Eloping in Estes Park: Staying True to Our Authentic Selves

Read how we planned an Estes Park elopement with Simply Eloped by staying authentic to ourselves.

Eloping may not be the traditional route when it comes to weddings, but for my husband and me, it was the perfect choice to stay true to our authentic selves. We didn’t want to get caught up in the stress and extravagance that often comes with planning a big wedding, and the thought of saying “I do,” in a more intimate setting just felt right to both of us. This post contains affiliate links.

We both share a love for travel and creating priceless memories, and eloping allowed us to do just that. Instead of pouring all of our time, money, and energy into one day, we were able to invest in an unforgettable experience that we’ll cherish forever. It was a short trip, but it was well worth it!

Ever since I was a child, I knew that I wanted to return to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Since it’s a simple drive for us (straight across the state of Nebraska), we decided that a winter mountain elopement would be perfect. But how did we go about planning?

Easy answer. Simply Eloped.

We looked into Simply Eloped, and we were so blown away by their affordable options, we felt like it wasn’t necessary to seriously consider any other options. They made the process so simple (hence their name), and everything was planned quickly through email. Honestly, planning the wedding was the easiest part of the trip!

Oh, and the big kicker to all of this? We kept it a secret. We left on a Thursday night and spent the first night at the famous Stanley hotel. The Stanley is known for its rich history and ghost sightings, and it is also the place where Stephen King became inspired to write The Shining, one of my favorite horror films.

While at the Stanley, we went on a ghost tour (we are both paranormal fanatics), dined at the Cascades Restaurant, had drinks at the Whiskey Bar, and enjoyed the beauty of the historic property.

The next morning we got our marriage license at the Larimer County clerk’s office. It was a quick process! We had the rest of the day to tour Estes Park. We enjoyed strolling the main avenue and looking at all of the shops. Some restaurants we enjoyed during our stay were Bird and Jim, The Waipati Pub, and The Wild Rose.

After spending the day exploring the town, we checked into our beautiful mountain cabin that we booked through VRBO. It felt secluded yet was nestled right in town! The cabin had a hot tub and a beautiful view of the Rockies.

I think we enjoyed our time at the cabin as much as we enjoyed our time anywhere else. It was easy to get to and only a few miles from the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance, but it was also close to everything in town. It had a beautiful deck, a hot tub, two bedrooms and two living rooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and of course a cabin fireplace.

We spent Saturday at the cabin getting ready for the elopement! For me, it was so carefree and exciting. I knew that if I had planned a traditional wedding, I would have been anxious the entire day. That didn’t happen with the elopement. I was so excited! I took my time and listened to a playlist that I had created specifically for this morning. My then-fiance was able to relax by the cozy fireplace and catch up on one of his favorite shows while I took my time getting ready, as we all know it takes us brides five times longer to prepare!

I thought it was a perfect match when I purchased these adorable white Hunter boots for the wedding, knowing that by the end of the weekend, my last name would also be Hunter! At the time, I was unaware that the next occasion I would wear those boots would be when we took our daughter sledding for the very first time. It’s moments like these that hold great significance to me.

After getting ready, we met our photographer at the entrance to the park. From there, we followed her to our chosen elopement spot, where we were greeted by the officiant. We had been in contact with the officiant through email before the ceremony, and she made the process so simple. There, we did a quick, literal breathtaking ceremony, and then it was time for pictures! (Photography by Lisa Rose)

Our photographer took her time and made sure that we got all of the shots we had requested. She was truly phenomenal. Simply Eloped has many photographers, and you can even personally request one. That’s what we did!

That evening, we went back to the mountain cabin and my new HUSBAND cooked a fancy steak meal with brussels sprouts and cake for dessert. We had prepared the day before with a grocery trip at Safeway, Estes Park’s main store. We even dined in our wedding attire. It was so special and unforgettable.

That night, we spent some time on the deck in the hot tub overlooking the beautiful mountains, listening to our favorite music, and drinking our favorite beverage – Truly’s.

I really don’t think you can beat this view! This is the photo that absolutely sold me booking this cabin. Jeff and I loved it so much that I know we will return one day.

The next day, we went snowshoeing in the Rocky Mountains! We hiked the Bear Lake, Dream Lake, and Nymph Lake trails. That experience was one I will remember for a lifetime. We rented snowshoes at a local sports store to prepare. We felt like we were on top of the world.

Looking back, our elopement trip was really a dream come true. It was by far the best decision we could have made for ourselves. It was stress-free and affordable and allowed us to really focus on what really mattered, each other. You can learn more about the path our lives have taken since eloping here.

If you are considering eloping, I highly recommend using Simply Eloped. And if you are planning a wedding, I highly recommend staying true to yourself and doing what works for you!

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