Sometimes true love comes when you least expect it, and when you’re not even looking for it. Kendra and Rob met through a mutual friend and quickly hit it off. At the time, neither of them was looking for a relationship, they both enjoyed being independent. But as Rob told us, they couldn’t help but fall in love.

From the start, their life together has been full of adventure. Their first trip together was to Belize, where they went cave tubing, explored Mayan ruins, and even swam with a manatee (insert Lisa being super envious). They got engaged while on a wine tasting tour in Oregon and eagerly started planning their wedding for the following year.

They were going to get married in California, where Kendra is from, but the big, traditional wedding just didn’t feel right for them. So they cancelled their plans and decided to have a small wedding in Colorado with their immediate family and close friends.

Now, we’re just going to gush about Kendra and Rob for a moment. They are two of the kindest people we’ve ever met, and Kendra has a smile that could seriously change the world. The entire planning process leading up to their wedding was so much fun, and we couldn’t wait to finally meet them in person.

Kendra and Rob decided to get married in Crested Butte, which is one of our favorite Colorado Mountain towns. It was the end of September, so the aspen trees were beautiful and golden. They each got ready in separate houses in downtown Crested Butte and then had their first look in front of a lake surrounded by mountains. Their ceremony was held in a small meadow that is surrounded by aspen trees and looks out at Mount Crested Butte. Kendra’s brother officiated the ceremony and their guests gathered around. Everyone was crying.

After their ceremony, we stopped for sandwiches, and then we spent a few hours exploring the mountains surrounding Crested Butte with Kendra and Rob. One of our favorite parts of being small wedding photographers in Colorado is that you can find a huge variety of views in a short distance. Kendra and Rob climbed to the top of a waterfall, stood overlooking a mountain in the distance, and had their first dance during golden hour in a meadow, the entire time Kendra’s dress picking up souvenirs (such as a grasshopper, two fishhooks, a couple pinecones, and even some red ants).

After our mountain adventure, Kendra and Rob met up with their guests at Sunflower, which is an incredible farm-to-table restaurant in Crested Butte. There, they enjoyed cocktails and a multi-course meal, before ending the evening with cake.

At no point in the day did Kendra or Rob lose their smiles, which probably left them with sore cheeks for a few days. Sorry guys. But that’s part of the beauty of ditching a wedding that feels like it’s for everyone else, and instead choosing an adventure that’s catered to what it really should be about. Just you and your partner.

This elopement took place on Ute Land.

Photographs

Colorado Elopements

Destination Elopements