Cottonwood Pass Sunrise Elopement | Taylor + Garrett

Taylor and Garret met through mutual friends in high school. They got to talking through Snapchat and eventually ended up going on their first date at Buffalo Wild Wings. After that first date, they instantly felt like they were best friends, and knew that they had something special. As time passed, they fell more and more in love and Garrett knew that Taylor was the one. 

He initially had plans to propose in South Carolina where they were planning to move, but as soon as he got the ring he just couldn’t wait. When he got home, he told Taylor that he needed her to grab something out of his truck with him. 

As they started planning their wedding, they knew pretty immediately that they wanted to elope in Colorado. They dreamed of a laid-back day in the mountains focused on their love and nothing else. 
A few days before their wedding, Colorado was hit with non-stop rain. The forecast was calling for a downpour the entire day, so at the last minute, they made the decision to move their wedding to sunrise the day after when there appeared to be a short break in the rain forecasted for the rest of the week.

This last-minute change resulted in an absolutely stunning day! 

Taylor and Garrett arrive at the top of a mountain pass just before sunrise. As the sun slowly began to peek over the horizon, they changed into their wedding clothes and shared an emotional first look. The sky cycled through the most stunning shades of pink and purple as they exchange vows with their trusty pup Gertrude by their side. 

Euphoric with having finished their ceremony, they set off on an epic hike to an alpine lake. The only people on the trail for most of the morning, Taylor and Garrett took their time soaking up the beauty Colorado had to offer. They shared their first dance in a meadow with a stunning view, signed their marriage license (with Gerdy as the witness, of course), and enjoyed a cold one before hiking back to their truck and into town. 

Taylor and Garret received a plethora of well-wishes as they window-shopped in downtown Buena Vista. They are obsessed with Mexican food, so of course they had to swing by a local restaurant to pick up some lunch. They even took a tequila shot with the staff, who wished them congratulations! 
After a morning full of adventure, they changed into something a bit more comfortable and enjoyed their lunch in the comfort of their fifth wheel. 

We loved watching how Taylor’s dress bore witness to the adventure they shared on their wedding day, slowly taking on that Colorado ombre!

Our wedding day was something my husband and I will cherish forever thanks to Bailey. We did all of our favorite things from hiking to eating Mexican for lunch at our camper. Bailey captured every part of the day for our family back home. We loved our experience and how friendly Bailey was from the second we got out of the car, she instantly felt like family and never skipped a beat. Coming all the way from Kentucky it was a sigh of relief to have someone so kind hearted and knowledgeable about the area to make sure the day ran as smooth as possible. Elope and book the pictures with We the Light, you won’t regret it!

Taylor + Garrett

Vendors

Hair + Makeup Artist: Face of Makeup

Bridal Shop: Hyde Park Bridal

Dress Designer: Made with Love

NEED A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOUR ELOPEMENT On Cottonwood Pass?

Meet Larissa + Bailey! As two born and raised Coloradans who have photographed 200+ couples in 100+ locations across Colorado, we specialize in creating a different kind of wedding day that is just as adventurous as you are. We use our experience and knowledge to craft a different kind of wedding day that feels completely authentic to you. Want to hike to a high alpine lake? We can give you trail options for that! Want to canoe along the banks of a mountain lake? We can tell you the best lakes to do it on! Want to watch the sunset from the top of the world? We’ll lead you to our favorite spots for sunset! Book your Cottonwood Pass elopement photographer today!

In the meantime, be sure to check out our list of Best Places to Elope in Colorado, and our guide for How to Plan a Colorado Elopement!