Janel + Deven | Rocky Mountains Summer Elopement
Summer in the Rocky Mountains is a serene landscape that pictures don’t do justice. Just Janel and Deven flew in from out of state for a marriage right in the middle of it. Their original plan was to have their pups and to drive up, but it ended up being too complicated. They were super bummed about it, but I promised that when I see them again that we’d do a family shoot with the dogs (and we did)! But that’s a whole other blog post. For now, let me show you the magic we made and the mystical things we saw.
We met outside the park in a gas station parking lot where I knew they could easily find me before losing service. They had extra room in their rental so I jumped in with them. This also made it easier to navigate and pull off at less accessible areas. First location was the vow exchange on a hill overlooking the valley. After some final touch ups once we got there and a change of shoes, they were ready to go. Janel couldn’t decide between converse or sandals, but I’m glad she picked the sandals because it felt more seasonal. Check out these summer clouds, it was a perfect start to the day. It gave contrast to the sky and a beautiful tone for the angle we were standing.
Teas and smiles from long vow readings.
I gave them time to catch a breath and ease into their words.
First dance as a married couple. Can’t ask for a better summer breeze or a clearer mountain view.
I asked Deven about his tie choice. Fourth of July was coming up so maybe it was a special occasion? BIG NOPE. They both laughed because when they were picking out attire, they picked that one because it matched his silly personality the most. Made total sense.
We went down to a river in the valley to sign their marriage license. In Colorado, your witness can be anyone - even your dogs. That is what they originally planned to do. But they asked me to be the witness and I was honored to sign. They came prepared with props and pens.
Shoe change because it only makes sense to have cheetah print sneaks for running around in soft grass and mountain roads.
No wedding party? No worries. You can still do a bouquet toss.
OMG SHE CAUGHT IT, SHE’S MARRIED NOW - WHAT LUCK??
Summer valley flowers are the cherry on top.
A short drive going up into the mountains gives a quick change of scenery above the tree line.
The Rockies are not short of wedding guests. I’ll show you more if you keep scrolling!
It’s summertime in Colorado, did you expect to not see snow? You can probably find some kind of snow through the year here. Lucky for us, it even started to snow while we were here.
It got colder the farther we walked from the car but a loving partner’s arms help a bit.
I told you I’d show you more friends. We found more elk chillin’ in a field on the way back down the mountains. Had to use the photo op. We saw lots of marmots too - can you identify them in the overlook photos below? They’re small and hidden.
What was really magical was as we were driving along we started talking about moose. I made the comment how I have only seen one or two here ever, that I wish we could see one before leaving. Right after I said that…look who showed themselves. A momma and a baby! They walked right out in front of us and I was able to snap a photo. It was an amazing ending to the day. Maybe I should buy a lotto ticket now. Seasons in the Rocky Mountains can be unpredictable, but one thing for sure is it’ll have you wanting to come back.
