The Top 8 Reasons to Elope in Colorado
Do you want to know one of the most beautiful things about choosing an adventure elopement? You can get married anywhere. Yep, you can get married absolutely anywhere.
Maybe you want to say your vows at the top of a snowy mountain. Maybe you want to pledge your love to your partner on a paddleboard on your favorite alpine lake. Maybe, just maybe, you want to bury your feet in the sand of a stunning beach before you say your big I Dos.
The point is, choosing an adventure elopement means you can get married anywhere your heart desires. And that unlocks a whole lot of amazing potential. You what else it can unlock, though? Some overwhelm.
The knowledge that you can get married anywhere is incredible. Actually choosing the perfect elopement location for the most important day of your life–when there are no limits–can be challenging.
But you don’t need to worry. I’ve got the perfect recommendation for eloping couples seeking beauty, stunning views, and plenty of opportunities for adventure.
If you’re asking for my expert opinion, I’ll tell you 10 out of 10 times that you should elope in Colorado–and I’ve got a long list of reasons why.
Diverse & Amazing Landscapes to Choose From
I could write an entire book on all the jaw-dropping and unique landscapes that Colorado has to offer. I know, I know–everyone always thinks about the Rocky Mountains (for a good reason).
But did you know Colorado also has incredible canyons, enormous dune deserts, a plethora of mountain ranges other than the Rockies, amazing waterfalls, blue lagoon-colored alpine lakes, caves, and sandstone rock formations?
Colorado offers limitless adventure among diverse and incredible landscapes you’d never expect!
Want to know even more about the amazing places you can elope in Colorado? Check out my Ultimate Colorado Eloping Guide and take a peek at my location-specific eloping guides for some of my favorite spots in Colorado.
It Has the Best Seasons
Often, when people envision Colorado, their minds jump straight to tons of snow, downhill skiing, and frosty mountaintops. Are they wrong? Absolutely not. Colorado has an incredible and picturesque winter season that lasts long into the year the higher up in the mountains you climb. But that’s not all Colorado has to offer. Depending on where and when you visit Colorado, you could be greeted with breathtaking wildflowers in alpine meadows, snowy mountains, or golden mountainsides.
Here’s a little expert insight into Colorado’s four amazing seasons:
- Winter: In the alpine and mountainous areas of Colorado, you can definitely expect some serious snow, chilly temps, and the occasional snowstorm. If you’re a snow-loving couple who can’t get enough of snow adventures (like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating, etc.), you’d be hard-pressed to find a state more accessible for winter sports than CO. But Colorado winter ranges from mild to severe depending on where you are, which makes it the perfect choice for couples who love snow in any capacity–in the backdrop of photos or as the main event on their elopement day.
- Spring: Spring is what I consider one of the most rewarding seasons in Colorado–but it’s also can be a little risky. Colorado’s spring could be a full-fledged summer–blue skies, warm temps, and the beginning of gorgeous Colorado blooms. But you also could experience a late-in-the-season snowstorm and be greeted with fresh white powder and chillier temperatures. If you’re a go-with-the-flow couple who loves a little spontaneity, Colorado spring is perfect for you.
- Summer: There’s nothing quite like the beauty of a Colorado summer. Though it can get pretty hot at lower elevations, mountain summers are often the perfect temperatures. But what’s most notable about Colorado’s summer is the explosion of incredible wildflowers. From the San Juan Mountains to the Rockies, you’re bound to find some incredible fields of fresh mountain flowers blooming in ways you’ve never imagined. Like summer anywhere, Colorado does have some unexpected thunderstorms, but if you plan right and are ready to pivot, it’s one of the best times of the year to elope here.
- Fall: Picture changing leaves on the trees so vibrant, golden, and bright you can’t believe your eyes–that’s what Colorado’s fall season is like. Colorado has long been known for its incredible fall season for a really good reason–it’s downright stunning. If you and your partner are crazy about the leaves changing, I can’t suggest a better state to catch a brief but brilliant fall season.
Self-Solemnizing is Always a Win
Colorado is one of the few states that gives couples the freedom to self-solemnize. That means you and your partner can get married in Colorado without any officiants or witnesses–you two just need to sign the papers, and you’re good to go. While there’s nothing wrong with including witnesses or officiants (and, in fact, a lot of couples who get married in Colorado do so for sentimental reasons), Colorado is awesome because it gives you the freedom to do things however you want.
Self-solemnization can simplify things if you don’t want to hire an officiant or include any witnesses on your day. It takes all the complications of the ceremony and throws them right out the window so you can get married when you want, how you want, and around who you want.
And, BTW, because you don’t technically need witnesses or an officiant, that witness line is open. That means anyone–including your dog–can sign your license as your witness. And to me, that’s a pretty dang cute option.
Unmatched Accessibility
Colorado may be rugged, wild, and perfect for the adventurous at heart–but it’s also not hard to access. By that, I mean Colorado is equipped with the seamless accessibility needed to get to and enjoy the outdoors, no matter what your adventure of choice might be.
If you need an accessible trail that’s doable for adventurers of all scales, Colorado has thousands to choose from. If you need information about an epic 4×4 road you want to take your vehicle down for your wedding day, Colorado has limitless resources to help you find one.
Geographically, Colorado appeals to everyone out there–so the state has gone to great lengths to make sure everyone can access the outdoors. And the adventure culture in Colorado has done the rest of the work, sharing all the information they can get their hands on about the backcountry, national parks, public lands, the best trails, and more!
When it comes to accessibility, it’s hard to find a state better than Colorado.
Any Type of Adventure You Could Imagine
Remember how we talked about Colorado’s incredibly diverse landscape? And remember how we just talked about Colorado’s amazing accessibility to the outdoors?
Well, those things are coming into play again–this time in the form of endless opportunities for any kind of adventure you can dream up.
Colorado is the perfect place to ski and snowboard, hike and backpack, have an offroad adventure in your 4×4 vehicle of choice, paddleboard and kayak, have a scenic picnic, go biking, take a helicopter ride, or go horseback riding.
If you can dream it, then in Colorado, you can do it.
Adventure Elopement Culture is Big in CO
I want to start this section with a disclaimer–it doesn’t matter if adventure elopements are popular where you choose to elope. What matters most on your elopement day is that you’re getting married exactly where you want to–and whether or not that area is familiar with adventure elopements or not isn’t that big of a deal.
That said, Colorado doesn’t just understand adventure elopements; the culture embraces them. Colorado folks are always stoked about adventuring and getting outside–and that means adventure eloping is welcomed with open arms.
And that doesn’t just mean you’re able to get married seamlessly exactly how you want; it means you’ll be privy to a ton of other benefits, like:
- That passersby on the trail will be stoked for you
- The government agencies will know what paperwork you need and the fees to pay
- Vendors in the surrounding areas know how to work with the unique needs of an adventure elopement
And, of course, that’s just the start of the list.
National & State Parks Galore (Plus Lots of Public Land)
We’ve already talked a lot about the type of landscape out there–so I’ll keep this section pretty short and sweet. But I do think it’s important to really spell out just how many amazing places there are to elope in Colorado.
Did you know that CO has four national parks? Mostly, people think of RMNP right away (which is fair–it’s one of the most popular parks in the U.S.), but that’s not the only amazing park in the state. It also is home to:
On top of that, Colorado has over 42 state parks and over 8.3 million acres of public land to explore.
All that to say, you’ve got plenty of options for where to elope in Colorado.
City Conveniences Alongside Wild Adventure
Depending on where you are in Colorado, you’ll have access to established cities with tons of amazing food, shops, vendors, lodging, airports, and more–and you’ll never be all that from the rugged outdoors that CO has to offer.
Of course, if you trek out into the middle of nowhere intentionally, you could be hours from these conveniences–but if a balance of both is important, Colorado has that unique position covered.
Let’s Plan Your Perfect-For-You Colorado Elopement
No matter what amazing day you’re envisioning for your Colorado elopement, I can help you pull it all together. As your elopement photographer, I’ll capture your love story as authentically and as meaningfully as possible–but I’ll also help you plan the ins and outs of your day so it’s entirely perfect for you both.
If you’re ready to kickstart your planning process, want to chat about the best places to elope in Colorado, or book your elopement dates with me, reach out ASAP so we can start creating the elopement day of your dreams.
