Colorado is home to some of the most stunning landscapes around. We love that Colorado has so much to offer eloping couples year-round! Here are the top 6 reasons to elope in Colorado.

Colorado is a Self Solemnizing State

You might be asking yourself, “What is a self solemnizing state?” and that is such a great question! A self solemnizing state is a state that allows the couple to marry themselves. But what exactly does that mean? That means that the state of Colorado does not require a person (like a priest, minister, etc.) to marry the couple. You and your partner can sign as your own witnesses for a truly private and intimate wedding! 

It’s pretty easy to obtain a Colorado marriage license. We recommend our couples arrive a few days before their elopement date to acclimate to the elevation and have enough time to obtain a marriage license. Once you’ve obtained your marriage license, you just want to make sure to elope within 35 days of obtaining the license. After your elopement, just be sure to return your license within 65 days. For more information on Colorado marriage licenses, click here. 

This allows couples to truly have a “just the two of us” wedding experience with the gorgeous Colorado mountains as their witness. But hey, if you want to have your fur babies sign as your witness, you can absolutely do that. All you have to do is ink their paws with pet-friendly ink and stamp the witness line. What a cute way to include your furry kiddos in your wedding!

It’s Gorgeous Year-Round

Colorado is one of those states that is just *chef’s kiss* year-round. There are accessible elopement locations year-round, making this one of the best places to elope. If you are dreaming of a winter wonderland elopement, you can do that here. If you are dreaming of an elopement surrounded by wildflowers, this is your place. If you want an alpine lake, desert vibes, or want to feel like an ant compared to the towering trees, you can have all of that here!

The summertime is full of wildflowers, bright green mountains, and beautiful weather. The fall is lit up with the golden heughs of changing aspen trees, and perfect temperatures. The wintertime pine trees are dusted with fresh snow. Every season comes with its own beauty. 

There are so many incredible locations that are accessible year-round in Colorado. But how do you decide what time of year would be best for you? We wrote this blog just for you! We recommend that couples sit down together and write out what they are envisioning for their elopement. That way you can get a pretty good feel for what you are looking for.

One of the things that we offer our couples (aside from incredible photos and video) is a customized location guide! We take account of everything that you are looking for in your elopement location and we put together a completely customized location guide with the best elopement locations in Colorado. 

Adventure In All Forms

We totally understand that one of the reasons couples elope in Colorado is because adventure is at the heart of their relationship. Why not continue that love for the outdoors with your wedding? There are endless activities to incorporate into your elopement all year long.

Do you want to go dogsledding or skiing in the winter? We know just the place. Do you want to go backpacking or kayaking in the summer? We’ll bring the snacks. Do you want to go stargazing or leaf-peeping in the fall? We’ll bring the headlamps. Do you want to incorporate a hike in the spring? We know all of the best trails. 

If you’re feeling a little stumped on what activities to incorporate in your elopement, this blog might be helpful! 

Easily Accessible Elopement Locations

One of our all-time favorite reasons to elope in Colorado is the easily accessible locations. We love that anyone can come here and elope with an incredible mountain backdrop. We find that easily accessible locations are really great for including your family in your elopement. If you’re looking for the best of both worlds – an easily accessible location for your ceremony and an epic adventure for just the two of you after – you can absolutely do that here.

Bonus: We highly recommend that our couples opt for a weekday (Monday-Thursday) elopement for added privacy and fewer crowds. The mountains here can get crowded, you can avoid this by eloping during the week!

Off-The-Beaten-Path Elopement Locations

Maybe you’re looking for something a little more adventurous and off-the-beaten path for your elopement. Colorado has tons of incredible locations that, if you are willing, can take a few hours to reach. Either by jeeping or backpacking, you can reach some pretty incredible elopement locations that will provide the ultimate privacy. 

For some off-the-beaten-path inspiration, check out Kaylyn and Holden’s backpacking elopement in Silverton, Colorado, or Crystal and Bo’s off-roading elopement in Wyoming. 

Landscape Diversity

Colorado has some of the most diverse landscapes we have ever seen. Desert, lush vegetation, towering pine trees, rocky mountains, alpine lakes, sand dunes – we literally have it all here! You can get whatever vibe you are going for your adventurous Colorado elopement. 

Some of our favorite places are:

• Rocky Mountain National Park. You can be surrounded by pine trees one minute and on top of Trail Ridge Road the next. We love that you can drive above the treeline and experience what it feels like to truly be on top of the world.
• Great Sand Dunes National Park. Where sand dunes meet mountains. This place is absolutely incredible and so unique!
• Colorado National Monument. An underrated place in Colorado for sure. Colorado National Monument feels like you’re in the middle of a red rock desert. 
• Telluride and Silverton. Wildflower and turquoise alpine lake capital of the world. We LOVE this area for an off-the-beaten-bath wedding experience.

One More Reason to Elope in Colorado

Colorado is just downright amazing! Seriously, we may be a little biased but we think that it’s the best state in the US! 😉

Reasons to Elope in Colorado

Convinced and ready to elope in Colorado? We would absolutely love to be your photographer and videographer duo! Contact us today to start planning your Colorado elopement!

Happy adventuring,

Bailee + Jake

Colorado Adventure Elopement Photographer and Videographer Team