Best Little Colorado Elopement Guide (How-To In 2024)

Up until not too long ago, elopements were last-minute, spur-of-the-moment decisions to steal away in the night and get married, just the two of you, and for some secret, dramatic or romantic reason.

Well nowadays elopements are much more mainstream! Couples want to skip the hassle of the big venue wedding, have a day that focuses on love and connection rather than pleasing everyone else, enjoy nature, plus save tons of money. Spontaneous elopements still happen, but couples mostly plan ahead.

It’s also such a simple solution - pivot to a simple wedding ceremony and have the big party later, or let go of those more expensive plans entirely and create a different kind of unforgettable experience.

In our mountain state, we typically see three kinds of elopements. It can be just the two of you, a few guests or an entire entourage along for the ride. Which kind are you? Here’s how I think of the different kinds…

The Classic Elopement

Classic Elopements: Simple, Simple, Simple

It’s just the two of you off on a romantic mini adventure. It may be planned way ahead of time or may be spontaneous. You may have a fancy dress, flowers, hair & makeup and all the wedding stuff or you may choose to have none of that.

The best thing about a classic elopement wedding is that it is SO easy. It really is the only wedding scenario out there that is truly stress-free. I always marvel with our couples how it really was that simple.

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The Friends & Family Elopement

Friends & Family Elopements: Still Simple, Just More People

Very similar to the classic elopement, but with a small number of guests - usually two to ten. You may be the couple who wants an intimate experience, but you can’t imagine getting married without some of your key family/friends with you.

This elopement scenario is simple too, and at the same time there will be more logistics with guests - coordinating when/where to meet up, where to stay, where to eat and celebrate, plus more people’s opinions and emotions in the mix.

A small destination wedding like this is a great strategy to keep things simple while still having key loved ones with you on the big day ;)

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The Micro Wedding

Micro Weddings: Mini Weddings, But Much Simpler Than Venue Weddings

I often hear, “we want to elope in nature and are only bringing around 30 guests”. Hmm. This is not quite eloping! Yet it’s not a big wedding either.

This is for the couple who wants to skip the complexity and expense of a venue wedding, but still invite all their key people. Even though it’s much simpler than a big wedding, micro weddings still have lots of moving parts. Once you get above 10 guests, things get more complex and expensive (think of all those mouths to feed).

If you can fit a day-of coordinator into your budget, that is a great strategy for minimum stress and a smooth experience. A small wedding like this is a beautiful way to bypass the big venue, while celebrating with your closest family and friends.

*And… just so it’s not confusing - if you’re out and about on the internet, you will also hear “Micro Weddings” described as basically any elopement, whether it’s just the couple or the couple with guests. That’s because the term is pretty new and so people are still using it differently. I’ll use it to describe mini weddings with guests :)

Here’s how much it costs to elope in Colorado…

The cost to elope here ranges from $30 to $1,000 to $3500 to $7,000 or more, and it all depends on the kind of experience you want to have.

Here are some of the most common cost scenarios for the core things - location, ceremony, photography, lodging and add-ons. Each is a good starting place, then you can add or subtract for things that you want to splurge or skimp on…

*Add cost of driving or flying to these various scenarios, plus your clothing and meal budget (including any guests), as these are so different for everyone!

• The $3500 Budget:

This is the most common budget that we see. It allows for high quality services while not getting into thousands and thousands of dollars.

To stay within that range for the core things you’ll need, aim for a package that includes a beautiful location, experienced officiant and seasoned photographer, all for around $2500 - $3000.

(This is the type of package that we offer by the way ;)

If you want, add in a customized bridal bouquet & boutonniere (around $200 - more or less, depending on how fancy you get), hair & makeup (around $250) and a mini wedding cake (around $50), which are the most common add-on services that couples want in this budget range.

• The $1,000 Budget:

Some couples want photography and a package experience while keeping it under $1,000. Packages at $500 - 1,000 tend to include all the things you need, just at a more generic level of service.

For instance, it might not be a photographer who is exceptional, yet at the same time takes fine photos. You might not get to know your officiant beforehand, or it might be a newbie officiant or one-size-fits-all ceremony. You might have a pre-fab bouquet or a coordinator who is managing large numbers of couples rather than handcrafting more specialized experiences.

You’ll want to keep your lodging minimal too - find a super affordable Air BnB or more basic hotel.

For some couples, this is just fine! It gets the job done, plus really addresses the “let’s save money” goal. How cool to be able to say, “Yep, we spent less than $1,000 on our big day.”

• The $7,000 - 10,000 Budget:

If you’ve got a vision for a full day of photography, you can look into packages that adventure elopement photographers offer.

These typically range $4,500 to $7,000 for a half to full day, including getting-ready photos, more than one location and even bigger adventure hikes or overnight trips. I’ve noticed that couples tend to marry themselves (self-solemnize) in these scenarios.

You can add a videographer to make a mini movie too, and for a great one, plan to spend at least $2500.

Add flowers, cake, hair & makeup and depending on how fancy you get with these add-ons, you’ve got a plan somewhere between the $7,000 to $10,000 range.

• The $30 Budget:

This is fun to think about - here is the absolute cheapest way to elope here: Get your marriage license for $30 at any County Clerk in the state, find a free campsite in the National Forest, hike to a beautiful spot, share vows, take photos with your phone and sign your license yourselves since you can do that here. And there it is - your $30 Colorado elopement!

Yes you can! And this is a great question. Do you want to marry yourselves (self-solemnize) or have an officiant? Here’s everything to know about marrying yourselves in Colorado, and also about being married by an officiant..

If You Self-Solemnize

#1 Reason To Marry Yourselves:

You love the idea of creating the ceremony yourself and the intimacy of it being just the two of you.

In Colorado, you can go to the county clerk, get a marriage license, sign it yourselves and you’re married. Crazy, right?

If you are drawn to self-solemnize, this can be a beautiful experience. Together you decide what happens during your intimate ceremony to make it feel official between the two of you. If you’re the kind of couple who can easily imagine creating this yourselves, then go for it!

I do hear from my photographer friends though, that it’s not uncommon for couples to only have a vague plan of saying some vows, then when it’s time, it feels awkward, they’re not sure how to start, etc.

If you’re unsure how to self-facilitate, you’ll be preoccupied with that, rather than feeling all the feels of making your commitment. This means less opportunity to have a profound experience, and for your photographer to capture photos of your connection.

So make sure you think it through! I have heard of some of the most beautiful self-solemnization ceremonies when it was a good fit for the couple. And if you want a full step-by-step guide with everything you need to create your own ceremony, check out my Marry Yourselves Elopement Ceremony Kit here.

Now here’s what there is to know about having an officiant marry you…

If An Officiant Marries You

#1 Reason To Have An Officiant:

The ease of being facilitated by a professional rather having to do that for yourselves.

The beauty of having an officiant is that you have an expert who is responsible for making the ceremony aspect of your day incredible. Your only job is to be in love, while he or she facilitates. You can simply relax and be guided.

You do want to think about the kind of officiant you work with. Some elopement officiants do the same ceremony for every couple, or some take less than five minutes you’re done. .

I’m biased here - I’m the kind of officiant who gets to know my couples beforehand so we’re like old friends when you arrive for your wedding day. Every elopement ceremony is highly personalized, and we have fun deciding together all the special touches that will make it truly yours.

I also facilitate my couples through a wedding passage, not just a ceremony. It’s what you do in the months before your wedding day that makes the day itself so profound.

If having an officiant sounds like a fit for you, Google around to find your person, or read more about my officiation style and the ceremonies in our packages on my ceremonies page here!

Every Single Step To Get Your Colorado Marriage License In 2024

A big question I hear from eloping couples: “How does the whole marriage license thing work?” Here is an excerpt from the how-to guide that we give our couples. This is every step to make it happen!

1. Schedule A Marriage License Appointment: In Colorado, you can get one at any County Clerk and get married in any county. That flexibility is handy.

   You can schedule an in-person appointment ahead of time using the clerk’s online calendar. Identify the clerk nearest to your lodging and schedule your appointment on their calendar, or if they allow walk-ins and you’re comfortable just showing up, that can be an option too.

2. Double-Check Everything: I always tell our couples to call the clerk ahead of time to confirm the I.D. they want you to bring, since these rules can change.

3. Have Your Appointment: If you schedule an in-person appointment, fill out the clerk’s online application beforehand, show up to your appointment with $30 and the appropriate I.D. and they will issue your license right there on the spot. 

4. Give Yourself Time: We recommend to leave at least a full day before your date to get your license. It’s possible to get your license on the day of you elope, but it’s so much better to not have to think about that as you get ready. Also, make sure to schedule way ahead of time - those appointment slots can fill up!

5. Bring The License On Your Wedding Day: You can either self-solemnize (marry yourselves) by signing the license in a certain way by following instructions the Clerk gives you, or your officiant will sign the license with you after the ceremony.

6. Witnesses: You don’t need witnesses in our state, but you can have two or more if you want. We’ve even had some couples have their dog sign as a witness with a paw print (Although a 2024 update: last year we discovered one county clerk who decided that they don't allow paw prints, and it's possible that others could decide this too, so make sure to ask them if this is okay if you plan to have your dog as a witness ;)

7. Record Your License: Give the license to your officiant to mail to the County Clerk who will stamp it and turn it into a Marriage Certificate, then mail the certificate to your home address. Or, you can take the license back to the clerk yourselves, and often they’ll record it right on the spot and hand it back to you. Talk about instant gratification!

Weather and day of the week are the biggest guiding factors regarding when to elope in Colorado. That and if you already have a specific date or season that you want to elope.

Either way, it’s great to be in-the-know about typical days and times of the year here…

Weekday Vs. Weekend

In my opinion, weekday elopements are ideal. If it fits with your plan, a weekday means less people on the trail and passing by your elopement location, plus easier parking.

This creates a more tranquil, relaxing experience in nature, which after all is the whole goal. However, if your schedule or date desire falls on a weekend, that also works too!

Mid-June Through End Of September

Having organized hundreds of elopements here in our mountain state, my absolute favorite time of the year is mid-June through end of September.

Clear skies with just the right amount of cloud for the best photo lighting, lovely temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s, plus virtually zero chance of snow make this time of the year ideal for elopements.

Early October Through Mid-June

This time frame also works as well, it’s just much more variable in terms of weather. Basically, anything goes!

We’ve had elopements in snowstorms and elopements with 70 degree sunny days in October, November, December, January, April and May. February and March are typically the months with the most chance of snow/rain, but even those are variable too.

I am proudly wimpy about driving in snowstorms (who needs the stress), and our fix for that: none of our locations involve driving the interstate or a crazy mountain road. So if there’s weather, okay cool, at least no one has to deal with driving too far in it ;)

If you’ve got your heart set on a date that is in one of the more weather-variable months, bring clothing for both warm, cold and wet weather. Plus have an indoor backup plan if needed. That way you’re prepared no matter what happens. 

Travel

Pretty straightforward - are you going to fly or drive? Get those plane tickets in place or plan your road trip.

Driving is great because you get some road trip stories along the way. Also, you can easily transport your wedding clothes and anything else that you’ll need, right in your back seat.

If you decide to fly, then when booking a ticket, ask around to see which airplanes have a coat closet upfront if you’ll have a wedding dress that you want to carry on the plane.

For rental car, consider an SUV with four-wheel drive and high clearance. This is key for any intense weather, plus you’ll know your vehicle can tackle dirt roads if you want to explore wild places.

Lodging & Meals

We have every hotel chain here in Boulder, plus local hotels & cabins with character that range from low-budget to historic to luxury spa. Same thing goes for eating - every kind of restaurant from cool craft breweries to super fancy dining.

Up in Estes Park, there are no hotel or restaurant chains, but there are tons of beautiful mountain lodges and cabins to choose from, plus local eateries with personality and charm. This is true for most high country towns, except many have hotel chains too.

Our state is also Air BnB abundant. SO many sweet places to stay.

You can go low-budget and simple when you elope, or find luxury lodging and eats. There is something for everyone. We give all our brides and grooms an extensive list of the lodging and restaurant spots that our couples have loved over the years.

Stay tuned for my full guide with tons of pics & ideas. For now, here are a few handy tips!

Wedding Dresses

There is no rule for elopements - if it’s your dream dress, it’s the right dress. Your dress can be a full-on formal gown, or a more relaxed and flowing boho style. It can be short, long or not a wedding dress at all. Whatever makes you feel the way you want to feel on your day.

The only thing you want to watch out for is flexibility. A simple rule of thumb: if you can’t sit down in it easily, it’s probably too fitted or structured to maneuver on trails, stepping over rocks, etc.

If you’ve got a train, you can bustle it to keep it out of the dirt, or simply hold it with your hand while on trails. Or if you like the idea of being the mountain bride who lets the bottom of her dress get dirty, that can be really freeing if it fits your personality.

Also know that tulle - the gauzy netting that is in some dresses - is like a magnet for sticks and pine needles. Anything with tulle will have a mini forest clinging to it lol. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just something to know in case that would drive you crazy ;)

Mountain Shoes

If there’s any walking on a trail, you want two kinds of shoes - fancy shoes + something with tread, like athletic flip flops, sneakers or hiking boots.

You walk the trail in the latter, then change into special shoes at the ceremony spot. The big goal here is to avoid twisting an ankle or slipping and falling. Even women’s wedge shoes can be iffy on a trail, and men’s dress shoes are often slippery on the bottom.

Or, some couples like the look of getting married in hiking boots or special sneakers. What’s your style?

Tuxedos, Suits & Casual Looks

You may have noticed on this page that anything goes when you elope - fancy tuxedos, spiffy suits, casual linen suits, dress shirts and suspenders, jackets and jeans, ties, bow ties, no tie.

Again, the key question is “What’s my style and how do I want to feel in my clothes on my wedding day?”

If a suit is in the mix and it’s going to be a rental, a handy tip is to rent from a chain that is in your home town and also in Colorado. You can avoid traveling with it by getting fitted at home, then picking up and dropping off the here in state.

Here’s some good stuff to think about - I’ve learned so much from working with all the amazing florists and stylists who work with our couples regarding all the lovely things that make you feel special…

Flowers

You can work with a florist to make the bouquet of your dreams. Or you can get a more simple bouquet. Or you can get flowers at the local supermarket on the day-of. Or wooden flowers from Etsy. Or no flowers at all. Anything goes. The same for boutonnieres.

When couples are on the fence about flowers, I recommend going for it - flowers add a nice pop of color to photos.

Bridal Hair & Makeup

Some of our brides will go to a salon on the day-of, but most choose hair & makeup stylists who come right to your lodging. Plan on about two hours for a hair & makeup stylist to do her magic.

Or you can do your own hair and makeup. Or have none at all. What will feel most like “you” on your day?

The Days Before

Ideally you’ll arrive with at least one full business day to get things done. So if your ceremony is on a Friday, arrive on Wednesday at the latest so you have all of Thursday to prep.

And here’s another reason that elopements are so beautifully simple…

I tell our couples there are really just two things to focus on the day before:

1. Get your license at the County Clerk.

2. Do a practice drive to your location so that you’re not worried about finding it on the day-of.

Plus any other doo-dads that you didn’t take care of before you left home. That’s it! Oh and enjoy the mountains. We know one of the big reasons you’re here is for the nature :)

The Day-Of

I can easily tell you how a typical elopement day unfolds with us, which I love because it’s so darn simple…

Wake. Savor the fact that you are getting married today. Pack what you’ll need for the day in a backpack or sweet wedding bag.

Hair & makeup by a stylist or yourself. With a stylist this usually takes two hours and they’ll come right to your lodging. Get dressed.

Pick up any flowers and/or cake. Meet up with us and any guests at the meet spot, usually an hour or two before sunset, unless you’re a sunrise kinda couple.

Hike/walk to the ceremony spot. Photographer is taking pics the entire time. Get married with a beautiful, meaningful ceremony. More photos capturing your just-married glow and gorgeous nature all around. Sign your license to make it official.

Emerge from the mountain married. Now enjoy the married bliss!

Right After

You can pop a bottle of champagne right on the spot if you like!

Most couples plan a romantic meal for two right after they elope, or a celebratory dinner if they have family and friends with them.

This can take all forms - our couples have made reservations at fancy restaurants, had cake or a picnic meal right at the site, shown up spontaneously at brew pubs, cooked a special meal back at their Air BnB then cozied up and watched a movie or sports game on tv, had celebratory tacos at a taco stand, gone for a hot air balloon ride if they eloped in the morning.

You name it, our couples have done it :)

The Days After

Sometimes schedules simply don’t allow this, but if you are able, we highly recommend staying for at least a few days or even a week to enjoy yourselves after you elope.

Make a vacation/honeymoon out of your time in Colorado. Drive over Loveland Pass to check out the high country - Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen, Crested Butte and endless hot spring spots along the way, or drive to the other side of the state to check out the San Juan Mountains and the cool mountain town of Telluride.

You’ll be relaxed because the big day will have happened, and now you can enjoy all that our mountain state has to offer while continuing to soak in the bliss of being married.

Or, so many of our couples have a fab reception with loved ones waiting for them when they get home or scheduled out in the future. Maybe you even do all of these things. What suits your fancy?

Congratulations, You Read The Entire Guide! You are amazing.

Elopement Package: Ceremonies With Lisa Elopement Packages

Photos by partner company Colorado Photographer Squad

Meet the officiants and photographers who I’m partnered with here

To see fave locations, see Top 12 Best Places To Elope here

Now let’s start planning, shall we?

Hey it’s Lisa :) I’m an officiant, elopement expert and mountain girl at heart. I can’t wait to tell you all about these sweet mini adventures with my elopement team and how it all works. 

Reach out using this handy form and I’ll send all the info to make your elopement day real, see if we’re a fit and hop on a call to lay out your dream day and package quote. Can’t wait to get to know you! 

With love,
Officiant Lisa

Click here for all the info you need to start planning now!