Crested Butte, Colorado Elopement
BROOKE AND CODY’S CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO ELOPEMENT
Brooke and Cody are from sunny Florida, and had an adventure in mind for their elopement. They had always wanted to travel to Colorado and rent a truck. This allowed them to get off-road and reach wil destinations. But they also wanted to experience Denver’s food and drink as well as see some of Colorado’s mountain towns.
They decided a road trip would be the best layout for their week-long adventure. They started in Denver, hopped into the mountains to experience Breckenridge, and eventually made their way to Salida. This is where their wedding celebration began! On the morning of their elopement, they had a private hot spring soak at sunrise. After a relaxing morning, we drove up to Cottonwood Pass to enjoy the fall foliage and the vista views. Next up was Crested Butte, the destination of their ceremony.
On arrival in Crested Butte, we decided to grab lunch at the local burrito spot and enjoy the town. We walked the streets, checked out the shops, and let these two have their best day ever, together. We were there to capture all of it!
Elopement Day Timeline
In the early afternoon, we hustled to their Airbnb to start getting ready for their off-roading and hiking elopement adventure. Crested Butte offers a ton of outdoor recreation opportunities, we can’t recommend this area enough for hosting an elopement. Once the truck was packed, we drove deep in the mountain valleys and up into the hills to access the trailhead. The drive was pretty rough, but nothing their rental truck couldn’t handle!
We hiked up to their ceremony spot. They changed in the wilderness and had a first look with the stunning mountains in the background. Then, a short ceremony where they exchanged vows and took a shot! After some portraits in this epic ceremony location, we hiked back down to the trailhead and set up a picnic in the bed of the truck. They shared champagne, snacks and dessert as the sun fell out of the sky. Out of nowhere, just as it was getting dark, it started to rain! They decided a first dance in the rain was a perfect way to end their day.
You can clearly see there is so much opportunity to pack in multiple experiences and activities into your elopement day with the right planning and approach! Brooke and Cody started with a hot spring soak at sunrise, took a mini-hike on a mountain pass, enjoyed the town of Crested Butte, went off-roading and hiking to access their ceremony, and even had a picnic and a first dance before their day was over. And NONE of this was rushed. These two did a great job of planning an intentional day that they wanted.
Why Crested Butte is a great place to Elope
Crested Butte is one of our favorite mountain towns in the state of Colorado. It has amazing mountain views and the town is full of local food, drink, and fun for all. We love the small town vibe this place has, all the locals are super nice and inviting, and you really can’t go wrong at the few food establishments they have to offer. Some of the best food we have had in CO is in Crested Butte.
Reasons why we love Crested Butte for an Elopement
Unique mountain views, even for Colorado! The Butte itself is so cool to see while you walk the streets in town.
Outdoor adventure at every corner: Hiking, Mountain biking, off-roading, off-grid camping, skiing, and so much more!
The food and drink is unmatched. We absolutely love the local restaurants and the owners/locals are so inviting and friendly!
Year round fun - No matter what time of year you visit, the town is full of life. Hiking in the summer, skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.
To learn all about how to plan your very own Colorado Elopement, click here!
Planning Experiences as a part of your Elopement Day
Planning a day with intention
Oftentimes, planning a wedding comes with stress and a long list of to-dos. This eventually leads to a timeline that focuses on wedding things instead of what you want your actual day and experience to feel like! Instead of starting with a long, stressful list of to-dos, consider starting your elopement planning with the mindset of “What do I want to experience on my wedding day?”
This mindset can open up a world of ideas when it comes to planning your elopement. Taking a private helicopter tour, or off-roading up into the remote wilderness of the Colorado Rockies aren’t that far fetched when it comes to elopement activities. You have to start with what you want, first! And if you are looking for something a little less epic, a little less adventurous, aim for hot spring soaks, spa days, or exploring some of Colorado’s famed mountain towns for a more low-key vibe.
Some examples of activities you can plan for your Colorado Elopement:
Are thrills and adventure your style? Take a helicopter tour through the San Juan Mountain range for jaw-dropping views, or explore an off-roading adventure up into the remote wilderness for views that you can only get by adventuring up there.
Looking for something slower? Book a private hot spring soak at sunrise and enjoy one of Colorado’s many mountain towns; explore the shops, try local food and drink, and experience a place you may have never been before!
Plan a picnic as a part of your adventure or hike! Packing a picnic is an easy way to add some fun and some FOOD to your elopement day! We love picnics as they are easy enough to coordinate and can be such a nice treat to add to your elopement. Champagne, charcuterie, cake or ice cream sandwiches, whatever you like!
And remember, there are no limits to these ideas. Our goal is to work with you to craft your own day. This is your wedding day! It should be completely unique to you and should be an experience you remember for a lifetime. Let’s start planning together today!
