How to Elope in Winter | Winter Elopement Guide
If you’re thinking about a destination elopement in off-peak months, a winter elopement in Colorado is super romantic and gorgeous in the snow! Even if you’ve never been here before, or you live in a warm climate… we are here to give you tips on how to elope in the winter! Read our tips below to learn about weather, traveling here, booking vendors, and choosing a location.
We have numbers listed on these below, but it’s just a general guideline. There’s definitely no set rules on when to do what if you’re eloping!
1. Come to terms with the fact that your family & friends won’t be there. Maybe this isn’t an issue for you, and you were planning just the two of you all along. You are eloping to make it stress free! We are here to make it stress free FOR you. Guests require planning for food & drink, extra lodging, directions, packing, logistics… and from what we’ve seen firsthand, family always has opinions on the way you’re doing things the day of. Or they ask dozens of questions to make sure you’ve checked off some imaginary list. This is awkward to say, but no matter how much these couples loved their families… there was always drama, and the couple wished it had just been the two of them. See our blog post about “How to Elope Without Offending Your Family.”
2. Decide on a location. Of course, we’re biased to western Colorado, because the mountains are more beautiful and it’s less busy. Also, there aren’t constant blizzards in the winter; it’s actually sunny and the snow is magical! Educate yourself about winter weather in the area you’re thinking about: is it sunny even if snow-covered? windy? icy when it rains? Do you need to rent an all wheel drive vehicle? If you are trying to decide on where to elope (regardless of the season), we have narrowed down our guide for The Best Places to Elope in Colorado.
3. Choose a photographer, preferably local. If you’re not picky about photographs (what??) this might be further down your list. If you have your heart set on a certain photographer, this should be one of the first things you do. Their availability might determine the elopement date you choose. If you hire a local professional photographer they will be knowledgable about the most scenic places to have your ceremony, that are also safe to access in the winter. A professional will also have a Plan B in case of bad weather. At Elope Telluride, we also help you with planning, deciding on a location, finding local vendors, and more.
Obviously you’re here on our elopement photography blog, and we would love for you to hire us, but no matter who you choose… ask to see 2-3 of their last elopements in their entirety. Don’t hire them just based on the highlights photos on their website. Also, have a Zoom chat or at least a phone interview. You want to make sure you get along and will enjoy being with them to make your day fun! Ask them questions to ensure you’re confident they’ll be a good fit for you.
4. Determine a date. You might want to avoid holiday weekends or when there’s a big festival in the area where you choose to elope. Or perhaps you want to schedule your elopement when these special occasions are happening. The local tourism office can be a good resource for this, or hotels might have off season rates in certain winter months. In our areas of Telluride and Ouray, there is snow on the ground usually late November through April.
5. Book your lodging. In the areas we serve in western CO, there are plenty of hotels, resorts and vacation rentals. (Some of our couples choose to rent a private cabin with a stunning view, and have their ceremony there.) If you’re unfamiliar with the area, do research about travel times between your lodging, your ceremony spot, or the places you want to go sightseeing. For example, in our area things appear close on the map, but in reality it might take 1-2 hours to drive it on the mountain roads.
6. Choose vendors (Florist, hairstylist, officiant, videographer, etc.). Of course, these are optional and you can elope without them but they do make the day more special. In Colorado, you can self-solemnize and don’t even need an officiant. Especially in a remote tourist location like Telluride, you may be surprised at how few professional vendors are in the area. They may get booked early on popular weekends. Your photographer should also have referrals of vendors they’ve worked with before that you can call. For a no-stress elopement, couples love our all-inclusive package because flowers, hair, makeup and officiant are included in the package and we take care of booking it all for you. You may find a photographer or planning company in your chosen area that does that same.
7. Find out how to obtain your marriage license. In Colorado, you can get your license in any county; it doesn’t have to be the county you’re getting married in. This is also something a professional photographer or elopement planner should be able to tell you about in their area. We have heard some counties are having pandemic restrictions, such as in-person reservations, so call the county clerk’s office to ask first.
8. Talk about fun stuff you want to do on your elopement day (and during your honeymoon)! Even in winter, there are lots of things to do in Colorado. If you want adventure, you can go snowmobiling or snowshoeing, have skiing lessons, or take a day trip to a nearby town. To chill out, take a sleigh ride, relax in our local hot springs, go out for celebratory beers, or cook a feast together in your cabin. We (Joe & Rhonda) love playing tour guide and we’re always willing to give advice about fun things to do here!
Some things we don’t have on this list because they will differ with everyone, such as buying your wedding attire, sending announcements, or booking a flight.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that you are eloping to reduce the stress! It’s easy to let yourself slip into “wedding brain” and think you need to buy or plan this or that. Elopements require you and your partner. Period. Remember the intentional and intimate reason you are choosing to elope!
Our team can handle elopements even with just a few days’ notice. If you have questions about eloping in winter, our availability, or our elopement packages just click this button to contact us!