Your Guide to Planning a Wedding at Twin Lakes in Colorado
Twin Lakes boasts iconic mountain scenes with stunning lake views, wooded forest areas, and nearby aspen groves – it’s an absolutely magical place to choose for your elopement.
As a Colorado wedding and elopement photographer, Twin Lakes happens to be one of my favorite lake spots in Colorado! I was elated to capture Maria and Matthew’s fall wedding at the lake with the golden aspens creating an unforgettable backdrop.
Read on for all the important info you need about planning a wedding at Twin Lakes!
Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Wedding at Twin Lakes, Colorado
You can find Twin Lakes between Leadville and Buena Vista, and it’s only 3 hours from Denver International Airport. Twin Lakes is a moderately popular place to elope – but with that being said, you can find plenty of quiet, secluded spots that aren’t overrun with tourists, hikers, etc. Sometimes you’ll even have the entire location to yourselves!
When is the best time of year to elope at Twin Lakes?
Twin Lakes is accessible year-round, but my personal favorite time of the year for eloping is during the fall, when the changing golden aspens will surround you. If you are looking for the quintessential Colorado fall views, Twin Lakes in late September is the perfect time of year to tie the knot.
On the other hand, during the summer, you’ll encounter warm sunny days and lush green mountainsides. A summer elopement is also the perfect time to add kayaking or boating to your elopement activities!
The winter brings with it lots of snow and a gorgeous, glittering frozen lake. Spring in Colorado is known as “mud season,” and the weather can vary from day to day. You might have a sunny and beautiful day, encounter a thunderstorm, or experience a day with snow.
When is the best time of day to elope at Twin Lakes?
I personally love this area for both sunrise and sunset elopement – I really don’t think you can go wrong with either choice. Also, you won’t have to worry about this spot being overcrowded at sunset, unlike some other locations in Colorado.
However, if you want to ensure that you’ll definitely avoid crowds, tourists, hikers, and so on, I’d recommend planning your elopement during the week.
Twin Lakes elopement spots
There’s no designated spot for elopements at Twin Lake – instead, you have a range of beautiful places to choose from. For example, you could choose to elope by a river, a mountain overlook, a waterfall, or right next to a lake.
Leave No Trace
Twin Lakes is a beautiful gem in Colorado, and to preserve its beauty, please always follow the Leave No Trace principles. Leave No Trace means no littering, pack in what you pack out, refrain from feeding the wildlife, avoid picking wildflowers, and always stay on the trails.
Don’t forget your Colorado Marriage License
Before heading to Twin Lakes for your elopement, ensure you obtain 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 ones to Twin Lakes are:
- Lake County
- Eagle County
- Summit County
To get your marriage license, you’ll start by making an appointment. Once you make an appointment, you’ll need to bring your partner and a photo ID with you. At your appointment, you’ll fill out the required paperwork and pay the $30 filing fee.
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.
Book your accommodations
There are so many great rentals available near Twin Lakes, and you can also choose to stay at a campground if that’s your jam! Here are some accommodations I’d recommend looking into:
Additional info about eloping at Twin Lakes
I wanted to create an easy-to-read list of additional important information to know as you start planning your elopement. Here’s some additional essential info to know:
- Are dogs allowed? Yes!
- Alcohol is permitted
- Accessibility at Twin Lakes is easy to moderate
- If you’re bringing guests due to limited parking and level of popularity, it is recommended that you have no more than 10 people in your party, including vendors.
- No decorations are allowed at Twin Lakes
Matthew and Maria’s Fall Twin Lakes Elopement
If all of this has captured your attention, here’s a behind-the-lens look at Matthew and Maria’s beautiful fall elopement at Twin Lakes!
The Proposal
Working with Maria’s closest friend, Matthew and Maria’s friend were able to conceal what the day was actually about. Maria got all dolled up the day of because she thought that they were just going to take photos and enjoy a day together at the pumpkin patch.
On the day of the proposal, Matthew tried to play it super cool and walked for a bit in the corn maze with Maria before they made it over to a giant tractor with nicely displayed pumpkins and haystacks.
Once there, Matthew and Maria posed for some pictures, and after Maria’s friend dropped the code word ‘kiss her like you really love her’, Matthew popped the question!
Matthew and Maria’s Twin Lakes Colorado Wedding
Matthew and Maria tied the knot at Twin Lakes in the fall, and everything about their elopement was intentional and heartfelt. I absolutely loved working with these two – they have a truly playful love for each other!
Their elopement day began at a nearby rental, where they both got ready, and then they had an emotional first look outside the rental. Maria and Matthew didn’t bring any guests with them, and once they had shared a first look, we headed to Twin Lakes, where they both had a self-solemnizing ceremony.
Everything about their day felt perfect for the two of them – from the handwritten vows to the affectionate moments in between. After they finished their ceremony, we of course had to take a couple of portraits next to the lake, and I love how they turned out!
To conclude their epic day, Matthew popped open a bottle of champagne at sunset for the two of them to enjoy.
I’m so happy to have been a part of their day – elopements like Matthew and Maria’s remind me how much I love what I do!
Ready to Plan Your Twin Lakes Elopement?
I hope you found this guide on planning a Twin Lakes elopement helpful. Be sure to bookmark this page so you can easily refer back to it as you start planning your Twin Lakes elopement.
And… if you’re looking for a Colorado wedding or elopement photographer, I’d love to connect with you. As your wedding photographer, I am here to capture your celebration in a way that celebrates the unique way you love one another.
You can contact me here or learn more about my wedding services here. Let’s make some phone background poster-sized wall art, and fridge-worthy memories!
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