Telluride Wedding: The Full Guide
Telluride is one of my absolute favorite places in Colorado! The town is known for it’s top-notch ski resorts in the winter, and abundance of hiking trails in the summer. Telluride has stunning alpine lakes that are surrounded by the incredible mountain views, making it a perfect place get married! If you want unbeatable mountain views for your wedding and plenty of places to explore, Telluride is the spot!
Getting Married in Telluride
If you want to have a Telluride wedding, the process is actually pretty simple! For getting a marriage license in Telluride specifically, you need to go to the County Clerk’s office, fill out an application and then you just need to pay the fee of $35.
In Colorado you can a marriage license in any county, meaning you don’t need to get it in the county you’re getting married in! Something else fun about Colorado, is you actually can even do a ceremony without an officiant or witness present! But if you want to have a witness, there is space for them to sign the license.
You can get more information about getting a marriage license in Telluride here.
Where to Elope in Telluride
The great thing about Telluride is you have multiple options to choose from when looking for a specific location for your wedding, and one way is eloping! Here are some of the best options:
- Hope Lake: This is a stunning alpine lake and you can access it on a 6 mile moderate rountrip hike, and you’ll have stunning views throughout the whole hike! The great thing about this spot is that since it has a little hike, it can often be much more secluded. It is truly a stunning spot1
- Bridal Veil Falls: This is definitely one of the most popular places in Telluride, and has Colorado’s largest free-falling waterfall, which is breah-taking! You get the views of the nearby mountains, and the waterfall is a beautiful backdrop for an elopement. You also can get some beautiful fall foliage if you come at the right time! This is another very moderate walk that is only 4.8 miles roundtrip and has beautiful views throughout.
- American Basin: This is an easier trail that is only 2.1 miles roundtrip and still gives you beautiful views! You can get the mountain views, and there is actually a small waterfall at the end all with just an easy hike. If you want to get some really beautiful wildflowers, you can come here in the summer months! But keep in mind that it is typically more busy at this time of year as well.
- Handies Peak: This is a favorite hike in the area and the top will leave you breathless! If you want your elopement to have the most unbeatable views, this is definitely the sport. This is a great option for those adventurous couples that truly want a full experience of a mountain elopement.
When to get married in Telluride
Choosing when to have your wedding all depends on the type of backdrop that you’re looking for and the weather that you envision for your day. You truly can have a beautiful wedding day at any time of year in Telluride!
Fall Wedding in Telluride
If you want fall foliage for your wedding that you’ll see in some of the photos above, then plan your wedding for late August, September or early October! You’ll have cooler temperatures, but still a beautiful time to explore without worrying about snow. Fall is a stunning time of year in Telluride!
Winter Wedding in Telluride
I’ve done a handful of winter Telluride weddings (see the photos at the end!) throughout the years and they are truly unforgettable! It gives you that winter wonderland vibe and the photos will be incredible. So if you don’t mind it being a bit chilly, this can be a really beautiful time to get married. A few things to keep in mind are; you have less access to the mountain peaks, ski season is in full swing, weather is very unpredictable and there are a lot of unexpected blizzards during the winter. If none of these things scare you, then winter is the way to go!
Spring Wedding in Telluride
Spring can be a bit more unpredictable with the weather, and similar to some of qualms people have with winter. You’ll often find more places closed and people taking vacations. So although it starts warming up, it may not be the best time if you want to be able to explore places in town. However late spring into summer offers beautiful wildflower blooms and snow capped mountains for your viewing pleasures!
Summer Wedding in Telluride
Summer is the BEST time to have a Telluride wedding! You’ll have the beautiful bright blue lakes, occasional wildflowers, and access to all of the mountain peaks. Everything is open and you can truly enjoy everything Telluride has to offer. This time of year can get really crowded, so plan for a weekday elopement or even one at sunrise to avoid an audience!
Telluride Wedding + Elopement Photographer
Hi, I’m Rachel, a Telluride Wedding + Elopement Photographer! Growing up in Colorado I spent years exploring through the mountains, camping, hiking, and making it my playground. It was a no-brainer to incorporate that with my love of photography that brought me to photographing incredible love stories all over Colorado in some of the most unreal places you’ll ever see! From Telluride to Pikes Peak I know Colorado like the back of my hand and am so excited to help you plan and photograph the most beautiful elopement day! Reach out here to talk more about your vision!
