“I’ve always wanted to get married in the mountains. Run around in a cupcake fairy dress in my hiking boots.”

Anything for you Jac. 🤍

When these two invited me to photograph their Colorado elopement, I was over the moon with excitement.  We had already made magic together for their engagement session at Art Hill in St. Louis, and they had an Illinois reception planned for later that year. Of course I had to be there when they tied the knot with the mountains as their backdrop.  

Check out their engagement session at Art Hill here!

Their Destination Elopement in Colorado

Knowing that Jac always dreamed of getting married in the mountains, Jac and Saif decided to exchange vows with just the two of them in Colorado and then celebrate their marriage with friends and family back in Illinois later that year.  They truly got the best of both worlds: an intimate personalized wedding experience that felt completely true to them, paired with a beautiful celebration shared with all of their loved ones.  

Planning a Hybrid Wedding

One of the best parts about planning your wedding day is you get to make it exactly how you’ve always dreamed it would be. And if you have multiple dreams for your wedding, you don’t have to choose just one!

You can share private vows and an intimate ceremony with your partner, then celebrate with a formal ceremony or reception surrounded by friends and family on another day!

Putting Together an Elopement Timeline

One of the best parts about planning an elopement is the freedom that comes with it.  You can spend your wedding day doing exactly what you want to do.  

For Jac and Saif, that meant a relaxing day together filled with heartfelt vows, stunning portraits, a little exploring and ending the day with massages and a nice dinner.

Around 8am we jumped into a jeep headed up into the mountains in Colorado.  There, they read private vows and shared a little cake to celebrate their marriage.  It rained for a bit, but they came prepared with white and black umbrellas that looked SO fun with their wedding attire.  Their Colorado elopement morning was everything they had dreamt up with only a few hiccups along the way!

Once the vows were read and the marriage license was signed, we headed back into Ouray to take more photos around the stunning Beaumont Hotel and Spa. Then it was time for lunch, massages at the hotel spa, a soak in the Ouray Hot springs and dinner at the Brick House 737.

I am so thankful for friends & clients who trust me to witness their ceremonies & document their moments, whether here in Illinois or out of state. Jac and Saif’s Colorado elopement and wedding days were some of my favorite days of 2025 and I feel so lucky to have been able to document their story three times in one year!

If you’re planning your own elopement and ready for the next steps, be sure to reach out here! On this page I have sample timelines to help you start planning your day and walk you through the next steps.  

Colorado Elopement Vendors

Gown: White Traditions Bridal

Suit: Suit Supply

Hotel: Beaumont Hotel and Spa

Hair: Lib Does Hair