Colorado Off-Road Elopement

Cody + Destiney

Falling in love with your brother’s best friend is usually something you try to avoid. And Destiney did. She did not intend on falling in love with Cody. In fact, Cody even suggested that Destiney try online dating. But it was inevitable that they would end up together after Destiney started working from home at Cody’s house to take advantage of his better internet. Since then, they bought and fixed up a house, adopted a sweet puppy named Bru, and the next step was to get married.

When planning their elopement, they considered a few different places, including Moab and the mountains of Colorado. But after learning that their dog could sign their marriage license with his pawprint and seeing some of the incredible off-road trails that Colorado has to offer, it was a sealed deal. The only problem was that they were on a tight timeline and wanted to get married by the end of June. We don’t typically recommend June for off-roading elopements in Colorado because of the high chance of leftover snowpack on trails. But they pushed forward, understanding that all of their chosen locations may not be open yet. Fortunately, we are extremely familiar with the area they chose and we knew that we could help them pivot if needed.

This winter was one of the snowiest winters we’ve had in a while. In fact, the San Juans beat their snowpack record that was originally set in 1993. And while this is great news for the environment, it wasn’t great news for Destiney and Cody’s mountaintop location choices. But fortunately, they were flexible with their locations and we assured them that they can’t go wrong with views in that area, it’s just so beautiful!

On the afternoon of their elopement, we met them in a campground along a river and nestled between mountains for their first look. It was a gorgeous and warm day and wildflowers were beginning to bloom. After their first look, we headed deeper into the mountains, up a narrow dirt road, across a river, to an overlook with snowcapped mountains in every direction. There, accompanied by Bru and two guests, they said their vows to each other, completing their ceremony with a unity puzzle. Bru was a well-behaved boy and signed their marriage license with his pawprint.

Next, we headed to a dispersed campsite for a picnic. Destiney surprised Cody with a box full of notes from their friends and family, which they read while they snacked on a charcuterie board and ate their favorite pecan pie. To end the night, Destiney and Cody had their first dance at the edge of a lake before watching the sunset from a stunning overlook. After the sun went down, they snuggled up on the back of their truck and watched blue hour fade away. While it wasn’t exactly the day they originally planned for, it was absolutely perfect for them.

This elopement took place on Ute and Pueblo Land.

Photographs

Elopement Location: Ouray, Colorado
Elopement Photographer + Videographer: Vow of the Wild

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