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Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement | Jenna and Chris | Sprague Lake

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Jenna and Chris | Rocky Mountain National Park Elopement
Savannah Chandler Photography | Estes Park Elopement Photographer

 

Whenever couples contact me from out of state about taking Colorado Mountain portraits, I suggest Rocky Mountain National Park.  You can’t go wrong with the amazing views, it’s accessible year round (well, some areas are at least 😉 ), and there’s every kind of trail in the area from handicapped accessible to trekking up Longs Peak.

Jenna and Chris were coming out to Colorado, originally to take a look at wedding venues in Durango.  A few weeks before departing Arizona, they decided to elope while they were out here.  Jenna got a STUNNING golden gown (that sparkled ever so amazingly when the sun hit it) and Chris got a dapper blue suit.

We met at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center on Black Friday.  We began by heading to Moraine Valley and the Beaver Brooks, one of my favorite valley views.  The grass in November is always a beautiful straw color and the water is either frozen or low in the brooks.  We’ve had quite the warm winter this year out here in Colorado, so the water was running but was low (and warm) enough for me to venture out into the middle of the pond.  I really do need to start keeping waders in my car – I’ve done this multiple times now and always end up soaked for the rest of the day 😂

After catching some sun at Moraine, we headed up Bear Lake Road to Sprague Lake to walk around and get some portraits.  The sun started to go behind the clouds and the sky turned an amazing black with the approaching storm.  We could see the clouds forming over Deer Mountain and the wind was headed our direction.

We headed a little ways up Trail Ridge Road, in attempt to see if Many Parks Curve had a view to capture, but the entire park turned into nearly a white out by the time we got there.  Not wanting Jenna and Chris to experience terrible driving conditions on the roads and in the canyon back to Denver, we decided to seek lower ground.

Jenna and Chris had a celebration in Arizona once they returned, where they said their vows that a friend had written for them.

Thanks for coming along on a winter Colorado Mountain adventure with me, Jenna and Chris.  Congratulations once again, and I hope to see you out here in Colorado again here soon!