If you’re dreaming of an adventurous elopement or intimate wedding in Colorado with stunning views, Maroon Bells is perfect! As a Colorado-based wedding and elopement photographer, it’s easily one of my favorite places because the scenery is gorgeous, and it’s a fun place for a wedding.
Maroon Bells Scenic Area is surrounded by hiking trails and stunning views, including tall mountains, Aspen trees, and a beautiful lake. It’s also one of the most photographed mountains in Colorado, so it’s no wonder it’s so popular for a mountain wedding or elopement.
Below, I’ll share everything you need to know about a Maroon Bells wedding or elopement, including planning tips, the cost, where to stay, and packages.
Can you get married at Maroon Bells?
You can get married at Maroon Bells with up to 50 guests. You can reserve the Maroon Bells Amphitheater for privacy and space for guests for only $200, making it an incredibly affordable elopement or wedding location. The amphitheater is tucked away from crowds and offers gorgeous views of the mountains and Maroon Lake.
If you want a small elopement without reserving the amphitheater, there are also a few locations throughout the Maroon Bells Scenic Area, which are ideal for a small ceremony and beautiful photos.
When to Get Married at Maroon Bells
You can have a Maroon Bells wedding or elopement in summer or fall, and both seasons are stunning! Maroon Bells closes during winter due to snow, usually from October or November until May.
At the beginning of summer, there may still be snow on the mountaintops. Throughout summer, greenery is lush, and wildflowers are blooming. The morning and evening temperatures are usually pleasant, and it’s warmer during late morning and afternoon.
During fall, you can appreciate beautiful autumn colors, with peak fall foliage between late September and early October. The weather varies during fall and may be warm and sunny or chilly and rainy.
If you’re making a reservation for a wedding ceremony at the Maroon Bells Amphitheater, you can get married Sunday through Thursday in June, July, and August or Monday through Thursday in September and October.
However, if you’re not booking the amphitheater and want to elope at Maroon Bells, the area is usually accessible daily from mid-May through October.
How to Get Married at Maroon Bells
Whether you’re planning a Maroon Bells wedding or elopement, you can follow the steps below to plan your special day.
Step 1: Make a reservation
You can reserve the Maroon Bells Amphitheatre for an intimate wedding with up to 50 guests. Reservations are usually available from early June through October, which you can book by creating an account on recreation.gov. There are no reservations on Fridays and Saturdays from June through August or Fridays through Sundays in September and October.
You can make your reservation one year in advance, but times usually book up immediately, so you’ll need to be ready to reserve as soon as your date releases one year prior at 8 AM MST.
For example, if you want to get married at Maroon Bells on May 1st, 2026, you’d sign in to reserve that date on May 1st, 2025. I recommend being ready before 8 AM MST because reservations are competitive, and you’ll need to refresh the page until you see the reservation release.
You can skip the reservation if you don’t want to have a ceremony at the amphitheater. Some couples prefer to spend the day exploring the area, taking photos, and having a just-us elopement adventure with their photographer.
Step 2: Hire vendors
After you book the Maroon Bells Amphitheater, you can start planning for vendors, such as a florist and makeup artist. If you’re planning a simple elopement, vendors aren’t necessary.
As an elopement and intimate wedding photographer, I can make vendor recommendations if needed. I also help with timeline planning and, of course, take beautiful photos on your special day.
Step 3: Apply for your marriage license
Colorado is one of the easiest places to get a marriage license and legally get married. You can self-solemnize your wedding, meaning you can make it official without witnesses or an officiant, and the process is relatively simple.
To get your marriage license, follow these steps:
- Complete an online application – While you don’t need to apply online, it saves time.
- Go to any Colorado County Clerk’s Office – You may need to make an appointment first. When you arrive, you’ll submit your documents and pay your application fee.
- Get married within 35 days of receiving your marriage license – Then, take your marriage certificate and license for recording within two months of your wedding.
Step 4: Plan your wedding
Consider the following when planning your Maroon Bells wedding or elopement:
- How long your wedding trip is if you’re traveling
- Your vows
- Your wedding attire and decorations
- Wedding events, like the week or day of activities and reception
If you’re having a wedding with guests, there will likely be more planning involved. However, if you want to keep the planning details minimal for a more laid-back experience, you might consider having an intimate elopement with just your partner or a few close loved ones.
Step 5: Enjoy your wedding day
Yay, it’s your wedding day! Most importantly, enjoy your wedding or elopement day and appreciate the special moments. Make your day meaningful with fun ideas, like having a first look, celebrating with a first dance, and doing a fun activity together.
If you’ve reserved the Maroon Bells Amphitheatre, you’ll have five vehicle passes. Otherwise, you need to reserve a shuttle or parking permit for your wedding or elopement day.
Maroon Bells Wedding Reception
Although there isn’t a space at Maroon Bells Amphitheater for your reception, you can reserve the East Maroon Portal Picnic Site just a few miles away. It’s the perfect space for celebrating with loved ones and offers picture-perfect scenery of red stone cliffs and forests. The daily rate for the East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is $75.
Aspen also has several other cool event spaces for a reception, including Highlands Ale House, The Little Nell, and Clark’s Oyster Bar.
Maroon Bells Wedding Cost
It costs $200 to reserve the Maroon Bells Amphitheatre for your wedding, and the East Maroon Portal Picnic Site reception space is an additional $75.
While your wedding or elopement cost will vary, here are expenses to consider:
- Venue – up to $275
- Accommodations – Up to $300 per night
- Attire – Up to $3,000
- Photographer – $3,000 to $10,000
- Florist – Up to $500
- Hair & makeup – Up to $600
Accommodations Near Maroon Bells
There are many places to stay in Aspen close to Maroon Bells for your wedding.
If you’re interested in a camping wedding or elopement, Maroon Bells has several campgrounds open during summer. There are also many ski resorts, inns, and vacation rentals in Aspen close to Maroon Bells.
Maroon Bells Wedding: FAQs
Get answers to common questions below about getting married at Maroon Bells.
How accessible is Maroon Bells?
Maroon Bells is very accessible. The amphitheater is a short walk from the parking lot.
If you’re having an adventure elopement, there are also various hiking trails for all skill levels, from the easy 1-mile Maroon Lake Scenic Trail to the moderately challenging 3.6-mile Crater Lake Trail.
Is Maroon Bells dog-friendly?
If you’re planning a dog-friendly elopement or wedding, you’re in luck because pets are welcome at Maroon Bells. They must be leashed, can go on the shuttle, and the only trail that dogs aren’t permitted is the Scenic Loop Trail.
What to wear for a wedding at Maroon Bells?
If you’re getting married at the Maroon Bells Amphitheater, hiking isn’t required, and you can wear whatever attire you’d like. If you’re planning a more adventurous elopement experience, I recommend wearing something comfortable and bringing hiking shoes for exploring.
Maroon Bells Wedding & Elopement Packages
Are you ready to start planning your dream wedding day? With my wedding and elopement packages, I can help you create the perfect experience and capture all the special moments of your big day.
When we work together, I can help you with:
- Timeline planning – Whether you’re having a mini elopement or an intimate wedding, we’ll get your timeline just right for a stress-free and fun experience.
- Vendor recommendations – If you need other vendors, like a videographer, florist, or makeup artist, I can offer suggestions for you
- Planning guide – My 90-page planning guide is filled with resources to help you prepare for your wedding or elopement
- Photography and custom online gallery – I’ll capture the big and small moments of your wedding day so you can remember this special time forever and share it with loved ones (you’ll even get sneak peek photos!)
kinsley + caden
“Brooke was the perfect choice for our wedding day! We had a micro wedding at Sapphire Point in August. I had never been to Sapphire Point and Brooke was so helpful suggesting vendors, picture locations, parking, marriage license info etc. She was so kind and helpful before and during the whole process and was a large part of why the day went so smooth. She does so much more than just show up and take pictures, Brooke will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect! The photos are gorgeous and I keep getting so many compliments! I truly cannot recommend her enough!”
"Brooke was a large part of why our day went so smooth and will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect!"
We chose Brooke to capture our Colorado elopement and she did exactly that and more. She made it easy to plan our day out with locations and timelines so that we could focus on ourselves. We decided last minute to change our afternoon/evening elopement to a 6am sunrise one so beat the heat of the day. Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise. She was kind and understood what we wanted in terms of our elopement and we are so grateful to have her capture the day. Our photos turned out beautiful and truly helped us relive the day. I would recommend Brooke to anyone wanting their special day photographed.
"Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise."
erica + stacy
kirstie + colin
Brooke not only photographed our mountain elopement beautifully, but she put so much thought into the details and knew all of the answers the questions I didn’t even know to ask. She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had. She even helped pick the perfect spot for us and advised us on the logistical details like securing a reservation at the mountain lake where we wanted our ceremony. She is SO easy to work with and very friendly and chill. My husband and I are super awkward in front of a camera but she made it so natural and easy - and the shots came out better than we could have imagined.
"She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had."
amanda + jace
Brooke is many things; talented, calm, flexible, experienced/ knowledgeable, patient, incredibly responsive, organized, resourceful in a pinch, supportive, creative, professional yet a blast to work with, and goes above & beyond w her clients. Our wedding was a spectacular dream and we couldn't be more grateful that she made that single day last forever. Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be. We couldn't recommend her more and we look forward to booking with her for all of our vow renewals, seasonal and family pictures for as long as she'll have us.
"Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be."
linden + brent
Working with Brooke was a dream come true! Before we even met, my husband Brent and I were impressed by her portfolio. After meeting, we were even more convinced that her photography skills and knowledge, and her fun and easygoing personality were exactly what we were looking for in an elopement photographer. Brooke was able to take our vision and facilitate everything so that it worked out beautifully, especially when it came to finding the perfect location (the incredible mountains surrounding Ouray). Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible, and made it clear that her goal was for us to be 100% happy. In the end, her creativity and our happiness totally shine through in every single photo.
"Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible."
lauren + branden
I can't begin to express my gratitude for the intimacy and beauty behind Brooke's photographs. In capturing our wedding day, she went above and beyond to document our story, our families, and the depths of our love in ways that I'll forever be grateful for. Brooke has an eye for not only capturing the adventure and magic of your love, but deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way. She is truly an artist and tells your story in an authentic and creative way for you to look back on for years to come. We are forever grateful to Brooke for spending the time to get to know us, our story, and capturing the memories that we'll relive for years to come.
"Brooke deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way."
heather + jedd
“If you're contemplating which photographer to go with, THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO CHOOSE BROOKE!!!! She is so so so talented and was able to capture our elopement exactly how I pictured and wanted! We eloped in Ridgway, CO this past September and she was so helpful figuring out picture locations, recommendations of timeline for the day, and just made the whole day feel so smooth. She schedules multiple check ins, phone calls, etc., leading up to the big day to ensure everything is as you want it. Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever after just the first time of meeting."
"Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever."
christy + austin
Brooke is the absolute best. She truly went above and beyond for my fiancé and I to be able to get our engagement photos taken with the fall colors. Brooke is so sweet, fun, personable and incredibly talented. We could not be more in love with our engagement photos! Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever.
"Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever."
