As a Colorado-based elopement photographer, Colorado Springs is easily one of my favorite places for couples to elope. In this article, I’ll discuss how to elope in Colorado Springs for an unforgettable experience.
I’ll share why Colorado Springs is the perfect elopement destination, amazing places to elope (including outdoor locations and stunning venues), and tips for when to elope. We’ll also look at how to get your marriage license, the best places to stay, and Colorado Springs elopement packages.
Why Elope in Colorado Springs
I could spend all day telling you why Colorado Springs is one of the best places for an elopement. In summary, there are endless gorgeous backdrops, there’s so much to see and do, and it’s perfect for adventuring and relaxing. Getting married in Colorado Springs is also easy, as you don’t need a witness or officiant to tie the knot.
Colorado Springs is a nature lover’s paradise, with massive rock formations, mountain scenery, waterfalls, and lush forests. So many landscapes make for the best experiences and photo ops for your elopement.
As far as things to see and do, there are several incredible parks and a fun downtown area in Colorado Springs. You can spend your elopement adventuring outdoors, dining and drinking, and taking time to unwind at local spas.
Colorado Springs is ideal for eloping because there are options for any couple to create fun memories and say “I do” at the perfect location.
Best Colorado Springs Elopement Locations
Colorado Springs is a magical slice of paradise with stunning elopement locations, including iconic parks, gorgeous mountains, and beautiful wedding venues.
Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods is easily my favorite elopement location in Colorado Springs. The park’s scenery is unlike any other! Sweeping mountain scenery and massive red rock formations make it one of the most incredible places for photo ops and exploring with your love.
There are six main sites in the park to exchange your vows, and you can also get adventurous with hiking, horseback riding, and rock climbing. It’s no wonder Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark!
The best part? There are no fees, and the views are your decor, so it’s easy to plan an affordable elopement at Gardens of the Gods.
Palmer Park
Palmer Park is a large, beautiful park with endless natural beauty. The scenery is picture-perfect and changes throughout the year, with wildflower fields, creekside cottonwood trees, and rock formations.
The park also has various levels of trails to explore and take pictures. If you want your dog to join you, Palmer Park is also the ideal dog-friendly elopement location.
North Cheyenne Canon Park
Elope in the forest at North Cheyenne Canon Park, a unique park cut 1,000 feet deep into a 1.5 billion-year-old granite rock. This is another incredible spot for couples who enjoy hiking.
There are various hiking and biking trails and beautiful scenery perfect for your elopement ceremony and pictures. You can also hike, bike, or drive up to Helen Hunt Falls, a waterfall and stunning photo op.
Pikes Peak
If you want to have an epic Colorado mountain elopement, Pikes Peak is ideal! Pikes Peak, also known as America’s Mountain, is one of the highest summits of the Rocky Mountains.
Pikes Peak’s views are magical, and it’s an amazing elopement location for adventurous couples. You can hike Pikes Peak, but if you’re not up for a hiking challenge, you can also drive, take a shuttle, or do a Jeep tour. If you drive along Pikes Peak highway, you can also stop to explore and take pictures at various viewpoints.
Paint Mines Interpretive Park
If you want to elope a bit off the beaten path in a magical park, Paint Mines is well worth checking out! The park is located slightly east of Colorado Springs and is known for its massive, colorful rocks.
Explore fascinating rock formations, pose for pictures, spend time with your love, and explore various hiking trails for all levels. This is the perfect place to elope for a unique outdoor experience.
Colorado Springs Elopement Venues
If you’re hoping to have an intimate wedding ceremony in Colorado Springs with or without guests, there are several stunning venues to choose from.
- The Pinery at the Hill – an all-inclusive, upscale indoor wedding venue with micro-ceremony options
- Red Rocks Barn – a casual but elegant indoor and outdoor venue with special elopement packages
- CLAY – an indoor elopement venue with industrial vibes and an outdoor space for warmer months
- Hillside Gardens – colorful gardens with mountain scenery for an outdoor elopement ceremony
- Garden of the Gods Resort – a resort and spa with various ceremony spaces surrounded by beautiful views
How to Elope in Colorado Springs
Make the most of your elopement and have a stress-free experience with more details on the marriage license process, permits and fees, Leave No Trace, and how to get to Colorado Springs.
Marriage License
Colorado is one of the only states where you can legally marry yourself without a witness or officiant. You can even have your dog sign your marriage license if they’re joining you!
To get your marriage license, you’ll follow these steps to complete an online application. Then, go to any Colorado County Clerk’s office to finalize your application in person, which you can do 35 days before and up to the day of your ceremony.
You can also get your marriage license in your home state before or after eloping in Colorado Springs if you prefer an even easier route.
Permits and Fees
Some Colorado Springs locations require a permit, while others don’t. For example, you don’t need a permit to get married at Pikes Peak or Garden of the Gods, and there aren’t any fees.
You can talk with your elopement photographer to learn more about permits and fees at specific locations.
Leave No Trace
To preserve Colorado Springs’ natural beauty, it’s essential to follow Leave No Trace principles. As a Leave No Trace aware photographer, it’s my top priority to follow these principles. Leave No Trace focuses on minimal impact by leaving all places as we find them or better and being considerate of others enjoying the space.
Getting To Colorado Springs
If you’re coming from out of state, you can fly into Colorado Springs Airport (COS) from many places. You can also fly into Denver International Airport (DEN) from just about anywhere, which is only about an hour and a half away.
There are many car rental options in Colorado Springs (and Denver if you’re flying into DEN) and rideshare services to get to and from.
When to Elope in Colorado Springs
While Colorado Springs is gorgeous and accessible year-round, my favorite time of year for a Colorado Springs elopement is late summer and fall.
During summer and fall, the weather is beautiful, and you can avoid afternoon storms. That said, mornings and evenings can be chilly during fall, so be prepared for that. In the summer, Colorado Springs gets fairly warm and sunny.
Winter and spring are the slower seasons in Colorado Springs. If you enjoy snow or want to have a more intimate elopement with fewer crowds, consider having a winter or spring elopement.
Where to Stay in Colorado Springs
There are many places to stay in Colorado Springs for your elopement. With so many outdoor activities and a cute downtown area, it’s also ideal for an extended stay to include your honeymoon.
Some of the best places to stay in Colorado Springs for your elopement include:
- Airbnb – There are many cool Airbnb rentals, including mountain cabins, affordable guest houses, and large homes if loved ones are joining you. Some Airbnb rentals are great places for an elopement ceremony, too.
- Bed & breakfasts – Colorado Springs has several charming B&Bs, including The St. Mary’s Inn, a historic upscale bed and breakfast.
- Resorts – If you’re planning a luxurious elopement, there are some amazing resorts in Colorado Springs, some of which are ideal for also having your elopement ceremony.
Colorado Springs Elopement Photographer and Packages
If you’re looking for someone to help you plan and photograph your special day, consider working with an elopement photographer–like myself! I work with couples to plan and execute their dream wedding experience while capturing all the special moments the day of.
My Colorado Springs elopement packages all include:
- A phone consultation to discuss your perfect day
- Help with location scouting, timeline planning, and vendor recommendations
- Access to all-inclusive elopement planning resources
- A custom online gallery with all edited high-resolution images
- 48-hour sneak peek photos
- Rights to printing
Plan Your Colorado Springs Elopement
Are you ready to elope in Colorado Springs? I love working with adventure couples ready to enjoy an authentic wedding experience. Colorado Springs is easily one of the best places for an elopement, with so many beautiful locations and fun activities.
Let’s plan your elopement!
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."
