Wedgewood Weddings, a popular wedding and events company operating special events venues across El Paso County and throughout the United States, is moving into the iconic Briarhurst Manor Estate in Manitou Springs.

Built by the city’s founder in the shadow of Pikes Peak at 404 Manitou Ave. nearly 150 years ago, the Victorian manor house most recently operated for the last 50 years as a fine dining restaurant before it abruptly closed in January. Owners cited slow business throughout 2024 as the reason for the restaurant’s closure.

The regional landmark has also hosted weddings, banquets, parties and other events for generations.

In the spring, Southern California-based Wedgewood Weddings signed a 10-year agreement to lease the manor and its surrounding grounds.

The company hopes to open the venue for weddings and other events as Briarhurst Manor Estate by Wedgewood Weddings in early 2026, after significant renovations to restore and update the manor and some of its grounds are completed, Wedgewood Weddings CEO Bill Zaruka said.

“We’re trying to keep the historic look of the venue while freshening up a few things,” he said. “… What we’re going to do is bring it back to life … with the long-term hope that it can be, once again, a premier location for special events — weddings, birthday parties, charity events, retirements and anything else that the city wants or needs.”

Construction began early this year and is expected to be completed in early fall. Wedgewood then hopes to begin selling its services throughout the end of this year before opening, Zaruka added.

The work includes significant interior improvements, like a “full head-to-toe renovation” of the ballroom on the main floor. One of the main aspects of the ballroom’s makeover includes replacing windows that currently open onto the patio with French doors. This will give the ballroom a more fluid indoor-outdoor feel, Zaruka said.

A new bar will also be installed, and lighting will be upgraded, among other updates.

In the banquet entry, officials are replacing the current flooring to match tile that is original to the home, as well as some Roman clay finishes on the wall.

The area that once operated as the restaurant will host private events or could function as a gathering place for cocktail and appetizer hours, and the kitchen will remain, Zaruka said.

Rooms on the top floor will be converted into offices as well as “get ready suites” for clients.

Wedgewood is spending a little more than $1 million on the interior renovations, Zaruka said.

Outdoors, the landscape will be “cleaned up.” Exterior fencing and hedging around the main front lawn, as well as driveways and hardscape, will be installed.

The company also plans to put in a wedding ceremony site on the estate near Fountain Creek, which passes through the grounds.

“That’s a pretty picturesque place to exchange vows,” Zaruka said.

The Briarhurst Manor Estate was the perfect site for Wedgewood’s new venture because of its natural beauty and the manor’s history, charm and size, he said.

Another reason was its close proximity to another events facility Wedgewood operates, Craftwood Peak by Wedgewood Weddings.

Some neighboring residents testified at an Aug. 19 Manitou Springs City Council meeting they are concerned about the potential for increased noise at the Briarhurst site, particularly after 10 p.m. They also expressed worries about rowdy guests who could come onto their properties after leaving events at the manor.

Brandon Sandberg, an attorney representing Wedgewood at the meeting, said Wedgewood will adhere to city noise ordinances and intends to be a “courteous neighbor.” Wedgewood also requires security for every event, which will deter disorderly behavior, he said.

Wedgewood CEO Zaruka’s parents, John and Linda Zaruka, founded the original Wedgewood Weddings venue in 1986 in Ventura, Calif. In 2005, the family expanded the business across the nation.

Today, Wedgewood bills itself as the largest independent chain of special event facilities in the U.S. It operates 12 venues throughout Colorado, including three currently in Colorado Springs, Black Forest and Manitou Springs. The company also operates venues across Arizona, California, Nevada, New England, North Carolina and Texas.

“We are super excited about this. I am almost positive that (guests) will feel transported to a time a century ago, and they’re going to fall in love with the physical space, the beauty and the charm,” Zaruka said of the Briarhurst site. “When you go inside, you’re going to feel like you’re part of a first-class venue.”