There’s something truly magical about eloping in Colorado. It’s personal, intimate, and lets you focus on what matters most—your love for each other. If you’ve been dreaming of a wedding that’s not only beautiful but adventurous, exciting, and totally stress-free, then reasons to elope in Colorado become an obvious choice. With its breathtaking landscapes, laid-back vibe, and endless possibilities for unique experiences, Colorado has everything you need for a wedding day that’s as epic as your love story.

If you’re wondering why you should elope in Colorado, here are the top ten reasons to elope in Colorado that will make you fall head over heels for this stunning state!

1. Epic Natural Backdrops That Will Blow Your Mind

One of the most compelling reasons to elope in Colorado is the spectacular natural scenery. Whether it’s towering mountain peaks, serene lakes, or dramatic desert canyons, Colorado’s landscapes are some of the most breathtaking in the country. Imagine exchanging vows in front of an alpine lake with snow-capped peaks in the background, or in a secluded valley surrounded by red rock formations. From the peaceful forests to the rugged mountains, there’s an endless variety of stunning spots to choose from—making reasons to elope in Colorado even more irresistible!

Read Kyle and Abigail’s reasons for eloping in Colorado:

“When we began planning our wedding, we knew we wanted it to feel like us. As we looked at more traditional venues, we both agreed we didn’t see ourselves reflected in the spaces, we needed something different. To discover how we wanted to begin our future, we reflected on our past in our first month of dating. We went on a sunrise hike 2.5 hours away from our homes and on that hike, we agreed we never felt more connected to ourselves and each other than sitting at the peak as the world woke up.

We have returned every year to repeat our sunrise hike and reconnect and reflect on how far we have come. It only made sense that when we began our life together it began at sunrise on the top of a mountain surrounded by our parents and siblings, the people who have loved us the longest. We chose to elope for the intimacy, freedom and comfort it allows, we were able to bare ourselves completely to each other in the safety of our family and nature as we began our journey as husband and wife.”

2. Say Goodbye to Wedding Stress

One of the biggest reasons couples elope in Colorado is the elimination of wedding stress. Planning a traditional wedding can be overwhelming, with guest lists, catering, and countless decisions to make. But when you elope in Colorado, you can skip all of that. With fewer people to worry about, you can focus on the most important thing: your love. Eloping allows you to create a more intimate, personalized ceremony without the pressure and stress of a traditional wedding. This means you can truly enjoy your day and cherish every moment together.

Here are the reasons why Lindy and Cory decided to elope in Colorado:

“Cory and I aren’t the most traditional people to begin with. That said, we didn’t think of our wedding day in the traditional sense either. After being together for 10 years, Cory proposed on a trip and the very next question he asked me was “beach or mountains?”. My answer was as easy as saying “yes” to his proposal, mountains! Thinking about having a big wedding with both our families just wasn’t us.

We really just wanted to focus on the purpose and intentions of the commitment instead of feeling pressure from expectations of others or the process of planning a large wedding. Neither of us like to bring attention to ourselves and ultimately decided to do something special, just the two of us. We started researching options and pretty quickly landed on eloping to Colorado. The more we looked into it, the more excited we got about all the possibilities and things began feeling right. Once we met with Bailee on our initial call, we knew we made the right decision! Since we were the only people in attendance, we made sure to do photos and the wedding video to share with our families.

As we got to planning the details, picking out our location, where to stay, logistics, and what to do for the rest of the trip, everything was falling into place perfectly. Eloping took 99% of the stress out of planning a wedding. We got to thoroughly enjoy every single moment involving our wedding. We got married next to a lake in the mountains at sunrise, it was the most peaceful and calm ceremony. Over a year later, we don’t have a single regret! 

After the wedding, we had a week mixed with activities and relaxing before heading back home to Missouri. It was a wedding and honeymoon rolled into one. It was the most perfect way for us to get married! We didn’t spend loads of money on unnecessary things like a venue, decorations, or feeding family we haven’t spoken to in years. It was a day of peace, intimacy, pure love, and the beauty of nature. 10/10 recommend eloping in Colorado!”

3. An Adventure-Filled Experience

If you and your partner are nature lovers, reasons to elope in Colorado become even more exciting. The state offers a wealth of outdoor activities that will turn your elopement into a thrilling experience. You could hike to a mountain peak, explore hidden waterfalls, go skiing, or even take a hot air balloon ride. These adventurous activities make your wedding day feel even more special and unique. Plus, once the ceremony is over, you can continue exploring Colorado’s vast natural wonders together, making your elopement a truly unforgettable adventure!

4. Incredible Variety of Locations to Choose From

Another great reason to elope in Colorado is the incredible variety of elopement locations. Whether you envision your ceremony in the towering mountains, in a desert landscape, or among dense forests, Colorado has it all. Some of the most popular elopement spots include:

• Rocky Mountain National Park: This iconic spot offers towering peaks, alpine lakes, and meadows full of wildflowers. Click here to learn about how to elope in Rocky Mountain National Park.
• Telluride: A charming mountain town that blends small-town charm with luxurious accommodations, perfect for a romantic elopement. Not to mention epic mountain views and incredible adventurous options like Jeeping through the San Juan Mountains. Click here to learn about how to elope in Telluride, Colorado.
• Maroon Bells Amphitheater, Aspen, Colorado: One of the most iconic and picturesque places in Colorado. The Maroon Bells Amphitheater combines ease of accessibility with an epic mountain backdrop. Click here to learn how to elope at the Maroon Bells Amphitheater.
• Garden of the Gods: Imagine a ceremony surrounded by towering red rocks and breathtaking views in Colorado Springs. Click here to learn how to elope at Garden of the Gods.
• Summit County: One of our all-time favorite elopement locations in Colorado, Summit County offers anything and everything all year long. From gorgeous fields of wildflowers in the summer to snow filled slopes in the winter and everything in between. So many gorgeous locations to pick from here, too from easily accessible spots to epic multi-day adventure options. Click here to learn how to elope in Summit County.

The wide variety of landscapes and settings means you can tailor your elopement to your style—whether you want something rustic, romantic, adventurous, or quirky!

Read another couple’s reasons why they chose to elope in Colorado:

“My husband and I have been together for almost 11 years. We met in high school on my 16th birthday (best birthday gift ever!) and have been each other’s best friend ever since. You would think that we would have gotten married within the first 5 years of our relationship, instead on our 5th anniversary we found ourselves celebrating in Hawai’i, relaxing on the beautiful shores of Waikiki, with no plans of marriage for at least a few more years. After all, we were juniors in college, so we were neck deep in assignments, working part-time jobs, and honestly were still discovering who we were as individuals.

We knew that if we were to get married, we would want it to be stress free, where we didn’t have to worry about the high cost, or missing an important exam. More importantly we wanted to make sure that this would be a decision we wouldn’t regret. That sounds rather morbid, however, he and I lived two completely different childhoods, amongst different cultures, and both face situations that altered our family dynamics today. Sadly, both our families ended up down the road of divorce in some way, shape or form. Therefore, my husband and I, like most couples, did not want to see divorce in our future, and so we were hesitant about marriage for quite some time. We didn’t want to repeat any mistakes our families made, and we knew we wanted to work on ourselves individually .This was especially true for myself due to growing up in an abusive household. Ultimately, regardless of marriage, we wanted to create a safe, loving and healthy environment in our home. This action alone takes time, and unfortunately it doesn’t happen overnight.

Eventually, we graduated from college, got full-time jobs, and both had seen progress in personal challenges we faced through the help of medical professionals. This is when we started to think about actually proceeding with getting married, which means getting engaged! In the 9th year of our relationship, March to be exact, while enjoying a bike-ride through a scenic park and relaxing with a yummy picnic, towards the end of our outing, while relaxing after our meal, I recall him calling my name. I looked over my shoulder and there it was, my best friend asking me if I wouldn’t mind spending the rest of my life with him. Of course I said yes! When you’ve been together for 9 years, you kind of are used to things taking a while to happen, however we knew that we wanted to get married within the year, and wanted to start a family within the next 2 years.

This sounds to be the complete opposite of taking things slowly, something we’ve done for years! At this point though, we’ve gotten to know each other so well, we genuinely felt to be at a spot in our lives where we were confident in accomplishing these important life events.  This action alone takes time, and unfortunately it doesn’t happen overnight. Eventually, we graduated from college, got full-time jobs, and both had seen progress in personal challenges we faced through the help of medical professionals.

When it came to planning a wedding, we both immediately knew we weren’t fans of parties, we are pretty distant with most of our family and have a pretty small, but amazingly supportive group of friends, who all live in different parts of the country. So, planning a traditional wedding seemed stressful, expensive, and quite honestly awkward for us. While I consider myself more of an extrovert more often than not, anxiety often gets the best of me, and my husband is an introvert, who becomes more extroverted as one gets to know him, and that can take time.

I knew I would be worried consistently throughout our wedding day about pending family drama, and he would be worried if he was being social enough to fill everyone’s cup of tea. That’s when we discussed eloping.  We wouldn’t keep it a secret from the family we do have contact with, and we would involve our friends in the planning process if they wanted, but in the end we made it clear to them that this was going to be an ‘us’ thing, and only us two and a photographer would be attending the elopement. We both only wanted to focus on each other the day we got married and wanted all of our interactions that day to be genuine and relaxed, with no pressure from anyone.

We discussed it with family and friends, and of course, we had some mixed reactions that we had to get through and sure that can be awkward, but at the end of the day, we stuck to our decision. We were marrying each other, not the individuals who were upset about an elopement. The following months seemed to fly by, we set a location in beautiful Boulder, CO, and found our photographer, Bailee! She was incredibly kind and supportive of what we were looking for in our elopement, and helped us create a stress-free agenda. 

September finally rolled around, that makes about 6 months after our engagement, and the week of our elopement was here. It was both of our first time in Colorado, the weather was gorgeous, and after the elopement we planned on taking a mini-moon in both Denver and Boulder. The day of the elopement went off without a hitch. We both were nervous about our vows, as they were very personal and a little corny. However, Bailee knew that we wanted our vows to be private, and she was incredibly respectful of our space. He and I shared our vows among ourselves, and she was able to take photos of the moment from a distance.

It was perfect! We didn’t feel awkward or pressured at all, we felt at ease, and my husband who isn’t very photogenic, was starting to loosen up and act like his normal goofy self. The whole day was a blast for us. We met amazing individuals along the trail we hiked for our second location without cell service. Which can sound scary for some, but perfect for us, it really felt it was just a day dedicated to us and the celebration of our love and friendship towards each other. All of the moments we shared that day were perfectly captured, just like any other wedding day, and if we had to do it over again, we wouldn’t change a thing. A year has passed and we are now expecting our first child. We cannot wait to take them to the beautiful locations where we eloped. Those locations now hold such a special place in our heart, as we know it’s where we promised to spend the rest of our lives together and we can’t wait to make new memories there with our little one!” 

5. Weather That Works for Every Season

The weather in Colorado is another one of the best reasons to elope in Colorado. If you have a specific season in mind for your elopement, Colorado has a climate that works for everyone. For those who want a winter wonderland, Colorado offers snow-covered peaks and frosty forests—ideal for a cozy ceremony. Not to mention a plethora of winter related activities to incorporate into your elopement like skiing, snow shoeing, and even dog sledding!

In summer, the mild temperatures and beautiful sunsets provide perfect conditions for an outdoor elopement, plus, Colorado’s wildflower season is absolutely insane and the summer activities are endless. Fall in Colorado is absolutely stunning, with all of the golden aspen trees painting the mountainsides gold, you get an incredibly cozy, romantic setting. One of the things that we always tell couples who come from out of state is to be prepared for anything. We’ve had 60 degree days in the winter and snow in July! This blog dives into each season to help you choose the best time to elope in Colorado.

Chris and Rachel eloped in the snowy month of January, their elopement was incredible and filled with so much adventure! This is what they had to say about choosing to elope in Colorado:

“When Chris and I decided to elope in the Colorado mountains, it felt like the most authentic choice for us. We wanted a day that truly reflected our love, rather than one dictated by traditional wedding norms. The idea of saying our vows surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of the mountains excited us both. We envisioned a ceremony free from the usual pressures and distractions, allowing us to focus entirely on each other and the commitment we were making.

Nature has always been a big part of our relationship. We’ve spent countless weekends hiking and exploring together, finding solace and joy in the great outdoors. Choosing the mountains for our ceremony felt perfect—it was an opportunity to create new memories in a place that resonated with our shared love for adventure. This wasn’t just a wedding for us; it was an intimate celebration of our love in a setting that means the world to us, and we couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

6. Eloping Offers a More Personal Experience

One of the most intimate reasons to elope in Colorado is the chance to create a deeply personal ceremony. Without the distractions of a large guest list, you can focus entirely on each other, exchanging vows in a setting that really resonates with you both. Elopements allow couples to craft their ceremony exactly as they want it—whether that means writing personal vows, having a close friend officiate, or simply sharing private, meaningful words. This level of intimacy creates a more memorable and emotional experience, one that truly reflects your love story.

Larz and Louie’s elopement was incredibly touching and intentional, here is why they chose to elope:

“We got engaged after four years together. While we were incredibly excited to step into marriage, we felt immediate stress surrounding wedding planning. Neither of us came from wealth, and throughout our relationship, we faced significant financial hardships, including periods of being unhoused. As a result, there was always an underlying reservation about spending so much money on just one night. It didn’t sit right with us to invest so much into what was essentially a giant party, especially when we had worked incredibly hard just to stabilize ourselves—it felt out of touch with our reality.

We also struggle with the profound grief of losing loved ones and family estrangements. While we are blessed to have many loving friends, the absence of family on our wedding day would serve as a painful reminder of what we’ve lost. Additionally, as a queer couple, we never felt comfortable with the heteronormative expectations surrounding weddings.

Initially, we did begin planning for a wedding, albeit a smaller and more intimate one. We spent countless hours researching venues, budgeting, and trying to make it all come together successfully. But even with all our effort, it was incredibly difficult to envision a wedding that would honor our unique love and family dynamics without significant financial burden and emotional weight.

Then, unexpectedly, Larz needed medical care. All of our wedding planning came to a standstill as we had to prioritize managing Larz’s treatment. This experience inevitably shifted our perspective—we realized that what mattered was the marriage, not the wedding. So, eventually, with Larz in medical recovery and limited savings left, we scrapped everything and began planning to elope.

It quickly became obvious that eloping was perfect for us. We wanted a wedding day that was uniquely our own, free from any pressures or expectations. We craved intimacy and authenticity and an opportunity to celebrate our love in a way that felt unique to us. We finally recognized our free will here—our wedding day could truly be anything we wanted!

After some research, we found that traveling to Japan—a trip we had always regarded as a pipe dream—was surprisingly affordable, especially in comparison to a wedding. Why not make our dream trip a reality, and get married on the way?

Of course, we still needed to sign the marriage certificate. It made perfect sense to self-solemnize in Colorado near our home. We chose to spend two nights in a gorgeous A-Frame in the Colorado mountains, got married on our six-year anniversary, followed immediately by a flight to Japan. 

We originally intended to elope strictly as just the two of us, but Louie’s parents generously offered the gift of photography and videography. We couldn’t turn that down, as having our elopement captured would allow us to cherish those memories for a lifetime. Additionally, sharing photos and videos will help us keep our friends and family connected. 

We are so fortunate to have found Alpine Vows. Bailee and Jake were immediately receptive and supportive of our elopement plan. They offered wonderful advice and planning assistance, and were even available to meet with us for coffee before our big day. By the time our elopement day came, it felt like Bailee and Jake were more so our friends than our vendors.

Ultimately, our reasons to elope in Colorado were influenced by many factors, and we are immensely grateful that our elopement turned out perfect for us. Eloping allowed us to create a celebration that authentically reflected our journey and the love we share. We appreciate the chance to share our story and hope it resonates with others facing similar wedding planning challenges.”

7. Freedom to Create Your Dream Day

When you elope in Colorado, you have total control over your wedding day, which is one of the most exciting reasons to elope in Colorado. You can choose everything: the time, the location, activities, etc. Whether you want a sunrise ceremony at a pristine alpine lake a sunset vow exchange in a peaceful meadow, the freedom to design your elopement as you wish makes it an incredibly personal experience. Without the constraints of a traditional wedding timeline, you can make your day as relaxed or as adventurous as you want.

Take it from Colleen and MJ who described their reasons for eloping like this:

“From MJ’s Perspective: When I met Colleen, I knew very early on in our relationship that I was going to marry her. It was perhaps the simplest decision I ever made because it felt like a fact. When I popped the question a year-and-a-half into our relationship, I had no vision of our wedding other than her and I in our respective wedding dress and suit. Initially, I figured we would have a traditional ceremony and reception mostly to appease my family and because that was the expectation I had grown up with. Colleen and I had many conversations about what we wanted out of our wedding day and whether it mattered that we fulfilled expectations simply because they had always been there. Ultimately, we decided on a hybrid of what we wanted for our wedding day and what was expected from family. We called it an elopement plus! 

Our day was perfect. We piled our closest family members into a beautiful mountainside Airbnb for the weekend, hiked through the gorgeous aspen leaves, and exchanged our vows with 13,000-foot mountains in the background. We spent much of the day with just each other but were able to incorporate our families into certain aspects of the day to create memories with them. Our mothers helped us with the finishing touches to our wedding attire. My brothers walked me to see Colleen for our first look. Colleen’s dad and stepdad got a first look of their own at her in her dress. I cherish these moments and look back fondly on the pictures captured. 

The true definition of elopement came into play when it was time for our vow exchange, and this is why I chose to elope. No one on the planet except for Colleen and I know what was said in our vows which allowed me to feel safe enough to bare my heart fully to her. There was no performance aspect, nothing was censored because family and friends were present, I was my genuine self and promised that version of me to her for the rest of our lives.

From Colleen’s Perspective: MJ and I were very aligned on our reasons to elope in Colorado, and many of the reasons I chose to elope were covered in her perspective above. However, I do have one thing to add – I have always valued life experiences over material items. One of the things that drew me to MJ was this shared value and the desire to prioritize travel.

So, when the time came to plan our wedding, we had initially looked into doing a traditional wedding with a ceremony and reception. It was important to both of us that we share this special day with those who we cherish the most, our family. However, we quickly pivoted once we realized the cost of a wedding for the size we were envisioning. When weighing this against our personal values, we could not justify spending that sum on one night, when we could use that money towards an epic honeymoon. Deciding to have an elopement with just our closest family was the best decision for us.

Our wedding day was intimate, intentional, and meaningful in a way that we could not have achieved with a traditional wedding ceremony and reception. Plus the money we saved was spent on a three-week honeymoon to Thailand. This was the best way we could think of to celebrate our love and commitment to each other!”

8. Affordability Compared to Traditional Weddings

One of the most practical reasons to elope in Colorado is the cost savings. Traditional weddings can be expensive (like, $35,000 expensive!), with venues, catering, and countless other expenses adding up quickly. In contrast, eloping allows you to cut down on the cost of what a traditional wedding entails: venue, food, linens, lodging for all of the guests, party favors, decor, rentals, etc., while still having a beautiful and memorable ceremony. Without the need for a large guest list or an extravagant venue, you can allocate your budget to the things that matter most to you—like experiences to include during your elopement or a memorable honeymoon. This makes reasons to elope in Colorado even more appealing!

Andrea and Zach’s reasons for eloping:

“Zach and I did talk about having a traditional wedding at first. While discussing the guests we would invite and realizing the money we would spend on having a traditional wedding, along with having recently purchased a house, we thought spending all this money wasn’t a wise decision. 

We decided on having the wedding of our dreams without all the stress, hassle and without all the rules and distractions.  Without having to worry about pleasing other people and the judgmental things others would say, when in reality it’s supposed to be our day to celebrate. 

The intimacy of having a private ceremony to celebrate our love with just the 2 of us (and our 2 dogs) doesn’t compare. 

We also asked a handful of friends that had a big wedding, if they could go back in time, would they do it all over again or would they rather just elope, all said elope. So we took that into consideration when making our decision. After getting eloped at a place so magical as the mountains in Colorado, we know we will never have ANY regrets about our decision!”

9. Convenience and Ease of Planning

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, but another reason to elope in Colorado includes the simplicity and convenience of the process. With a smaller guest list (could be just the two of you or those closest to you) and fewer details to manage, planning an elopement is much easier than planning a traditional wedding.

Many vendors in Colorado specialize in elopements and offer packages designed for smaller, intimate weddings. This is where we could in! As a Colorado elopement photography and videography team, we help our couples find the best locations, provide permit assistance, and recommend local vendors, making the entire process smooth and stress-free. Our goal is to help our couples from start to finish so on the wedding day the only thing they have to focus on is each other. Let’s start planning your Colorado elopement!

Saber and Erik’s elopement was one big epic adventure filled with gorgeous scenery, big belly laughs, and many many tears. Here are their reasons for eloping in Colorado:

“Personally, I feel that families put enormous pressure on individuals during their wedding celebrations. Where the ceremony is held, who is invited, who is doing what duty during the ceremony. Furthermore, as the hosting couple, I would also pressure myself to ensure everyone’s journey to celebrate our wedding is as comfortable as possible. When all of this is considered, I can sympathize with the belief that it’s almost a celebration for everyone, not necessarily the couple who’s actually getting married!

Perhaps it’s a selfish desire to want, but I wanted our wedding to solely be about us. I agree that weddings can be celebrated as the joining of two families, but I personally wanted my soon-to-be wife to be the only thought on my mind that day. Eloping in the manner we did gave us exactly that: we were able to spend our day spoiling ourselves with a fun activity, in the environment we dreamed of & knew we could access, speaking truly heart-to-heart in the promises of love we shared. As Saber also mentioned, our friends & families weren’t completely absent from our ceremony: the congratulatory letters we read kept us aware of the pride our families felt with us getting married, and we later shared a small private ceremony with our immediate families to revel with. But the 4th of August will always be the most significant day to me, since we didn’t have to compromise any bit of “us” to share our love.”

10. Freedom to Choose Your Own Timeline

Another of the top reasons to elope in Colorado is the freedom to choose your own timeline. Without the constraints of a traditional wedding schedule, you can decide when and where to have your ceremony, stay, what activities you want to include into your elopement, and so much more. You can plan the day exactly how you envision it. This flexibility allows you to choose the time of day and the season that best reflects your style, making your elopement feel even more special.

Here are Dan and Deanna’s reasons for eloping in Colorado:

“Dan and I , after much thought, decided to have a more private and intimate wedding ceremony and so we eloped to the gorgeous mountains of Breckenridge, Colorado. We chose to elope because we loved the idea of getting hitched on a vacation. We basically threw a wedding into our vacation and it was SO fun! We had a few days in CO to ease into things, and then we had almost a week after the wedding to ride the high as husband and wife. A vacation we will never forget !

We also chose to elope because of our family situation. We felt it was best for the both of us to have our day to ourselves but back home have a small celebration when we returned. Our family dynamic is a bit different and we didn’t want anything to take away from the promises we wanted to make to one another. I also really didn’t hold any interest in having a large wedding with all the details involved, it sounded stressful and not enjoyable to me. It was the best decision we could have ever made. This day was truly the best day of our lives, spent exactly how we wanted it to be spent. We would do it all again in a heartbeat!”

What are Your Reasons to Elope in Colorado?

Choosing to elope in Colorado isn’t just about having a wedding; it’s about creating an unforgettable experience with your partner in one of the most stunning places on Earth. With its amazing landscapes, endless adventure opportunities, and the freedom to design your day exactly how you want it, Colorado offers everything you need for a dream mountain elopement. Plus, with no stress, no huge guest list, and a focus on what really matters—your love—it’s an elopement experience you’ll cherish forever.

So, if you’re looking for an unforgettable, intimate wedding that combines breathtaking beauty with adventure, eloping in Colorado should be at the top of your list. Reach out to us today to start planning your perfect day today—your dream wedding is waiting in the Rockies!