It’s no secret that Colorado is a GO-TO for destination weddings. The reasons are obvious- it’s b-e-a-utiful!
So if you know Colorado is where you want to elope but you’re just not sure how to make it happen, I’m here to help! Read on to learn how to plan your Colorado elopement!

The legal portion of the process can seem daunting at first, but let me assure you it’s not! So don’t stress. Planning a Colorado elopement doesn’t have to be complicated, so let me break it down for you!

How to Plan Your Colorado Elopement

1. GET THAT MARRIAGE LICENSE!

You can apply and and pick up at your marriage license at the local County Clerk’s office. Most of my couples are not from Colorado, so this is an important piece of info that I repeat often: You need to obtain your marriage license from a local county Clerk’s Office in Colorado, even if you’re from a different state.
Simply go in to the Clerk’s Office together, fill out some paperwork and you’re good to go. Shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes tops! This is one of the most important part of planning your Colorado elopement!

2. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

One of the most important factors in planning your elopement is choosing your location. There are many options to choose from in this beautiful state, so this can be a tricky ‘to-do’ to check off the list. If you need some guidance, let me know! That’s what I’m here for!

3. HIRE AN OFFICIANT OR SELF-SOLEMNIZE?

The phrase “self-solemnize” might be new to you so let me explain, ‘cos it’s pretty awesome.
In Colorado, you do not need an officiant to marry you and your fiance. You can do it yourself and it’s totally legal. How awesome is that?! Pretty awesome if you ask me. Which is why I’ve said the word “awesome” more than three times now.
So, you can make the choice to include an officiant in your ceremony or you can choose to keep it even more private and keep it between you two.
Hannah and Wilks chose to self-solemnize their ceremony and it was the sweetest thing. Check it out here!

Another benefit to a Colorado elopement is that Colorado doesn’t require any witnesses. WHAT? I know, pretty cool, right? There is a space on the marriage license for witness signatures, but it’s optional. So you can leave it blank.

4. DO YOU WANT TO HIRE ANY VENDORS?

• This is one of my favorite part of planning because the personality of your day can begin to show. You’re Colorado elopement can be as simple or detailed as you’d like, and this is when you make that choice.
  
  Most of my brides hire a hair/makeup artist for their big day, and I highly support that decision! You want to look your best on your big day, so let one of our super talented local hair/makeup artists work their magic! Your wedding day is a perfect opportunity to spoil yourself, so don’t forego some self-love just because you’re skipping on the traditional big wedding day! You still deserve to feel like a BRIDE.

• Bouquets and boutonnieres are a great addition to any elopement! They add detail, color, dimension, and a bit of formality to your day! I can guarantee that you will not regret incorporating florals into your day.

• You’ve already saved so much cash not throwing that big wedding, so don’t you deserve a treat? You can still get yourself a stunning and delicious wedding cake, cupcakes, or donuts! The options are endless.

5.  ENJOY THE PROCESS AND HAVE FUN WITH YOUR COLORADO ELOPEMENT!!

Most importantly, planning your Colorado elopement should be an enjoyable process. If you’ve encountered a vendor who has made it anything but, ditch them quick! You deserve to enjoy the planning process and you deserve to have an EPIC elopement day!

If I can help you in planning your day + photographing it, give me a call! I’d love to hear from you. But if it’s 10 o’clock at night, send me an email instead. 😴🤣