When Marilia and Jayme decided they wanted to get married, they wanted something different than their day-to-day. As a couple currently living in Florida, they wanted to trade out beaches and heat for cooler, more vibrant mountain elopement–especially because they wanted to be married in the Fall.
Together, they chose a Fall Denver elopement–something just far enough outside of the city that they could truly experience the beauty of Colorado Fall but something close enough that it was a simple, streamlined trip.
They picked a gorgeous spot near Evergreen, Colorado–one of my favorites I’ve found in the area to date.
Jayme and Marilia wanted a day that was about their love–they didn’t want it to be over-the-top or extravagant. They opted for a stunning ceremony at a breathtaking spot in Colorado, just the two of them.
When I met up with Jayme and Marilia at their spot, they wanted to dive right into their elopement ceremony. Though they had handwritten vows they wanted to read, they chose to hire an officiant to guide them through a more traditional ceremony.
In Colorado, couples have the choice to self-solemnize, which means they are not legally required to have an officiant or witnesses present during their wedding ceremony for their marriage to be recognized.
This is another super important thing I love to explain about elopements–even if something isn’t required, you can still do whatever it is that you want.
For some, a more traditional ceremony led by an officiant is very important. And that’s perfect. For others, an officiant, witnesses, and a ceremony led by someone else won’t matter. That’s perfect, too. There are no rules when you choose to elope–whatever makes you happy on your day is the right way to elope.
Both Jayme and Marilia read their handwritten vows to each other in Portuguese atop a stunning mountain vista in Evergreen, something only the two of them would understand. It’s moments like these and choices like these that make eloping so incredibly special.
When you elope, you get the freedom to express your love for your partner the way you want–and if that means vowing your love and commitment to them in another language, so it’s personal, intimate, and meaningful, that’s wholly perfect.
After their ceremony, we explored the mountain a bit. The two of them hiked around, playfully soaking in their first few moments as husband and wife. We snapped a few couple portraits in new spots and in the gorgeous, changing light.
Though it was early Fall, we found the smallest pile of snow while exploring the mountain. To my surprise, the couple said it was Jayme’s first time ever seeing snow. We couldn’t not get a few photos of them standing in Jayme’s first snow pile!
Marilia and Jayme spent a few more hours together exploring and soaking in their first day being married. They ran around on the mountain roads, playfully exploring the area. They even requested we get a few shots in front of their very sporty rental car (it looked so beautiful winding around those mountain roads).
As far as elopement coverage, Marilia and Jayme’s Fall Denver elopement was on the shorter side, clocking in at just about four hours.
While I always tell couples to get more coverage than they think they might need (because the day really flies by), Marilia and Jayme actually picked the perfect amount of coverage for what they had in mind.
They weren’t chasing a crazy hike filled with physical challenges or an elaborate ceremony dotted with a ton of glitz and glamour. What they wanted most was to have a meaningful elopement ceremony their way on the top of a mountain.
And they did just that.
