Garden of the Gods Elopement

Most wedding days run on a script somebody else wrote. Not this one. Carly and Levi built their Colorado elopement their way, and it was rad from the first cup of coffee.

They started slow at their Airbnb. No ballroom, no crowd. We did their first look right on the deck. One stepped out, the other turned around, and the rest of the noise fell away. Then we pointed the car at the rocks.

Garden of the Gods is one of the best backdrops in the state, and it is free to be in. We found a quiet spot away from the crowds and they read vows they actually wrote. Colorado is a self-solemnizing state, so no officiant needed. The only signatures that mattered were theirs and their dog’s paw print on the license. If your pup is family, bring them.

After the paperwork we wandered the trails for couples photos. No stiff posing, just a few bad jokes from me while the real reactions showed up on their own. Then they went home. No venue. Cake on the counter, first dance in the living room, and a few celebratory bong rips to toast a day where they threw out the rulebook.

You don’t need a big venue or a stack of traditions to get married well. You need a spot that means something and someone who knows how to run the day.