Liz & Regan’s Estes Park, Colorado Intimate Wedding

An Intimate Wedding in Estes Park

Liz and Regan’s elopement wedding day started before dawn when I met them at their shared cabin in Estes Park, Colorado. I could tell they were anxious to see each other as they got ready in their separate rooms, Liz with her stunning custom suit made and, for Regan, a dramatic two-piece dress with a wide, flowing skirt.

Once they were ready, we drove up to the top of Trail Ridge Road, past dark clouds rolling in with quickly passing rain. The sun was just beginning to rise and starting to peek through different parts of the clouds. The clouds move so quickly at the top of Trail Ridge Road, you can easily see them move with the naked eye as they race across the tundra with the high winds. The combination of the sun rising and the clouds racing created beautiful dancing colors.

First Look on Trail Ridge Road

Their first look was very dramatic, with big, beautiful dark clouds and the sun peeking through, just hitting the mountains. It was gorgeous, dreamy, and very cold. The high was a beautiful 85 degrees in Estes Park, but at the high elevation of Trail Ridge Road inside Rocky Mountain National Park, it was just 35 degrees. We took many breaks inside the car for Liz and Regan to warm back up. That’s the beauty of an elopement wedding day. It offers you the freedom and flexibility to take it slow, and focus on one another. They braved the cold together as we explored up on the tundra and they cuddled together.

Luckily, it was about 25 degrees warmer at a lower elevation. Elevation affects the temperature so much with the wind chill and coming down even a little bit was a dramatic difference. We found a field of wildflowers to take more photos in.

Liz had a special surprise waiting for Regan once we finished taking photos of the two of them. Waiting at the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park was a 1920’s vintage classic car, ready to take them to their ceremony at Black Canyon Inn.

A Reiki Inspired Ceremony

Their family was waiting at Black Canyon Inn. Regan and Liz planned a very meaningful ceremony. Since both Regan’s mom and sister are energy workers and practice in reiki and Regan’s mom officiated their ceremony, her sister helped perform a saging ceremony so Liz and Regan could start their new lives together with clear energy. Liz & Regan also planted a seedling together as a unity celebration during their ceremony. They each brought soil from their childhood homes to blend together and nourish the seedling. Having Regan’s mom as their officiant made the day even more special. She shared stories of how they met and all the amazing times they had been through together, everything they had been through to get to that point of committing their lives to one another. It was emotional, beautiful, and there was not a dry eye in the house, including mine.

As their ceremony wrapped up, we took photos with their supportive family and they all shared a delicious brunch at Black Canyon Inn, with an omelet station, a Belgian waffle station, and a mimosa bar. I highly recommend brunch for weddings; it’s the best meal of the day! Regan’s father gave a really stunning and tearful toast, they cut their delicious cake, shared favors with their guests of rose quartz, bundles of sage, and wildflower seeds, and then Liz and Regan went for a well-deserved nap. The entire day was one of the most emotional and heartfelt wedding days I’ve been privileged to be a part of. You can just tell that Liz and Regan are absolutely perfect for each other. They’re surrounded by so much support from their family, who’s so happy they found the perfect person to spend the rest of their lives with.