Planning Your Colorado Mountain Elopement

Let’s talk about planning your colorado mountain elopement.

We’ve already answer the question: Can I get married on a mountain? YES
You’ve already made the decision: Wedding vs Elope

Now let’s talk about how to turn your vision into a reality.

Colorado Mountain Elopement

1. your colorado mountain elopement vendors

I will start with this topic because sometimes it’s the only one you need. If you decide to hire a planner or photographer, their guidance will be invaluable to you as you plan your Colorado mountain elopement.

Yes, this is kind of self-serving as a photographer, but it’s also true. We do this celebration of marriage thing a lot and therefore we’re a valuable resource to you. Most elopement photographers I know act as tour guides, especially for out of state couples.

We can advise you on location selections based on your specific needs. And for an elopement, what else do you really need? In Colorado, you don’t even need an officiant although we find that many couples want one anyway.

Other vendors to consider: what to wear, hair and make-up, officiant, where to stay, what to eat, flowers.

I think that when planning your mountain elopement, finding a photographer will help narrow down all of your other decisions because you’ll see how that company does elopements. Do they do short and sweet ceremonies? Or do they do an all day documentary session?

Personally, we do a little bit of both. Short and sweet sessions are nice if you’re on a budget and more introverted. However, longer sessions often allow us to journey to more secluded locations and make more of an experience for you. That also happens to result in more epic photos.

Find where you are along the continuum of styles of elopements and that will help you make the rest of your decisions.

2. your colorado mountain elopement location

Do you have a favorite place in Colorado? A favorite ski resort or quaint little town or hiking trail? Often, that’s where couples start.

If you haven’t actually spent much time in Colorado, that’s ok too. As wedding photographers we help couples plan their Colorado mountain elopement and that often means location selection.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

How will you get here? Fly or drive? How much time do you have and how far off-the-grid are you willing to go?

With your answers in hand, you’ll be able to narrow down your search. There are super convenient locations along the front range, fairly convenient locations along I-70, or off-the-beaten path locations that are hard to get to but totally worth it.

What are your priorities in terms of views and experience? Do you want a cute downtown, aspen trees, epic peaks, or some water element?

This will further narrow down your selections as you’ll know whether you should search for that cute town for a cozy weekend or a rustic cabin off a dirt road.

For more on selecting the location for your Colorado mountain elopement, check out our mountain wedding venue guide or tips on where to get married in Colorado. Better yet, contact us as we have favorite locations we share with our couples.

3. your colorado mountain elopement guest list

I add this tips on planning your Colorado mountain elopement guest list simply based on experience. I have found that unless your elopement is a complete surprise for everyone in your life, you might end up with some guests. On more than one occasion, we’ve had a couple tell us it will just be them only to meet their parents on the day of.

Therefore, you can decide to set some ground rules for what elopement means to you. Many of our couples work out some sort of compromise where they have a portion of the day that’s just for them and a portion of the day that they invite a few friends to.

Luckily, there aren’t many rules and the ones that exist you can change to meet your own vision for the day.

4. your marriage license

To make it all official, you’ll need a marriage license. It’s super easy, affordable, and fast but just take the time to look up the information at the County Clerk’s office. Be aware of any current COVID restrictions such a appointments being required.

Read more in our recent post of How to Elope in Colorado.

5. enjoy your day, week, or weekend

Don’t just plan the wedding day. Plan your weekend and you vacation in the mountains. Some of our couples choose to spend a few days in Colorado before their elopement. Others like to get married and then have the rest of the trip be their honeymoon.

One of the best parts of a Colorado mountain elopement is that it can be an incredible experience. You can sit, arm-in-arm, in awe of the beauty that the Colorado Rockies has to offer. Let your focus be on having an incredible experience to kick off your marriage and everything else will be easy.

colorado mountain elopement plan

Make your Colorado mountain elopement plan:

Photographer/Vendors
Location
Guest List
Get Your License
Enjoy Your Day/Weekend/Week

Download our free guide: Prioritize your planning so your wedding is a memorable adventure.

check out more recent posts:

I hope you enjoyed these tips on planning your Colorado mountain elopement! Here’s what’s next

Next check out more of our wedding photography advice for brides here. Lastly, read more about us and view our Colorado elopement guide.

FREE comprehensive e-guide: Prioritize your planning so your wedding is a memorable adventure.

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in Colorado mountain wedding photography and other adventures. Let us help you make your wedding an adventure! It would be an honor to capture your love.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help! Be sure to follow us (weddings instagram & adventures instagram) and/or like us (facebook) to stay tuned.

In the meantime, remember to…