Officer's Gulch Elopement

Mack & AJ wanted a snowy winter elopement in the northeast, but then while exploring their vision a little more they realized that Colorado was their dream and they wanted to follow that elopement dream. Getting on a plane and going to elope somewhere can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. States like Colorado also make it easy with self-solemnization as an option! That means legally you do not need an officiant or witnesses in order to marry. You can sign the license, return it, and be married as simple as that.

Snow in Colorado was sparse when the week of their elopement rolled around and I started to become concerned that they wouldn’t have snow, but a couple days out a massive storm hit the forecast. Before we knew it summit county Colorado was a snow globe and winter wonderland. The roads were awful.

The plan was to originally to go to another location, but due to road closures we pivoted to Officer’s Gulch. Eloping in the winter in Colorado must always come with a backup plan. Avalanche conditions, ski traffic, and bad roads demand it. Luckily Officer’s Gulch does not require a permit or any advance planning in order to elope there with a small group, in this case, it was just the two of them!

Easily accessible was also important. The snow was past our knees and hiking without snowshoes which the couple could not bring with them was nearly impossible. Officer’s Gulch located a convenient drive between Frisco and Copper Mountain provided that. Summit County Colorado elopement locations are a great mix of accessible and fun short hikes for the most part making it a popular place to tie the knot for couples traveling in.

After post holing our way to a beautiful evergreen tree on the pond the couple said their vows while the wind and snow swirled around us. We took as many portraits as we could possibly stand to outside in the bitter cold, then decided it was time to warm up. I took Mack and AJ to one of my favorite local spots for a beer in Frisco to cut down on driving. As the life slowly entered our frigid hands once again we swapped some adventure stories while they signed their marriage license and watched as the beautiful festive lights lit up Main Street in Frisco.

Sometimes adventure means knowing when it’s okay to do the backup plan, and at the end of the day they couldn’t have been more excited about their Colorado adventure elopement.