San Juan Mountains Elopement Guide
If you’ve been dreaming of a San Juan Mountains elopement, this guide is for you! The San Juan Mountains have some of the most stunning spots in Colorado! You have beautiful alpine lake locations with mountain backdrops and waterfall spots that look like a fairytale.
Quick Look: How to Elope in the San Juan Mountains
- How To Elope In The San Juan Mountains
- Why You Should Elope In The San Juan Mountains
- The Best Places To Elope In The San Juan Mountains
- Where To Stay
- Unique San Juan Mountains Elopement Ideas
- How To Get There
How to elope in the San Juan Mountains
Colorado is one of the easiest states to elope because you can self-solemnize. You also do not need an officiant or witnesses but if you choose, your pups can sign as your witness.
A marriage license is required and you can file for it at a local county’s office. You can also get your certificate the same day but I recommend calling the county’s office ahead of time.
read more about how to get married in Colorado.
Why you should elope in the San Juans
1) Stunning Views
From Ridgeway to Telluride, you can find stunning views all around. Whether you prefer panoramic mountain views, alpine lakes, a field of wildflowers or the river – the San Juan Mountains has it all! In the summer, lush green scenery all around combined with beautiful wildflowers in full bloom. You can say your vows by a clear blue alpine lake after exploring the wildflower fields and mountains. You can also explore waterfalls like Bridal Veil falls in Telluride. The San Juan Mountains has many stunning views no matter which season you choose to elope.
2)Accessible Locations
If you love the stunning views but prefer little to no hiking, there are trails accessible locations that may be perfect for you. Locations like Velocity Basin, the Ridgeway Visitor’s center, San Sophia Overlook and the Telluride river trail are some of my favorite spots. This is perfect if you’re inviting friends and family.
3)Easy To Elope
Eloping in the San Juan Mountains is easier than most national parks. First, you can self- solemnize which allows you to perform your marriage ceremony without an officiant. You do still need to obtain a marriage certificate from the county. Second, most locations require a special permit to get married there but you don’t need permits for a lot of the locations in the San Juan mountains. Which saves you more time and you don’t have to stress over any permit processes.
4) Best Places To Stay
Finally, you can find the best places to stay around in the mountain towns surrounding the San Juans. Ridgeway, Ouray, Telluride and Silverton are the best towns to stay when you are eloping in the San Juan Mountains. As a former interior designer, I think that Telluride has the best Airbnbs. It’s more modern and upscale compared to the other locations. But, Ouray has a unique charm to it that will make you fall in love instantly. Some of the Airbnbs also have amazing architectural details and structures.
The best places to elope in the San Juan Mountains
The best places to elope in the San Juan Mountains include Yankee Boy Basin, Governor’s Basin, and American Basin. The San Juans are full of hidden gems to say your vows and explore. So, the things to consider are your guest count, the season, the scenery, and the activities you want to do on your elopement day.
Alpine lake locations:
If you love the water and want a lakeside elopement here are the best lakeside elopement spots in the San Juans,
- Island Lake
- Blue Lakes
- Ice Lake
- Columbine Lake
- Crater Lake
- Opal Lake
Jeeping elopement locations:
The San Juan has some of the best trails for Jeeping elopements. Here are some of the best spots to adventure around the San Juans in your Jeep,
- Yakee Boy Basin
- Governor’s Basin
- Corkscrew Gulch
- Imogene Pass
- Ophir Pass Road
The best season to elope in the San Juan Mountains
The best time to elope in the San Juans is the summer or fall seasons. In the summer, it’s wildflower season so the weather is perfect and you get the lush green scenery combined with the wildflowers. There are also a lot of thunderstorms in the summertime so it’s best to plan for a sunrise elopement or sunset. I recommend eloping from mid-July to Mid-August for a wildflower elopement. In the fall season, which is my personal favorite, you get the warm weather and fall foliage. Peak fall foliage varies every year so it’s best to plan for late September to mid-October for a fall elopement in the San Juan Mountains.
Where to stay
The San Juan Mountains are close to many mountain towns. Some of these include Ouray, Telluride, Ridgeway, and Silverton. Here are some locations that add to your adventure wedding experience,
Unique elopement ideas
So, you got a good idea of where you’re going to elope and stay now it’s just figuring out what type of activities you can do for your elopement. Here are 12 unique San Juan mountains elopement ideas to try for your wedding day,
- Vows by the lake at sunset
- Luxury picnic at a stunning Airbnb
- Gift exchange
- Hiking
- Rent a Jeep and go off-roading
- Jeep Tours
- Host a small dinner with family and friends
- Explore the stunning wildflower fields
- Stargazing
- Campfire and smores
- Painting together
- Have a first dance
Get more elopement activity ideas.
How to Elope in the San Juan Mountains: next steps
Ready to start planning your dream elopement in the San Juan Mountains? Reach out to me and we will work together to make your dream wedding a reality.
