When Carolyn and Ryan contacted me...


they had already spent 14 years building a life together when they decided to elope. They knew they wanted to make their commitment official, but a big wedding never felt right. What they wanted instead was something quiet, intentional, and deeply personal.


They chose to elope in the San Juan Mountains near Telluride, Colorado, planning a moody fall elopement surrounded by cool mountain air and dramatic alpine scenery. Their location was the Observatory at Alta Lakes — a private backcountry cabin located 13 miles outside of Telluride and sitting at 11,000 feet beneath the rugged Palmyra and Silver Peaks.


The day moved slowly and naturally. Carolyn and I spent the morning with her getting ready at the cabin. I captured bridal details and portraits in soft mountain light. Ryan began his day fishing with his pup, Macy, enjoying a calm and meaningful start before the ceremony.


They shared a private first look followed by an intimate, self-solemnized ceremony surrounded by the stillness of the mountains. Macy stood by their side the entire time and even “signed” the marriage license with a nose‑boop print.


After their vows, we captured wedding portraits around Alta Lakes before Carolyn and Ryan drove back down to Telluride for their wedding dinner. They returned that evening to the Observatory, spending their wedding night alone together — a quiet celebration of a love that had already stood the test of time.



This Telluride elopement is a reminder that the most meaningful weddings aren’t about spectacle, but about choosing a place and a pace that feels true to who you are.

An image of the Observatory at Alta Lakes in the fall on a cloudy moody day. Pine trees are around the two story rustic cabin.
A groom in a blue suit is fishing by a high alpine lake in autumn. His dog stands nearby with a floral ring collar on his neck.
Wedding rings and delicate white flowers arranged on white fabric with eucalyptus leaves create an elegant bridal flatlay.
A groom in a blue suit is fishing by a high alpine lake in autumn. His dog stands nearby with a floral ring collar on his neck.
A person in a blue jacket fly fishing at a tranquil lake surrounded by autumn foliage and evergreen trees.
White roses and wedding rings displayed on paper with delicate romantic styling for wedding photography.
White roses and wedding rings arranged on a lace surface create an elegant bridal still life composition.
A beautiful white lace wedding dress with a long train hangs from a wooden beam in front of a rustic cabin window.
A man in a blue suite and dress shoes is fishing on the edge of a high alpine lake in Autumn in the mountains by Telluride.
Rustic wooden ceiling beams create a warm, cabin-like atmosphere. Two skis sit on the top of the windows. Alta Lakes is written on the skis.
Decorative wrought iron hooks hang in a row along a wooden wall in a rustic cabin with wood floors.
A pair of deck chairs sits on the wooden deck of a rustic cabin overlooking a mountain lake surrounded by pine forest near Telluride.
A bride in flowing lace wedding gown with a long train stands by the window in rustic cabin near Telluride with a stone wall backdrop.
A bride in a white lace wedding dress smiles brightly in front of a window with natural light. She is looking over her shoulder.
A bride in a flowing lace wedding gown with long train stands by rustic cabin windows in natural light.

Want to start planning your own San Juan Mountains elopement?


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Let's gets started crafting your elopement in the San Juan mountains! Start dreaming and let's create the day together!


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