Planning a Colorado Elopement in 2027: What You Need to Know

Thinking about eloping in Colorado in 2027? First of all, YAY so exciting. 🎉

But once you decide that a big traditional wedding isn’t really your thing, the next question is usually something along the lines of…okay, now what?

When should you start planning? Do you need to have your location picked before hiring a photographer? What season should you choose? Do you need a permit? And how much of this actually needs to be figured out right now?

The good news is that planning a Colorado elopement gives you a LOT of flexibility. You don’t need every detail figured out a year in advance, but there are definitely a few things worth thinking about early, especially if you have a specific date, season, or location in mind.

So if a 2027 Colorado elopement is officially on your radar, here’s what you need to know before you start planning.

How Early Should You Start Planning a 2027 Colorado Elopement?

There really isn’t one magic date when you need to start planning your elopement.

Some couples start more than a year out, while others plan everything in a few months. If you’re flexible about your date and location, you can usually pull things together on a much shorter timeline.

But if you already know you want a Saturday during peak fall colors, a popular Colorado elopement location, a specific photographer, or lodging in a busy mountain town, starting the planning process earlier will give you more options.

If you’re planning for 2027 now, you don’t need to have your entire day mapped out. Start with the big picture. Think about the season you’re drawn to, what part of Colorado interests you, whether anyone else is coming along, and what you’d actually like to do on your wedding day. The details can come later.

You Don’t Need a Location Picked Before Booking Your Photographer

You do not need to find the exact mountain, lake, trail, or overlook before reaching out to a Colorado elopement photographer.

Part of what I do is help my couples find a location that actually fits the day they’re imagining. We’ll talk about the scenery you love, how adventurous you want to get, whether you want privacy or easy access, if you’re bringing guests and/or your dog, and what you want to spend the rest of your day doing.

From there, I can start narrowing down Colorado elopement locations that make sense for you.

So if photography and planning support are important to you, your photographer can be one of the first vendors you book rather than something you wait on until every other detail is figured out.

Your Elopement Date and Location Go Hand in Hand

It’s really easy to find an amazing Colorado location online and immediately decide THAT is where you want to get married.

But before falling in love with a specific spot, think about when you’re planning to be there.

Colorado can look completely different depending on the season, and your date can affect everything from trail access and mountain roads to wildflowers, fall colors, crowds, activities, and even whether a location is accessible at all.

A high elevation lake that looks incredible in July might still be snowy earlier in the year. A mountain pass you want to explore might not be open yet. And if you’re dreaming about golden aspens, you’ll be working with a much shorter window than if you simply want summer in the mountains.

Choose your season and location together rather than treating them as two completely separate decisions.

What Is the Best Season for a Colorado Elopement?

Honestly? It depends on what you want.

Summer

Summer is one of the best times to access Colorado’s higher elevations, mountain passes, alpine lakes, and hiking trails. You’ll also have longer days, tons of activity options, and the possibility of wildflowers depending on where and when you go.

Summer is popular for a reason, though, so some areas can be busy. Sunrise, weekdays, and choosing less obvious locations can help if privacy is important to you.

Fall

If golden aspens are on your Colorado elopement wishlist, fall is hard to beat.

The tricky part is that peak color can be a relatively short window and varies depending on elevation, location, and weather. Popular leaf peeping areas can also get BUSY, so this is one season where planning ahead can make a big difference.

Winter

Snowy Colorado elopements can be quite magical.

Winter also opens up completely different activities like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cozy Airbnb mornings, and snowy mountain town adventures.

Just remember that winter conditions can affect road access, trails, driving times, and which locations make sense.

Spring

Spring in Colorado is a little bit of everything.

Lower elevations might be warming up while the mountains are still very much in winter mode. Higher elevation trails can stay snowy well into the season, and muddy conditions are also something to consider.

Spring can absolutely work for a Colorado elopement. You just need to choose your location with realistic expectations about what that area looks like at that time of year.

There Are SO Many Places to Elope in Colorado

When people picture a Colorado elopement, they usually imagine a giant mountain view.

And yes, we have plenty of those. But we also have alpine lakes, forests, waterfalls, red rock formations, rivers, mountain towns, vineyards, orchards, and quieter places that look completely different from the iconic Colorado locations you see all over Instagram.

You could stay closer to Denver and explore the Front Range around Boulder, Evergreen, Golden, or Estes Park. Head farther into the mountains around Breckenridge and Summit County, Leadville, Buena Vista, or Salida. Or make a trip out of it and explore places like Crested Butte, Aspen, Ouray, or Palisade.

Instead of asking which Colorado elopement location is the prettiest, think about which area actually fits what you want to experience.

If you want to learn about my favorite places to elope in Colorado, click this link.

You Might Need a Permit

This is one of those not very glamorous but incredibly important parts of planning a Colorado elopement.

Permit requirements vary depending on where you’re getting married. Some locations require a permit for your ceremony, while others have additional rules around group size, parking, reservations, or where ceremonies can actually take place. Also, some permits take longer to obtain than others.

For example, Rocky Mountain National Park currently requires a Special Use Permit for weddings and elopements, and ceremonies must take place at designated locations. The park also limits group and vehicle sizes depending on the ceremony site.¹

If you have a specific location in mind for 2027, always check the current requirements directly with whoever manages that land before making your plans. This is also something I help my couples navigate.

*Permit, access, and marriage requirements can change. Always check current requirements for your specific Colorado elopement location while planning your 2027 date.

Getting Legally Married in Colorado Is Pretty Simple

One of my favorite things about getting married in Colorado is self-solemnization.

Colorado allows couples to solemnize their own marriage, which means you can get legally married without having an officiant perform your ceremony.

So if you’re picturing just the two of you exchanging vows somewhere in the mountains, you can actually keep it that simple.

You’ll still need to follow the current marriage license requirements for the Colorado county issuing your license, so make sure you check those details as your date gets closer.

Check out my guide on how to elope in Colorado at this link.

Your Elopement Doesn’t Have to Be a Hiking Trip

Can you wake up at 3 AM and hike several miles into the mountains for sunrise?

Absolutely.

Do you have to?

Absolutely not. 

Your elopement could include paddle boarding on a lake, taking a Jeep into the mountains, exploring a brewery, soaking in hot springs, wandering around a mountain town, canoeing, taking a scenic drive, having a picnic, hiking a short or long trail, or spending part of the day hanging out at your Airbnb.

The point is to build your day around things you actually enjoy doing together rather than trying to make your elopement look like somebody else’s idea of an adventure.

Think About How Much of Your Day You Want to Experience Without Rushing

When you’re planning your 2027 Colorado elopement, don’t just think about how long you want someone taking photos; think about how much of your wedding day you want documented.

Do you want photos of getting ready? Are you planning an activity? Do you want to explore multiple locations? Will family be there for part of the day? Do you want to exchange vows around sunset and stick around for blue hour or stars? 

Longer coverage doesn’t mean spending more time posing for photos. 

Longer coverage gives you more time to actually experience your day at a relaxed pace while your photographer documents everything happening along the way.

If you want to see what an 8-hour elopement in Colorado could actually look like, click the link here.

Bringing Your Dog? Plan Around Them From the Beginning

If you’ve seen my social media pages or website, you probably already know I LOVE when couples include their dogs. 🐾

If your dog is coming to your Colorado elopement, that should be part of the location conversation from the beginning.

Dogs aren’t allowed everywhere, and different areas have their own rules and restrictions. You’ll also want to think about the trail, terrain, weather, crowds, water, and whether your dog will actually enjoy whatever adventure you have planned.

Sometimes it makes sense for your dog to join you for the entire day. Other times, they can be there for getting ready and your ceremony before hanging out with someone they know while you head off for another adventure. There are plenty of ways to make it work.

Check out my blog on how to include your dog in your Colorado elopement here!

What Should You Be Doing Now for a 2027 Colorado Elopement?

If you’re reading this in 2026, you really don’t need to have every detail figured out right now.

You can start thinking about the bigger pieces first, and then go from there.

What season sounds the most like you? Are you picturing the huge mountains around Ouray, a cozy day in Breckenridge, wildflowers around Crested Butte, or somewhere completely different? Will it be just the two of you or are a few favorite people coming along?

Most importantly, start thinking about what you want to actually experience on your wedding day. 

Once you have a general idea, you can start reaching out to the vendors who matter most to you. From there, your location, activities, timeline, permits, lodging, and all the smaller details can start coming together. You don’t need to plan everything at once.

Is It Too Late to Plan a Colorado Elopement in 2027?

If you’re reading this later in 2027 and thinking, “Well shoot, apparently I should have started months ago,” don’t panic.

You don’t need a year to plan an elopement. If you’re flexible with your date, location, and vendors, a Colorado elopement can absolutely come together on a shorter timeline. You might have fewer choices for certain popular locations, dates, or accommodations, but that doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance.

One of the perks of eloping is that you generally have fewer moving pieces to coordinate than you would with a large traditional wedding. Start with what matters most and go from there.

Ready to Start Planning Your 2027 Colorado Elopement?

You don’t need to show up in my inbox with your location, timeline, activities, and backup plan already figured out.

Maybe you have a date. Maybe you just know you want fall colors. Maybe you’ve been dreaming about Ouray for three years. Or maybe all you know is that a huge traditional wedding sounds absolutely terrible and you’d rather run off to the mountains with your dog. 

That’s totally enough to get started and we can figure out the rest together.