Maroon Bells Elopement

What better way to get married than at sunrise in one of Colorado’s most photographed locations? This fall Maroon Bells elopement was such a dream! | Laura and Michael

Laura and Michael met in college at Texas A&M all the way back in 2007 and when they finally decided to get married, they wanted an elegant and beautiful ceremony in the mountains of Colorado, so they landed on a Maroon Bells elopement!

In order to have more privacy, avoid crowds, and have the best morning light for photos, a sunrise elopement was the best option! In order to access Maroon Lake for sunrise, you need to purchase a parking permit for either a morning reservation, or a “midnight to midnight” reservation, and you must enter the area before 8 AM. After 8 AM and until 5 PM, you can take the shuttle (which you also need reservations for), and then after 5 PM there is also the option to get a parking reservation, if you want to be at Maroon Bells for sunset. You can get more information and make reservations here.

If you want to elope at the Maroon Bells and need some help planning, let’s chat!

Sunrise Portraits

We started their day before the sun came up. Sunrise at Maroon Bells is always my favorite because the alpenglow on the Bells is just incredible! Even though it was a very early morning, sunrise at Maroon Bells is always worth it. We walked around the Maroon Lake area, taking in the views as the sun started to illuminate the peaks. Laura and Michael were making each other laugh and smile the whole time! As the sun started to come up even more, we started to make our way up the trail to their ceremony location.

Maroon Bells Elopement Ceremony

The Maroon Bells Amphitheater is a very popular spots for traditional wedding ceremonies, and very difficult to obtain a reservation for. You can get more information about reserving the amphitheater for a ceremony with up to 50 guests here. However, since it was so early with no one else around and just the couple, they said their vows at the amphitheater! Their little private ceremony was so beautiful and so heartfelt. Both Laura and Michael laughed and cried during their vows. After reading vows, they exchanged rings, and then sealed their marriage with their first kiss as husband and wife! I will say, there are few views better than Maroon Bells for an intimate elopement ceremony in Colorado.

Celebratory Champagne

After their ceremony, Laura and Michael celebrated with some champagne. They even had a custom label made with their names and elopement date! It’s the little details that always make for a special wedding day in the mountains. We also took a few more photos, including ones where Laura and Michael showed off their class rings from Texas A&M. After enjoying their celebratory bubbly, it was time for a little hike to their picnic spot.

Little Hike and Picnic

Even though Laura and Michael’s elopement was past the prime time for changing leaves in Colorado, there were still a few aspens that held on to their leaves and they were so beautiful. Fall elopements in Colorado are always so stunning and I love fall weather. Of course you do have to be prepared for anything when eloping in October though! You could get a warm sunny day, or a snowstorm! Luckily, Laura and Michael had one of the warmer sunny days for their October elopement.

We hiked our way along Maroon Lake and picked a spot to put down a blanket for a nice picnic. Their blanket and sweet pillow were from Michael’s grandma. Laura and Michael enjoyed some more champagne and charcuterie on their custom cutting board and signed their marriage license to make it official! After some snuggles and enjoying the views, we walked around for some more exploring and photos in the Maroon Bells Wilderness. It truly was the perfect morning!

Congratulations, Laura and Michael!