All the storytelling goods
Brainard Lake Recreation Area Elopement in the Fall
Picture this: Your Brainard Lake elopement. You stand hand-in-hand, bathed in the soft, rose-gold light of sunrise, with the majestic mountains as your witness. You exchange heartfelt, personal vows, creating an intimate moment that’s all the more magical with the alpine glow as your backdrop. But wait, the romance doesn’t end there! Imagine sharing your first dance on a rugged mountaintop, the world's most epic dance floor. The air is crisp, the moment surreal, and just when you think it can't get any better, you toast to your forever with your closest family members, bubbles and all. The day's adventures wind down with a cozy brunch and cake at you Airbnb, because who says you can't have your cake and eat it too, with a side of mountain views? This isn't just an elopement; it's an unforgettable sunrise soiree where a moose is the guest of honor.
Setting the Scene: Brainard Lake in the Fall
Ah, fall. The season where nature gets all artsy and starts playing with colors like a preschooler with finger paints. Brainard Lake in Boulder, Colorado, is the masterpiece canvas. Surrounded by the Indian Peaks, its mirror-like waters reflect a riot of reds, oranges, and golds. The best part? It's a bit of a hidden gem for sunrise. And with entry permits now required, you get even more space to yourselves.
Love in the Wild: The Ultimate Brainard Lake Elopement
When Cupid dons a pair of hiking boots and a fleece, you know you’re in for a love story that strays off the beaten path. If you're the kind of couple that could write the manual on wanderlust, then this account of an 'elope-venture' at Brainard Lake is about to tick all the right boxes – alpine glow, vows exchanged amidst nature's grandeur, and yes, even a morning moose guest who RSVP'd to a beating heart and love-drenched confetti of autumn leaves. For the duo decked in love and Gore-Tex, here's a tale of a wild kind of love.
Getting Ready In The Dark
Our daredevils both got ‘prepped and ready’ on their car’s opposite doors in the pitch-black serenade of 5 am. No paparazzi could invade their private moment – just zippers being zipped and shoelaces being laced, all in hushed excitement. The fashion show began with an organic flair as they slipped into their wedding day best. No one had to silence a cell phone; silence was the best-dressed guest here. And pro tip, getting dressed on site means you get to wear sweatpants to the trailhead. When it’s that early in the morning it makes ALL the difference.
Headlamp Hike to the First Look
The night’s still got the stars as they hike up, so those trusty headlamps not only prevent straight up tripping but also set a serious trend. Think Outdoor Chic mixed with Galactic Caught-in-the-Headlights. The ‘first look’ isn’t down an aisle but on this pretty epic trail, the kind of magic-drenched in first light that reminds you why you came all the way to Colorado to elope.
Saying the "I Do’s" with a Moose for Company
Standing on the edge of the world, er, I mean Brainard Lake, they whispered their vows under the glow of peaks turning golden. Just before they sealed it with a kiss, nature embellished their fairy-tale in ways Hallmark could only dream. A moose — likely the mountain’s emissary of good luck — ambled into view. It stared at them with eyes that seemed to say, ‘This wedding, two hooves up!’ Safety's romantic too, so we stepped away to give their wild wedding photobomber some breathing room.
In an elopement, you don’t just have a best man; you might have a moose, too.
Exploring Mother Nature
Think majestic mountain backdrops, serene lakes that mirror the sky, or wildflower fields that look like they’ve been hand-painted just for you. The best part? The only photobombers here are the adorable kind - you know, deer looking all doe-eyed, perhaps a bunny hopping into frame. It’s the kind of whimsical chaos you can’t plan for, but will absolutely adore.
Just a heads up, though, turning Mother Nature into your elopement backdrop does come with its quirks. High heels and soft earth make for a comedy sketch rather than a romantic stroll, so pack those hiking boots like these two smarties. And remember, whether you’re whispering sweet nothings to your partner, or “Ouch” every time you step on a twig, it’s all about making memories that are as wild and beautiful as the setting you choose!
Family Time and Foliage Fizzes
Joined by family, it's time for the 'received pronunciation' part of the day. First dances and champagne toasts become sweeter in the crisp mountain air, with the shimmering lake as your backdrop.
Brunchin' at Their AirBnB A-Frame
Not to be outdone, the day’s second chapter opened at their A-frame AirBnB in Nederland, a setting that seemed to have danced out of a fairy tale. Here, in the snug afterglow of a morning that wrote the word ‘romantic’ in italics, the couple slid from wedding mode to brunch mode. Under that roof, they feasted on a tranquility that could only be served by enjoying the serene property with their favorite people.
The end!
And there you have it – a saga splashed with spontaneity and that raw, unfiltered love that feels more at home off the grid. No Instagram filters or Pinterest boards, just a real couple weaving their story with the thread of the wilderness.
For those couples who've placed their faith in adventure, know that love's greatest journey is the one you pave in the footprints of your own daring dreams.
Get in touch to make your own Brainard Lake memories, and remember, love takes the scenic route.
Fire Tower Lookout Elopement in Colorado Off of Mount Evans Road
A summer fire tower lookout elopement around Mount Evans and Squaw Mountain in Colorado.
This late August elopement was an incredible testament to the fact that in Colorado - you never know what kind of weather you are going to get.
These two planned their elopement by getting ready at a hotel in Blackhawk where I met up with them for getting ready photos and a first look. From there, we hopped into our cars and headed toward Mount Evans with our timed entry reservations in hand.
Once at the gate for the summit of Mount Evans, the gate ranger let us know the conditions on the summer: snow, ice, sleet, cold, lightening.
That was putting it lightly. We drove to summit lake where we waited for the snow/rain/sleet to stop. After about 15 minutes and no change, we started heading back down the mountain to find a spot that was out of the rain clouds. Luckily we found one just a few miles back.
These two said their vows, quickly amongst their closest friends and family on a mountain side while the storm clouds moved around in the background. After quick vows and family photos, the thunder started again (the perfect timing as it had stopped just enough for them to read their vows to each other) so we headed back down the mountain to Echo Lake. It was gorgeous and foggy there so we took a few more family photos before splitting off from their family.
We ended the evening roaming around the wet forests on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, and dancing in front of their headlights in a parking lot outside of Idaho Springs while the rain came down.
Because of the WILD weather, they never got to have their picnic, so we ended up meeting back up a week or two later at a fire tower lookout that I had an overnight reservation at.
These two were such troopers and hiked the mile up (over about 700 feet of gain at around 12,000 feet elevation). After getting ready (again!), they had their picnic outside of the fire tower. Of course it started snowing, again…so we took shelter inside the fire tower hoping that it would pass and we would get a gorgeous sunset. And Colorado did not disappoint.
If you’re looking to elope in Colorado, this is one of my favorite places to get married when you have a small intimate group, or even want to elope with just yourselves. It’s times like these where having a local photographer who knows backup plans, weather conditions + patterns becomes SO important. We were able to take unsafe conditions in a lightening storm and still have the most incredible day celebrating these two and their relationship.
Get in touch if you’re looking for an intimate wedding photographer in the Colorado.
Golden Colorado Sunrise Couples Session at Lookout Mountain
A morning sunrise session at Lookout Mountain in Golden, Colorado. A rare warm 40 degree march morning where we snuggled under blankets and roamed around the front range hills.
Candid Couples Session at Mount Falcon Park
A winter adventure couples session at Mount Falcon park in Morrison Colorado.
Colorado National Monument Proposal
A surprise proposal at Colorado National Monument in Grand Junction, Colorado.
A few months ago, G reached out to me about photographing his proposal to his partner L while they were in Colorado for a three week road trip. Uhm, heck yes! We started with locations around Colorado that they would be, and ended up landing on Grand Junction, Colorado where I am based!
From there, I sent over some of my favorite locations around Grand Junction. If you’re curious what a few of them are, check out my blog post here about my favorite spots in Grand Junction. He decided on Colorado National Monument, and I sent over a 25 page guide that goes into probably way too much detail about the Monument. Because there are so many different viewpoints and environments in and around the monument, I want my couples to have the ultimate say in what the backdrop to their photos looks like!
G decided on one spot, and from there we planned time (around sunset), how to get L to not be tooooo suspicious, and I also headed up to the monument to record some videos of a few different spots in that one location (because there really are so many to choose from haha). After a few months of planning, the day was here and everything went perfectly!
If you're looking to propose in Colorado, check out some of my favorite locations in Colorado to propose at!
If you’re looking for a proposal photographer in Colorado, reach out!
