So before we get into planning the details of the day and all the fun stuff, there is some logistical info to know and cover when it comes to your elopement day. Big shout out to Google for helping me find all this info :)

• Self-Solemnization - wtf? Self-solemnization is the act of marrying yourselves, with no other officiants or witnesses necessary to legalize it. Colorado is one of only very few states in the US to allow this to happen.

What does this mean for you?

You don’t need anyone else to be there for your elopement outside of the two of you(of course), your dog(🤞), and Amy and I ( 📸+📸). This gives you the ultimate freedom when it comes to planning your day how you want it to go.

This also means that if you want to have more of a traditional or structured ceremony, you can ask anyone - a friend, a close relative, etc. to lead and guide the ceremony without the need for them to be ordained. You can also easily do this online now.

It’s pretty awesome.

All you will need to do is apply for a marriage license in Colorado leading up to the day you will want to elope.

To apply for a marriage license in Colorado:

• Complete the Online Marriage Application. (make sure to complete this before scheduling an appointment.)

• Schedule an in-person appointment here.

• You must attend an in-person appointment if you are not a resident of Colorado and both people must go.

If one of you is not able to apply for your Colorado marriage license in person, you are required to provide an Absentee Affidavit for the county you are applying in along with a copy of his/her valid I.D. and notarized signature.

Both you and your partner need to be present at the appointment, and each of you will need to provide a valid U.S. state-issued I.D. with your name and date of birth. You will also need to bring a form of payment.

Valid identification forms include:

• Passport

• Driver’s License

• Military identification card

• You will also be asked for the social security number for each of you.

The Marriage License is $30 and is valid for 35 days after you apply but can be used immediately. (Like literally immediately. Don’t fill it out right when you pick it up or it becomes legal right then!). The Marriage License can be obtained in any county in Colorado, regardless of where the ceremony will take place.

The marriage certificate must be completed and returned within 63 days from the day of the wedding to the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office. In most cases, couples will mail it back or drop it off at the same location they obtained their marriage license. Your clerk and recorder's office will give you specific instructions on how to submit your filled-out marriage license for recording.

Elopement location is a big one, and one of the main draws for couples choosing to Elope. Your wedding venue can be anywhere in the world. Well, anywhere permit permitting - we’ll get to that :)

But seriously, choosing a location is very important. If you do not already have one in mind, then my biggest tip and suggestion to you would be to find a location together.

So how do I recommend finding a place?

Make it a trip: if you are not from Colorado, or even if you are, chances are you do not want your elopement happening in downtown Denver but somewhere out in the beauty the mountainous landscape has to offer.

I recommend finding a time 3-6 months out from your elopement day to plan a trip together and essentially location scout where you would want to commit your love together.

So plan a trip together! Drive around and scout out some locations you may have seen online but want to feel what it’s like to stand and look at in person. Consider the landscape and backdrop and if it connects with you.

Do you want to be standing up on an overlook to see for miles as you pledge your love or would you rather be down in a valley surrounded by towering mountains on all sides or have your feet buried in the sand of dunes with the range of the rockies on the horizon?

Another good reason to scout is to see what obstacles we might need to plan around when the day does arrive. ie. I had a couple who wanted to elope in Page, AZ. After initially wanting to Elope at the beautiful Horseshoe Bend, they took a trip there and realized that it was overly crowded with tourists, railings had been put up in non-ideal locations, and taking photos at the main areas required waiting in lines.

Not ideal. Instead, they drove around Page and found another location off a path in a state park that overlooks the same river bend- except this time with no one around, and lots of freedom, and the same epic views. They stood at this spot and decided together this would be where they said their vows!

If a trip is logistically out of the question, or you just want somewhere to start other than googling “best places to elope in Colorado you can find some of my recommended places to start looking: National Parks, State Parks, National Forests or BLM Land, Top of a Mountain (Yes. You heard me correctly. Amy and I love hiking and summit several 14ers every year. So elope and come along with us.

Ok ok ok. So you’ve picked a location. You’ve researched the necessary steps to getting the right permits, it’s time to plan your day.

This is your day. I’m here to capture, document, and create with you on the day of, but I want every second of it to be about who you are and what you want to do.

Most traditional weddings don’t need to worry about structuring the day/ceremony as an officiant, a planner, or even sometimes the venue will have scheduled and planned how it will go.

But an elopement is all up to you.

Think about what is special to you and what you want the ceremony to consist of: Will there be rings? Are you going to write vows to each other or do something else? A great idea here is to write notes to each other the week leading up to the day of your elopement. Do you want to have a bouquet, an arch, or any other decor where you pledge your vows? Will there be any poems or readings? Do you want to have a first kiss? Do you want to do anything creative?

Invent your tradition. Share and recap your love story. Shotgun a beer 🍺

The next step is thinking about what the rest of your day will look like!

Plan the details to fit you: Will you get ready together or do a first look? Some couples will rent out an Airbnb together to share the morning of and get ready together. Some get ready in separate locations and meet up to do a first look before hiking in.

Are you going with formal wedding wear or do you want to opt for a more casual look?

Do you want to go to multiple locations? You can say your vows in one location, then drive to another spot for reception/picnic/photos/champagne poppin’, etc.

Do you want to share a meal together? You can do anything from a simple picnic to a full-on table scape.

Do you want to have a party or reception when you get back home? Especially with Covid-19, many couples are choosing to still go through with getting married by eloping and then having their big party/reception at a later date.