Grand Lake Canoeing Small Wedding | Marlene + Martin

When Marlene + Martin were planning their elopement, they had three requests:

1. An intimate ceremony under their handcrafted arch with their closest friends + family
2. A canoe ride
3. Stargazing at the top of Trail Ridge Road

Let me tell you, we made it happen, along with so much more!

These two have not had an easy journey. After meeting on their high school wrestling team, they began dating off and on for twelve years, nine of which were long distance! Throughout their ups and downs, Marlene saw that Martin was the only constant and steady thing, and knew in her heart that they were meant to be together.

Martin knew, too, and finally decided to pop the question after reaching the summit of a mountain in Peru!

On their wedding day in Grand Lake, they said their vows at an airbnb surrounded by their loved ones before sharing a meal, cake and first dance.

Once their bellies were full, we said goodbye to friends and family and went off to adventure on our own.

Our first stop had major “Notebook” vibes as they took a canoe ride before grabbing some ice cream to cool off.

We then took the beautiful drive up to the top of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park where they shared some hot cocoa (after having to flag down a stranger to use their lighter for the jetboil!) while watching the sunset.

When the stars finally came out, they spent some time looking up in wonder and reveling in the last few hours of a magical day.

When we say your wedding day can look like ANYTHING you want, this is what we mean!

Need a Colorado Wedding Photographer for Your Small Wedding?

Meet Larissa + Bailey! As two Colorado Natives 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 Colorado wedding 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!