Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement
This beautiful Mountain Top Elopement nestled at the foot of a natural lake was the perfect location for these two love birds. Aly + Joe flew over 1,900 miles one way to elopement in the breathtaking Rocky Mountains. It was literally a dream. The entire day from start to finish was pure magic. The morning started off cool with it quickly reaching temperatures in the upper 70's. If you've ever traveled to Colorado, you know the higher elevation you go, the cooler it becomes. As the afternoon approached, we were set to make our hour-long journey into the mountains. The curvy roads along the way made for slow traveling to soak in the beautiful scenery all around. At one point along the way, in a sharp cutback curve, was the perfect view of a snow-capped mountain, in the middle of August. As we continued to travel through small Colorado towns, we reached our destination and turned onto the beaten dirt road. Lined with beautiful pine trees, wild flowers and flowing streams, we traveled up the dirt road soaking in the views all around. We stopped along the way to grab a few dress shots and to explore the area.
Reaching the mountain top, we parked our cars and quickly started to get everything ready for those two to tie the knot. If you've ever traveled to Colorado, you know when a storm is rolling in, its best to be off the mountains or in a safe place so that lighting doesn't strike you. We're trying our best to dodge the storm and be quick as possible. Aly's mother helped get her dress on before moving over to help Joe get ready. The vibe was so intimate and low key as only a few family and friends were there to watch these two become one. Aly's best friend was the officiant. She told such a beautiful friendship story while also sharing such a beautiful love story between the two. Aly's mother led her down the small path to hand her off to her soon-to-be husband, Joe. After the I Do's were done, warm hugs and well wishes were shared. I headed over to the most epic place to grab photos of the two together. We grabbed what we could before it began to rain. We headed off the mountain and pulled over on the side of the road to grab a few photos of the "Welcome To Alma" sign before heading back to Dillion where our condo was. The two ended the night at a surprise reception at Joe's brother's condo with a small number of family and friends. It was filled full with laughter, food and plenty of drinks to celebrate the two becoming one.
Aly and Joe were an absolute blast to work with. I met them while vacationing in Florida and we instantly hit it off. They flew me out to Colorado to capture their special day and for that I am forever grateful. I experienced many firsts with this Rocky Mountain Elopement. I had my first plane ride, my first trip to Colorado, and the first time shooting in the Rockies. We explored many places between Dillion and Denver. We even went panning for Gold. Although this short-lived work trip was just that, a work trip, it was a once in a lifetime adventure, seeing and exploring a new place while doing what I love.
