Idaho Springs Intimate Wedding

Elopements

Alicia and Jeremy’s intimate wedding in Idaho Springs, Colorado

I am in love with this intimate Idaho Springs wedding. Officially. This intimate wedding outside Denver in Idaho Springs was perfect in every way. It was small, relaxed, family oriented– perfect.

As a Colorado wedding photographer, I have grown to love smaller, intimate weddings and elopements. I started my business in Texas where everything was big. But since being here I’ve realized the beauty in paring down.

I received a call from Alicia just a few days before her wedding. She was frantically looking for a new photographer because she was worried the one she hired wasn’t going to show up (spoiler, they didn’t). She asked me if I was available for January 1st. Normally, I never book anything for January 1st because that’s my mom’s birthday. But this year we decided it would be safer to celebrate apart since she lives in Texas. So serendipitously, I was available.

Alicia and Jeremy met in kindergarten. There was no romance, just 2 kids. They lost touch after 6th grade and later reconnected as adults. Serendipitous right?? The proposal took place at their old elementary school. Jeremy tried his best to be sentimental and get it right as he proposed where we first met, but their daughter kept running off wanting to play (understandable).

So on January 1st, the first day of 2021, I set off to Idaho Springs. The drive is incredibly easy, only about 30 minutes from Denver. They had rented the cutest cabin, which was nestled in the forest and had a stream running right through the property. The perfect spot for an intimate Colorado wedding. I was greeted by Alicia’s two girls, they immediately started calling me by name, I felt so welcome. Alicia was upstairs putting the finishing touches on. Jeremy was downstairs chatting with Carl, their officiant and friend.

While getting ready, Alicia told me this was the wedding she had always envisioned, but was not what they were originally planning at all. Covid had a way of changing their plans, but this day felt more like them than a large, traditional wedding. Once she finished getting ready we headed down the stairs. Alicia had to get snow boots on all the gals. It had snowed a few days previous, so there was layer of perfect, fresh snow on the ground. Everything outside was twinkling as the sun caught the snow in the branches.

The ceremony was short and sweet and after it was over the girls excitedly took me on a tour of the property. They took me down to the (partially) frozen stream that they had been walking on and exploring each day. Jeremy had fallen in a few days ago so I took extra heed of where I was walking. “Just grab the cameras if I fall in!” I told them.

Once we had exhausted Jeremy of his photo taking time, we headed inside for some much needed cake and warmth. Alicia and Jeremy shared a toast and signed their marriage license. And then I decorated the Christmas tree with the kiddos.

After we walked out Carl and his wife I said my goodbyes and let the now, Murphees enjoy the rest of their day. What was on the agenda? A couple more walks, maybe a dip in the hot tub, and cake. Definitely more cake.

Intimate weddings are certainly not for everyone. Some people dream their whole lives of a huge gathering and dancing and toasts. But for those who feel like that’s just not you, consider an intimate wedding or elopement. A wedding doesn’t have any requirements (well except a few legal ones). Make your day the way you want it. I promise it will still feel special, no matter how simple or small or relaxed.

Some tips for planning an intimate wedding in Colorado

Consider how intimate you want your day. Is it going to be just you and your partner? Immediate family? A few friends? Deciding your guest list will determine your venue and accommodations.
Don’t cook! Unless cooking is something that genuinely brings you happiness or is something that you and your partner do frequently together for fun. Don’t cook. Hire a private chef, enjoy a fancy restaurant meal, have a picnic.
Have a schedule, but make it flexible. To reduce stress I recommend having a schedule or timeline for all my weddings, even the most intimate. This way you don’t have to be stressed with making decisions the day of, you just get to enjoy what you’ve already planned.
Plan an activity. One of the main hesitations my couples have about planning an intimate Colorado wedding is that it won’t feel special. It’ll feel like just another day. The best way to switch that up? Plan something special. It could be a picnic somewhere beautiful, hiring a private musician or private chef, it could be painting or writing something together, going on a helicopter ride, having a wine or whiskey tasting. The options are truly limitless.
Have your day documented. Oftentimes couples will think because they’re having an intimate wedding they don’t need a photographer for long or at all. But just because you’re having a small wedding doesn’t mean your story doesn’t deserve to be documented. I like to arrive when my couples are getting ready, just like any other day. I promise the photos Alicia is going to love are the ones of her daughters just hanging out and getting ready or them going on a walk– not just the ones of them exchanging rings.