Dream Lake Bridal Session

Christina & Gerry had a stunning bridal adventure session at Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, with early fall colors and perfect lighting.

Hey there! I'm Sam, Your Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement Photographer & Planner

I know and adore Dream Lake (in fact, I hiked there four times with couples in 2025!) and the rest of Rocky Mountain National Park, and I would be thrilled to help make your elopement or adventure session just as amazing as Christina & Gerry's.

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If you didn't get all the views you wanted on your wedding day, let's plan a bridal adventure session!

Christina first reached out to me about taking some epic mountain photos of her and her husband, Gerry, in their wedding attire.

The couple had gotten married several months earlier on Colorado's Front Range. But day-of they weren't able to go higher up in the Rockies to get the kind of huge, epic mountain views you'll find in Rocky Mountain National Park.

We chatted about some locations near Estes Park with the kind of views Christina and Gerry were looking for. They initially wanted a drive-up spot that didn't involve a lot of hiking – which there are a lot of options for in this area, if hiking isn't your thing!

But the couple ultimately fell in love with Dream Lake and the insane views there. I personally love Dream Lake because it's a real "bang for your buck" hike. You can reach a truly stunning spot, without the intense length and elevation gain of some other hikes in the park.

My list of all the best hikes in Estes Park

Hiking in Wedding Attire

Before Christina and Gerry's bridal session, we made a game plan about the best way to hike with their wedding attire. Some couples choose to just hike in their dresses or suits (and hiking boots under a wedding dress is the best vibe)!

But if that sounds uncomfy, or if you're worried about getting dirty, you can also do what Christina and Gerry did: pack your outfits in your backpacks and change at the end of the trail. Dream Lake in particular has some spots where you can find privacy in the trees for a quick change.

Got more questions about the logistics of hiking in wedding attire? Figuring out these details is one of the many ways I help my clients prepare for their elopements!

Let's chat about a hiking elopement

Bridal Session at Dream Lake

And then we took some epic photos! We were lucky to get incredible lighting beams coming over mountains right as we started this Dream Lake bridal session.

Plus, Christina and Gerry were actually one of the last couples to get some photos on this super cute log bridge before it was replaced by the park service.

We made sure to capture all the shots on the couple's list, including some individuals of them in their wedding outfits, and lots of epic wide mountain views.

Christina and Gerry bravely scrambled across the rocks to pose in the middle of the lake, framed perfectly in the center of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. (These kind of shenanigans are why I always recommend my couples wear hiking boots for their bridal sessions!)

Before heading back, we spent some time just taking in the stunning scenery and perfect weather at Dream Lake. After the sun set, we hiked back down to the trailhead to wrap up this perfect Dream Lake bridal session.