Choosing a 3M Curve elopement in Rocky Mountain National Park means that you’re not sacrificing anything! This elopement location offers jaw-dropping views or Rocky Mountain National Park and ease of accessibility. Gabi and Ryan’s 3M Curve elopement in the fall will inspire you to talk to a Colorado Elopement Photographer and Videographer today.

Firstly, Where Is 3M Curve?

3M Curve is one of 13 designated ceremony sites in Rocky Mountain National Park. It doesn’t show up on Google Maps and Rocky Mountain National Parks website doesn’t give the coordinates, either. So where the heck is 3M Curve?! 3M Curve is located along Trail Ridge Road and is open year round for elopements. Here are the coordinates: 40°22’50.3″N 105°36’13.3″W. You can also click here to see the Google Map of the area.

3M Curve is one of our favorite ceremony locations in Rocky Mountain National Park for so many reasons! The first reason is because the actual ceremony site itself has incredible views of Rocky Mountain National Park with Longs Peak towering in the background. The second reason we love this spot is because it is kinda off of the beaten path. A lot of people see the pull out, stop, hop out of their car for a minute, and take off. You do have to take a short path away from the main road and down the trail a little bit. Because of this, you do get a little more privacy than other ceremony sites.

Fun Facts About 3M Curve

• You can have up to 15 people at this ceremony site (couple + vendors included)
• You can have three cars at this ceremony site. We will need one of those, so you really have two cars you can take to this ceremony site. We highly recommend carpooling
• 3M Curve is 3.5 miles from the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
• The closest town to Rocky Mountain National Park is Estes Park

Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry Information

Rocky Mountain National Park was the first National Park to implement a timed entry system in 2020. The park said that it did this for two reasons: To protect the parks resources and visitor experience. The timed entry process is super easy to navigate and you can learn more about the timed entry process here. You will need to create a recreation.gov account in order to reserve your RMNP time entry reservation. This account is free and easy to sign up for!

2024 Time Entry Updates

• Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) will implement a pilot reservation system using timed entry in 2024, beginning on Friday, May 24
• This summer’s pilot will be similar to the pilot used in 2023. There will be two types of reservations available: One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which includes the entire corridor, as well as access to the rest of the park. This reservation period will be from 5am to 6pm. The second permit will be for the “rest of the park,” and does not include access to the Bear Lake Road Corridor. This “rest of park” reservation period will be from 9am to 2pm
• Timed entry permits will allow park visitors to enter Rocky Mountain National Park within two-hour windows of availability, with no set time for departure

Reservations to enter the park will be available through recreation.gov following the schedule listed below:

• Beginning at 8 a.m. MT on Wednesday, May 1. This round of reservations will be available to enter the park from May 24 through June 30
• The next release will occur on June 1, for the month of July and any remaining days that have not been booked for June
• On July 1, reservations will be available for the month of August and any remaining days that have not been booked for July
• On Aug. 1, reservations will be available for the month of September and any remaining days in August that have not been booked
• On Sept. 1, reservations will be available for October and any remaining days in September that have not been booked

Do I Need A Timed Entry If I Have A Signed And Paid Wedding Permit?

If you are eloping outside of Rocky Mountain National Park but are planning on entering the park for portraits you will need to obtain a timed entry reservation. It is important to note that there are two types of entry tickets may need; you may need a timed entry reservation and you will always need to pay the entrance fee when you arrive at the park.

How Do We Apply For A Wedding Permit At 3M Curve?

“After favorable review of your application, a Special Use Permit will be prepared and sent to you for signature via email. Upon receipt, review, sign, and return the permit via email for final approval. If your ceremony plans change, notify the parks office immediately. After the permit is finalized, they will send you an authorized copy via email. The approved permit must be in your possession at the time of the ceremony!”

This is super important! Please make sure you print this out and have a few copies on hand. I have been stopped multiple times while out on an elopement and they ask to see your printed copy. I have heard of couples (and vendors) getting banned from the park if they do not have a permit, so this step is vital!

If you are interested in other ceremony locations, I wrote this blog about my top three favorite locations in Rocky Mountain National Park!

What Is The Best Time Of Year To Elope At 3M Curve?

The nice thing about choosing Rocky Mountain National Park for your elopement location is that the ceremony sites are open year round! So to answer this question, honestly any time of year is great here. Gabi and Ryan got married on October 2nd, 2023 and the fall colors were absolutely stunning! Read more about their moody fall wedding below.

Gabi and Ryan’s 3M Curve Elopement in the Fall

Now let’s get to the fun stuff! Gabi and Ryan’s elopement at Rocky Mountain National Park was absolutely incredible. It started off with us meeting them at their Airbnb for getting ready coverage. Gabi and her gals got ready together while Taylor Swift blasted upstairs while Ryan and his guys got ready together in the basement. It was so them and it was so fun to capture!

It’s honestly one of our favorite parts of the day to capture as it tells the couples wedding story from start to finish. We love being able to capture a couples wedding details, too! Choosing to include getting ready coverage really allows us to do just that – capture your wedding details.

After Gabi got ready, she had a first look with her dad. Ryan and Gabi wrote letters to each other to read in private before they headed out. After reading those letters, we headed out to 3M Curve.

Getting Ready Before The Ceremony

Gabi and Ryan’s First Look at 3M Curve in Rocky Mountain National Park

Gabi and Ryan chose to have their first look down natures “aisle” at 3M Curve. This was probably one of the sweetest first looks we’ve ever seen! Ryan and Gabi were both so emotional and completely present in that moment. It almost felt as if time stood still for that moment, allowing Ryan and Gabi the space to feel all of the butterflies, all of the anticipation for their wedding, all of the excitement. That’s probably one of our favorite parts about elopements. Couples get a completely safe space to feel exactly what they are feeling during their wedding.

Gabi and Ryan’s Elopement Ceremony at 3M Curve in Rocky Mountain National Park

After an emotional and exciting first look down the aisle, Gabi and Ryan exchanged the sweetest vows! I love that they incorporated their close friends and family during their ceremony. Their best friend officiated, Gabi’s brother handed off the rings, while Ryan’s dad and brother-in-law read a passage. These are some really meaningful ways to include your family in your elopement! If you’re looking for other ideas, this blog is for you.

It was such an emotional and genuine ceremony! There was seriously not a dry eye. We also love that Gabi and Ryan chose to have three groomsmens and three bridesmaids, proof that you can totally incorporate more traditional things into your elopement! After their 3M Curve elopement ceremony + celebration, we had a moment for family photos before Gabi, Ryan, Jake, and I headed out for their couples portraits.

Exploring Rocky Mountain National Park

After Gabi and Ryan’s incredibly sweet and emotional ceremony surrounded by their closest friends and family, we headed out to explore the park. We absolutely love getting to share our favorite parts of Colorado with our couples! We were able to explore so many incredible areas for Gabi and Ryan’s wedding portraits.

October can be such a wildcard month for us in Colorado. It could snow one day and then the next be 60 degrees! You never really know what to expect and we love that Colorado keeps us on our toes. That being said, it is super important to be prepared for all types of weather in any month. When you’re choosing to elope in the great outdoors, being prepared is vital. It’s super important to have a warm coat, gloves, wool socks, and warm shoes during the fall.

During Gabi and Ryan’s elopement, we experience every type of weather! From sunshine, to sleet, to snow, to yes, even a thunderstorm! It was probably the most bizarre thing I’ve ever witnessed. In one direction you could see snow engulfing the mountains and in the other thunderheads formed and you could hear thunder. When we say be prepared for anything, we mean it!

Did Colorado’s crazy weather stop Gabi and Ryan from having an incredible time? Absolutely not!!! We made our way up Trail Ridge Road, down to Hidden Valley, and all the way to Sprague Lake. Stopping along the way for portraits and exploration. These two were absolute troopers!

Read To Book Us To Document Your 3M Curve Elopement?!

We couldn’t be more excited for the two of you to take this next step in the story of your lives! Rocky Mountain National Park is in our backyard and we have spent so much time exploring the area and documenting elopements here. We cannot wait to get to know the two of you better and document your 3M Curve elopement! Reach out to us today to start planning one of the best days of your lives!