How to Plan Your Dream Officer’s Gulch Elopement
Want an elopement location that is secluded, intimate, and a hidden mountain gem in Colorado? Then Officer’s Gulch might be your perfect match!
As a Colorado elopement and wedding photographer, one of the reasons that I love Officer’s Gulch for elopements is that it’s a gorgeous, secluded spot set amongst the Rocky Mountains. Furthermore, it’s not a spot that is flooded with tourists all year round, and it has high-reward scenery that doesn’t take you hours to access.
Read on for everything you need to know about planning an elopement at Officers Gulch!
How to Elope at Officers Gulch
Officers Gulch is a gorgeous spot for an elopement near Frisco, Colorado! If you plan to elope here, you’ll have breathtaking mountain views, alpine scenery, a lake, and meadows as the backdrop for your celebration.
It’s also right off of I-70, making it super easy to get to by car and very accessible! Here you’ll also encounter stunning scenery without having to worry about doing a long, strenuous hike to access the best spots. Here’s what you need to do to elope here:
Choose the time of year you want to elope
Officers Gulch is accessible year-round, but each season offers you something different! A winter elopement will include a gorgeous snow-covered landscape and the chance to pair ski or snowboarding adventures with your celebration. There are several great ski resorts near this location!
Fall has much milder temperatures and also changing aspen leaves during peak season, which creates an enchanting backdrop for your day. The aspens usually color around late September/early October.
Summer also has milder temperatures and brings with it plenty of sunshine. In spring, many wildflowers bloom, and mountain passes begin opening again, but be aware that spring in Colorado is also known as mud season!
Choose a ceremony location
Officers Gulch doesn’t have a dedicated ceremony spot, but there are different spots around the lake where you can elope! For instance, you can choose to have your ceremony on the lakeshore, in the forest, or on the bridge!
You’ll also want to choose the time of day you want to elope. Personally, I would recommend a sunrise elopement, as at this time of day, you’ll encounter way fewer people and soft morning light that is absolutely stunning for your photos.
Hire your photographer
Your photographer can help you with all of the planning details and logistics that are an important part of your elopement planning process! This will be very helpful, especially if you’ve never been to Officers Gulch or if you are struggling to decide the time of year or where you want to elope here.
I would encourage you to hire an elopement photographer who is familiar with Officers Gulch (such as myself), but this decision is totally up to you!
However, just know that if you do work with an elopement photographer who knows their way around the area, they are going to be able to suggest the best spots for your ceremony and pictures, the best accommodation options, and the ins and outs of eloping here, making your life (and the elopement planning process) so much easier.
Decide if you’re going to have an officiant/witnesses
In Colorado, you don’t need to have an officiant or witnesses at your celebration. Rather, you can choose to self-solomonize, which means you don’t need an officiant or witness present at your wedding ceremony.
You and your partner are the only ones who legally have to sign the marriage license to make it official. Also, if you have a pet or kids, Colorado lets your pets (or kids) sign your marriage license! If you do want to have guests at your elopement, I recommend keeping your total guest count at 10 or fewer for this area.
Get your marriage license
You’ll also need to get your Colorado marriage license. Luckily, this process is straightforward and simple. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
You can obtain a marriage license from any Colorado County Clerk’s office. The closest one to Officers Gulch is the Summit County Clerk and Recorder. For more information about applying for a marriage license here, visit Summit County’s official website here.
To get your marriage license, you’ll start by making an appointment. Once you make an appointment, you’ll need to go with your partner and bring a photo ID with you. At your appointment, you’ll fill out paperwork and pay the $30 fee required to file.
There is no waiting period, and your license is valid immediately. However, you must return the signed license within 63 days to the same place you received it.
Permits and cost
The great news for you is that there is no permit required to elope here, and it also won’t cost you a penny! With that being said, since you can’t reserve a spot here, eloping at Officers Gulch operates on a first-come, first-served basis!
Joy and Nick’s Magical Colorado Winter Elopement at Officers Gulch
If all of this has captured your attention, here’s a behind-the-lens look at Joy and Nick’s stunning winter elopement at Officers Gulch!
Why did you want to work with me?
“We wanted to work with a photographer who can capture how gorgeous Colorado is in the winter and also capture how meaningful it is to elope when it’s just two people. We would love a great wide shot of us with the mountain backdrop! And, of course, some photos that capture our little family of three for the ones including Dennis.” – Joy
The proposal
After going to an LCD Soundsystem show at Red Rocks, Nick realized after the fact that it would have been a pretty great place to propose (which Joy had to agree with because it was the best concert ever for them).
So, when they went to another LCD show later that year, Nick wasn’t going to miss his opportunity. After managing to get the ring through security, Nick popped the question at the concert, which definitely helped Joy forget how crabby she was about paying $18 for two bottles of water!
Their elopement
For their elopement, it was just Joy, Nick, and their adorable dog Dennis. They chose not to have an officiant or any guests at their ceremony. Both Joy and Nick knew they wanted snow, beauty, and privacy to define their elopement experience—and that’s exactly what we made happen!
I met up with Joy and Nick at Officers Gulch, and we started their day by taking couples portraits and, of course, some photos with their VIP guest – their dog! On the day of their elopement, it was quite chilly as the high was only 9 degrees, but Joy and Nick weren’t bothered the slightest bit by this. To stay warm, they used hand warmers during their ceremony and drank hot toddies after their ceremony.
Their ceremony was an enchanting winter wonderland! Joy and Nick were surrounded by mountains, pine trees, and a fresh blanket of snow (plus, it even snowed during their ceremony – adding an extra magical touch to their celebration!)
After their ceremony, we grabbed a few more portraits before heading to the beautiful Sapphire Point Overlook to capture a few more images. One thing I love about elopements is the flexibility—you can visit more than one location all within the same day!
After we wrapped things up at Sapphire Point, Nick and Joy planned a fun post-elopement celebration at Bigsby Folly in Denver with their family to celebrate tying the knot!
Joy and Nick’s Wedding Vendors
Makeup: Luis Pizarro
Hair: Clementines
Reception Venue: Bigsby Folly
Ready to Elope at Officer’s Gulch?
I hope you found all of this info about planning an elopement at Officer’s Gulch helpful. Also, be sure to bookmark this page for later to easily find this post as you start making your Officer’s Gulch elopement checklist!
And… if you’re looking for a Colorado wedding or elopement photographer, I’d love to connect with you. I want you to feel free to do things your way without worrying about being “photogenic.”
As your photographer, I will artfully frame you, your love, and your surroundings. You can contact me here or learn more about my wedding services here. Let’s capture your wedding in a way that celebrates the unique way you love one another!
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