Most Scenic Winter Elopement Destinations
The snowy months are very romantic for beautiful winter elopements, and this blog will share the best places to elope in Colorado in winter! Most peoples’ first thoughts are “What if it’s too cold in Colorado in winter?” It’s usually not as cold as you think — really! Western CO has more sunny days per year than the US average. The strong sun in the afternoon can make it feel 20 degrees warmer — you’ve just got to trust us on this one! I’m not promising you won’t have heavy snow and wind while you’re here. That happens… but isn’t that the perfect excuse to cozy up to your partner to keep each other warm in adorable photos? Snow-capped mountains, evergreens covered in white, and bright blue skies are a stunning setting for exchanging your vows. (If you really hate cold weather, don’t choose winter. Here’s a blog post about epic elopement locations in summer.)
Winter is becoming more and more popular to elope in Colorado. Also, I feel the need to define “winter” here as December through April. That is typically when there is plenty of snow on the ground, at least in the higher elevations. (“Spring” flowers don’t bloom until June when all the snow is gone!) See our Winter Elopement Guide for our top 8 tips!
If there is a downside, it would be that the backcountry roads close in winter, so there are fewer spots accessible by vehicle. However, we will show you location options and help you choose the best one! If you’re up for an adventure, you can snowshoe or snowmobile to an incredible location that no one else will have elopement photos at. Check out what Lindsey & Brian did at their snowshoeing elopement — and also notice how their sunglasses were swapped for heavy coats when the snow came unexpectedly!
In our professional experience, the most scenic CO places to elope in winter are Telluride, Ouray, and Ridgway. These towns not only have the most beautiful mountain views, but lodging options are abundant and there are lots of honeymoon activities there too! They may not be household names like Breckenridge, Aspen or Rocky Mountain National Park, but they are more laid back and elopement-friendly.
We have created (year-round) Elopement Guides for all three of these towns, explaining how to elope there, best months to elope, and photos of each town’s ceremony locations! Click below to link to each town’s Elopement Guide:
Telluride is an affluent ski town, with the perfect combination of luxury and outdoor adventure year-round. Click here for our Telluride Elopement Guide, to find out how to elope in Telluride and see photos of ceremony locations.
Ridgway is the gateway to the San Juan Mountains! It’s perfect for hiking elopements, or mountain ceremonies that require no hiking at all! Click here to read about eloping in Ridgway and to see sample pictures.
“The Switzerland of America” is the nickname for Ouray, and it’s also the recreation capital of Colorado. It’s the perfect basecamp for off-roading, high alpine elopements at 13,000 feet. Click to learn about Ouray elopements, and to see photos of ceremony locations.
If you think all three towns are gorgeous, and you still can’t decide - message us and we’ll help make a recommendation based on what you’re envisioning!
Or if you’d like to check our availability or just have a question about eloping, use our contact form or email joe@elopetelluride.com .