A Full Guide on Where to Elope in Colorado

There are SO many reasons to elope in Colorado, but one of the biggest reasons people choose to elope here has to be the fantastic scenery and landscapes that make up this wonderful place I call home! There are practically an infinite number of locations to choose from that all would be ideal for an elopement ceremony, which is both amazing but also a little stressful. Just how are you supposed to choose a location, and what should you be looking for when deciding on an elopement location? Today we’re here to answer those questions and more as we dive into my guide on where to elope in Colorado! Let’s get into it!!

Brie and Groom stand on top of a cliff overlooking Mountains in Colorado while snow flies around them during elopement photos.

Things to Consider When Planning Where to Elope in Colorado

When deciding where to have your elopement in Colorado there’s going to be a few things you want to keep in mind as you get into the thick of your planning process.

The Look and Feel of the Location

First and probably the aspect that people think about the most when choosing where to have their elopement is the setting itself. Colorado is home to a WIDE array of different landscapes, each with their own unique look and feel to them. Of course you have the iconic mountain ranges the state is known for, but there’s a LOT more! From rolling fields, stunning lake views, picturesque waterfalls, charming small towns, epic rock formations, the list goes on and on!! When in the initial planning stages of your Colorado elopement be sure to discuss what you want the setting of your elopement to look and feel like so you know what to look for in a location!

How Accessible the Location Is

Accessibility is another huge factor in determining which location to have your Colorado elopement at! There are a ton of factors that come into play when thinking about accessibility including:

Whether you fly into Denver International Airport or a different Colorado airport.
Where you’ll be staying while in Colorado.
Where your location is in relation to where you’re staying.
How much hiking you’ll have to do to reach your location.

How Much Privacy You Want

Elopements by nature are very intimate and personal, so when traveling to a state that’s as popular for tourism as Colorado you’ll want to consider how private a location is before deciding on it. Of course you can make a busy location work, but ideally you’re going to want some privacy to really feel the moment and the emotions of your elopement! A good tip to avoid crowds even during the busy seasons of tourism, (something we’ll cover later on in the article) is to have your elopement on a weekday or at sunrise.

10 of My Favorite Places to Elope in Colorado

Alright, so now that we know what we’re looking for when finding a location for your Colorado elopement, let’s check out 10 of my favorite locations throughout this incredible state!

1. Rocky Mountain National Park

First up on our lists is none other than the epic and iconic Rocky Mountain National Park, or RMNP for short! Avid readers of my blog are sure to recognize the name RMNP, as I’ve featured it heavily in past gallery blogs. I’ve also written an entire guide going over how to plan an elopement here, which you should definitely check out if this park is calling your name!! RMNP can be found just around an hour outside of Denver, and covers over 415 square miles. The sheer size of RMNP should give you a sense as to what planning an elopement here is like!

It is a fantastic experience as the park has some truly breathtaking areas to choose from, but it can be a little daunting to choose from. That’s why I always recommend booking a local Colorado elopement photographer (such as yours truly!), to help you find the spot that best fits your vision!!

Bride in a long sleeve ivory dress reads her vows to groom in a brown suit jacket on a dock overlooking water with Rocky Mountain National Park in the background during their elopement ceremony.

2. Boulder, Colorado

Next on our list of elopement locations is the fabulous town of Boulder, Colorado! Boulder is a town found just outside of Denver, which makes it one of the most accessible and easy to get to locations on our list!! It is also home to some fantastic elopement locations such as Sunrise Amphitheater, Lost Gulch, as well as plenty others. The close proximity to Denver as well as RMNP means that there is plenty to explore and experience outside of your elopement! This is a dream location for couples looking to get that Colorado rocky mountain experience without having to travel too far from the state’s bigger cities!!

Bride and Groom sit cliffside with mountains in Colorado in the background as they pose for elopement portraits.

3. Breckenridge, Colorado

Just around an hour and forty five minutes from downtown Denver is the pleasant and picturesque town of Breckenridge, Colorado! This small Colorado town has a LOT to offer for couples thinking of having their elopement here! From incredible locations like Lake Dillon, Sapphire Point, and Loveland Pass, to an abundance of activities to take part in outside of your elopement! Breckenridge is of course known for its skiing, but the town also offers plenty of other activities like hiking, biking, a vibrant art district, horseback riding, and SO much more. There are also a ton of different options to choose from when staying in Breckenridge, keeping things simple when it comes to planning the logistics of your elopement!

Bride and groom stand in the middle of a hilly plain looking to the golden San Juan Mountains in the distance for elopement portraits in Colorado.

4. San Juan Mountains

Another familiar face from those who’ve been keeping up with my blogs and articles, the San Juan Mountains are a truly spectacular place to have your elopement in Colorado! I again have an entire guide on planning an elopement here that you should check out. Similarly to RMNP, the San Juan Mountains are simply SO expansive that they need their own entire article to go over the different scenic locations you can choose to elope at, and even then it still isn’t enough to cover every location in the park! That’s because the San Juan Mountains cover an insane 12,000 square miles!! Yes you read that right! Eloping in the San Juan Mountains is one of the coolest experiences you can have in Colorado though, so if you’re interested in checking out some of the wonderful locations it has to offer be sure to check out my guide!

Bride slides wedding band onto Bride's finger as they preform elopement ceremony in front of San Juan Mountains in Colorado.

5. Maroon Bells

Found near Aspen, Colorado are the fantastic Maroon Bells, our next elopement location! Thanks to Maroon Creek Road, accessing Maroon Lake itself is incredibly simple, and features one of the most photographed mountain peaks in all of Colorado. The scenic loop trail is a near 2 mile loop that lets you experience both lakes of Maroon Bells, and features the breathtaking mountain views that the location is known for! This is one of the most popular locations in terms of hikers, so I do recommend a sunrise elopement here if you’re looking to have this experience all to yourselves!!

Bride and groom walk up a mountainside overlooking mountains in Breckenridge Colorado during elopement portraits.

6. Buena Vista, Colorado

About two and a half hours southwest of Denver is lovely Buena Vista, Colorado! This town has a rich history, vibrant community, and a ton of great locations to choose from for your elopement! Cottonwood Pass and Collegiate Peaks both offer epic mountain views, while the historic Surf Hotel stands as one of the prime locations in town for an intimate elopement ceremony and/or reception! While a little further from Denver and its international airport than some of our other locations, the charm and scenery of Buena Vista is WELL worth the drive!

7. Twin Lakes

Just north of Buena Vista you’ll find two scenic lakes, aptly named Twin Lakes! Twin Lakes is our next elopement location as while the lakes themselves are beautiful, the jaw dropping views of Mt Elbert, Colorado’s tallest mountain, are the real draw of this location. Mt Elbert and the nearby rocky mountains surround Twin Lakes to create a surreal and almost out of this world setting perfect for any elopement. There are places to stay on the Twin Lakes, or you can choose to stay in Buena Vista, Leadville, or Aspen, all of which are just a short drive away.

Bride and Groom kiss with their back towards the camera as they overlook the Garden of the Gods in Colorado during their elopement ceremony.

8. Independence Pass

Our next stop is Independence Pass, and is in between Twin Lakes and Aspen! Independence Pass itself has a few different locations and hiking trails found along Colorado’s Highway 82 that you can choose from for your elopement. Some are very simple to reach while others require you to embark on a slightly more challenging hike to reach them! If you’re up for some moderate hiking though I strongly recommend it as these views are some of THE best you’ll come across in Colorado! The mountains seem to extend out to infinity every way you look, and during a sunrise elopement are simply magnificent. And again, with it being so close to Aspen you’ll be able to find a place to stay without having to drive too far out of your way at all!!

9. Garden of the Gods

Just outside of Colorado Springs, or around an hour south of Denver, is the fittingly named Garden of the Gods! This location is one of those that when you experience it for the first time it almost feels as though you’re on another planet. The red sandstone formations are the real draw of this location as they are one of the coolest and most fun backdrops to work with for an elopement! Check out Jenna and Francine’s elopement to get a glimpse at what I mean!!

Being just outside of Colorado Springs also means that planning out where you’ll be staying and how you’ll be getting around couldn’t be easier. This is one of the more popular locations on the list to visit, but that’s ok as if you do decide on a sunrise elopement you’ll be treated with a setting and experience that will quite literally take your breath away!

Bride with an autumn flower bouquet and Groom sit on red rocks in Pikes Peek during elopement ceremony in Colorado.

10. Pikes Peak

Our 10th and final elopement location on our list is of course Pikes Peak! This mountain top found just west of Garden of the Gods offers some of the most stunning views we’ve seen yet! Pikes Peak is easily accessible thanks to a paved road that takes you all the way to the summit, but there are also plenty of hiking trails for those looking to experience the mountain up close and personal. With Pikes Peak again being so close to Colorado Springs, and with the ease of being able to drive to the peak itself, this is easily one of the most accessible locations on the list. The best part of that though is it sacrifices nothing in terms of its beauty!!

Something Less Known

I know we just covered a LOT of locations throughout Colorado for you to choose from when deciding where to have your elopement, but what if I told you that this hardly scratches the surface?! These 10 locations are some of the more popular spots in the state, but there are many more locations that are equally if not more beautiful to choose from, you just have to know where to look. That’s where I, your local Colorado elopement photographer, come in! I absolutely LOVE sourcing less known locations for my couples to make their elopement experience wholly unique to them! If that sounds like something you’re after be sure to send me an inquiry through my contact page!

Bride and Groom stand in a field surrounded by golden autumn trees with the San Juan Mountains in the background for their elopement portraits in Colorado.

Other Notes About Your Colorado Elopement

Now that we got the potential locations of your Colorado elopement out of the way, there are just a few more things I’d like to quickly go over!

The Legalities of Your Elopement

The first is one of the most important aspects of planning your Colorado elopement, and that is the legalities of it all! Thankfully Colorado is a state that makes eloping easy, straightforward, and accessible for everyone. This in large part is due to self solemnization being legal, which basically means you don’t need to have any witnesses or an officiant present for your marriage to be legal! I have a whole article going over self solemnization and everything else you need to know about getting your marriage license here in Colorado that you should definitely bookmark for later, or check out once you’re through this article!

When to Plan Your Elopement in Colorado

Along with the legalities of your elopement, you’ll also need to plan out exactly when to elope in Colorado! We talked a little about this already, and how using weekdays and sunrise elopements to your advantage is a great way to avoid the crowds at popular locations. What season should you elope in though? Colorado is beautiful year round, though for different reasons, so it depends on the experience and the setting that you’re looking for! I also have an article that goes in depth on this topic to help guide you through choosing the best season for YOUR elopement here in Colorado!

Leave No Trace Elopements

Last but not least is a topic that is near and dear to me, and that is Leave No Trace! Leave No Trace is a list of 7 different principles to follow in order to respect mother earth while we enjoy all that she has to offer. Check out my article about leave no trace elopements to get the full scoop on this. A Leave No Trace elopement though basically means what the name implies, which is that when you go out into these natural spaces for your elopement the next hikers should be able to come in after and have no idea that you were ever there!

Bride and groom walk through grassy fields in the Rocky Mountain National Park looking at each other.

PHEW! That was a TON of info, and I’m sure you can tell by now why it’s just a little stressful planning your own elopement here in Colorado, but that’s where I come in!! I LOVE sharing my incredible state with couples looking to experience it and have their love story documented in this place I’m lucky enough to call home! If you’re ready to take the next steps towards making your Colorado elopement dreams a reality send me an inquiry so we can start planning your trip together!