Cortez, Colorado Elopement
After Rayleen and Bryan’s Zapata Falls engagement near the Great Sand Dunes, we continued west to the far southwestern corner of the state for Julie and Ryan’s Cortez, Colorado elopement.
One of our favorite things about Colorado is its topographical diversity. Never have we seen this on display during one shoot quite the way that we did for this shoot. We started at the bride and groom-to-be’s Airbnb in the middle of the desert, about 10 miles west of Cortez. The landscape looked like something straight from a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. Beautiful terrain with cacti and mesas aplenty. Not to mention at 98-degree elopement ceremony in the blazing midday sun!
After the ceremony, we caravanned with the couple northward to Trout Lake for portraits. The drive took us up in elevation nearly 4,000 feet from Cortez and the temperature dropped about 40 degrees; a well-earned respite from the desert heat.
After Trout Lake, we made our way to Telluride and hopped onto the ski resort‘s gondola, which took us to the top of the mountain, just in time for sunset. The night concluded with s’mores and champagne before we parted ways.
Julie and Ryan, thank you both so much for having us along on your Cortez, Colorado elopement day. We hope you had a safe road trip home in Sunset (the name of the couple’s orange Jeep).
QUICK TIP
If you’re planning a wedding or elopement in Colorado, make sure to come prepared for any type of weather, especially if you’re getting married in the mountains. During any time of year, you’re liable to experience multiple seasons in one day. As mentioned in the body of this post, we went from 98 degrees to 60 degrees, just by going up a few thousand feet in elevation. I also remember a summer solstice wedding in Breckenridge where it snowed an inch during the reception. The guests, who were from Atlanta, had no idea what hit them!
Interested in getting some cool photos of your own?
Reach out and we’ll brainstorm ideas together.
