Intimate Colorado Wedding at Twin Lakes and Independence Pass

This incredible Twin Lakes, Colorado wedding day began with a dream of yellow aspen trees, a lakeside ceremony, and an idea to celebrate with family near Denver. In the questionnaire we send all of our elopement couples, A & L said, “We love nature and hiking and wanted a non-traditional, more private wedding anyways. We kind of joked about just going on a hike with a bunch of family and some friends and getting married at the top of the mountain. Then, when we saw your account on instagram, it all just kind of fell into place!”

A & L wanted to stay close to their home in Colorado, and they knew that they wanted the location of their elopement to be somewhere special to them and their own adventures. When we started chatting, we quickly helped them put together the details of their day. After months of planning, everything came together for the most incredible, colorful Colorado elopement!

Groom’s Getting Ready Moments in Buena Vista

Tucked away in the little mountain town of Buena Vista, Colorado, A spent the morning getting ready in a super cute, local Airbnb surrounded by his closest people. Even the doggos were included in the getting ready moments, from A putting on his suit and tie to writing vows out in the courtyard. All of the little moments that morning felt so intentional and beautiful. No one was rushing around or stressed, making it the perfect environment.

Buena Vista is known for its stunning views of the Collegiate Peaks and small-town vibe. It’s a place that A & L absolutely love, so it just felt right for them to plan their day here. There are a ton of great Airbnbs and local rentals as well! A & L picked this cute space specifically to host their reception, as well as for A to get ready.

Capturing the getting ready moments is something that we absolutely love doing and that we encourage our couples to build in time for. Theses photos and videos preserve the quiet, unscripted scenes filled with anticipation, joy, nerves, and meaningful interactions. This helps to tell the beginning of your wedding day story: a best man helping the groom get dressed, the dogs being there every step of the way to watch their parents become one, a parent carefully pinning a boutonniere. They’re a chance to document the love and support surrounding the couple, the personal details they’ve chosen, and the unique energy of the day. We do this so because these moments, specifically, serve as powerful reminders of not just how the day looked, but how it felt.

Bride’s Getting Ready Moments at Surf Hotel

While A was getting ready at a local Airbnb in town, L was getting ready with her best friend (and maid of honor), parents, and brother, at the Surf Hotel. This luxury hotel is located on South Main in downtown Buena Vista. It’s an absolutely gorgeous space that’s right next to cafes, restaurants, and an extensive riverside trail network.

When Adam and I arrived, the first thing we noticed was how relaxed everyone was! We felt the same way about the environment at the Airbnb where A was getting ready. Everyone was joyful and not stressed. That’s what we want every small wedding and elopement to feel like for our couples!

L had her mom help button up her dress and put on her veil outside on the porch of her hotel room. The views from Surf Hotel are amazing!! One of my favorite moments from this Colorado wedding was when L’s mom was helping her get ready, and her dad, brother, and best friend were all watching from afar. In moments like these, the love and joy from guests is almost tangible. After L was all ready, she finished writing and reading over her vows!

Elopement Details

A & L chose the most gorgeous details for their day! Their vows books were customized with their names, wedding date, and a mountain design reflective of the Colorado mountains. They ordered these books off Etsy, which is an awesome place to look for anything you want customized on your wedding day. And can we take a moment to drool over L’s bridal bouquet?! Farmhouse Florals absolutely nailed the fall colors and textures in L’s bouquet! So stunning!

Bridal Hair & Makeup: Graykin Hair & Makeup, based in a small town just outside of Buena Vista

First Look Under The Yellow Aspen Trees

After getting ready, we helped coordinate a caravan to Twin Lakes, a pair of glacially-carved lakes about 30 minutes from town. Here, we set up a private first look under the yellow Aspen trees! Adam and I had scouted out a little spot along the lake in the days leading up to A & L’s small wedding. They really wanted to make sure and capture some moments under the Aspens since the vibrant colors of the leaves was one of the main reasons they chose to get married in the fall!

Twin Lakes, Colorado Wedding Ceremony

After their private first look under the gorgeous fall colors of the aspen trees, we walked back to the parking lot where their family was waiting. We all then walked to their ceremony spot along Twin Lakes! Adam and I had scouted out this beach spot when we went looking for a first look location. Everything was within a few minutes of the parking area, making it super accessible for everyone (including the dogs).

It was a very sunny and gorgeous day! All of the mountains in the area were scattered with fall colors. And even though Twin Lakes is a very popular place for outdoor recreation, we had the beach to ourselves. These two said “I do” with all of their closest people as witnesses. And their two doggos even got to be a part of the ceremony as ring bearers!

Family Photos & Lakeside Portraits

Immediately following A & L’s gorgeous ceremony along the lake, we took some family photos and celebrated their marriage! Then, family started to walk back to the cars while we took a few lakeside portraits.

Private Picnic in the Colorado Mountains

After we said our goodbyes to A & L’s guests, the four of us drove up towards Independence Pass to a spot that we found along the highway for a private picnic. And while we trekked on up the pass, A & L’s guests went back to the Airbnb to change and prepare for the evening reception.

It’s really important to plan times to eat on your wedding day! We make it a point for all of our couples to plan a time to tailgate with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, setup a charcuterie picnic, or make a meal together. Not only is it important to eat on your wedding day, but it also forces you to have slower moments where you can just relax! These two chose to get a pre-made charcuterie basket from Pop Up Picnics BV, and set up a little picnic at this roadside stop. It was so perfect!

Personal Vows Near Independence Pass

We then continued driving all the way up to Independence Pass, at an elevation of 12,095 feet on the Continental Divide. It’s part of the Sawatch Range in the Rocky Mountains, midday between the towns of Aspen and Twin Lakes. A & L wrote personal vows for this part of their day to have private moments for just the two of them. We found a little spot by this lake for them to share their love with each other.

Whether it’s sharing personal vows, a first look, or sneaking away for a quiet hike together, carving out intentional time for just the two of you on your wedding day is so meaningful. Many of our couples choose to elope because they’re drawn to the intimacy and ease that comes with a smaller celebration. That’s why we make it a priority in your coverage to create space for those quiet, connection-filled moments—just the two of you, soaking it all in.

Sunset & Blue Hour Elopement Portraits at Independence Pass

A & L really wanted some gorgeous sunset and blue hour moments for the portrait portion of their elopement! And the sky really delivered. The sunset was absolutely gorgeous, creating the most perfect alpenglow on the mountains. When it got cold and dark, we brought out the blanket and lanterns! Sunset time is often perfect for private moments because there tends not to be a lot of people around. And that was definitely the case for this night!

Small Wedding Reception at Buena Vista Airbnb

We headed back down the mountain after sunset, making our way to the Airbnb. When we arrived, A & L were greeted with bells and lots of cheering from their loved ones! To end the night, A & L signed their marriage license (with their pup’s paw print of approval), toasted, and ate delicious food. What a beautiful celebration of love in such a gorgeous state.

Event Rentals: Settings Event Rental
Catering: Spark Provisions BV

Reach Out About Your Colorado Elopement!

Falling in love with the idea of an intimate wedding like this one? If this kind of celebration feels like the perfect fit for you and your partner—but you’re not sure where to start—we’d love to help bring your dream elopement to life. Reach out to us, and we’ll hop on a call to see if we’re the right fit for your day. We can’t wait to help you start planning an unforgettable adventure!

Here’s what these two said about their Twin Lakes Colorado wedding experience with us:

“It’s hard to put in words how great of an experience this was for us. Hannah and Adam were incredible from day one. They listened to us on our first call with them on what we imagined for our wedding and, not only did they perfectly execute that, but they were always there to support us and remind us what mattered for us the most. They gave us a lot of options of areas that would best for our ceremony but then added their own touch from experience on ways to make it epic. The day was truly incredible.

Hannah is a spectacular photographer and Adam’s video brought us so much happiness. They are also such a fun and awesome couple. We spent half the day with just them and, again, it was the best day.

I couldn’t recommend them more. If you’re thinking about doing a fun, adventurous elopement, reach out to them just to talk about it. You’ll be surprised how easy it is for them to create the perfect day for you. Beautiful ceremony. Some more private moments just for us. Some special time with our family that we’ll cherish forever. And memories saved beautifully forever.”

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