Intimate Wedding | Mountain Elopement | Colorado Wedding Photographer

June 13, 2018

More than just photos: An Intimate Wedding Experience

“This is awesome! It’s like a whole experience, instead of just wedding photos!” he said.

I couldn’t agree more.

Skyler’s dad uttered those words while we were at the trailhead for Skyler and Blayke’s epic mountain portraits. He got it. And so did everyone else.

I’ve been stoked on shooting this mountain elopement for months.

Surrounded only by their immediate families and closest friends, Skyler and Blayke exchanged their vows in a beautiful forest ceremony officiated by the groom’s father. In the days leading up to their wedding, they flew in from Oklahoma and rented an awesome Airbnb (like these!) in a tiny Colorado mountain town. The friends and family members had been playing in the great outdoors ’till all their hearts were content. When I showed up, it was clear that there was life and love and joyous energy in the air.

The guys played pool in the basement, while the ladies put the finishing touches on their hair and makeup upstairs. In between, on the main level of the home, Skyler had set a long, beautiful table and chairs for their special dinner.

Tucked away in the evergreens behind the house was the ceremony site, with just a handful of chairs for their parents, grandparents and grandpa’s video recorder. Simply and beautifully decorated with fallen tree branches and fresh flowers, the spot felt close, sweet, intimate and absolutely enchanted.

Palpable love.

I don’t think I’ve witnessed a sweeter ceremony.

Each of Skyler and Blayke’s friends and siblings wrapped Blayke in a giant hug when they got to the end of the “aisle.” And he was all tears of joy and tenderness when he finally laid eyes on his gorgeous bride. Their love for one another, the love they were surrounded by, their excitement and their readiness for the adventures ahead was palpable throughout.

Worth it.

Following the ceremony, we piled in vehicles and hit the 30 minutes of dirt, gravel, potholes and winding turns that separated us from the trailhead. But their epic mountain portraits were worth every bump and hairpin turn. The skies remained overcast for some moody, playful frolicking until our very last shot when the clouds parted and the mountains beamed with their signature alpenglow. And I think we were all okay with that, too.

Thank you, Blayke and Skyler, the newly minted Mr. & Mrs. Storm, for allowing me to step into your world, document your wedding day and entrusting me with your love story right in my very own backyard. Cheers y’all!

Skyler's beautiful wedding gown hangs from their mountain elopement airbnb.

Blayke nervously strikes the cue ball in his pre-wedding game of pool with all his groomsmen and family watching.

Skyler and her birdesmaids pile on the bed to jump around in their matching flannels.

Detail of Skyler's heirloom bracelet and wedding ring set atop an agate table.

Skyler chose perfectly punchy, sassy shoes to walk down the forest aisle.

Skyler's mother and sister help her into her beautiful wedding gown.

The bride and her mother share a laugh while making adjustments to her wedding dress.

Bridesmaids look on as Skyler's mom helps her into her dress.

Mom and sister help Skyler get situated in her wedding attire.

Skyler pauses for a quick photo in her stunning wedding dress.

The groom and his groomsmen take a stroll through the evergreens.

The dapper groom, Blayke,

The bride's father approaches his beautiful bride of a daughter.

Father and daughter share an embrace before walking down the aisle.

The bride's father helps her into her wedding jewelry, an heirloom bracelet belonging to his mother.

Skyler's mother and sister put the finishing touches on the bride.

Bride and bridesmaids share one last shot before making their way down the aisle.

A perfectly intimate alpine wedding site.

Grandmother's walker is placed by a tree during the intimate forest ceremony.

Grandpa sets up his camera to record his grandchildren's beautiful wedding ceremony.

A nervous groom slips into the woods for one last bathroom break before the wedding ceremony.

Grandmother awaits the intimate ceremony.

The bride's sister embraces her new brother-in-law as she makes her way to the other bridesmaids.

Skyler and her father share a laugh as they make their way to the forest ceremony site.

Blayke eagerly anticipates the approach of his bride.

Skyler's dad pauses before finally walking his daughter the last steps down the forest aisle.

This tear-filled groom stands in awe of his gorgeous bride walking towards him, seeing her for the first time.

Blayke gathers himself for his bride and their ceremony.

The bride's father gives his daughter one last embrace before officially handing her off to her new forever-man.

Skyler's precious grin shining through the loveliness of their intimate wedding ceremony.

A grandfather wraps his wife in an embrace during the marriage of their grandchildren.

Tall pines and elegant evergreens surround this intimate wedding ceremony in the forests of Colorado.

Blayke places the ring on his bride's finger.

The best man reaches into his pant leg for the ring box during the vows.

The best man hands over the entire ring box to the bride.

Skyler prepares to place the ring on her groom's finger.

The scene from this alpine wedding was perfectly set for joy, closeness and intimacy shared with loved ones.

Family members surround Blayke and Skyler for a word of prayer during their intimate wedding ceremony.

The groom's mom holds onto her new daughter-in-law.

Bride and groom gaze at one another in anticipation of their first kiss.

The new Mr. and Mrs. overjoyed at the pronouncement of their marriage.

Blayke wrapped Skyler in a huge embrace for their first kiss.

Blayke is thrilled to be scooting down the aisle with his beautiful new bride!

Skyler and Blayke pause for a kiss on their way down the alpine aisle.

As the officiant strummed through the pages of his ceremony notes, he tossed them behind.

Beautiful florals and beautiful girls at this intimate alpine wedding.

Gorgeous florals by Garden of Eden in Frisco, Colorado.

The groomsmen wore funky socks to add a little pizzaz to their wedding getup.

Bride and groom look on as a dear friend signs their Oklahoma marriage license in the Colorado mountains.

Skyler's mom helped her arrange and decorate for their intimate wedding dinner.

The mother of the bride created a beautiful cake for the couple on their intimate wedding day.

Simple cake and gorgeous florals make for the perfect detail for an intimate wedding dinner.

Skyler and Blayke pause for beautiful mountain portraits on their intimate wedding day.

Blayke helps his new bride across the rocks at the trailhead during their Colorado elopement session.

Bride and groom are all smiles and joy during their epic mountain elopement session.

Blayke and Skyler share a laugh during their epic portraits.

Snow remains afield during this May elopement in Colorado.

Overcast skies create a moody mountain backdrop for Skyler and Blayke's elopement portraits.

Blayke peeks back at his beautiful bride, laughing, as they make their way through a meadow.

Blayke leads Skyler through a low alpine meadow near Fairplay, Colorado.

Blayke and Skyler mid-field surrounded by 14ers in the Rocky Mountains.

Blayke chats with a local man from the ALMA-mart before heading down the mountain.

 

Leave a note

  1. What a sweet little elopement in the mountains!

  2. Megan Steen says:

    You captured in both your words and your photos all of the best reasons to plan an intimate Colorado wedding!

  3. Gabi says:

    What a sweet intimate mountain wedding! And youncaptured it so beautifully! It’s making me even more excited to be back in Colorado in a couple weeks 🙂

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