Kate & Rob’s beautiful Colorado Elopement Photography is a testament to their love and willingness to see every little bump as part of the adventure. After having to change plans multiple times due to Covid restrictions, they finally decided to Elope in the San Juan Mountains.
It all began in a South African bar, when Kate spotted Rob and thought, ‘hey, he’s cute!’ She’d only been in South Africa for a few days, on an internship exchange, but she didn’t let that stop her! Instead, she broke the ice by asking him to take a photo of her and her friends. It would be wonderful to say, ‘and the rest is history’, but of course, real life isn’t quite like that! Eventually, Kate had to head back to the US (and had a few other stops around the world in between!).
In early 2020, Rob moved to the US to finally put an end to long distance, with truly amazing plans to elope in Hawaii. As Covid restrictions affected their elopement plans (and so many others!), they changed location to Big Sur before finally deciding to Elope in the San Juan Mountains, in Colorado’s stunning South West, just one week before the day!
COLORADO ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Colorado Elopement: The Spirit of Adventure
In the end, the most important thing to Kate & Rob was to have a beautiful wedding, just the two of them surrounded by nature. After doing long-distance for so long, I’m sure we can all understand! And while deciding to Elope in the San Juan Mountains wasn’t their first choice, it made for a truly beautiful adventure and everything worked out just how it was supposed to!
The pair got ready together in a Durango hotel – Rob in the bathroom, Kate in the bedroom – before we headed towards an amazing trailhead. They both wanted to do a first look, and so Kate jumped in my car while Rob took off in their Jeep. Because of how incredible the scenery was, and how many last-minute changes took place, we hadn’t settled on an exact location for their first look. Instead, Kate kept an eye out and yelled ‘stop!’ when she spied something beautiful. We pulled over and, as crazy as it sounds, this random highway pitstop couldn’t have been more perfect for their first look.
Kate and Rob saw each other in their wedding clothes for the first time surrounded by wildflowers as mountain peaks stood tall behind them. It made for a beautiful start to their Colorado Elopement Photography.
How to Elope in the San Juan Mountains
One of the incredible advantages of deciding to Elope in the San Juan Mountains is that there are some incredible trailheads reachable by car. This means you can have an adventurous mountain elopement without having to do any strenuous hiking. In our case, once Kate & Rob had enjoyed their first look, we all jumped into their Jeep and began the off-roading part of the drive.
Another great advantage of getting married in Colorado is that Colorado State law allows couples to self-solemnize marriage. For Kate & Rob, who wanted an intimate elopement, this meant they could have a truly unique and special elopement experience. As we reached the trailhead, we found ourselves faced with a spectacular alpine lake almost all to ourselves. Kate stood in bare feet as the two shared their vows, signed their paperwork and declared themselves married!
Colorado Elopement Photography
Because it was just the three of us, we really didn’t have anywhere to be! This meant we were able to stop the car whenever we stumbled across a beautiful view. It was a spectacular way for Kate & Rob to explore Colorado and it led to some stunning Colorado Elopement Photography. Plus, the two felt free to celebrate in a way that was truly authentic to them – popping champagne, sharing their first dance with a traditional South African dance and exploring until well after dark even though they had planned a gorgeous picnic! Of course, by this stage the two realized that nothing could get in their way, and so they set up the picnic in the back of their Jeep, with every kind of food imaginable, and ate on the side of the road.
That – and the moose we spied on the road on the way down! – were the perfect end to a truly beautiful day. And Kate & Rob’s Colorado Wedding Photography was a wonderful reminder that life is what we make of it. As anyone planning a wedding discovered in 2020, even choosing an elopement over a traditional wedding can have moments of stress. If you choose to focus on the spirit of adventure and the love you share though, you can still share a truly beautiful, magical elopement experience.
Would you love to Elope in the San Juan Mountains? I’d love to help you plan a truly beautiful, unique day. Just get in touch to start planning!
Did you love Kate & Rob’s intimate Colorado Elopement Photography? Let them know what you thought in the comments below!