Ridgway, Colorado Elopement Guide

So you’re engaged and thinking about eloping? I’m sure you’ve heard how beautiful Colorado is….and we have to say that we agree :) Photographing adventure elopements in Colorado is the best job ever! We are Joe & Rhonda Hendricks, and we founded Elope Telluride after traveling full-time in our Airstream and falling in love with southwest Colorado. We moved our family, along with our established wedding photography business & combined it with our love of landscape photography. Elopements are the perfect marriage (pun intended) of these two photographic passions. We LOVE elopements because it allows our couples to break free from traditional wedding “norms” and do things their way. Have an intimate, intentional exchange of vows in a breathtaking mountain setting. And yes… although our name is Elope Telluride, we photograph elopements anywhere in western CO, including Ridgway.

You may have never even heard of the small town of Ridgway, Colorado! It’s a hidden gem nestled in the San Juan Mountains, which is part of the larger Rocky Mountain range. Ridgway is known as “The Gateway to the San Juans” because it is between Telluride and Ouray, and is the beginning of the Million Dollar Highway.

If you love outdoor adventures and mountain views, Ridgway is the perfect place for your elopement! The tiny town is known for awesome mountain biking trails (see R.A.T.), watercraft & fishing at Ridgway State Park, and hikes to bright blue alpine lakes or summit 14er's. Ridgway is also a top foodie destination, and a certified Colorado Creative Arts District with charming shops, local cuisine, frequent festivals and a brewery. For a more low-key outdoor recreation experience, some of our favorites are taking a scenic drive with a picnic lunch, soaking at Orvis Hot Springs, or renting a SUP or boat at the state park lake. You can also take a scenic drive south on the famous “Million Dollar Highway” to Ouray or Silverton for a day trip. In winter, there’s still plenty of outdoor activities like snowshoeing, cross-county skiing, and ice climbing at the world famous Ouray Ice Park. (There are no ski slopes in Ridgway.)

Here are a few more things to know about eloping in Ridgway. We want to be as helpful as possible to tell you all about how to elope in Ridgway!

• Obtaining a marriage license in Ouray County is pretty easy. Go to the county clerk’s office and make sure both of you have your driver’s license or passport. The cost is $30 and you can even get the license on the same day as your ceremony. In the state of Colorado, you can self-solemnize your vows, which means you aren’t required to have an officiant marry you. Also, witnesses are not required in CO, although your dog can “sign” their paw print as your witness! 

• Ridgway provides a variety of ceremony backdrops like mountain vistas, scenic overlooks, and lakes. We know a couple of elopement spots that don’t even require hiking. Our exclusive Ridgway Location Guide is included with all of our photography packages. It will show you photos of ceremony site options, tell you which ones need permits, which require a 4WD and more. Several ceremony places near Ridgway require a permit, which is usually between $250-350. It can be more if you have guests at your elopement, which is one reason we encourage couples to celebrate with family at a later date and place. Click here to read our blog post about having family & friends at your ceremony.

• When thinking about which month to elope, the most important thing to keep in mind about Colorado weather is that it can be erratic. It can snow in May, and summertime afternoon rain showers are common. Summer nights can get cold, and the top of a mountain pass can be very windy and chilly. We get a lot of sunshine, which makes winter days actually feel pretty mild (winter gets a bad rap…the snow is dreamy!) That said, we always keep an eye on the weather to advise you before your elopement!

• Ridgway is a pretty remote town, which is why it’s so charming and beautiful. We suggest flying into the Montrose Regional Airport (30 min. away) or Grand Junction Regional (2 hrs. away). It is a 5 hour drive from Denver. Ridgway is tiny, so there aren’t a lot of hotels in the town itself, but lodging is more abundant in Ouray which is just 15 minutes away. If you are eloping in Ridgway, we strongly recommend renting a Jeep for your trip. Many of our best elopement locations require a 4WD to get to them. Not only will it let you drive to an epic ceremony location, but you can go on adventures in the mountains on the other days you’re here!

• Warm months (June-August) will give you the most options for ceremony locations because the “back roads” which lead to the epic ceremony spots are closed for snow October-May. If you want to elope with gorgeous fall colors, Ridgway is a great choice! Although the exact days are hard to predict, the usual peak is the last week in September and the first week in October. Winter elopements are also beautiful in Ridgway! Ceremony locations are more limited due to road closures, but we have a couple of easily accessible winter elopement locations that will give you amazing views of snow-capped mountains!

We know you may still have more specific questions about eloping here, but we hope this blog post helps you get a “feel” for this charming mountain town! Click here to contact us with any questions about eloping in Ridgway. You can see our Ridgway elopement packages here.