Love Colorado? Why not elope here?!

I see you–you’re stoked about your brand new bling, but you’re not so pumped about planning a full-blown wedding that feels stiff, traditional and oh-so-not you. At your core, you are an adventurer and you dream of tying the knot in a place you feel most inspired: the great outdoors. When the world is your playground, it’s hard to decide what you want to do, where and how it’s even possible.

Girl, I’ve got you covered (and so does the great state of Colorado!). Here are a few ideas to get your noodle goin’:

• CLIMB one of Colorado’s 53 14ers and exchange your vows as the sun rises over the horizon. Camp out the night before to get a jump start and, if you’re lucky, the summit can be all yours, at least for a few minutes.
• SKIN to a backcountry hut and say your “Hell Yeahs!“ on a hilltop at sunset. Party the night away with your best buds in the hut.
• SNOWSHOE to some old mine ruins and have some stunning alpenglow on the sawtooth ridge as your backdrop. BONUS: Colorado meadows famously don blankets of wildflowers during summer. Who needs a venue when you’ve got the glory of nature?
• HIKE to an alpine lake and tie the knot with the best of both worlds at hand–water and mountains. You’ll be seeing double with some magnificent reflections.
• EXPLORE the southwestern/desert vibes in south-central Colorado flanked by the Sangre de Cristos. If you crave an exotic location close to home, you may just find a low effort, high reward setting that looks like an otherworldly nod to the Sahara.

PRO TIP: Colorado is one of just a handful of states where self-solemnization is legal. This means you can get married without a third-party witness. No need to fret over hiring an officiant or having a friend go through a crazy online ordination process. This just makes having your dream adventure wedding even easier. And don’t worry–your marriage will be recognized in every other state, too. Even if your adventure lovin’ fur child prints a paw on your license.

These are just a few of my quick picks, but there are infinite possibilities when it comes to choosing the perfect location. When we work together, my couples receive an insider’s list to handpick from these and many more specific locations, all based on the adventures they love.