Mt. Evans, Idaho Springs, Colorado Elopement Photo Story Award

Daniel leads his new wife down the steep mountainside. This off-roading couple was no stranger to hiking in Colorado.

When you come to Colorado to elope, you know you have a choice of some of the most epic locations in the lower 48. Yezi and Daniel already had a special connection to Colorado, having made incredible memories together on the slopes of Mt. Evans on past visits to the rockies. But this memory will surely be the best of them all! Just a week before, Yezi called me while pulling together a beautiful and simple Colorado mountain elopement. When they chose to elope on Summit Lake on the shoulder of Mt. Evans, I was ecstatic, as it’s one of my favorite lakes in CO. 

When we met up at dawn, the alpenglow spreading down over Mt. Spalding was unbelievably gorgeous. It was beyond words, beyond incredible, and also unbelievably cold. Between the altitude, the fall temps, and the wind gusts across the tundra, it was close to 20 below zero. Normally, I would never shoot a client in such conditions. But when these two sweethearts popped out of their van and said “Let’s shoot!” who was I to argue? The lace and beading on Yezi's dress didn’t provide any insulation from the brutal temperatures. They kept warm simply by holding each other and reveling in the first light of sunrise on their elopement day. Hair whipped around, the wind howled so hard we couldn’t hear each other, and none of it mattered at 12,000 feet in the glacial col because IT. WAS. EPIC.

Our hearts already full, we skipped down the mountain to the slightly warmer Echo lake. Close family and friends joined them for an emotional ceremony on the shore. Daniel sealed his vows by kissing his new wife’s hand after he slid the ring onto her finger, easily one of my favorite moments of the day. During the ceremony, Yezi’s veil flew into the water and I gave their grandma my gloves to keep her hands from freezing off. 

Finally, the newlyweds headed to a nearby grove of fall aspens to share in a few more tender moments and their first dance alone together. Colorado's fall colors showed off for them on the side of one of their favorite mountains. 

A tender touch from the groom as he wipes away a tear from her face. Their parents keep warm by embracing while watching the ceremony.

It was so windy that during the ceremony, the bride's veil blew off her head and was retrieved by a girl attending the elopement.

The newlyweds share a first dance at a small clearing on the mountainside. They were totally alone in this unique spot.

The full panoramic view of Summit Lake at sunrise is unmatched for beauty. The bright orange alpenglow lights up the glacial lake's ridge as Yezi and Daniel share a private moment.