Elopement at an Alpine Lake with Friends

Sunrise Mountaintop Elopement in Colorado

Natalie + Mike

2020 has been the year of the pivoted wedding, and this is especially true for Natalie and Mike. Before the pandemic hit, they were in the middle of planning a big wedding back at home in Chicago. With a guest list nearing 600, it quickly became obvious that their wedding was not going to happen this year. So they made the decision to cancel their big wedding and have a Colorado elopement instead! In a way, this was a relief for them because it allowed them to get back to basics and think about what they really wanted from their wedding day.

Natalie and Mike chose to elope in Breckenridge, Colorado. There, they had many options for beautiful views for their ceremony and post-ceremony picnic, they also had many choices for accommodation and areas to explore beyond their wedding day. They brought 4 guests with them and spent a few days together in Denver and the mountains.

On the morning of Natalie and Mike’s elopement, we met them at the very top of a mountain at sunrise. They all carpooled, so Natalie changed into her wedding dress once they arrived. Then we hiked down to the edge of the mountain for their first look. Mike got into place first, and then Natalie followed down. They have such a playful relationship and were immediately full of smiles and laughter. After taking time to cuddle up and take in the mountain views, it was time to go to their ceremony location. We all hopped in our cars and drove to the trailhead of one of our favorite alpine.

Their ceremony was held at the edge of the lake, with towering mountains in the background. For being at such a high elevation, we were lucky to have a perfectly calm morning with absolutely no wind. So the water of the alpine lake was perfectly calm and created an amazing reflection of the trees on the opposite side of the lake. When it was time for Mike to read his vows to Natalie, he had everyone bursting with laughter. And by the time it was Natalie’s turn to read her vows, she had everyone crying. After many years together and a roller coaster of changed wedding plans, they finally shared their first kiss.

After the ceremony, we explored the lake some more before heading to lower ground for their picnic. It quickly became clear to us that Natalie and Mike don’t mess around when it comes to picnics. They brought a blanket, a marble serving board, a gorgeous cake, fruit, veggies, a meat and cheese tray, and a very nice bottle of champagne. Everyone dug in and enjoyed the views while they ate. It was the perfect ending to a great morning!

This elopement took place on Ute and Cheyenne Land.

Photographs

Colorado Elopements

Destination Elopements

Hi There!

We're Lisa + Alex, the goofballs behind Vow of the Wild. We live in Colorado, but we’re passionate about exploring new places. Being elopement photographers + videographers is a dream for us and we can’t imagine doing anything else (other than being professional dog petters).