Ouray sits at 7,800 feet in a box canyon — mountains rising on all four sides, a hot springs pool in the middle of town, and some of the most dramatic alpine scenery in North America within twenty minutes of the main street. It's called the Switzerland of America, and once you've been, you understand why immediately.
What makes Ouray special for elopements is the sheer variety packed into a small area. A sunrise Jeep ride to Yankee Boy Basin puts you in a wildflower-filled alpine basin surrounded by 13,000-foot peaks. A short walk from town gets you to Box Canyon Falls. Red Mountain Pass offers ghost towns and crystal lakes along one of the most scenic mountain drives in Colorado. And then you can soak in the hot springs at the end of the day. There is no single "Ouray elopement." There are a hundred versions of it, and we'll find yours.
A note on Telluride: it's beautiful, and I work there too. But if you're drawn to the San Juans for the wildness of it — the peaks, the history, the feeling of being somewhere genuinely remote — Ouray delivers all of that without the resort town price tag, the celebrity sightings, and the parking situation. Couples who find their way to Ouray instead almost always say they're glad they did.
Summer (June–August) — Peak wildflower season hits earlier than some spots, mid- to late-June thru July. Jeep roads open up, alpine lakes are accessible, and the long summer days give you golden-hour light well into the evening. This is the most popular window for good reason.
Fall (September–October) — My second favorite. The aspens turn gold across the San Juans in late September and the crowds thin out considerably as school starts. The passes are stunning through early- mid-October before the first serious snows arrive.
Spring (May–June) — The shoulder season here is still beautiful — waterfalls are roaring from snowmelt, lower elevation spots are green and lush, and you have fewer crowds until school lets out. High alpine locations can still be snow-covered until late May or early June, but the valley around Ouray and lower passes are accessible and gorgeous.
Winter (November–April) — Ouray in winter is a different kind of magic — ice climbing on the canyon walls, snow-draped peaks, and the hot springs steaming in the cold air. Access to high alpine locations is limited, but the town itself and lower elevation spots are beautiful and very much elope-able. If you want a dramatically different winter San Juan experience, it's worth considering.
If you're totally new to altitude and the mountains, you'll want to familiarize yourself with the weather as it's pretty unique!
Month | Avg High / Low(°F)
January 25° / 3°
February 25° / 6°
March 36° / 15°
April 48° / 25°
May 58° / 33°
June 70° / 42°
July 65° / 43°
August 73° / 46°
September 65° / 37°
October 52° / 27°
November 38° / 16°
December 25° / 5°
Wildflower peak in the area is typically mid-June through mid-July. If this is important to you, plan around it.
Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August — a normal part of summer "monsoon season" in the San Juans. I build timelines around them, and honestly? A little drama in the sky makes for better photos. We'll never be in an exposed location when there's a real lightning risk.
Offroad season for the high alpine locations typically runs early June through mid-October, depending on snowpack. Some years earlier, some years later — I'll always have current road conditions before your day.
Fall color peaks in late September at higher elevations and works its way down through early October. One of the most underrated times to elope in the San Juans.
Winter access to most alpine locations is limited or unavailable without snowmobile or snowshoe. The town, hot springs, and lower canyon areas are fully accessible year-round.
Ouray sits on US-550 in southwestern Colorado, about 98 miles south of Grand Junction and 70 miles north of Durango. It's a destination drive in the best possible way — the southern stretch into town on the Million Dollar Highway is one of the most dramatic roads in the country.
The closest airport is Montrose Regional (MTJ), about 40 miles north, with direct flights from Denver, Dallas, and Chicago. Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) is about 95 miles south and worth considering if you're flying in from the southwest. Grand Junction Regional (GJT) is about 100 miles north and offers the broadest range of flight options and year-round service.
If you're driving from Denver, the most common route is I-70 west to Grand Junction, then south on US-50 and US-550 through Montrose and Ridgway — about 300 miles and roughly six hours. An alternative scenic route (best in warmer months) takes US-285 south to US-50 west over Monarch Pass, then south on US-550. Either way, you end up on 550 heading south into Ouray.
From Grand Junction it's about an hour and forty-five minutes south on US-550. From Moab, plan for roughly three hours heading southwest through Monticello and Cortez.
Photo from hotel website
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Based on your vision and needs, I'll hand select the best options from my extensive Location Database for you to peruse. Get intel like elevation, distance & difficulty, trail videos, coordinates, things to do nearby, and photo examples from the space!
Same great news here as anywhere else in Colorado — the state allows self-solemnization, which means you can legally marry yourselves with no officiant required. Just the two of you, your vows, and a license you sign together. For couples who chose to elope specifically because they wanted something private and entirely their own, this is worth knowing.
How it works in Ouray County:
You'll get your marriage license from the Ouray County Clerk and Recorder's Office right in town. Both of you need to appear in person with a valid photo ID. There's no waiting period — you can pick it up the day before or the morning of your elopement. The license must be used within 35 days and returned within 63 days of the ceremony.
On your wedding day, you both sign the license as your own officiants. No one else needs to sign. Return it to the county clerk and you're officially, legally married in Colorado.
I always recommend confirming current fees and hours directly with the Ouray County Clerk before your trip, as these details can change.
One thing worth knowing: self-solemnization doesn't mean you can't have an officiant or guests — it just means you don't have to. Plenty of couples still want someone to hold the space and lead the ceremony. The difference is that in Colorado, it's entirely your choice.
A note on Jeep road logistics and your marriage license: if you're planning a backcountry ceremony at Yankee Boy Basin or another high alpine remote location, I'd strongly recommend picking up your license the day before rather than the morning of — one less thing to coordinate on a day with an early start. It's also important that all your in-person vendors know this so they can prepare.
These planning services are included in ALL my elopement photography packages—AND are now available as standalone services for couples who've already hired a photographer or prefer to book planning separately.
So you can stop googling, posting to forums, and wasting your time trying to find the perfect spot. I've spent countless hours driving the back roads or with my nose in a map (you should see how many spots I've flagged) to help you narrow down and find the best spot for you to spend your day.
So we're in the best places at the best times - cuz this is probably your first elopement, right? Whether you’re planning activities for your elopement or just need help with timing the perfect sunset ceremony, I love to help my couples with creating the perfect timeline for the day. I’ll create an agenda, with as much specific or general timing as we want, and what spots and activities we’ll be doing there.
Eloping in the West means navigating permits and other legal requirements. OOF right? You can rest easy, though. I know alllll the requirements and what we need to do. Plus I always carry the necessary photography permits for our areas!
Whether you're envisioning a picnic, a vineyard toast, a hot springs soak, or just beautiful photos with minimal effort — I'll help you design a day that sounds fun to you. Not what's trendy. What's actually your thing.
Small mountain and desert towns can be hard to find vendors at all, let alone ones who show up in an online search. Having helped couples elope in these areas for over ten years now, I’ve gotten to know all the pros to recommend to help bring your visions to life.
If you’re having guests along for the day, I will help create a formals list so that we have a list of groups to make sure we’re not missing any combos on the day-of.
You’ll receive access to my 140 page elopement guide full of everything you could ever have questions about for how to elope! From marriage license navigation, to emergency kit checklists, to advice for what to wear, to choosing your lodging, and so much more – this guide is your new best friend
Switzerland of America
Alpine Scenic 4x4
Afternoon Delight Bakery
Sweet Cakes
Blue Sky Baking
Alpenglow Growers
Dahlia Floral Design
Hosanna Floral
Since starting my business in 2012 and moving here in 2015, I've been helping couples navigate the beautiful chaos of planning and photographing elopements across Colorado's Western Slope, San Juan Mountains, and Moab, Utah.
I believe your wedding day should feel as beautiful as it looks—which means comfortable, stress-free, and entirely true to who you are.
Whether you need comprehensive planning support, photography that captures the story and scenery of your day, or both—I'm here to make sure the experience is exactly what you hoped for.
When I'm not helping couples, you can find me with a chai latte, binge-watching Gilmore Girls & Grey's Anatomy - again.
she/her
Couples I've worked with
350+
States I've visited
27
(and counting!)
Moose I've seen
8
Episodes of Gilmore Girls binged
100%
-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.
"the best decision we made"
-Allison & Ethan
Amanda is the perfect wedding photographer. 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"
-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.
"Incredibly organized & helpful"
4:30am - GETTING READY
Getting ready at your vacation rental, glampsite, or at the trailhead. You help each other get ready, put on a pot of coffee, pack up, and take your time as you begin to prepare for your elopement day.
6:00am - HIKE TO CEREMONY
We head up the pass before sunrise and take a short hike to where you'll exchange vows, rings, a unity ceremony and sign the papers to make things official as the sun comes up. Share a toast (or make some more coffee!) to celebrate.
6:30am - COUPLES PHOTOS
Spend some time taking photos with this beautiful place you've made this next step in your adventure together. Those images you'll hang on your walls and put on the holiday cards.
8:00am - BREAKFAST
Make coffee & eat some pastries you brought as the sun pours over the peaks surrounding you, lighting them in pink/purple alpenglow. Or make breakfast at the lake on your camp stove! Or head back to town to grab breakfast if we're exploring elsewhere.
9:30am - SECOND LOCATION
We'll drive out to our second location to explore, take photos, see how many marmots we can count and I'll try to remember literally any of the names of the peaks around us.
11:30am - LUNCH BREAK
We'll take a break while you guys go to town to enjoy lunch (and maybe a nap, you deserve it.) We'll meet up later for more fun!
It's not really about "What do we do all day??" -- it's more like "What CAN we do all day?" You should plan a day that sounds like the most fun you can imagine: whatever that looks like to you. Star gazing? Coffee and brunch? A trip to a book store? ATVing? Game night? Get excited about the possibilities!
3:30pm - PADDLEBOARD ON THE LAKE
We blow up the boards and spend the afternoon on the lake enjoying the sights and the sun of the Colorado summer. Maybe even grab some peaches from the market to enjoy while we're here!
5:30pm - PICNIC DINNER
Enjoy a campfire, make dinner, have a picnic, whatever floats your boat after an afternoon on the lake. Refresh your look after you finish eating for sunset photos.
7:30pm - SUNSET
We explore this second set of the mountains as the sun begins to set, causing the purply-pink alpenglow on the peaks surrounding you. We find a dispersed campsite to start a fire (when allowed) and enjoy s'mores as twilight ends before we take photos with the rising Milky Way.
9:00pm - STAR PHOTOS
The milky way rises overhead and in the pure darkness of the area we take photos with the stars, count how many shooting stars we can see, and maybe even get spoiled with some Aurora Borealis! I'll cross my fingers (and totally die if it happens!)
Telluride is beautiful — I work there too. But if what you're drawn to is the wildness of the San Juans, the genuine remoteness, the feeling of being somewhere that hasn't been polished for tourists — Ouray delivers all of that without the resort town price tag, the celebrity-sighting atmosphere, and the parking situation.
Couples who choose Ouray over Telluride almost always say they're glad they did. It feels more real. More mountain. More like the Colorado they came looking for.
Yes — and this is one of the things I love most about working here. Many of the most dramatic locations around Ouray are Jeep-accessible rather than hike-accessible. Yankee Boy Basin, the Amphitheater, alpine lakes and passes — you can be sitting at 12,000 feet in a wildflower meadow without having earned it on foot. The Jeep ride itself becomes part of the day.
If you want to hike, there are beautiful options at every fitness level. If you'd rather ride up and walk around once you're there, that works too. Your elopement should feel good — not like a fitness test.
Completely normal in the San Juans in summer — and something I plan around on every single elopement. I only book one event per day, which means we have full flexibility to shift timing around the forecast. Morning starts get us into the high alpine before the storms build. And honestly? A little drama in the sky over a mountain basin makes for some of the most extraordinary images I've ever taken.
We'll never be in an exposed location when there's a real lightning risk. But a few clouds rolling over the peaks? That's just the San Juans doing what they do.
I hear this constantly. And after spending a day together in the San Juans, couples always tell me how natural and easy it felt.
Here's the thing about Ouray: when you're genuinely somewhere that takes your breath away — in an alpine basin ringed by 13,000-foot peaks, watching wildflowers move in the wind, soaking in a remote hot spring as the mountains turn gold around you — you forget to be self-conscious. You're too busy actually feeling something.
My job is to be there when that happens. Not to pose you into something that doesn't feel like you, but to document the day as it actually unfolds.
You don't have to be extreme athletes. You don't have to hike ten miles. You don't have to look a certain way or perform anything for the camera.
Come as you are. You're welcome here.
I hear this one a lot. Many of the classic locations requires a Jeep and knowledge of how to handle backcountry mountain roads. Some of the best locations are at altitude. The season is compressed. It sounds complicated.
Here's the reality: the logistics that feel intimidating from a screen are the exact things I handle as part of working here. I know which locations need Jeep access and which don't. I have trusted companies who get couples up those roads safely every summer. I know when the wildflowers peak, when the afternoon storms typically roll in, and how to work with the mountain rather than against it. You don't need to figure any of that out. That's what I'm here for.
Ouray is the kind of place that gets under your skin. Couples who find their way here almost always say the same thing afterward: they didn't realize a place like this existed, and they can't believe they almost went somewhere else. If you've been drawn to these mountains and you're not sure why, trust that instinct. It knows something.
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.
LET'S MEET
We'll hop on the phone or Google Meet (or grab coffee if you're local!) 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.
FIND A LOCATION
From there I'll send you my 140 page Elopement Guide and send over my questionnaire to get working on finding your perfect location. You'll get a customized look at my Locations Database, culled to show the exact places you've been dreaming about. You can click through photos, get the coordinates, learn about the distance and accessibility, see if it's dog friendly, and more.
PLANNING JOURNEY
Once we know where we're exploring I'll send over vendor recommendations (things like cake/dessert, picnics, transportation, hair/makeup, officiants, etc.) Then I'm on your team as we put the rest of the details together (I even have Area Guides for my most-worked locations like Aspen, CB, Ouray, and of course Grand Junction) full of where to stay, where to eat, what to do, and more.
TIMELINE COORDINATION
Once you know what activities you want to enjoy and where we're exploring I'll begin to put together our timeline. This isn't an ordinary timeline, it's a cool timeline. Think "forecast" details, your emergency contact, any group photo lists we need (I'll help there too.) and travel times built in. I gotchu.
THE BIG DAY
Once the big day is here, we'll have already discussed rain plans (just in case) and we're totally set. If there's any boots-on-the-ground work you need from me I'll be loading those things into my truck and meeting you (finally!) The day will fly by, despite our best efforts to keep things slow and soak it in, and it'll be the best time. I'll capture every amazing moment and emotion so you can relive them after.
AFTER THE ADVENTURE
Within 24-48 hours you'll have an extensive sneak peek so you can share the best day ever with all your favorite people. While industry standard is 6-12 weeks turnaround, you'll have your full gallery from me within 4-6 weeks! People always rave about how fast my turnaround is (I'm an impatient person lol.) If you added on an album I'll also make your first draft so we can collab on that design, and you'll be able to order prints & products through my professional labs on your online gallery.