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Mountain Lake Elopement in Rocky Mountains
How To Plan A Meaningful Elopement Day
Congratulations! You’ve done it, you have decided to break tradition and plan a wedding that represents you both as individuals and together. You have decided that planning a big wedding is too stressful and doesn’t reflect what you want for the most important day of your life, so you have taken the plunge and decided to elope.
Now what? You’ve never done this before, so what does an elopement look like? Your elopement day could, and should, be absolutely anything you want it to be; there are no rules when it comes to planning an elopement. Whether you’re adventurous or not, I’m here to give you ideas on how to plan a meaningful elopement day that is unique, special, and perfect just for you.
Savor The Entire Day
Your elopement day is completely customizable according to what you enjoy doing with your love, whether it’s hanging out in a cozy cabin or seeking that adrenaline high. A lot of people think that eloping is only for the hard core adventurers, but that is simply not true. Elopements can happen in the city, on a mountaintop, in your parents backyard, or even a different country! The most important thing about planning an elopement day is to remember to cherish and savor every single second of it, no matter how or where. All that to say, here is a list of examples on how and what you can do on your elopement day.
getting ready
Whatever your day looks like, elopements always start out with getting ready for the day. Getting ready looks different for everyone, but every single moment of the day is worth capturing. Getting your hair and makeup done, putting on your dress, exchanging letters or gifts with your love while getting ready, or even including your closest family members in the getting ready process. As a wedding photographer, the getting ready process is actually one of my favorite moments to capture because this part of the day is especially emotional, intimate, and allows for so much creativity. However you decide to prepare for your elopement, I always encourage couples to make sure they have these special moments captured.
…what to do, what to do…
After getting ready, your options are completely endless on what you can do! Here are some good questions to ask yourself to help you decide how you want to spend your elopement day:
What does a perfect day look like to you? What do you want to wear? What will the weather be like, snowy or warm? What is the perfect backdrop of where you’ll read your vows, cityscape or mountains? Is there something on your bucket list that you have always dreamed of doing? Is there something incredibly special to you both that you want to incorporate? This could include a variety of things; family members, close friends, pets, a certain activity, or even a specific location!
5 ideas for your elopement day
#1 Have an off-roading jeep adventure at sunset
Go on an off-roading Jeep adventure in the mountains, stopping along the way to your ceremony location for some portraits. Absorb the mountain views with your love and say your vows in the backcountry while you watch the sunset over the rocky peaks.
#2 get married on a mountaintop and ski down as husband and wife
Do you dream about hitting the slopes? Go skiing or snowboarding with your love! A day that includes skiing could look like waking up and getting ready at a beautiful ski lodge or Airbnb, heading up to a mountaintop to say your vows and taking few portraits, then skiing back for a warm drink and dinner together. Maybe even hit up a nearby hot springs to enjoy a relaxing winter evening as a married couple.
#3 take a helicopter to your ceremony, because why not.
Are you a thrill seeker? Another idea couple include taking a helicopter to a remote location that only a handful of people have been, having your ceremony surrounded by incredible views, taking some portraits, then heading back to your home base for dinner and drinks. The top places to have a helicopter elopement are Colorado, Alaska, Hawaii, or Wyoming!
#4 Night on the town
Not wild about adventuring in the wilderness? Have a night on the town by getting married in a favorite park, by a special monument (Eiffel tower, anyone?), or in a beautiful museum. Afterwards, head to your favorite eating spot for dinner and drinks.
#5 get married at sunrise and enjoy the entire day as husband and wife.
There is nothing compared to seeing a magnificent sunrise, no matter where. This idea consists of waking up crazy early (don’t worry, it’s worth it, and I’ll bring coffee), hiking to your ceremony spot, and saying your vows to one another as the sun rises. We’ll take a few portraits, spend a couple hours adventuring and exploring the area, then head back for brunch at a favorite local spot or even with a private chef at your Airbnb.
As you can see, the options really are endless! Horseback riding, skydiving, doing a sunrise hike to a breathtaking spot, having a picnic in the forest, you could bring a bluetooth speaker and do your first dance in a meadow or by the sea, have s’mores and a bonfire with your closest family members, hire a personal chef to cook for you and your love at a cozy Airbnb. You can do absolutely anything to celebrate, whether with just the two of you or with your closest family and friends, I’ll be there to capture every single moment.
10 hour Full day elopement timeline example
Having a traditional big wedding would mean hiring a photographer for 8-10 hours to capture the entire day, so why should elopements be any less special? Every single second deserves to be captured, no matter how or where you elope. Here is a rough timeline of an adventure filled 10 hour elopement day!
1:00pm — Get ready for the day by doing your hair and makeup, putting on your dress, and hanging out with family or just the two of you.
2:30pm — Finish final getting ready touches and head out to the first look location.
3:00pm — Have an intimate first look with your love and take a few pre-ceremony portraits
3:30pm — Hop in a jeep for an off-roading adventure, stopping along the way to explore.
5:30pm — Arrive at the ceremony location, explore the area and take a few portraits
6:00pm — Say your vows, share an intimate first dance
6:30pm — Pop a bottle of champagne and enjoy a picnic together
7:30pm — Enjoy the beautiful sunset views and take a few more portraits
8:30pm — Head back to the Airbnb
10:00pm — Arrive back at Airbnb or lodge and enjoy a warm beverage by the fire and s’mores
11:00pm — Photo coverage wraps up as you savor the moments from your beautiful elopement day!
COLORADO VENDORS AND ADVENTURE REFERRALS FOR YOUR BIG DAY
Jeep and snowmobiling Tours Colorado
Estes Park ATV and Jeep Rentals
Jeep Rentals Near Breckenridge
Lodges, Airbnbs, and Hot Springs
Telluride Mountain Lodge -- Hot Springs and Skiing
Get Married at Winter Park Resort
Buena Vista Hot Springs at Mt. Princeton
Breckenridge Airbnb Walking Distance from Gondola
Alpine A-frame Airbnb in Breckenridge with Mountain Views
Helicopters
Helicopter Tours and Proposals Near Pueblo
Helicopter Weddings in Telluride
private chefs and mixologists
Private Chef and Mixologist in Breckenridge
have any more questions on what you should do for your elopement?
What Does It Mean To Elope? | The Definition of Elopement and How To Do It
Many people think that when a couple chooses to elope, it means that they “ran away” and got married in secret without including their family and friends. While some couples choose to not tell their families until after they are married, this definition has morphed over time and is actually celebrated just like any other wedding. There is actually very little that is different between an elopement and a wedding in today’s day and age!
So What Exactly Does It Mean To Elope?
There are a lot of different definitions out there, but all of them revolve around the same concept: an elopement is an intimate wedding that is completely focused on the couple and what they want for their wedding. There is a small difference between an intimate wedding and an elopement which is the number of guests, typically an intimate wedding is 50 guests or less and an elopement is 10 guests or less, but for the most part they are the same.
An elopement is a day that is planned in a way that revolves around the couple, their relationship, and personalities. Having an elopement instead of a traditional wedding does not mean the day is any less special and it does not mean you have to run away in secret — which you totally could if you wanted to.
Elopements look completely different for every couple, because every couple is different in their own ways! Elopements are truly about creating a day that is unique to you in order to celebrate the fact that you are committing yourselves to one another for the rest of your lives! When it comes to eloping, there are no rules.
It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, where you’re doing it, or who is there; as long as it reflects your needs and wants for your wedding day. Getting married is a day of celebration that reflects your adventure instead of focusing on everyone else’s needs and expectations; you have complete freedom!
SO HOW DO YOU ELOPE?
WHO?
Elopements are different depending on the couple, it really is all about what is important to you. Are you really close to your family or have friends who have poured in your relationship?Include them in your ceremony!
Want to have a private ceremony with just the two of you, but you still want to include your family? Have a reception to celebrate with them! You have complete freedom, so its time to discard any stress and anxiety! This day is about you, so celebrate it the way you want to!
WHERE?
Elopements can take place absolutely anywhere! Because you’re eloping, you are not confined to a venue, rather your venue is God’s incredible creation! You could choose to elope on a white sand beach by the sea, on top of a mountain, in an ice cave, in the desert, or even hop on a helicopter and reach places that only a handful of people have been! I have a very long list of options, but when it comes to choosing a location, it all comes down to what you love the most.
One thing to consider when choosing your location is if you want to have guests or not. If you choose to include more than ten guests, you may need to choose a place that is easily accessible (eloping on a mountaintop could be a little difficult with guests unless you hire a fleet of helicopters to transport everyone).
Many destination weddings are intimate weddings, so the options really are endless. You could get married in your backyard, in a courthouse, or you could travel to a destination you’ve always wanted to see (helloooooo, the Swiss Alps, Amalfi Coast, or Iceland??). As long as your special day is meaningful and all about YOU, that’s all that matters!
WHAT?
Many think that elopements are quick and can only last as long as the vow reading, but actually elopements can be just as long and fun as a traditional wedding day!
Because elopements are smaller than a traditional wedding, many people think that means a shorter day, but I definitely disagree! I believe that you should enjoy and revel in every single moment of your wedding day, and every moment deserves to be captured.
Elopements are completely customizable depending on what is most important to you, but I definitely encourage any kind of adventure! Think about the best possible day you could spend with your love, and turn that day into your elopement. This could include hiking to an epic spot and catching the sunrise, going snowmobiling or rock climbing, having a slow morning getting ready for an afternoon elopement, or even spending the whole day hanging with just your family and closest friends.
Some couples choose not to have a formal reception and instead focus on a longer couples portrait time while others still want to have time to party. Intimate weddings (50 people or less) generally still have a reception, but it is much more casual that a traditional wedding reception depending on the couple.
FIVE STAGES OF PLANNING AN ELOPEMENT
DREAM
Come up with a vision for the best day of your life. Think of a fun, adventurous day that could include anything you can think of, and turn that into your elopement day! If you could get married anywhere in the world, where would it be? In this stage of the elopement planning process, you’ll pick the part of the world you’d like to get married in and what time of year.
RESEARCH
After you brainstorm and dream about your big day, it’s time to research to start making your day come to life. Research the area you’d like to get married in, look for vendors, and find out what’s possible to make your dream into a plan. Look into marriage laws, permits and regulations, and seasons. Hiring an experience elopement planner, travel guide, or elopement photographer can really help you with this part!
START BOOKING
Start by setting your date! Next up, finalize your location, book lodging, look into flights, and book your transportation.. Finalize your wedding vendors, whether they are local or will travel to your elopement spot.
GET READY
Purchase your elopement attire, finalize details with your vendors, plan your activities, and work with your elopement photographer to develop a timeline. If you’re having guests attend, finalize travel details and lodging with them. Communication is key in this part of the planning process!
ELOPE
You’ve worked incredibly hard to make this dream come to life, so in this part of the planning process you get to experience the materialization of your elopement day!
Soak up every single moment.
WHY SHOULD YOU ELOPE?
Elopements aren’t for people who want to breeze through the most important day of their lives, rather it is for the ones who care deeply for one another and are brave enough run away from the norm to choose something different.
Elopements are for the people who desperately want to spend a day, or however long, soaking up every single moment of the day they commit their lives to one another. Elopements aren’t about just a quick license signing and a couple of portraits, they are about taking the hand of your love and jumping into the biggest adventure of a lifetime.