Snowy
Garden of the Gods Elopement
Megan & Catherine's snowy winter elopement at Garden of the Gods was a testament to the flexibility of eloping. When the weather wasn't cooperating with our original plan, we quickly pivoted to a timeline later in the day, and got gorgeous snowfall and total privacy in an absolutely stunning spot.
Hey there! I'm Sam, Your Garden of the Gods Elopement Photographer & Planner
I know and adore Garden of the Gods (in fact, it's right in my backyard!), and I would be thrilled to help make your elopement just as amazing as Megan & Catherine's.
A Perfect day (with Imperfect Weather)
Originally, our plan involved an early morning and a sunrise ceremony. But when we all woke up that morning, the weather was not cooperating. The snow hadn't started yet, but it was drab and gray, and you couldn't see the mountains. Not at all what M & C had hoped for.
So we pivoted our timeline completely, and headed into the park around sunset instead. We got great views of the mountains, and were able to visit a bunch of spots with complete privacy because it was a weekday (and pretty chilly).
One huge advantage of an elopement vs. a traditional wedding is the flexibility to go with the flow – you can change up your whole plan at the last minute to seek out the best weather, lighting, and privacy!
Ceremony at High Point
We started Megan and Catherine's snowy Garden of the Gods elopement with a ceremony at High Point Overlook. As they shared vows, the clouds lifted above the mountains providing us with an epic backdrop.
This spot is usually pretty busy, but we had the whole overlook to ourselves! They got to share vows on top of the rock, which typically has a myriad of people hanging out on it.
Private Winter Wonderland
I love Garden of the Gods in the winter because it is *way* less busy. And because the park was so empty, we were able to stop at a bunch of pull-offs to take some fun, unique portraits of Megan and Catherine during their elopement.
They ran down the center of the road, giggling the whole way, and spun around between two huge columns of rock. These shots just aren't possible on a summer evening because there's so many other visitors!
Snowy Bridal Portraits
Our final stop was Three Graces Plaza. Megan and Catherine posed between the rock walls as the snow really started coming down.
It was freezing cold at that point, so we took lots of warm-up breaks. One of the things that makes Garden of the Gods amazing for winter elopements is that most of the coolest spots are close to a car. You never have to venture far from warmth (unless you want to)!
Plus, we brought heavy coats for the brides to wear between locations, and ultimately just embraced the snowy weather!
