If you’re dreaming about eloping in Colorado in 2027, you might be wondering: When do we actually need to start planning this thing?
The good news? You don’t necessarily need a year-and-a-half-long planning process or a giant wedding checklist to have an incredible day. But Colorado does have a few quirks—permits, seasonal road closures, unpredictable mountain weather, popular locations, and some very short windows for things like wildflowers and fall colors—so a little planning ahead can make a BIG difference.
Here’s what I recommend if a Colorado elopement is on your radar for 2027.
A sunrise elopement at Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado.
6–12+ Months Out: Start With the Big Picture
This is the time when you might feel like you need every detail figured out, but you don’t. Trust me! Start by asking yourselves what you actually want your wedding day to feel like:
Do you want to hike somewhere at sunrise and exchange vows with nobody else around?
Spend the afternoon Jeeping through the mountains?
Bring 10 of your favorite people along for a tiny ceremony before sneaking away for sunset portraits?
Incorporate horseback riding, rafting, skiing or rock climbing?
Have a venue to accommodate family and friends, then break away for a half-day adventure together later?
This is also a great time to start looking for your Colorado elopement photographer, especially if photography and location planning are important priorities for you. In addition to capturing your epic moments, I help my couples with location research, permits, activity ideas, vendor recommendations, and building a realistic timeline that incorporates as much as your vision as possible, while still leaving breathing room for bathroom breaks, space to explore, and time to rest. This means you don’t have to have Colorado figured out before reaching out!
Choosing Your Colorado Elopement Season
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is when to elope, and Colorado changes dramatically throughout the year. You honestly can’t go wrong with any season, but here are some helpful things to know about each!
Summer: July–August
Summer gives you access to some of Colorado’s highest mountain locations, alpine lakes, wildflowers and roads that may be completely inaccessible during other parts of the year. But it’s also thunderstorm season in the mountains, which means timing matters! Afternoon storms are common, and sunrise or morning adventures can sometimes be the better choice. July is typically when the wildflowers start popping out in high elevations, and will flourish through end of August.
An evening adventure session in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Fall: September–Early October
If golden aspens are high on your priority list, this is your season. But here’s the catch: peak fall color isn’t a guaranteed date.
Elevation, temperature, moisture, wind and even the individual grove can affect when leaves change. One mountain pass can be glowing gold while another area nearby is still mostly green. That’s why I encourage couples to choose fall because they love the season as a whole—not because they’re banking their entire wedding day on one exact grove being at peak color. The good news? Where I’m based specifically—by Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Vail, and Grand Junction—offers opportunities to travel just down the road to higher/lower elevation to chase the color throughout the fall season!
Bonus: I put together seven of my favorite places to elope in Colorado in the fall to help you narrow down where to start.
An afternoon elopement in Marble, Colorado.
Winter: December–March
Want snow-covered mountains, skiing, snowmobiling, cozy cabins or an excuse to bundle up together? Winter elopements can be AMAZING and offer a completely unique experience to your elopement day. Just know that some mountain roads and locations close for the season, while others become accessible only by snowshoe, skis or snowmobile.
And yes—you should absolutely bring layers. 😉
Bonus: If skiing or snowboarding together sounds more like your kind of wedding day, here’s what a full Colorado ski elopement can actually look like.
A morning ski elopement in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Spring: April–June
Spring is probably Colorado’s most misunderstood season.
While Denver may be warm and sunny, higher elevations can still have deep snow. May and early June can also bring muddy trails and limited access to some alpine locations. That doesn’t mean you can’t elope in spring! It just means choosing the right elevation and location becomes especially important, and your Colorado elopement photographer can help you dial in the best locations.
A morning hiking elopement in Aspen, Colorado.
3–6 Months Out: Start Dialing In the Adventure
Once you’ve chosen your general area and date, this is when things start getting really fun! We can start narrowing down locations, researching permit requirements and deciding what you actually want to DO during your elopement.
Some of my favorite Colorado elopement activities include:
Jeeping or off-roading
Hiking
Horseback riding
Skiing or snowboarding
Rock climbing or rappelling
Rafting
Picnics
Hot springs
Stargazing
Exploring mountain towns
Sharing cake or champagne somewhere with an incredible view
And as a reminder, your elopement will feel like an actual day together—not an eight-hour photoshoot!
A sunrise hiking elopement in Vail, Colorado.
1–3 Months Out: Build the Timeline
This is where we start putting the puzzle pieces together. One of the biggest things I help couples understand is that everything takes longer in the mountains than you think.
Driving mountain roads takes time. Hiking takes time. Parking takes time. Changing clothes takes time. And sometimes you find an incredible overlook and decide you want to sit there for another 20 minutes. That’s why I intentionally leave breathing room in elopement timelines because I don’t want you spending your wedding day staring at a clock! We can absolutely build a day where we balance activity and rest. So if we need to stop for snacks, call Grandma, wait out a rainstorm, or stay a little longer because the sunset is absolutely stunning—we have room for that!
An afternoon off-roading elopement in Buena Vista, Colorado.
Wait… What If We’re Planning Last Minute?!
Here’s the other side of all this: you absolutely do not need 6–12 months to plan an incredible Colorado elopement.
I’ve personally helped pull together an elopement with only two days’ notice before, and consistently within a month’s time.
When I already know the area, the logistics, the locations to look at and the questions that need to be answered, things can come together surprisingly quickly! I can help you narrow down the perfect spots, figure out what’s actually accessible, build a timeline, navigate the logistics, and get you standing somewhere beautiful without making the process feel overwhelming!
Of course, more lead time gives us more options—especially when permits, reservations or popular locations are involved. But if you’re reading this thinking, Well, we already missed the 6-month mark… seriously, now’s still the perfect time to reach out! Sometimes spontaneous makes for one heck of an adventure—and I’m pretty happy to go with the flow. 😉
Bonus: If the traditional wedding planning process already has you overwhelmed, I wrote more about why an intentional elopement can be one of the most stress-free ways to get married.
Don’t Wait Until Everything Is Figured Out to Reach Out
This is probably the biggest thing I want couples to know.
You do not need to know where you’re eloping before contacting an elopement photographer.
You don’t need a timeline. You don’t need every activity chosen. You don’t even necessarily need a general area (I’ve had couples reach out for just “anywhere” in Colorado!) That’s part of what I’m here for.
If you tell me, “We want mountains, privacy, a little adventure, our dog and maybe somewhere we can take a Jeep,” that’s enough to start! From there, I can help you narrow down exact locations and build a day that actually fits the two of you.
A sunrise hiking elopement in Frisco, Colorado
Planning a Colorado Elopement in 2027?
I’m Jenn, the adventure elopement photographer behind SoJourney Photography and the detailed, organized calm of the planning chaos. I’m not just here to photograph the pretty stuff—I’m here to help you navigate logistics, find incredible places, build a realistic timeline, have a backup plan ready, and create space for you to actually be present on your wedding day. I’d love to chat with you about all of the exciting possibilities!
Planning a Colorado elopement for 2027? Reach out and tell me what you’re dreaming up. Let’s figure it out together!
Jenn—Your Elopement Navigator!
Ready for an adventure?
Let’s plan a Colorado elopement that gets you outside, exploring somewhere incredible, and actually enjoying your wedding day!
