Aspen Elopement Photographer
Eloping in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen... best known for its glitz and glam of celebrity to those outside of Colorado's borders. Those of us local to the state, though, know that this little mountain town has way more to it than that! The history, the mountain passes, fine dining, camping, and hiking all draw people of all walks of life to Aspen. Experience iconic skiing, famous mountain backdrops, ghost towns from the gold and silver booms that first drew people to this valley, and so much more. There's endless opportunity for your elopement in Aspen!
TOP Aspen Elopement Locations
Maroon Bells Amphitheater – This is one of Colorado's most sought after locations for smaller weddings. Reservations are difficult to come by, but if you can snag one you'll be surrounded by some of the most iconic views in the state! The Amphitheater at Maroon Bells hosts up to 50 people, so your group does need to be smaller than some weddings, but if that aligns with your vision this is the spot for you!
Maroon Bells Wilderness Area – When the amphitheater is already reserved and you have under 10 people involved (including vendors!) you can elope in the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area with just a parking permit and a little hiking!
East Portal Picnic Area – If you want a few more guests than the wilderness allows, or you're not big on hiking, this picnic area is able to be reserved but isn't nearly as popular or hard to book as the amphitheater. The views are different but still great!
Ashcroft Ghost Town – One of the more popular ghost towns in the area, the Aspen Historical Society oversees visits to this beautiful space, with incredible mountain backdrops, historic buildings, riverside picnic spaces to reserve and celebrate in, and a 3 mile hike to enjoy some activity on your elopement day.
John Denver Sanctuary – This little park in the heart of Aspen lies nestled along the Roaring Fork River, the sanctuary features stunning mountain views, beautiful wildflowers, and tranquil ponds, all framed by the inspiring lyrics of John Denver etched in stone. It's a perfect spot for intimate ceremonies, offering a blend of natural beauty and poetic ambiance that captures the spirit of love and adventure.
Pine Creek Cookhouse – Just up the road from Ashcroft Ghost Town is this highly sought after restaurant and dining experience with incredible mountain views and a lovely meadow. Elope here for the views, nearby hikes, and the easy meal while you're here!
Top of Aspen Mountain – Aspen Ski offers wedding and elopement venues, and there are even nearby forest service spaces you can elope atop a mountain!
Independence Pass – This pass down to Twin Lakes near Buena Vista has a number of great camping spaces, hiking trails, and mountain overlooks to explore on your elopement day.
When to Elope in Aspen
Most couples choose to elope in Aspen in the summer or fall months, with the most popular months being July and September. July offers the most wildflowers to decorate your celebration. September is when the fall colors begin, before the risk of snow crashing your elopement is too high like in October.
Consider local festivals as well - you might want to plan during one to enjoy the activities or steer quite clear of them to avoid the crowds and high prices on lodging/travel.
If you're totally new to the state or visiting mountain towns, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the weather as it's pretty unique!
Month | High / Low(°F)
January | 36° / 10°
February | 39° / 13°
March | 46° / 21°
April | 53° / 27°
May | 63° / 35°
June | 74° / 43°
July | 79° / 48°
August | 76° / 47°
September | 70° / 41°
October | 58° / 31°
November | 45° / 20°
December | 35° / 11°
Snow in Aspen can happen, honestly any month of the year - but it mostly snows from November to March or April.
April and May is considered mud season, as the snow melts and everything gets a little sloppy.
Wildflowers come out in July and can last into early August. It will be warm with cool nights.
Fall colors begin at higher elevations in September, with the town of Aspen seeing color into early October. October begins to run the risk of snowfall!
Best Time to Elope in Aspen
Weather in Aspen
Getting to Aspen
FLYING INTO ASPEN:
If you have the money and are comfortable, you can fly directly into Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE). A more common travel option is flying into Denver (DIA), Eagle County (EGE) or Grand Junction (GJT) and renting a car to drive out to Aspen.
DRIVING TO ASPEN:
If you're driving to Aspen from one of the other airports mentioned above, or other towns near I-70, you'll take that interstate to Glenwood Springs where Highway 82 takes you south into Aspen. Other routes include more backroads options, like Independence Pass which would take you to/from Buena Vista and Highway 24.
Activities for Eloping in Aspen
Hiking - From world-class 14ers to easy riverside hikes, there is no shortage of trails to explore in Aspen.
Sightseeing - Take the Silver Queen Gondola up the mountain, wander the tranquil John Denver Sanctuary, explore Independence Pass, take a ghost tour, or enjoy the Aspen Art Museum, to name a few!
See a show - A number of great acts perform in Aspen - take some time to enjoy one.
Find a ghost town - The mining history of the area means there's more than one ghost town to discover!
Skiing - Of course, when it's winter in Aspen you'll find most people hitting the slopes or downtown Aprés Ski
I specialize in drinking chai tea lattes, and watching Gilmore Girls reruns! I also specialize in capturing the story & scenery of your celebration.
As a full service wedding photographer in Grand Junction, my mission is to preserve your favorite moments in beautiful images for you to relive those best moments of life that fly by too fast.
A Little About Me...
I believe there’s no better sight than the night sky at 10,000 feet.
I also believe you should be able to be authentically you on your wedding day. Whether that’s an off-beat elopement or more traditional wedding celebration, I strive to capture each genuine moment.
I strive to capture the day as it unfolds, all those candid moment to perfectly preserve what it felt like to be there. Too many photographers use their couples' wedding days as a portfolio building time, but you won't find that around here. I'm there for you - not for me!
Hey there, I'm Amanda
she/her
states I've visited
27
couples i've worked with
350+
(and counting!) moose I've seen
8
episodes of gilmore girls binged
100%
-Allison & Ethan
Amanda is the perfect wedding photographer. She’s efficient, she gets absolutely all the shots you want and those you didn’t even know you want, and she just blended into our event perfectly. The photos perfectly captured the whole day and I feel like I can easily relive it just by looking back at the photos. I highly recommend Amanda.
"The Perfect Wedding Photographer"
-Megan & Jordan
Amanda was the best decision we made for our wedding day! The photos are exceptional and perfectly capture the scenery and vibe we were going for, but that’s only a portion of what Amanda provided. She helped give us planning guidance, organization, and reassurance throughout, which alleviated all the worries we had about eloping in a place we’d never been before.
"Alleviated all the worries"
-Beth & Dustin
We used Amanda for our wedding and she is the BEST! Our photos turned out amazing and she captured the feel of our night perfectly. She’s also really fun to hang with. We didn’t want her to leave at the end of the night!
"She captured the feel of our night perfectly."
- Kylie & Murat
Amanda did an amazing job on our elopement photos! She was incredibly organized during all the planning and sent incredibly helpful tips and ideas in the months leading up. Plus all her recommendations for other local vendors were fantastic.
"Incredibly organized & helpful"
INVESTMENT
Aspen elopement packages range from $4-10k.
Elopement Pricing
No matter the package, you always get:
Access to my Locations Database - see the best spots I've accumulated over the years, in a personalized guide to fit your needs
Timeline & Group Photo List collaboration - you probably haven't made dozens of these per year like I have, so let me help you with that!
The final digital files in an online gallery, unlimited downloads, and online access for at least 1 year. Plus free websize downloads for loved ones!
My travel included - I work in the places I know best, and I'll meet you there!
Award-winning & Hand Retouched Photography - As a recognized artist in the industry, I strive to deliver beautiful artwork from your day, hand edited by me - not AI - for that human touch.
We're in... what now?
01
Let's Meet
We'll hop on the phone or Zoom to get to know each other and talk all about your dreams and ideas for the big day, and how I can help make your life easier.
Planning journey
From there I'll help with location guides, scouting, emergency kit info, permits, activity suggestions, vendor recommendations, timeline creation, group photo lists, and so so much more. I will help you craft the most incredible day, with backup plans because life is life. You'll feel like you've never been so excited or prepared for anything before.
02
03
The big day & after
The day is here and you're surprised you're nervous after all this time. I will capture your day in a way that tells the story for you to relive forever. You'll have sneak peaks within 24-48 hours and a full gallery of the whole day within a month or so.
Ready to save your date?
Let's work together!
