Elegance, you get two getting-ready cottages for 10 hours (usually from 1:00PM - 11:00PM). Depending on what events are scheduled on either side of yours, you may be able to add an overnight the night before or the night of your big day. Ask the Sales Manager or Event Coordinator for pricing and availability if you are interested. Please note: overnight access to the getting-ready cottage(s) does NOT include access to the Gathering Hall, Chapel/Sanctuary or outdoor ceremony sites to move in or start decorating early. Read your contract carefully to confirm hours of access to the spaces included in your rental.
Rent one of our RV spots, tiny house or yurts via HipCamp. Limited overnight accommodations may be made available via HipCamp 90 days prior to your event. Check in for our HipCamp accommodations is 3:00PM, and check out is 11:00AM. Please note: HipCamp rentals must be arranged and paid for directly by the guest via the HipCamp platform, and DO NOT include access to the Gazebo fire pit for an after-party or the event spaces (Gathering Hall, Chapel/Sanctuary, outdoor ceremony site) outside of the contracted time. Only registered HipCamp guests may access the East side of Camp during their reserved times, and in accordance with maximum capacities listed for each space.
What kind of alcohol can I have at my wedding?
Can we have wine at the tables at our reception?
I have a friend who is a bartender who I want to serve at our wedding.
How many beers can we have on tap?
Why is last call so early?
Can we have a budtender AND a bartender?
What’s up with the “signature cocktails?”
Camp Colton follows all regulations and guidelines outlined for alcohol service by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC).
Licensed bartender(s) are included in all our wedding packages, and clients must use our bartenders if you wish to serve alcohol.
Clients are responsible for providing all food and beverages for your event, including non-alcoholic options, coffee and tea.
Your choice of wine(s), beer(s) and champagne(s) may be served at the bar. Hard alcohol (shots) are strictly prohibited.
Beer may be served from bottles, cans or kegs. We have two taps with adjustable CO2 carbonation suitable for serving any beer, wine or kombucha from a keg.
All alcoholic beverages are served from our covered Creekside Bar at the Gathering Hall. Sorry, table-side service is not available.
Bottles (wine, champagne) and pitchers MAY NOT be placed on the tables during the reception, as it interferes with our ability to properly monitor access (required by the OLCC for venues like us). If you are hosting your rehearsal dinner on site, you are welcome to self-serve for that meal.
We will announce a last call at your event 60-90 minutes prior to your contracted end time in order to support sober exits from the property.
Camp Colton is cannabis-friendly, and you are welcome to hire a licensed budtender to serve any of the legal forms of THC/CBG/CBD to your of-age guests during your event. Due to licensing, we are NOT able to allow alcohol and cannabis to be served at the same event. As with all substances that cause an altered state, please partake responsibly. To keep fire danger and unwanted environmental impacts to a minimum, we do ask guests smoking any substance to do so only in designated areas.
What is the “Camp Director” you want us to have? Is that someone you want us to hire?
We ask that you assign a responsible member of your group to be a point person to manage your guests’ needs and accommodations. Camp staff will not be familiar with all of your guests, activities, or needs. Your Camp Director will be able to assist your guests with event itineraries, finding their rooms, lockouts, service needs, and emergency management with the help of the tools and instruction we provide. By having a familiar face act as a go-between for your guests and our staff, we have found that your experience will be enhanced and we will be able to respond appropriately to issues.
The contract says that we can’t harvest greenery, but my package says that I can. How does that work?
At Camp Colton, we endeavor to maintain the rustic natural beauty of the environment for all guests. As such, we must ask all clients to refrain from cutting, collecting, or damaging the gardens and natural forest greenery throughout the main campus between all event buildings and cabins.
Exclusive Wedding Weekend clients will have access to a private 3-acre area of the forest where they may collect ferns, boughs, cones, moss, and other native items to accent their custom decorations within reason. Please do not cut or collect anything that has not been cleared in advance with our groundskeeping staff.
I’m confused about linens…
When we use the term “linens” in our contract we are referring to reception linens - tablecloths and napkins. When we refer to sheets and blankets for overnight accommodations we use the term “bedding.”
Tell me more about linens, packages, and levels...
What colors are available for tables?
How about cloth napkins?
Our Classic Elegance package includes tablecloths in white, black, or cream. Additionally, it includes cloth napkins for all of your guests in the color of your choice from our selection of available colors. It is OK to mix napkin colors, either as accents or by the table. Our staff will place and clear table linens for the reception.
The Wedding Weekend package includes additional black table linens for the rehearsal dinner.
Camp Colton will collect, launder, and return all rental linens.
Linen upgrades are available, including layered (2 colors), custom colors, and special accents or double napkins. Please let us know what you are looking for so we can give you a quote.
What is provided for bedding?
The Wedding Weekend Package includes 1-2 pillows with pillowcases, fitted and top sheets, blankets and towels in all indoor overnight accommodations. Bedding and towels are NOT provided for tent or RV campers.
Tell me more about the rehearsal dinner and what you provide.
For Wedding Weekend contracts, you may plan a catered rehearsal dinner and other meals at River Falls Lodge. As mentioned above, we will provide tables, black linens and place settings. Camp Colton will collect and launder all rental linens.
The second getting-ready cottage has a cute sleeping loft but I don’t see it in the contract?
The Cottage has a queen wall bed and a twin day bed with trundle (2 twins) on the main level. The sleeping loft has another queen mattress. We advertise it as sleeping 2-4 people assuming the use of the beds on the main level only. We do not list the loft queen in the contract as the loft stair access is steep and not comfortable for all guests. The loft bed is available to use at your own discretion/liability.
I have some ideas about special photos I’d like to capture. Can you help us set up for that?
In a canoe on the lake, catching a fish, chopping wood, having a horse and carriage, driving a mini-truck, or other prop photography…the possibilities are endless!
We would like to encourage you to use your imagination to set up any safe and reasonable request. Please outline your request at least 90-days prior to your event with your coordinator and we will help make the props available to you and your photographer.
We accept no liability for the skill of the uninitiated, e.g. falling in the lake in your wedding dress.
Not all locations are available with all packages - Simple Elegance and Classic Elegance have time and location restrictions that the Exclusive Wedding Weekend does not - please see your contract.
How do camping options work?
The only way to secure camping and cabins is to purchase the Weekend Wedding package to reserve all our accommodations for your event.
Your other option is to try your chances and reserve available spaces via HipCamp, released 90 days before the booking date if not claimed first by another paying event.
We can currently accommodate about 34-46 people in cabins or yurts, 1-25 people camping, and up to 14 at our 3 RV hookups.
Where is westside camping?
Westside camping is the area behind the reception hall, with a portable fire pit. Firewood is supplied.
Is there a tent for the space outside the dining hall, in case of rain?
We have an add-on rental for a 20’x20’ professional event tent at $500 that our staff can set up behind the hall. This must be added on and paid for at least 90 days prior to your event.
If you wish to cover the entire patio, you will need to rent a 20’x40’ tent from a rental agency. You will be responsible for setting up and removing the rental tent within your contracted time.
Can we set up tables for eating outside, so we have minimal indoor contact?
Yes, tables and chairs can be outside, weather permitting. Some furniture is only usable outdoors in dry weather. We will assist you in planning your layout.
What time do we need to be cleaned up for the Gathering Hall part of the event before we switch to the after-party?
All event building use, set up, breakdown and cleanup falls into the purchased event time. Gathering Hall access hours are located in your contract.
We will put away the tables and chairs. Usually clients end the event phase and start clean up at least an hour before the contracted time ends. Gathering personal items, decorations, flowers, gifts, leftover food and alcohol are all the responsibility of the client.
Your caterer is responsible for cleaning the kitchen and restoring it to its pre-event state, in accordance with the Kitchen Use Guidelines.
We were thinking about a food truck for our party. Is that a possibility?
Yes we are set up for power and water for up to two food trucks behind the Gathering Hall. Check to make sure your choice of food truck will come out to our remote location before booking.
Is the lodging tax built into the package?
Is the security deposit refundable?
Is WiFi available?
How is cellular reception at Camp Colton?
Can I fish at Camp Colton? What kind of fish do you have?
Exclusive Wedding Weekends lodging tax is included and built into in the purchase price, no additional lodging tax will be charged.
A security deposit of $1,500 is required to secure your date(s). The security deposit will NOT be applied to the cost of your rental fee. If there are no damages or overages, the deposit will be returned in full. Once contracted, if you cancel your event, you forfeit your deposit, along with any other monies paid.
We have dedicated high-speed WiFi at the Gathering Hall for events and in and around River Falls Lodge. It is not recommended to try to use it in the cabins or general grounds. We do have a mobile hotspots we can make available for an additional charge.
Camp generally has excellent (3-4 bar) ATT and Verizon cellular coverage, both 4G and 5G.
Our pond is stocked with sterilized farm-hatched female Rainbow Trout. They are easy to catch, and you are welcome either to catch and release with barbless or de-barbed hooks, or catch and eat them one or two of them during your stay. Please take care not to hurt the fish or other wild Camp inhabitants, including not throwing stones or other items into the water.