HOW TO GET MARRIED IN COLORADO’S TOP DESTINATIONS
I had the opportunity to travel up to the beautiful state of Colorado for three weddings this fall and always enjoy being up in the area as much as possible. From Rocky Mountain National Park to Downtown Denver and hidden gems of Colorado Springs, exploring Colorado this fall has quickly become one of my favorite memories. Throughout this blog I will walk through a few popular Colorado destinations for Weddings and Elopements, how to obtain permits and details on fee’s along of course, with photos from some of my favorite moments during my time here. If you are getting married in Colorado, I would love to come up and document your wedding day, you can reach out to me for more details on travel and packages here!
LOVELAND PASS (NEAR BRECKENRIDGE, COLORADO)
About the area: Loveland Pass was my favorite place that I was able to visit in Colorado and has breathtaking views. We arrived mid-afternoon on a Sunday to find a very busy parking lot. Once we parked, the area was very easy to find uncrowded space for photos and the intimate ceremony. It was a very difficult drive to get up to the area, however, the views were undeniably worth it.
Permits: The Loveland Pass rules for elopements and permits can be difficult to find and understand. Based on what I have learned, a permit is not always required but could potentially be based upon your elopement vision. In my opinion, it is always better to lean on the safe side of things and get a permit, or at least talk to the local ranger district. For Loveland Pass Elopements you can contact the Clear Creek Ranger District for more information on obtaining a permit and details. In the state of Colorado you do not legally need a officiant, perfect for any intimate and private elopement. However you will still need to obtain a marriage license from your local county clerk.
Morgan and Kenzie’s September Loveland Pass Elopement! I had so much fun spending the weekend with Morgan and Kenzie up in Breckenridge. We all gathered together to stay at an Airbnb just a short drive away from Loveland Pass with mountain views all around. You can view Morgan and Kenzie’s Elopement Weekend on the blog here.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
About the area: Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the top destinations for visitors to Colorado. You could spend hours upon hours here and never get tired of it. There is so much to explore in RMNP and endless hiking trails. You will have to pay a fee to enter the park, we paid $30 for a 1-day vehicle parking pass to enter. You need both the parking pass along with a timed entry permit if you are visiting between May 27th-October 10th, or a reservation for an activity.
Permits: You can apply a year in advance to get your permit to elope in Rocky Mountain National Park. These permits are limited and are set at a cap of 30 wedding guests. The National Park Service provides more important information such as availability here. You can also view the application to get married in Rocky Mountain National Park here. You will need to email the completed application and pay the $300 non-refundable fee. There are multiple ceremony locations at RMNP based on a first come first serve basis. While you can take photos anywhere in the park, you must have your ceremony at one of their designated locations. To apply for a photography session permit you can fill out the form here and pay their $50 fee for your session in the park.
COLORADO SPRINGS – PAINT MINES
About the area: I spent the first weekend of October up in Colorado Springs for Lauren and Kyle’s Wedding at Creekside Event Center. Lauren called me after a few months of wedding planning for a large wedding here in Arkansas and asked how I would feel about traveling up to Colorado Springs instead. I immediately said yes and was so excited to be back up in Colorado another weekend for the most beautiful wedding. The Creekside Team offers an all inclusive wedding packages to make the planning process stress-free and to work full of vendors who do their job incredibly well. The day before the wedding, I ventured out to the Paint Mines Interpretive Park. This has been a bucket list destination for me for a very long time and I loved being able to explore the area.
Permits: The Paint Mines Interactive Park has a fee of $100 for Commercial Photography with a form you can view here along with a waiver or certificate of insurance. You must apply at least 10 days before the event/photo session takes place. To apply for the permit you must contact parks@elpasoco.com. Weddings are not allowed in the Paint Mines.
Lauren and Kyle’s Wedding: Truly one of my favorite days of the year and I can not wait to share more details with you all so soon. Lauren and Kyle traveled up with their family and friends to Colorado to get married on a stunning October day and it could not have been more perfect. The Creekside Event Center was such a great space and one I highly recommend to any Colorado bride. Keep your eyes open for a full blog post of Lauren and Kyle’s big day coming soon.
HIGHLANDS RANCH – DEER CREEK CANYON PARK
Deer Canyon State Park was such a short drive from my venue outside of Denver in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. The ceremony and reception was held at Ashley Ridge by Wedgewood Weddings, more below on this space. But of course, you can’t have a Colorado wedding without photos in the mountains. Kati purchased a single day photography permit to take photos at Deer Creek Canyon Park, a wide open space with beautiful views. The day permit costs $25 and can be purchased online here. I loved that Katie and Matthew were up for a change of scenery and were ready to adventure to anywhere we could get mountains in the background.
ASHLEY RIDGE BY WEDGEWOOD WEDDINGS
Ashley Ridge by Wedgewood Weddings is an all-inclusive wedding venue minutes from Denver in Highlands Ranch. There are multiple hotels directly across the street, perfect for guests and your wedding party. This venue has a stunning outdoor ceremony space with the mountains and a large indoor reception space. In addition Ashley Ridge has a large getting ready space for both the groom and groomsmen and bride and bridal party. The venue has a max capacity of 300 people and offers multiple different wedding packages for meals, cake, DJ services, bar services and more. You can view their pricing details here.
OTHER VENUES AND LOCATIONS
St. Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock
WHERE TO STAY
Denver Area:
Charming Guest House in Denver
Boho Bungalow | Entire Lakewood Guest Suite
Colorado Springs:
