10 Tips for Planning a Destination Elopement in Colorado from a Elopement Photographer
When it comes to planning a destination elopement in Colorado, as a Colorado elopement photographer, I have a LOT of experience in planning elopement days that cater to the vision of the couple. Colorado is known for its' beautiful landscapes and hikes for people at every skill level which is why it's one of the best states for eloping in the US. If you're thinking about planning your elopement in Colorado, here are ten of my top tips for planning a destination elopement.
Choosing a Colorado Photographer for Your Elopement
When it comes to planning a Colorado elopement, know that hiring an elopement photographer that is based in Colorado can really transform your planning experience. You do not have to know exactly what you want for your elopement day before reaching out, as an elopement photographer, part of my job is to guide you through this experience and help you to create a day that you will love. Decisions like where you want to elope and when you want to elope are all things that I can walk you through to help you make the best decisions based on the experience you hope to have.
10 Tips for Planning a Destination Elopement from a Colorado Photographer
1. Decide on the Season You Want First
When it comes to choosing what time of year to get married in Colorado, it ultimately comes down to preference. There is so much beauty throughout Colorado at all times of the year, so when you are deciding what time of year to elope, you’ll want to think about what you want your photos to look like, and you’ll also want to think about what kind of experience you and your partner want to have. Though Colorado’s weather can get a little crazy, you can for the most part expect the weather to reflect the corresponding season. Do you want wildflowers and casual hikes? Do you want snow covered trees? Or do you want beautiful colorful leaves? For more info on what season is best to elope in Colorado, check out my blog post where I do a deep dive here!
2. Talk to Your Local Photographer Before Finalizing a Location
It’s easy to fall in love with a photo you find on the internet when planning your Colorado elopement, but it's important to keep in mind the experience that comes with the photo. For example if you fall in love with a picture from Telluride, but you don’t want to stay more than three hours from the Denver airport, you’re going to have to regroup on your vision. Hiring a local photographer will help you to find a location that both fits your vision AND the experience you hope to have on your wedding day.
Hiring a local photographer who is familiar with Colorado weather will also ensure you have a back up location and are familiar with any risks that might come with various trails in the areas that you plan to elope! So to summarize, hiring a photographer from Colorado for your Colorado elopement is SO important.
3. Be Realistic About the Elevation and Your Abilities for You Colorado Elopement
Circling back to the experience when choosing a location for your elopement you need to make sure that you’re realistic about the elevation and your hiking abilities. Knowing what you’re comfortable with hiking and what kind of conditions you're comfortable with experiencing will help you to narrow down on locations that are fit to your level of adventure. If you do plan to hike to a higher elevation, be sure to get into town early so you can adapt to the elevation changes before your elopement.
4. Create Your Elopement Guest List
Yes, you can have guests at your elopement, BUT, it’s important to decide on your non-negotiable guests early so that you can keep that guest count in mind when planning your elopement. Many popular locations have restrictions on the number of guests you can bring. This limits the impact on the environment, so it’s important to have a rough guest list in mind before you narrow down your options of where to elope in Colorado. Having the number of guests you want at your elopement somewhat finalized will help you to narrow down the options for your day.
5. Know Where You’re Flying Into
Denver International Airport is about 30-40 minutes away from actual Downtown Denver, and 90 minutes from the foothills, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Be to either book your ride ahead of time or rent a car to get you to and from your hotel and to and from your elopement location. There are also other regional airports, like Montrose or Telluride, to get you closer to where you want to go if your dream elopement location is a further drive from Denver. Having a plan for when you land to get you to your hotel is imperative, and thinking about how much time you want to spend driving to your location on your wedding day is so important too.
6. Prepare For All Seasons
The weather here changes on a dime, in fact, you can experience all four seasons in one day in Colorado. This is especially prevalent in shoulder seasons like Spring and Fall. So be sure you are prepared! Pack umbrellas and waterproof shoes for rainy days, snow boots or close toed shoes for snowfall, and plenty of water to keep you hydrated throughout your elopement. Knowing that you'll be comfortable and feel safe on your wedding day is SO important to crafting your elopement experience.
7. Think About Activities You Might Like to Incorporate Into Your Wedding Day
Outside of the beautiful views, there are SO many cool things to do in Colorado, and this can help with choosing a location. Whether you want to go off roading, skiing, hiking or exploring one of Colorado's small towns, there are SO many cool activities to incorporate into your elopement day. For example, if you want to go off roading I would recommend somewhere like Ouray in the summer or fall. If you're wanting to ski during your elopement or go snow shoeing, eloping at one of Colorado's beautiful ski resorts in the winter months. Knowing what you want to DO on your elopement day can help you to make a lot of other decisions for your day.
8. Be Sure to Book a Stay That Works for Your Day
Though AirBnB and VRBOs are very popular for elopements, it is important to make sure to ask the host before booking if this type of event is allowed on their property. If you're bringing in outside vendors such as a photographer, a chef, or a florist, you do need permission from the owner of the Airbnb or VRBO. You don't want to get fined for hosting an event after the fact. There are SO many great properties that welcome these events that I can help point you towards, like Alpenglow Cabin or the Triangle Cabin!
9. Make Sure Your Car has 4WD, AWD, or That You Rent One With Those Capabilities
When eloping in the mountains, safety is a very important aspect of an elopement day. You will want your elopement to go off without a hitch, so having a reliable vehicle that you know can get you up and down the mountain safely is important. If you plan to elope in the mountains you will need a vehicle with 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive. If your vehicle does not have these feature you can always rent a car just for the day. For some locations, like in the San Juan Mountains, you might even consider a Jeep rental!
10. Be Ready to Embrace the Adventure.
Anything can happen here in Colorado. You can experience weather from all four seasons in less than an hour, landslides and snow storms and pretty much every type of weather is fair game all year round. This isn't to scare you, but be I want you to be prepared mentally to pivot the plan if needed. With my knowledge of Colorado and all of the beautiful locations to elope, know that I will help you to make the right decisions for your day if something comes up on your day. The beautiful and ever changing landscape is part of what we love about Colorado so much, and is part of the excitement and joy of eloping! A good mindset for things will help you a lot.
If after going through my top ten tips for planning a destination elopement in Colorado you feel like you're ready for the next steps to start planning your day you can reach out here and we can start the process of planning your elopement! For more resources on planning an elopement check out the elopement section of my blog here.
