Ouray, Colorado Wedding

Wow, this early June Ouray, Colorado wedding day was one for the books. It was a balance of a two person adventure elopement and a micro wedding! And though it may have not gone entirely according to plan, it was incredibly memorable (and BEAUTIFUL) nonetheless.

Ouray, Colorado is one of the top adventure elopement + micro wedding destinations in the state

Ouray is located in the San Juan mountains. It’s known as the “Switzerland of America” because of the jagged peaks that seem to raise up out of nowhere. It’s a stunning area for those who love the mountains, and has year round activities. From fantastic ice climbing in the Winter, to wildflower galore in the Spring + Summer, and epic off-roading and hiking through the Fall. This entire region can make you feel like you’ve just stepped into a postcard. With this much adventure, amazing scenery, and some pretty awesome elopement + micro wedding venues, it’s one of my favorite places in Colorado to recommend for a memorable wedding experience.

Oh, and did I mention there are hot springs and vapor caves here too?

Yeah, it’s pretty awesome.

The adventurous wedding day plan

The plan for this day was to off-road to a mountain pass for sunrise, but with massive amounts of the lingering snow, we ended up snowshoeing instead. Fortunately this couple is no stranger to climbing mountains. They’re actually working their way through summiting every 14er in Colorado!

So, we drove the truck up as far as we could, hopped out and began our trek. The night sky was spectacular. We traversed up the mountain until we reached the saddle, just in time to watch the sun come up.

Talk about an epic wedding day backdrop…

Mountaintop wedding portraits

Just after the sun came up and splashed a warm glow across the snow-covered mountains, the snow moved in. It felt like it held out just long enough for us to get a good view and some couples portraits.

It’s wild to witness how fast the weather can change, especially in the mountains. We had just hiked up under a clear sky, then were sharing a snow globe moments just minutes later. It’s both powerful and humbling.

After spending some time on top of the mountain, we began our hike back to Ouray for part two.

Ouray, Colorado wedding celebrations with family

Once everyone had warmed up from the morning hike, we gathered with family at a nearby lake for mingling and portraits.

Though most of the family celebrations would continue throughout the weekend, everyone wanted to see the couple on their day! This was a lovely time to reunite with their dog, and share stories of our adventure.

The best part is that from the lake, you can look up and see the mountaintop on which we were that morning!

Sunset wedding ceremony near Ouray

After the mingling, it was time to take the dog and head to our final destination. This spot the couple picked out for their private vow reading. It is located nearby and it’s a stunning and vast meadow lined by aspen trees with snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Here they shared private vows with each other, sipped champagne, and their dog witnessed their marriage license. It was the most lovely ending to an adventurous day that went from before sunup to after sundown.

Dog witnessing Colorado marriage license

Arguably the best part about getting married in the state of Colorado is that your dog can witness your marriage license. So, just after exchanging vows it was time for Beau’s stamp of approval, followed by a joyous first dance.

Vendor Shoutout

Flowers: Flowers by Ella

Bowtie: Brackish

Ouray, Colorado wedding + elopement photographer

So you want to get married in Ouray? I’d love to be there to photograph your day. Set up a discovery call below and let’s see if we’re a good fit!