Samantha + Jonathan | Sapphire Point Elopement

Samantha and Jonathan’s elopement at Sapphire Point near Breckenridge, CO was a perfect balance. They didn’t have to stand in front of a bunch of people to say their vows but their parents could still be present. Sam and John weren’t rushed and stressed to get ready for the day, but we still had plenty of time to go on an adventure after their ceremony. If you have considered eloping, but aren’t quite sure how to have it all, Samantha and Jonathan’s Sapphire Point elopement is a great example of how to do it.

How Sam + John Met

Sam and John met accidentally. Sam had put off going out with a friend from high school for a long time. She finally agreed to grab a drink with her on a random Wednesday night. As Sam drove to the bar, she was determined that she would only stay for one drink because she just didn’t feel like being out. Shortly after they had sat down and ordered drinks, Sam’s friend told her that this guy she had met on Tinder (which Sam responded with an eye roll) and some of his friends were going to meet her at the bar. They had been fishing all day and were headed there now.

Soon after, Sam’s friend’s Tinder date walked in with his friends trailing behind. That was the exact moment that Sam and Jonathan first laid eyes on each other. As soon as she saw him, Sam’s immediate reaction was a four-letter word (“F*ck). She had no intention of meeting a guy. In fact, she had told herself that she was on a break from dating. Samantha told me that “Looking back at that moment now, I think I fell in love with him instantly.” And Samantha did not go home after only one drink that night.

Since the night they accidentally met at the bar through Sam’s friends’ Tinder date, Sam and John did not want to be apart from each other. The longest they have ever been away from each other was when Sam flew to Boston to surprise her mom for her birthday for three nights.

Three months after the night at the bar, Johnathan moved in with Sam. One month after that, they picked up their fur-baby, Nova (the cutest Husky dog I’ve ever seen!). A few months after bringing Nova home, Sam and John packed up everything they owned. They left all their family and friends and started a new life in Colorado together – a dream they shared together.

In Sam’s words: “As unoriginal as it sounds, you really do know when you know. I met Jonathan at a point in my life when I had all but given up on love. He made me whole again and I can’t wait to marry him.”

Why I Love These Two So Much

Samantha and Jonathan may be even bigger fans of Harry Potter than I am (I know, hard to imagine!!!!). When Samantha and I first met over coffee, we talked all about our love for Harry Potter. I found out that they both are Slytherin, but this Gryffindor hear loves them anyways. Samantha even had a Harry Potter ring from Alex and Ani that she wore all the time.

For their wedding day, Samantha included Harry Potter details in the most subtle way. Her bouquet and John’s boutonniere were made of paper flowers. The paper was pages of Harry Potter books!

Their Favorite Thing About Each Other

Samantha: John is not afraid to be silly and just be himself. He makes Sam laugh all the time.

Johnathan: Sam is not a normal, shopping-loving, high maintenance woman. She’s totally ok with spending a weekend in the mountains hiking, fishing or camping.

Why Did They Choose To Elope

Samantha and Johnathan had been to quite a few big, traditional weddings together. When they got engaged, the idea of having a big wedding made them feel queasy. They hate being the center of attention and the idea of having a hundred people staring at them as they shared private vows was daunting.

Their Fall Sapphire Point Elopement

Samantha and Jonathan chose to get married on a warm, fall, October day in Summit County. I remember the week leading up to their elopement, Samantha and I were texting back and forth about the weather. The forecast called for rain on Sunday, the day they were getting married, but I always like to remind myself and my couples that weather changes all the time in Colorado. I don’t like to make any final decisions regarding weather until about 24 hours before because of how constantly the weather forecast updates here.

So on Sunday, October 7th, I headed to Sapphire Point near Breckenridge, Colorado. The weather was supposed to be cloudy, but I know we were all praying for no rain. The day turned out beautiful. The clouds made it so there was very little wind at Sapphire Point (wind is almost always present there). Also, overcast lighting is some of the most dreamy, ideal lighting for photography – so this Colorado elopement photographer was happy!

Samantha and Jonathan’s immediate families flew in from out of state for the weekend. Because Sam and John didn’t want a wedding that made them the center of attention, they decided only their parents would be present. Their ceremony was officiated by Carrie at Wandering Honeymooners. The words that were spoken were not just a repeat of every other wedding ceremony you’ve been to. Sam and John wanted the words their officiant spoke to be meaningful and relate directly to them and their values.

Many wedding ceremonies include some sort of unity bond. One of the most common ones is the sand ceremony where the bride and groom pour their two different colored grains of sand into one bottle. Once the grains of sand are poured together, they are inseparable. Sam and John saw the significance of the unity ceremony but didn’t have a particular connection to doing it with sand.

Sam and John adopted their husky dug, Nova, four months after they met each other. She is certainly an icon of their relationship and all they have already been through together. They knew they wanted to include Nova in their ceremony, so decided she would be the perfect fill-in for sand. During their ceremony, Sam and John each fed Nova a dog treat, representing their separate life before today. Nova served as a symbol to unify Sam and John because she scarfed those two treats down instantly and we all know there was no separating the treats after that. It was a sweet and special twist on an old tradition.

Sam and John shared their personal vows, exchanged their rings and were pronounced husband and wife. Afterward, we popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate with the family. Between laughs and hugs and pictures, Sam and John got to spend time truly celebrating with their parents.

Once family pictures were complete, Sam, John and I adventured around Sapphire Point for some more photos of just the two of them. We also drove to a few other secret spots I had scoped out in the Breckenridge and Frisco area. Sam and John wanted to capture a variety of Colorado mountain scenery and were up for a little walk. They danced along the lake edge of Dillon Reservoir and ran underneath the last of the golden aspen trees I could find in the area.

When the sun set behind the mountains and I gave Sam and John hugs goodbye, they drove off to meet their family for a night celebrating at a restaurant in town.

Thank you so much, Sam and John, for choosing me to be your elopement photographer. For getting married at one of my favorite locations in Colorado (Sapphire Point). And for being up for an adventure on your wedding day.

For more information about eloping at Sapphire Point, be sure to check out our guide below!

Sapphire Point Wedding Guide

The amazing wedding vendor team that made Sam and John’s Sapphire Point wedding in Breckenridge, CO possible:

Photography | We, The Light Photography

Officiant | Wandering Honeymooners

Dress Designer | Wilderly Bride

Wedding Dress Shop | Dani West Bridal Boutique

Bride’s Boho Hair | Top Knot Salon

Need a Sapphire Point Elopement Photographer?

Meet Larissa. Larissa is an adventure wedding and elopement photographer based out of Colorado. She’d take an adventure in the mountains over shopping any day and prefers and date night snuggling on the couch over dinner and a movie. Larissa’s obsessed with: morning snuggles with her rescue pup, Hazel, hot chocolate, a good book and yoga pants. She believes in making you forget a camera’s even there, that your story is the actual thing she wants to capture on camera and that real, raw moments are more important than perfectly curated poses. Book your Colorado elopement photographer today!