Aspen, Colorado

Devils Thumb Ranch, Colorado

Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado

Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado

I’ve never seen such a vast display of wildflowers in my life.

Colorado had an exceptionally wet and late winter last year, which pushed all the seasons back by about a month. When we planned for Sam and Gabe’s elopement in the mountains of Colorado, I was expecting that by late August the wildflowers would have peaked and begun to die off and hints of Fall would be on the horizon. I was wrong. The wildflowers were more widespread than I have ever seen. Queen Anne’s Lace up to our heads, Columbines in troves, bright purple Lupines dotting the landscape, Larkspur absolutely everywhere—there was more diversity and color in this year’s wildflower display than I’ve ever seen. They couldn’t have picked a more perfect time to adventure up into the high backcountry and elope.

Most of the weddings that we're part of don't happen at traditional venues. Typically we're photographing couples getting married in National Parks, on public land, at vacation rentals, and in their friend's backyard. You don't have to have a wedding at a multi-thousand dollar venue to have an inspiring wedding day, and in fact, I think the more stunning places tend to be the ones that are free of buildings and rules and a wait staff. 

The Alta Lakes Observatory cabin is particularly unique. It feels sort of like a treehouse, but with a touch of industrial modernism to compliment the rustic qualities. The cabin was perfectly suited for the vacation/wedding John and Mia had planned for their family. It could house all of their guests so no one would have to leave after the wedding.

We met Mary and Joe in Telluride, Colorado at their hotel and started their day by driving up a bumpy dirt road and hiking out to a waterfall for their first look. From there, we continued up the road and started our 6 mile hike to an epic and secluded alpine lake. Mary changed out of her dress for the hike up and packed it in her backpack to put on again once we made it to the lake. Then she strapped her flowers to the outside of her backpack and we started up the mountain. The hike up was steep, but beautiful, with the landscape in the middle of its transition from summer to fall. Warm yellows and golds dotted the hillsides.

There is so much to admire about these women. Kate and Ellen (and their daughter Adelaide) are the women behind The Modern Caravan, a custom Airstream renovation and design duo. We’ve been following their work since before we started on our own Airstream renovation and have found endless inspiration in their craftsmanship and eye for design.

The day after their wedding at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, we adventured with Carly and Jon to the top of Rocky Mountain National Park for some wild portraits in the windswept landscape.

Ashley & Bradford had a first look in a sunny clearing with aspen trees surrounding them in the valley below Mount Bierstadt, Colorado. We hiked around a waterfall and followed Ashley & Bradford’s disposition as they danced in the falling leaves and played in the water. They said their vows in a meadow with a creek running through it before hiking through the views of Guanella Pass.

We started Anna and Martin’s elopement with a first look in a wooded forest near Aspen, Colorado. From there we followed the two of them as they explored a granite cave carved out by ice, and walked along the wild, undulating curves of the cascades on the Roaring Fork River. We continued up the pass from there to the top of a mountain where we met their friends and dogs to have their ceremony.

Of all the weddings we’ve been part of, this one takes the cake for most adventurous. Since starting our business, I’ve dreamed of shooting a wedding on the summit of a Colorado “Fourteener” (local verbiage for mountains that extend above 14,000 feet in elevation). Colorado Fourteeners can be intense – they generally require an alpine start in the cold before the sun is up, there can be afternoon thunderstorms, they can involve scrambling and technical climbing, and the hikes are always unrelentingly steep. In other words, the perfect spot for an adventurous elopement for some Colorado locals like Monique and Craig.