Great Sand Dunes Elopement with Dogs
Krista and Raylee's Great Sand Dunes elopement broke my record for most dogs present during an elopement day (and I loved every minute of it)!
The couple's biggest priority for their elopement was including all four of their dogs. So we planned a fun, relaxed day of exploring the sand dunes, sharing vows, and taking photos with the pups.
Hey there! I'm Sam, Your Great Sand Dunes Elopement Photographer & Planner
I know and adore Great Sand Dunes National Park, and I would be thrilled to help make your wedding or elopement just as amazing as Krista & Raylee's.
Planning an Elopement With their Dogs in
When Krista and Raylee first inquired with me about their Great Sand Dunes elopement, they already had the location locked in. It's a sentimental spot for them, and a place they love visiting with their dogs!
As we started planning, the couple made it clear that their elopement day wasn't just for them. It was also for their four dogs: Tuck, Jamie, Chloe, and Jax.
Krista and Raylee wanted to prioritize lots of photos of them with the dogs – and even some individual portraits of each pup! I'm a huge dog lover, so I was super excited about this dog-focused elopement plan.
Sunrise on the Sand Dunes
I met up with Krista and Raylee at sunrise for their Great Sand Dunes elopement. It was a surprisingly chilly morning, so we all donned lots of layers, and then hiked out into the dunes until we found the perfect spot.
One thing I love about elopements in Great Sand Dunes National Park is that you can get married pretty much anywhere in the dunefield! It's so easy to find privacy for your ceremony because you can explore as far as you want.
Plus, Great Sand Dunes National Park is a super dog-friendly elopement spot! Great Sand Dunes has by far the most lax rules for dogs of any national park in Colorado.
Krista and Raylee came well prepared with a wagon to help transport their gear. Their littlest and oldest dog, Tuck, is super sensitive to the cold. So he warmed up in the wagon for the first part of the morning, wrapped in his heated coat and several blankets.
After some cuddles, Tuck was ready to brave the cold, so we started with some portraits of the couple and all the dogs. I was quite impressed that the pups all stayed put (well, for the most part).
Laidback Elopement
It started getting warmer as the sun came up over the sand dunes, and we had some fun checking individual and group pup portraits off our photo list. Krista and Raylee wanted lots of combinations of themselves with each dog, the dogs with each other... and of course, I grabbed some sweet couple's portraits of just the two of them.
Because we weren't venturing to any other locations for Krista and Raylee's Great Sand Dunes elopement, our timeline for the day was super laidback. Instead of a rigid schedule, we just had a list of photos the couple wanted to capture. And we let the dogs do what the dogs wanted to do!
Nontraditional Ceremony
Once the dogs were tired out from portraits, Krista and Raylee found a private spot to share their vows. The couple asked me to stay out of earshot – which I'm always happy to do if you want your ceremony to be completely private! Even though I couldn't hear them, I could tell by their faces that Krista and Raylee shared the sweetest, most meaningful vows.
I also loved that instead of just standing face-to-face, they did what was most comfortable for them and sat together in the sand. One of the best things about eloping is that your ceremony can look like literally whatever you want!
Tuck was bundled up in the wagon during the ceremony – but apparently he didn't want to be left out, because he jumped out and ran up to Krista and Raylee right as they were sharing their first kiss.
Paw Print of Approval
Krista and Raylee really wanted all four of their dogs to sign their marriage license (which was a little logistically tricky)!
Because you don't need witnesses to sign your marriage license in Colorado, most counties will let your dog stamp their paw print instead. But in Krista and Raylee's case, there just wasn't enough room for all four paw prints.
So the couple actually did their paperwork ahead of time, so the dogs could sign a copy during their Great Sand Dunes elopement! And I loved the different reactions of each dog (like Chloe's total disinterest).
Meaningful Elopement Day
After signing their marriage license, Krista and Raylee let the pups run around, and we took a few more portraits. The contrast of the rolling sand dunes in front of the majestic Rocky Mountains is one of the things that makes Great Sand Dunes elopements so insanely beautiful.
I often tell couples that if you're not sure how to start planning your elopement, stop stressing about the logistics and just think about what your best day ever with your partner would look like. Where would you go, what would you be doing, and who would be there?
That's exactly how Krista and Raylee approached their elopement day – and the result was a celebration completely focused on what was most important to them.
Krista + Raylee's Review
Hiring Sam to be our elopement photographer was the best decision we could have made. She made our day extra special in so many ways!
Sam went out of her way to help organize and plan everything in advance to the big day. She helped us find our amazing hair and makeup stylist. She was also able to help guide us when we had questions about color schemes and flowers. As we got closer to the date, she helped us nail down a timeline so we would all be on the same page about what we wanted the day to look like. My partner and I went into this experience with very limited knowledge, and Sam guided us through everything.
The day of our elopement, Sam arrived on time and prepared. It was VERY cold early in the morning, and she had such a great attitude. Her positive and calm energy helped us stay relaxed and have a fun time. We eloped with our four dogs, and none of us were quite sure how it was going to go (it ended up going extremely well).
Sam was so patient in helping us get every single picture combination we wanted. She also came prepared with lots of ideas for pictures of us. When we read our vows, she gave us plenty of space and still captured the moment beautifully.
Sam went out of her way to help organize and plan everything in advance to the big day... My partner and I went into this experience with very limited knowledge, and Sam guided us through everything.
In addition to all of these amazing qualities, Sam made my partner and I feel “normal.” We are an LGBTQ+ couple, and we never once felt uncomfortable or judged. Sam treated us like any other couple and always made us feel like we could be ourselves around her. Words truly can’t describe how meaningful this inclusivity is for an LGBTQ+ couple.
After our elopement day, we received our 20+ “sneak peek” photos in less than 24 hours. We received our full (and HUGE) album in less than 8 weeks.
If you are on the fence about who to hire to capture your special day, you cannot go wrong in choosing Sam. We are so thankful for this wonderful experience!!
- K + R
