When To Elope In Colorado

If you’ve been dreaming of a micro wedding or elopement in Colorado, but don’t know where to start, this is for you! So many of my couples plan their Colorado tiny weddings out of state (trust me, you are not alone in this!), and while it can be intimidating, I do my very best to help you with the When, Where, and How, so you two can focus solely on the Why <3. This is all about the When!

In General:

Avoid all weekends and holidays. Micro weddings and elopements are all about intimacy and grounded quiet – the last thing I want for you is crowds! Non-holiday weekdays also help you with cheaper & more available reservations for lodging, restaurants, local activities, etc. 90% of the tiny weddings I photograph are on weekdays and I openly discourage weekends — the only time a weekend wedding date may make sense is if you are having your tiny wedding at a tiny wedding venue, where you have the entire space to yourselves.

Seasons and temperatures vary greatly across the state, depending on elevation and climate. Colorado has everything from hot and dry high desert to temperate rainforest. Once we narrow down location, picking the time to elope will be much more specific, and vice versa. Looking for information on Where To Elope? Take a peek at this blog post!

Spring.

While most of the country's spring starts in March and April, Colorado's true spring usually begins in late April in the low country (Denver, Colorado Springs, Alamosa, etc) and extends through mid-June. In the high country (10k feet of elevation or higher), however, spring may not start until early June. Seriously: I hiked Lake Isabelle the second week of June and it still had 4 feet of snow. If you're looking for rushing creeks and waterfalls and the first peeps of greenery and wildflowers, a spring elopement is for you! Mornings at high elevation will be wintery, so make sure to pack layers or plan for an afternoon elopement. Weather can be extraordinarly unpredictable with late snow showers (even as late as Memorial Day Weekend) and early hail storms. We'll create backup plans and stay vigilant!

Summer.

In low elevations, Colorado's summer begins in June and extends through early October. In the high country, summer truly begins in early July and it stays warm through about mid-September. Foliage is lush and green and the trails are dry from the spring snowmelt. Looking to escape the late summer heat? An August morning elopement at higher elevations can be up to 30 degrees cooler than the front range. Summer also has wildflowers, with peak wildflower season in July and August. Seasonal trails, roads, and passes will be open, giving you the most access to locations than any other time of year. The one downside to summer is the crowds and the afternoon thunderstorms, which is why I recommend sunrise or sunset elopements for summer.

Autumn.

Autumn is a quick, but beautiful season here in Colorado. While aspen branches can begin to turn yellow as early as Labor Day at high elevations, most color changes happen in mid-late September, and extend through October in the front range or lower elevations. Peak fall colors usually happen the third or fourth week of September at high elevations. October and November is when a lot of season trails, passes, and roads begin to close.

Winter.

Ah, Colorado’s longest season. Winter can begin as early as October (we usually get our first snows around Halloween; cue every Colorado kid’s indignant rage at having to cover up their cool Halloween costume with a winter coat) and extend through April, with the bulk of it between January and March. Fun fact: March is Colorado's snowiest month! Most snow melts within a day or two in the lower elevations. November, December, and January are cold, but mostly dry, great for snowy peaks in the background without actual snow falling. February and March are great for that full winter feel.

If you’re reading this from the East Coast or Midwest and thinking, “why the heck would I get married in the winter?”, let me clarify! Winters in Colorado are filled with bluebird skies, strangely warm temperatures thanks to the proximity and strength of the sun (wear your SPF, kids), and stunning, sparkly snow forests. Colorado winters are nothing like the bleak, frigid, endlessly gray winters of Chicago or New York — trust me, I’ve paid my dues.

weather & Travel advisories.

Colorado’s weather is NO JOKE, thanks to the giant geological and meteorological force that is the Rocky Mountains. Summer thunderstorms and winter snowstorms are frequent and FAST.

Summer thunderstorms are so consistent you can set your watch by them (usually 1 or 2pm), and near daily, depending on where you are in the state. If you are hiking above tree line (read: where the trees literally end and it’s just bare rock on the mountain), make sure you are down below tree line by noon at the latest, or your chances of getting zippity zapped increase dramatically (did you know Nicola Tesla did his lightning experiments on Pikes Peak?). If it does rain during your elopement, know that it passes quickly (again, nothing like those midwest or east coast storms that just sit over you all day). Storms can sprinkle or they can pour, but most empty their precipitation within an hour. Watch the AccuWeather radar all you want (this is personally one of my favorite hobbies), but storms can switch direction last minute and there’s no way to tell until it happens. The best we can do is be prepared either way. I have clear umbrellas we can use, and there’s a good chance the skies will break open and you’ll have God rays and rainbows after.

Winter storms are a whole other ballgame. Snowstorms can strand travelers in a matter of hours and turn roads into bobsled courses, which is why most mountain passes close between 11/1 and 5/1. I-70 can turn into a parking lot, as they’ll close the tunnels until accidents are cleared. Bring chains, use 4WD, and stay patient and attentive. If we are snowshoeing to your ceremony site in the high country and a storm is forecasted, we may need to pivot to a backup or reschedule by hours or days. My number one priority is your safety, and I refuse to subject you to unsafe conditions. Please familiarize yourself with basic winter safety & survival skills.

If you are flying into the state, give yourselves a few days to get to Colorado — flights can cancel easily due to lightning, wind, or ice. If you are driving into Colorado and/or planning on booking a rental car, familiarize yourself with driving in ice, snow, or rain, and make sure you have a sturdy vehicle with 4WD. I’ve hydroplaned and fishtailed plenty here.

Speaking of driving, another reason it’s best to have a weekday tiny wedding is that weekend traffic is absurd. In the summer, folks head out to the mountains in droves for hiking, camping, and outdoor sports. In winter, it’s ski season. If I am driving on a highway on the weekend (I-70 being the worst of these), I will give myself at least an extra hour of travel time, sometimes 2 or 3.

You are welcome here.

No matter when or where you choose to have your tiny wedding, just know that Colorado welcomes you! Please enjoy as much of the local economy & native views as your heart desires, and don’t hesitate to reach out to me for local recs on hikes, restaurants, breweries, etc! And, as always, Leave No Trace so our land is here for your children and grandchildren to enjoy down the road.