Marriage is one of life’s great adventures, so why not start off your life together with an adventure wedding or elopement? As a Crested Butte wedding photographer and Crested Butte elopement photographer, I curate experiences that transform your wedding day into an occasion that truly captures your spirit as a couple.
Why Crested Butte?
Crested Butte is one of those hidden Colorado gems that many people overlook, heading instead to Aspen or Vail or Breckenridge. If you truly want to experience the enchantment of Colorado, Crested Butte is a perfect example of everything that this amazing state offers to its guests.
Every season brings its own beauty to Crested Butte, not to mention a plethora of outdoor activities. Often billed as the “last great ski town in Colorado,” Crested Butte boasts a world-class ski resort, as well as backcountry skiing and snowshoeing. I’m always up for a backcountry adventure and have trekked out to some amazing spots for wedding and elopement sessions.
While the winters in Crested Butte are enchanting, the springs and summers, with the hillsides bursting with wildflowers can be equally captivating. I have spent many happy hours hiking and mountain biking through the hills, either scouting for potential picture sites or just communing with nature.
Crested Butte is known for its mountain biking, especially the Grand Traverse Mountain Bike, which is a famous 40-mile race from Aspen to Crested Butte. The area boasts more than 750 miles of singletrack, making it easily one of the best spots for mountain biking.
Hiking, whitewater rafting, fly fishing, stand-up paddleboarding, rock climbing or simply enjoying the immense variety of wildflowers are other amazing ways to spend your time in Crested Butte. The mountain town, formerly a coal mining town, even affords a picturesque historic downtown, bursting with Old West charm.
In Autumn, the town hosts Vinotok, an annual week-long Autumn equinox festival that celebrates the community, its past and its connections to the natural world. I was lucky enough to capture a wedding ceremony during this festival including a remarkable, spiritual moment when the couple was swept into the crowd and embraced by the Green Man, a mythological archetype that serves as a protector of the wild who represents eternal joy and serves as the eternal seed of life.
There are few places on earth where you can encounter experiences like these; Crested Butte is truly a magical place and one of my favorite spots for adventure weddings and elopements.
How To Get There
Crested Butte is about four and a half hours drive from Denver International Airport and about three and a half hours from Colorado Springs. I find that flying into the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is typically the easiest option as Gunnison is only about 40 minutes from Crested Butte.
Wedding & Elopement Options
Crested Butte offers a variety of wedding venue options for intimate weddings and even more options for adventure elopements. We can trek out to unique places that surpass your wildest dreams. As an adventure elopement photographer, I’m game to hike, ski, snowboard, mountain bike or kayak to whatever spot speaks to you as a couple.
This is what an adventure elopement is all about. It’s about taking you away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and giving you a moment of peace and serenity. Too often, weddings are stressful, busy days where the couple doesn’t really get to enjoy each other. Head out into the wilderness with just your Crested Butte elopement photographer and you can simply focus on what truly matters – beginning your new life together.
For couples planning a more traditional wedding rather than an elopement, many of my clients still choose to book a session of adventure wedding photography. I can capture special moments with just the two of you, as well as capture all aspects of your special day, including preparation, walking down the aisle, the reception, the first dance and all of these important moments.
For a small wedding, the Mountain Wedding Garden can be a great option, accommodating about 125 guests in the pavilion and 200 in the stunning garden. This is a “do-it-yourself” type of venue, so while it’s a beautiful option, it’s best to hire a local wedding planner to help with all the details.
The Crested Butte Mountain Resort is another popular wedding venue, and they have a team of wedding planners to help curate your wedding event. Keep in mind, this venue is not available during the ski season.
The Crested Butte Land Trust offers three wonderful wedding sites, including the Woods Walk, which can be spectacular any season of the year. During the winter months, guests access the site using snowshoes or cross-country skis, truly providing you with those adventure wedding vibes.
Peanut Lake is another option from the land trust, and this rustic site affords 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains and hills, with the lake as your backdrop. Gunsight Bridge is the third option and ideal for anyone who dreams of a forest wedding. Peanut Lake and Gunsight Bridge are not available during the winter months.
Another unique option is the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. This might not seem like an obvious wedding venue, but the scenery is breathtaking and the lab’s community center serves as an ideal spot for your reception site and can accommodate about 125 guests.
Let’s Plan Your Crested Butte Adventure
Whether you need a Crested Butte wedding photographer or a Crested Butte elopement photographer, I can create a photography experience that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. If you want to venture out into other locales, I have worked as a Colorado elopement photographer throughout the Rocky, Elk and San Juan Mountains, including Dunton Hot Springs, Beaver Creek, Telluride, Aspen and beyond.