A and Z | Crested Butte Elopement and YaYa Orchard Reception
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Savannah Chandler Photography | Colorado Elopement Photographer
Sometimes, the original plan has to pivot. And when that happens, sometimes you end up in the most magical of places.
A and Z were originally looking to hike up to a favorite spot of mine, Blue Lakes near Ridgway, for their intimate elopement. I had been just the week before on a personal hike in the area, and Colorado did as Colorado does – be completely unpredictable. There was SO much snow left still in the area, the trail was covered and getting to the upper lakes required crossing two knee deep water crossings and a snowfield crossing that consisted of many postholes. Though it was great for a personal adventure – that was not the kind of pre-sunrise hike A and Z had in mind with all their wedding attire in tow.
After some digging to see what all the different areas of the state were looking like with the high snowpack this particular summer, we settled on heading to Crested Butte in search of wildflowers. If you want flowers – Crested Butte is the place to go. Typically, the Lupines are in bloom in early June, giving way to alpine flowers that bloom in July and August. This July, the Lupines were just blooming due to our cold start to summer.
Just before the sun came up, I met A and Z at their AirBnB so we could all head up the 4×4 road in my vehicle to catch Alpenglow over the rolling green mountains near the West Elks. Coming with us for touch ups was Crystal with Wild Brides Backcountry, a hair and makeup artist who comes on all types of adventures. If you’re looking to have an adventure for your elopement, certainly check out her work.
We spent some time high up in the hills for sunrise, then headed down towards town to catch some lupines for their ceremony. A and Z asked if I could truly let them have a private ceremony and not be within earshot, which is ALWAYS an option for all couples. I want your elopement day to reflect what YOU want, and I am happy to make any needed adjustments or use my long telephoto lenses to give you as much privacy as you’d like.
A few days later, we all met back up to celebrate with family and friends at YaYa Orchards for an intimate reception. This was my first time photographing at YaYa, and I absolutely loved it. The animals, the views, the FOOD – it was all amazing. One thing that was particularly important to A was serving her guests fresh Farm to Table food. Colorado has so many amazing options when it comes to fresh and organic caterers – but YaYa was such an amazing experience. Highly recommend.
Congratulations again, A and Z!
Cheers-
