A Wintry Breckenridge Elopement
On June 13, 2023, Sierra and Mitchell left the busy city of Denver to embrace the tranquility of nature at Blue Lakes, a secluded spot just outside of Breckenridge. Surrounded by tall trees and clear waters, their elopement became a testament to the unpredictable and magical nature of mountain weddings as even being in mid June, they were hit with a winter storm. Sierra and Mitchell found unexpected adventure in the beautiful mountains despite the drastic weather and ended their day back at their hotel cozied up sharing pizza and champagne. Their elopement story is filled with unforgettable moments that became a part of the mountain’s essence. Read on to discover how their love story unfolded in the wild wilderness.
from the couple:
“I can’t say enough good things about Caleb and his wife Amy! They go into depth about the vision you have for your day & helped provide a list of places to elope. They made us feel super comfortable in front of the camera and the results were better than I could have imagined. The weather ended up being crazy and snowing but they stayed positive and ensured they would do whatever it took to make sure we still got the most out of the day. Choosing Caleb as your photographer will be the best decision you make!”
S + M
Before their big day, S & M stayed at the Gravity Haus, a charming hotel nestled in downtown Breckenridge. This became their haven as they dressed and prepared here for their adventure. The Gravity Haus hotel exuded a special vibe that reflected their love for one-of-a-kind experiences. The hotel's unique design, blending contemporary elegance, and mountains charm resonated with Sierra and Mitchell's vibrant and cool personalities. Sierra and Mitchell prepared for their elopement in their hotel room separately so as not to see each other before the actual elopement. Mitchell dressed and readied first with a velvet green suite that would match their vibe perfectly. Once Mitchell had dressed and left the room to travel up to Blue Lakes, Sierra came in and put on her dress. She would not be complete without all her details for the day including custom elopement converse shoes that were decorated in mushrooms that matched her elegantly decorated nails that also pictured the fungi. The Gravity Haus hotel perfectly complemented their love story and created a beautiful spot to prepare for their enchanting elopement. With a mix of excitement and butterflies in their stomachs for what was ahead, Sierra and Mitchell left the hotel, ready to celebrate their one-of-a-kind love story on their Breckenridge elopement day.
The Journey to Blue Lakes: Embracing Nature's Whims
The trip to Blue Lakes was exciting, much more than it really needed to be. When we all arrived, we were all greeted by a last-minute mountain snowstorm. The heavy snow made their elopement plans more challenging, but also more exciting. We sat in our cars at the trailhead hoping the blistery weather would pass, but eventually we had to choose between waiting for the storm to pass or embracing the snowy weather for their first look. As an experienced elopement photographer and videographer, planning around weather is always first priority, however in a lot of circumstances, mother nature has her own idea for your elopement day, and it was no different with Sierra and Mitchell’s. Despite planning months before and even scouting the days leading up, it just so happened that on the evening of their elopement a flash winter storm moved through the Colorado Rockies, and everyone was forced to adapt - another essential part of eloping. While Sierra and Mitchell could have let this sudden change in weather dampen (no pun intended, though we all left damper than when we arrived) their spirits, but they embraced it, and it made for that much for of an incredible and memorable experience.
Sierra and Mitchell planned a moody and romantic elopement, and the weather matched their vision. Despite the icy winds and snowfall, the couple had their special first look by the lake, surrounded by misty scenery. Mitchell's genuine and emotional response to seeing Sierra melted away the chill and set the mood for the rest of the evening.
Sealing Vows in Nature's Embrace: A Ceremony Amongst Ancient Trees
Seeking shelter from the harsh winds, we all retreated deeper into the enchanting woods surrounding the high alpine lake so we could find a place to hold their ceremony. Surrounded by ancient trees covered in hues of deep forest green, we found a clearing near the foggy shore that protected them just enough from the cold swirling winds. In this private haven, they prepared to exchange their deeply emotional hand-written vows.
In this small clearing alongside the lake, Sierra and Mitchell professed their love and commitment to each other. The love they expressed went beyond time and space, touching everyone's souls. The storm seemed seemed to pause, listening to their promises as they each took turns reading their hand written vows to the other as the weather outside the clearing raged on.
After the vows were spoken, the rings exchanged, and a kiss to seal it, we all went together on a short hike to a deserted mining cabin hidden down a snowy trail for some moody and artistic portraits while the snow continued to fall and the mist continued to blanket the surroundings.. They were thrilled and eager to capture some amazing portraits at this special and cool location, and it was part of the reason they decided on a Blue Lakes Elopement in the first place. Needless to say, they absolutely slayed their adventure portrait session together and were complete troopers toughing out the snow, the wind, and the ice.
Pizza & Champagne in Bed? A Fun End to a Breckenridge Elopement
As the last light began to fade behind the snowflakes, I suggested to Mitchell and Sierra that we all go back to their hotel room to finish what we started: sign the marriage license, eat pizza they had brought for a picnic, and pop some champagne - all activities that were planned to do at the lake, but were unfortunately cut due to the time we had to wait for the weather to die down. While the coverage time they had booked with their Colorado Elopement Package was ending, I decided it would be a nice gift to them to extend my time with them since we were all having a good time and to make up for some moments lost in the midst of the storm. They happily agreed and we all journeyed back to Gravity Haus for the remainder of the night sharing more stories, warming up, drinking champagne, and taking some fun and amazing pictures of them eating pizza in their hotel bed. Truly the coolest way to end any elopement day, especially one where we were all soaked head to toe from the freezing snow and ice.
Their elopement experience serves as a reminder that the most memorable moments often arise when you go with the flow and embrace spontaneity. If you're thinking about eloping in Breckenridge, or really any where in Colorado, be ready for anything and let the beautiful surroundings make your day special, just like Sierra and Mitchell did.
Check out their stunning Breckenridge Elopement Video below as well as their gallery.
Vendors involved:
Photographer: Caleb Clayton
Venue: https://gravityhaus.com/
Dress Shop: @aandbe_denver
HMUA: @glammedbyshell
Tux: @indochino
Florist: @theperfectpetal
