Elopement Ceremony at Bridal Veil Falls & Disc Golf During This Fall Telluride Adventure
Elopements

Elopement Ceremony at Bridal Veil Falls & Disc Golf During This Fall Telluride Adventure

Karah and Jeff considered having a very intimate wedding, but even that didn’t feel like them. Instead, they decided to elope just the two of them, and create a day full of adventures, including a vow ceremony a Bridal Veil falls, and playing some disc golf, during the fall in Telluride, Colorado.

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About This Elopement

Photography by Silk & Thorn

“We started the day early in the morning by having breakfast at The Butcher & The Baker in Telluride. After breakfast, we went over to the San Miguel County Courthouse where they legally got married. We then spent the rest of the morning hiking and sightseeing the beautiful fall foliage.

During the evening, Karah and Jeff helped each other get ready in their wedding attire, and then we went off adventuring again. Playing disc golf is something that Karah and Jeff have enjoyed doing together for many years, so they couldn’t pass the opportunity to play it on their elopement day!

After playing some disc golf, we began our longest hike of the day up to a waterfall, where Karah and Jeff shared their vows and a ring exchange.

At the end of the day we drove back down to Telluride to explore a bit more of the town and ended playing with lanterns in the dark.

I loved that Karah and Jeff decided to help each other get ready in their wedding clothes. Rather than get ready separately and then have a first look, they chose to spend as much time together and enjoy the process of preparing for their hike for their ceremony.” [David, the photographer]

Explore more places to elope in Colorado!

Permit and LNT Information For Telluride

“For this elopement, we traveled to Telluride and hiked up to one of the waterfalls just outside the town. Part of their day was spent exploring the town streets, and the other hiking several surrounding trails. We didn’t need a special permit to hike up to the waterfall, we just made sure to follow LNT guidelines.

There is a clear and easy trail to hike up to the waterfall, so we made sure to stay on the existing trail to avoid damaging other vegetation. The groom also carried a backpack with him for convenience, and so that would could bring back any trash with us on the way back.

While hiking you might notice people’s names carved on tree trunks, but it’s important not to be tempted to add your own and cause more damage.” [David, the photographer]

Learn more about leaving no trace during your elopement.

Top Tips for Eloping in Telluride

“Telluride is in our opinion one of the most beautiful small towns in Colorado, so you’ll want to be well prepared for all of the exploring you’ll want to do while you’re here. Some of our top tips for eloping in Telluride would be to dress appropriately. This includes wearing comfortable shoes to hike in, and dressing in layers for the cooler nights.

Since Telluride is a popular tourist destination we strongly suggest eloping here during a weekday rather than a weekend. Weekends tend to be busier, so you’ll likely run into less people on the trails during the week. You are also more likely to find a bit more privacy for your ceremony with less people around.

Our last tip would be to stay at a hotel or Airbnb within Telluride, and take a few extra days to immerse yourself in everything Telluride has to offer. Besides the gorgeous landscapes, there are many great restaurants, cafes, and other activities for everyone.” [David, the photographer]

Deciding to Elope

“One night we had a talk, and we both decided that our wedding should be about US. What did WE envision for our day? We’re a very independent couple, and it’s been just us for several years. We have no immediate family nearby. So in that moment, we decided since it had always been just us that our wedding would be that – just us. 

We are very connected with the outdoors. Both of us love to camp and hike. Since moving to Colorado, we take every available opportunity to get into the mountains…When I saw Bridal Veil Falls I fell immediately in love with how moody it was. As a bonus, neither of us had been to Telluride, so it was a chance to see someplace new. We also knew we had a chance to see peak Aspen foliage!” [The couple]

Elopement Cost Breakdown 

“We stretched our wedding over the course of a week. The majority of the time was spent in Telluride. Then we had an end cap at Glenwood Springs Resort. 

We estimate that between food, accommodations, gifts, attire, and travel we spent around $1500/day. 

So for seven days, we spent approximately $10,500.” [The couple]

Memorable Moments During This Elopement

From the photographer:

“Something I loved about this elopement was that we timed it during the peak fall foliage season. One of the highlights was getting to ride the Gondolas and sightseeing all of the fall colors and snow-capped mountains. It was also great getting to capture Karah and Jeff simply taking in and enjoying all of the natural beauty around them.

Another unique highlight from their elopement was that they incorporated an activity they enjoy doing together, playing disc golf. Our first stop after Karah and Jeff got into their wedding attire was at a park where they played disc golf. I always encourage people to incorporate activities that are special or meaningful to them, so it was awesome seeing Karah and Jeff enjoy an activity they have bonded over throughout their relationship on their elopement day.

One last big highlight from Karah and Jeff’s elopement was arriving to the waterfall where they exchanged their vows. The hike up to the waterfall was beautiful, but when we arrived at the waterfall we had to take a few moments to just take in the view. Karah and Jeff were lucky enough to have the waterfall all to themselves when they exchanged their vows, so it was a very beautiful and emotional private moment for them.”

From the couple:

“My favorite part of the whole experience is that everything we did that day was what we would normally do except that we got married. It was quintessentially US, down to playing disc golf in our wedding attire!”

Final Word of Advice

“Our main advice to couples planning their elopement would be to structure their day in a way that will be the most enjoyable for them. Sometimes people tend to want to recreate a more traditional timeline, but the great thing about eloping is that there are no rules about how things should be done. Always make time to simply enjoy each other’s company in silence, and to take in all of the big and small details and scenery around you.” [David, the photographer]

Vendors

Photography | Silk & Thorn

Florist | Walden Floral
Ring Designer | Ferguson Fine Jewelry
Hat designer | Hampui Haits

Photos From This Elopement

   

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