Black Bear Pass Elopement

Ian grew up going to Colorado as a kid and always dreamed of having a small, intimate wedding surrounded by the natural beauty of the San Juan Mountains. So when Ian and Miranda decided they wanted a Colorado elopement, they knew this was the place they needed to be! They invited their families, cat and dog so no one would be left out!

As the day approached, the forecast called for winter conditions and heavy snow, and they weren’t joking! We scrapped our original trail plans and off roaded up to Black Bear Pass, which connects Telluride and Silverton. We jumped out for a first look. The fall colors clashed with the white snow, and it was insanely beautiful! These are some of my favorite elopements when fall and winter collide.

Ian and Miranda had their ceremony with their pets and we explored the upper basin area before heading down the pass and basking in the fall colors in the lower elevations. We then headed over to meet their families near Ouray to get their well wishes before making it official at the courthouse. One of my favorite parts of the day was having their pets sign their marriage license, which is a cool legal thing we can do here called self-solemnization. These photos were so fun and unique!

Ian and Miranda’s elopement was a truly unforgettable and magical experience. They left with full hearts and a fun story to tell!