Ayrica and Jared had a beautiful springtime Colorado elopement at 3M Curve in Rocky Mountain National Park! There is oftentimes an unspoken wishlist of things that is completely out of anyone’s control (except for Mother Nature, of course) that comes along with planning an elopement in the Rocky Mountains. The three top things on that list?
√ Good weather
√ Good views
√ Wildlife wedding crashers
These two got all of the above for their beautiful Estes Park elopement day last April! Before their sweet and simple wedding ceremony where they were joined by their family and friends, Ayrica and Jared chose to have an intentional moment alone and do a first look with just the two of them. Right after their first look, we rounded the corner and there was an entire field of elk grazing in the distance! The ceremony backdrop at 3M Curve is a gorgeous view of the Rocky Mountains with Longs Peak right in the middle. The sun was shining and the view was beyond beautiful! Scenery aside, what made their Colorado elopement ceremony even more special was that it was officiated by the groom’s grandfather.
After the ceremony, their friends and family surrounded them with so much love, joy, hugs, and happy tears. These are the moments during an elopement day when I am reminded of just how incredibly lucky I am to document such an emotion-filled milestone in a couple’s journey together.
We took advantage of the epic view and spent time taking formal portraits with their guests before they ended their time at 3M Curve with a champagne toast just as golden hour began. We explored the trail at their gorgeous elopement location before hopping in the car and heading to another one of my favorite Rocky Mountain National Park photo locations! There, they shared their first dance as husband and wife a la Bluetooth speaker.
Just when we thought that things couldn’t get any better than what was already the best elopement experience ever, when we arrived at the Beaver Meadows visitor’s center to link back up with their friends an elk came trotting into the parking lot right near where we were all standing and surprised us all! After some quick photos at a safe distance, everyone hopped in their cars and these newlyweds headed off to celebrate the rest of their evening with their friends and family.
This Colorado elopement at 3M curve was absolutely a wishlist checking, dream come true kind of day!
Each year I photograph more elopements in Estes Park than in any other location in Colorado. With that being said, I have a Rocky Mountain National Park Wedding and Elopement guide full of information for your wedding or elopement experience, things to do in the area, places to eat, etc. as well as a Places to Elope in Rocky Mountain National Park guide that covers all of the places you can legally get married, how and where to get your elopement ceremony permit and more to help make your elopement or wedding planning journey that much better!