Laura and James were originally not planning on a Garden of the Gods elopement. But the day before their wedding at the end of May, Colorado Springs got hit by heavy snow. (Wondering what’s the best month to elope in Colorado? I have a post on that!)
They went to check out their original ceremony site the night before their wedding. It was wet and muddy from all the snow, and it looked like a tractor had driven right through the area. Clearly a new plan was needed.
Laura texted me that evening to get my opinion, and we quickly decided to move their elopement to Garden of the Gods instead. We had already been planning on meeting there for their first look and portraits, so it really worked out for the best.
We started the day at my favorite overlook in the park. Laura changed into her wedding dress by their Subaru, while James took in the foggy mountain views and waited to see her all dressed up. After their first look, we took in the views and found the perfect spot for their ceremony. Their officiant, Kaitlin Shea, helped prepare them for the ceremony, and when friends and family showed up we were ready to go.
I loved their intimate ceremony, from how Laura asked her dad to walk her “down the trail” minutes before the ceremony, to how we were all laughing at how hard it can be to repeat what the officiant says 😉
After their Garden of the Gods elopement ceremony, we all headed over to TILL Kitchen for their lunch reception. I had never been to this Colorado Springs restaurant before, but they had a lovely private room with a huge fireplace that came in handy as we were all a bit frozen from outside!
Garden of the Gods wedding vendor credits
Florist: Altitude Floral & Design
Officiant: Kaitlin Shea Weddings
Reception venue: TILL Kitchen
Wedding cake: Garden of the Gods Weddings
Are you planning a Garden of the Gods elopement? Check out my elopement prices, then get in touch so we can see if I’m the right Colorado elopement photographer for you!
How to elope at Garden of the Gods
- There are 6 different areas at Garden of the Gods where you can elope for free.
- There are no reservations or permits; everything is first come, first served.
- You can only have small, brief ceremonies there, not receptions (unless they are in certain picnic areas)
- Don’t bring chairs, arches, tables, tents, or anything else that doesn’t belong in the park.
- You can”t block off any areas from public access, and there may be other people around at any of the sites.
Learn more at the Colorado Springs official website.
About Nina Larsen Reed
Nina is an elopement photographer based in Boulder, Colorado. She plans and captures adventure elopements and micro-weddings across the Rocky Mountains, and loves getting to share the mountains she calls home with couples who want a different wedding experience.
Can o have the 6 different locations that are free to elope at?
You can see all of the ceremony locations and info about each in the link I put in under “Learn more at the Colorado Springs official website.”