You know that you do not want to be staring at the camera all day long with some quick vows at the end. You want an experience that you will never forget.
You are looking for something to make your Elopement truly yours. Whether it be something adventurous or cozy, there is something out there for everyone to make your Elopement that once in a lifetime experience.
There is more than one way to get married, and there is no right way to get married.
In this article I will share some of my favorite activities to do during different seasons in the year in the state of Colorado.
Table of Contents:
- Activities Available Year Round
- Activities Available During Parts of the Year
- Activities for Winter Elopements
Look at this blog for more information on the different seasons there are in Colorado and which one is the best for you.
Link “When to Elope in Colorado” Blog
In my opinion, I think Winter is the best time to Elope in Colorado. This is when I also got married and yes it was chilly, but the portraits that we had done made up for it 100%. I love the snow activities that you can do. I am a skier and my husband snowboards. We also really appreciated that there were less people and had more of the places to ourselves.
If you need help planning your perfect Elopement Activity, reach out here!
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Activities Available Year Round
You can Elope in Colorado Year Round. These are some of the activities you can do during your Elopement.
Cake cutting
Cake cutting is a tradition that you can bring on in your Elopement if you want to. This adds an aspect to the celebration that is more traditional but it does not take away from making it an elopement. With cake cutting, you can have a sweet treat on your elopement. If you and your spouse love cake (or another sweet treat like pie, donuts) having some sort of cutting aspect in your elopement would be perfect.
There are bakers that I recommend in the Denver area that can have your cake ready for pick up before we head into the mountains for your elopement.
Check out Deleon Queen Cakes for tasty and cute cakes.
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Marriage License Signing
Bringing your marriage License to sign on your Elopement could make it feel a little more ‘official’ if you were needing and wanting that aspect in your Elopement. You could 100% get that signed at home before coming on your Elopement but most of my couples bring that on their Elopement and get a memorable picture for themselves. It is also fun to show this picture to your loved ones when you suprise them with the news that you eloped!
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Drinking your Favorite Drinks
If drinking is something that you and your spouse enjoy doing, then I recommend including this in your elopement. And I am not just talking liquor and beer, Cokes and coffee are also welcomed. As you are hiking up the mountain you could take a small break and indulge in your drink. You could even get custom cup holders made to keep as a forever keepsake. If you and your spouse don’t want to carry a lot in your bags this is a good option since most drinks do not need a lot of space.
Check out this etsy post to get those custom sleeves made.
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Simple Cheese & Wine Board
After hiking for a while (or not) you could set up a picnic area and indulge in cheese and wine. Imagine having a picnic with a view. Cheese and wine also do not require a lot of space so it is easier to carry around if you are walking quite a bit. My couples decided to try different types of cheese so if you are wanting a taste adventure, this might be a good option for you!
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Hiking
Hiking is one of the most popular activities to do in Colorado when Eloping. Hiking allows you to get away from the more popular spaces and find a more secluded space to marry your best friend! If you enjoy walking and want to find a more unique spot then this is the activity to add to your elopement!During the summer, many places will be more occupied but in the winter some of these popular hikes might not be accessible because of the snow, elevation and other weather aspects.
Some of my favorite hikes to do on elopements are:
- Blue Lakes Trailhead: Blue Lakes Rd, Breckenridge, CO 80424
- Rocky Mountain National Park Dream Lake Trail (Need Reservation & Timed Entry Pass)
- Loveland Pass Lake Trail
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Champagne Pop
Champagne Pops are a fun addition to any celebration as they get you so excited and hyped for your elopement! Easy to carry around and do anywhere you like, it is an easy way to see authentic and big smiles! This is for the couples who want a little drama on their Elopement!
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Hiring a Private Chef
Hiring a private chef in Colorado is good for any season if you and your spouse are foodies. Imagine coming to your airbnb after a long day of exploring to be greeted by good food in your private accommodations. Talking to this Chef beforehand to plan the perfect menu, would truly make the day end on a savory note. You could also have a chef make snacks on the go to enjoy your long hike or have the chef meet you for breakfast before you even start the day. The possibilities are endless!
You can reserve that private Chef here.
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Other Activities available during parts of the Year
4×4 off Roading Adventure
Off-roading adventures are for those couples who love the thrill of doing something crazy on their big day. You could rent a vehicle and do it yourself if you feel comfortable or hire a tour guide. You can only do off-roading during the summer/fall because this is when the weather and roads are the best (Lets ignore the summer thunderstorms for a second). In the winter, there is snow and you cannot access many locations safely with the 4×4 vehicle. In the spring, there may still be snow or the roads are very wet which can get you stuck and this is not something that we want to encounter.
Off-roading is one of my favorite things to do with my couples because it allows you to visit multiple different locations during your elopement and get greater variation of images. Less walking, more pictures and a fun experience. I love it!
Companies that offer Off-roading services in Colorado
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Rockclimbing
Rock climbing requires you to be experienced in the activity or a guide to help the activity (Sorry, Im not a rock climber expert). It technically can be done year round, but might be more comfortable and enjoyable to do when the weather is good and there is no snow/rain on the terrains. Rockclimbing is a hard work out but when you reach those views, it makes it worthwhile! It is something fun to do and check something off your bucket list!
- https://www.frontrangeclimbing.com/
- https://www.coloradoadventureguides.com/summer/rock-climbing/
- https://www.denvermountainguiding.com/
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Camping
Camping is available all over the state of Colorado. This would be something to do if you have a multi-day elopement and were hiking overnight or just camp to look at the stars at the end of your elopement. You could also include your family in this aspect of your elopement and meet them there to do a bigger celebration. (This is a great way to include your family).
Planning is required because popular spots can get taken a year in advance. So if there is a spot you really want to camp at it is time to start looking at that. There are also plenty of spots that are First come first serve and other spots that are not busy at all so you wouldn’t have an issue being spontaneous.
Weather is also a factor in camping as you do not want to camp in the winter. Trust me, this is not enjoyable. Usually the best time to camp is in the later months of the summer before fall starts.
Some camping resources below:
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Canoe ride on the Lake
Canoeing on the lake can be possible as long as the lake is not frozen and the road to the lake is accessible. There are many, many lakes in Colorado so it is just a matter of choosing a lake, making sure you can canoe on it and seeing if a permit is needed. You also would need to rent the canoes and find a way to transport to a lake if it wasn’t on site.
One of my favorite lakes to canoe is Piney River Ranch. I like this location because it is beautiful, the canoes are on site so you do not have to worry about transportation and I think it is pretty affordable.
Canoeing is a good way to get away from the camera for a bit and have a calming conversation with your significant other for a little bit.
Link to Piney River Ranch: https://www.pineyriverranch.com/
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Activities for Winter Elopements
Snowboarding/Skiing
Colorado is one of the most popular states for snowboarding and skiing. I have been a skier for a bigger part of my life and I love it. These activities are super fun, but time consuming. This activity would be best to do if you want to do a multi-day elopement because once you go up and down the mountain, you will want to do it again and again. Trust me. There are multiple mountains and famous towns you can choose from to ski. Most of them, if not all, have rentals you can check out. You can also check out rentals in Denver which are sometimes more economic.
Ski Pass Information
Rentals
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Dog sledding tours
Dog sledding is something truly unique you could do in Colorado during your elopement that would make it unforgettable. You can make it as short as 1-2 hours or as long as 6 hours. This means it is good for a 1 day or multi day elopement.
Dog Sledding Tours
- https://goodtimesadventures.com/dogsledding.html
- https://coloradodogsledding.com/
- https://mountainpawsdogsledding.com/
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Visiting Ice Castles
Ice castles come to Colorado every year for a certain amount of time. They often switch the location of where they will be built. In the 2026 year, the castles are in Cripple Creek and Silverthorne. According to their official website, tickets are on sale now starting January 3 to February 21. If you are interested and want a specific date, I would recommend purchasing your ticket now as they go by fast.
Ice Castle Official Website: https://icecastles.com/
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If you don’t know where to start planning your Elopement, think about an activity that you would like to incorporate. Is this activity a must or could you change it for something else?
If there is an activity that you have your heart set on, then think about when the best season might be to complete that and start there.
There is no right or wrong answer as to what you and your spouse want to do on your elopement day. You can do as little or as much as you want to incorporate on your Elopement. Maybe the thing you want to do has never been done before and I am here for it.
The important thing is to plan it well, and make sure it is meaningful to you both. Let’s make a day that you will never forget!
