So many of my couples are starting to consider eloping in Colorado instead of or until they can host a larger wedding safely. So, I wanted to start a new blog series to help couples find the best Front Range elopement locations. I’m calling it Places to Elope! On this edition of Places to Elope: Rocky Mountain National Park! RMNP is a huge park so I want to highlight a few of my favorite spots.
I just photographed the most amazing Rocky Mountain National Park elopement with Kylie and Luke and we hit all the best spots for their photos! These two are teachers and they were planning to get married in June in Estes Park. They held onto their original plans until about 6 weeks before. They decided their big wedding just wasn’t happening so they eloped instead!
Places to Elope: Rocky Mountain National Park
Now these two didn’t get married in the park. I know that RMNP has very particular rules on where exactly you can say vows or have a ceremony and not. Which is why these are just their wedding portraits.
We went all over the park for newlywed portraits with Kylie and Luke. Our first stop was Moraine Valley, which has a lovely river and tons of gorgeous wildflowers. In that lovely river, I happen to drop my cell phone. I’m incredibly lucky for my assistant Caitlin who grabbed it for me and the $15 Amazon case that I had it in.
Then, we headed to Sprague Lake, which boasts great mountain views, the lake, and an iconic dock. Sprague Lake actually is one of the few places you can choose to have your Rocky Mountain National Park wedding ceremony. We ended this elopement session at Trail Ridge Road, with rocky outcroppings, and a sweeping mountainscape.
Wedding Ceremonies and permits at RMNP
There are a few things to know about planning a Rocky Mountain National Park elopement right now. First, they aren’t new issuing wedding permits for 2020, and they are limiting permits for 2021. Wedding permits in 2021 are also limited to 10 people total. Which means that the best option is to exchange your vows is outside the park and head to the park after for newlywed portraits, which is what Luke and Kylie did. There are also timed entry reservations needed to get into the park so you’ll need to plan ahead.
The park is still being reopened in phases so there are a few parts that are still closed. Even more with the wildfires right now. This website has the best updates for Rocky Mountain National Park: https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/weddings.htm. Luckily, I go to RMNP all the time so I know all the best elopement spots nearby and how to work with all the restrictions.
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