Brainard Lake Elopement
No matter how big or small your wedding is, I can promise that at some point, you’re going to worry about the weather. Will it be too hot? Will it rain? Maybe your dream is for your ceremony to take place in a veritable snow globe. For Jackie and JJ’s Brainard Lake elopement, we checked off at least three of the four seasons in as many hours. But these two reminded us that the best way to make sure that weather doesn’t ruin your day is to prepare for everything and then just enjoy whatever happens!
When Jackie and JJ first reached out to us about capturing their elopement, they had one request for their ceremony location: mountain views. That can make it tough to narrow a spot down in Colorado. You can just pull over on the side of a road and bam! Wedding venue.
But Jesse and I knew of the perfect spot. We had just hiked to Brainard Lake a week before they contacted us and fell in love with the alpine lake and mountain views. During the summer, you can drive directly to the lake, but since we’ve had more precipitation this spring than usual, most portions of the road are still covered in snow, making it a 2-mile hike from the parking lot to the lake.
Of course, when the forecast had 8-16 inches of fresh snow for the area two days before their elopement, I started to worry. I obsessively refreshed my weather apps and came up with multiple backup location – none of which felt as perfect as Brainard Lake. So on the day of the elopement, with the sun shining and the temp in Boulder slated to be in the high 70s, I woke up bright and early and made the drive to Ward to calm my own nerves. Luckily, when I arrived at the trailhead, I found that the avid Colorado hikers had tramped down an easy path for us to walk, proving that all my worries were unwarranted.
Jackie and JJ’s Brainard Lake elopement ended up being exactly what it needed to be. With a warm and sometimes slushy hike to the lake, a brief cold and snowy storm right after their vows, and one very dramatic sunset (not to mention cake and champagne!). It was the precise reminder I needed at the beginning of a big wedding season to prepare, prepare, prepare, and then let go of all expectations!
Jackie and JJ, we are honored to have joined you to capture your adventurous elopement and we hope you have a wonderful wedding reception next weekend with all your friends and family!
