Crested Butte Wildflower Elopement
Natalie & Ed's Crested Butte elopement amongst the wildflowers was such a highlight of 2025. We found perfect lighting, peak blooms, and majestic snowy mountain views for this sweet couple's wedding day.
Natalie and Ed are from out-of-state, but they were inspired by photos of the insane wildflowers in Crested Butte. So they traveled to Colorado for a perfect day of hiking, stargazing... and frolicking through a few meadows (on trail, of course).
Hey there! I'm Sam, Your Colorado Elopement Photographer & Planner
I know and adore Crested Butte (and the rest of the Colorado Rocky Mountains!), and I would be thrilled to help make your elopement just as amazing as Natalie & Ed's.
Adventure to the Adirondack Chairs
When we started chatting about what to do during their Crested Butte elopement, Natalie & Ed mentioned a photo of mine they loved of a couple sitting in some Adirondack chairs. So the first stop on our itinerary was a short hike to the those chairs!
Natalie and Ed actually didn't have a ton of hiking experience, but I think there's a misconception that you need to "be a hiker" to hike during your elopement. And that's just not true! There's such a huge range of hikes in Colorado – and a big difference between summiting a mountain and hiking a couple miles to an overlook.
If you're planning an adventurous elopement, it's so important to talk about your comfort and experience with the activity you'll be doing, so you can pick a "level" of adventure that's suited to you. This is especially true in the Rocky Mountains, where elevation can kick your butt!
I'm so glad we had those conversations, because Natalie and Ed had a great time on the hike, and we recreated the Adirondack chair photo they'd loved so much.
Check out the original photo that inspired them (left), and their own version (right)!
Ceremony on the Trail
Natalie and Ed actually didn't pick a ceremony location before their elopement day. There were so many places on the itinerary they were excited about, and they wanted to choose one that felt "right" when they got there.
And that's exactly what happened! When we found this spot along the trail, we all agreed it was absolutely beautiful and the perfect spot for them to say vows.
Even though it was a fairly popular trail, we literally didn't see a single other person while we were there. The couple was able to have a private ceremony right on the trail!
If you're wondering how that was possible, it's because Natalie and Ed followed one of my biggest pieces of advice for elopements:
elope on a weekday!
Even during peak wildflower season, there just aren't that many hikers out and about on a Tuesday! Eloping on a weekday gives you sooo much more privacy for your ceremony and adventures.
Scouting for Wildflowers
After their ceremony, we headed to our next location: the most stunning wildflower field in Crested Butte.
And I can say that with confidence, because I toured them all! The day before Natalie and Ed's elopement, I spent the whole day checking out all the wildflower fields in the area to figure out which ones were at peak bloom.
One of the promises I make to my couples as their elopement photographer is that I never book back-to-back elopements. That lets me give each couple my full attention right up to their elopement day – whether I'm scouting locations or tackling other last-minute emergencies.
And it's especially important if you're seeking an elopement backdrop like Natalie and Ed's, because wildflowers don't bloom on our schedule!
Picnic & Martinelli's Toast
We found a big open spot for Natalie and Ed's adorable elopement picnic. Natalie surprised Ed with a cake topper that said "you, me, and the cat."
This is such a cute way to include a pet in your elopement day if they can't join you! I love an elopement that involves pets – but sometimes it's just not practical for your cat to get on an airplane and go on a hike with you.
When we were planning their elopement, Natalie mentioned wanting to do a toast with individual bottles of Martinelli's sparkling cider. We actually bonded over how we've both toasted some really significant moments in our lives with Martinelli's.
So when the bottles Natalie had shipped to my house didn't arrive on time for their elopement, I searched all the stores in my area to find them. Fortunately, I was successful, and we were all able to toast to Natalie & Ed with Martinelli's on their wedding day.
Leave No Trace Elopement
After their picnic, Natalie and Ed frolicked through the stunning wildflower fields. The light was gorgeous as the sun set on their Crested Butte elopement day.
But believe it or not, all of these photos were taken with all three of us on a trail! I love this area because the trail has so many offshoots that it's possible to stay on-trail and still get photos that look like you're in the middle of a meadow.
It's so critical that we respect nature and follow Leave No Trace principles during your adventure elopement. Wildflower fields are a particularly fragile environment. Trampling the flowers not only kills them, it also means they won't grow back in that spot next year.
Plus, this area is actually private land – the family who owns it generously allows public access – and we could easily lose that access if we're not respectful of the land.
Read my blog post all about planning an elopement that leaves no trace on the stunning nature it takes place in:
unexpected guests
Because this area is private land, we came across some horses in the meadow. One of the horses came right up to Natalie, begging for pets... which was cute, until it tried to eat her wedding dress!
Once the sun set we took a short break for dinner. We ventured into town for some burgers, and chatted about how incredible the day had been so far!
We wrapped up the day the best way possible – star photos. We had completely clear weather, and the Milky Way was really showing off for us.
Your kindness, compassion, and guidance through the entire process made our elopement one of the most magical days of our lives.
Natalie + Ed's Review
It's truly difficult to put into words just how incredible Sam really is. She went above and beyond to make sure every detail was perfect for our elopement and removed all of the stress in the planning process. By the time our elopement day came it was like catching up with an old friend. We enjoyed spending the day with her exploring and experiencing a state we had never visited before. My husband and I were worried we would be overwhelmed with the pictures since we had never worked with a photographer before but Sam made it feel so natural.
We had some down time waiting for the sun to set for our astro shots. Sam joined us for dinner where we enjoyed late night burgers in a little local bagel shop. After dinner, she met us at our VRBO and offered to help me get back into my wedding dress. She took us to the perfect spot for the astro shots. We have gotten so many compliments of people saying the photos are so incredible they don't even look real.
Every time I look at our elopement photos, it feels like I am there again! Thank you for everything Sam! I can't imagine what our elopement day would have been like without you. Your kindness, compassion, and guidance through the entire process made our elopement one of the most magical days of our lives. We will cherish the memories and time spent with you every time we look at one of our beautiful photos.
- N + E
