Elope in Colorado
Colorado is one of the easiest states to get married in. There’s no waiting period after applying for marriage licenses, and you can marry immediately after receiving your license, unlike 20 other states including New York and Texas.
Another reason Colorado is such a great place to get married is that your officiant doesn’t have to be ordained, meaning your friend can marry you without even getting qualified online, and you are not required to have an officiant at all. Colorado is one of only two states (hello, Pennsylvania!) that allow self-solemnization.* This means the two of you can marry yourselves without even a witness-- you simply sign your marriage license together, mail it back to the courthouse, and it's legal.
Kelsey and John were originally thinking of eloping in Las Vegas, but their friend convinced them to change their location to Colorado since they were making a trip out to visit anyway. Not knowing where to begin when it came to eloping, they came to us to help them plan the perfect low-key day.
They wanted a woodsy location somewhere between Estes Park and Fort Collins. At first, Rocky Mountain State Park seemed like a great location, but since it is a national forest, they require a permit and only allow you to hold your ceremony is certain locations in the park. This is to prevent people from trampling the local flora trying to find both a private and beautiful location.
We didn’t want to have to worry about finding a parking space or applying for a permit, so we turned to researching trails outside of the national park where a permit wasn’t required. We came across Knoll-Willows, a beautiful open space right in the middle of Estes Park.
It was perfect! It was full of trees, old ruins, a family of deer, and it was completely deserted on a Friday afternoon in May.
We hired a photographer, hair and makeup artist, and a florist for the bride and groom. Kelsey got ready at the Stanley Hotel before driving across the street to Knoll-Willows with her good friend and witness. The walk to the ruins where they held their ceremony was only a few minutes from the parking lot. Even though it was optional, they chose to use a professional officiant who provided them with a special and memorable ceremony.
It was a beautiful and special day! Are you thinking of eloping in Colorado? Talk to us about what you're thinking about and we can help you make it happen!
*Fun fact: There's a three day waiting period between applying for your marriage license and receiving it in Pennsylvania, making Colorado's marriage process the quickest and easiest in the nation.
Our great vendors:
Planner: A Touch of Bliss
Location: Knoll-Willows, Estes Park
Photographer: Rachel Veltri Photograhy
Floral: Beet & Yarrow
Beauty: Rollers & Rouge
Officiant: Small Circles Ceremonies