Alpine Lake Elopement in the Mountains of Western Colorado
When Chris & Cindi approached me about their elopement in Colorado, they just knew they wanted amazing mountain views, possibly with some fall colors. They had some ideas but needed help with the logistics of it all. I totally get it, planning an elopement can be a bit overwhelming to say the least. When you have the freedom to choose from all sorts of locations & can include all sorts of activities, knowing where to start & what to do can be hard. But that is the great thing about elopements! You can dream up your best day & make it happen. It is sooo much easier planning a day for just a couple people rather than planning a massive wedding & taking into account the needs of all your guests.
Ceremony at an Alpine Lake in Western Colorado
Chris & Cindi were willing to get up EARLY at any crazy time if it meant having an area more to themselves & epic photos. And we really did start early at around 2am. We hiked up many miles in the dark to get to an epic overlook at a remote alpine lake in Colorado. When I was helping them figure out locations, both alpine lakes & fall colors were high on their list. I just knew that the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado would be the perfect fit for what they were looking for. They had done Long’s Peak in Colorado before, so I knew they were up for the challenge of this hike.
We met up together in Ridgway & then made the drive down the dirt road that lead to the trailhead. Because we were hiking up in the dark, we got to see all the amazing stars out & even got to take a few quick star photos in the very early morning. I always like to get to know couples before the day, Chris & Cindi had told me that their “thing” was to touch foreheads, just breath, & hold each other close. I absolutely loved that. I always want to capture who you are as a couple so your photos are the most “you”. Also how epic is this lake! And yes that is the real color. Even though I live right by here & hike to this lake all the time, I just cannot get over how amazingly blue this lake is.
Taking in the Fall Colors of Western Colorado
Another high priority for Chris & Cindi when choosing a location in Colorado was fall colors. And if you know me, I LOVE western Colorado & think it is the absolute best part of the state for so many reasons. The fall colors in western Colorado truly are amazing & with the surround epic peaks of the San Juan Mountains, the scenery in this part of the state is hard to beat. Chris & Cindi enjoyed some food & snacks that they had packed & we just took a bit to sit down, breathe, & relax. Your elopement doesn’t have to be an all day, nonstop photoshoot. Take some time to rest, eat, or just be lazy in a hammock! If you’re wanting an alpine lake elopement in Colorado, I highly suggest looking into the western part of the state, especially the San Juan Mountains. There are so many hidden gems here just waiting for you!
Malachi did an amazing job from start to finish…always there to answer our questions, assist in planning, & even had hand warmers for us while changing on our cold sunrise morning. Malachi was organized, thoughtful, knew how to have just the right involvement in our day & took amazing pictures. He captured our adventure elopement perfectly! –Cindi & Chris