mountain wedding inspiration

Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding Photographer

If you’re looking for a spacious wedding venue with a lot of distant mountain views, trees, open fields and the capacity for hundreds of guests, Spruce Mountain Ranch in Larkspur is a great option. The maximum capacity is around 275 guests and their rates vary depending on the time of year and day of the week, but prices range from about $7,500-$10,500 to reserve the space.

Spruce Mountain Ranch Weddings has multiple venues, allowing flexibility with dates and scheduling in the busy season. These photos are from the Upper Ranch venue area. You can see my photos from the Lower Ranch Venue here.

Both spaces have a lot of different areas for guests to wander and enjoy cocktails, for dancing, for couples photos and dinner. The spaciousness is a big positive of this venue for both Upper and Lower.

*second shot for Indy Pop Photo

How to Elope in Boulder, CO -Chautauqua Park Elopement and Wedding Information in Boulder 2026

If you’re planning to get married in Boulder, a wonderful location option is Chautauqua Park for an elopement or a larger wedding on the lawn.

The lawn at Chautauqua is a great choice if you have a large wedding party. The views of the flatirons are lovely and the space for all of your guests is suitable.

The lawn is accessible for most people. There are flat walking paths in most areas. Parking here is limited and difficult to find, so a shuttle service is helpful if your party has more than 15 people. Some couples have their cocktail hour at the top of the lawn area and their dinner/reception inside one of the cabins in this area. Although it’s a lot of inclined walking, it can be nice to have a few locations for guests to spread out.

The images below are of cottages that are available to sleep in, get ready, do a first look reveal and more before your wedding day begins. *Click here for cottage rental information

Cost breakdown for the Chautauqua Lawn;

-Marriage License: in Colorado, it costs $35 for a marriage license and you can apply for a marriage license here

-Group Permit: it costs $100 for groups with more than 50 people (up to 100 people are allowed for a wedding) and you can find permit information here

*this permit is required to get married at Chautauqua for a group of 50-100 people which accounts for everyone present, including vendors.

Another perk of this location is the option to drive up the mountain for panoramic views of the mountains. There are overlooks to wander around and take dramatic photos in terms of lighting and scenery like the photo below.

Having your elopement or your wedding on the Lawn at Chautauqua offers variety, accessibility and many different views all within 5-10 minutes of downtown Boulder. I always recommend this location to couples for the convenience and variety it offers.

If you’re thinking about getting married in Boulder, send me an email! I’m happy to offer any help with locations, permits and all things in the realm of weddings and elopements here!

*Photographed as a second for Eleanor at Be Boulder Photography

Engagement Photographer in Silverthorne, CO - Clinton Gulch Dam Reservoir

Colorado Engagement Photographer - Clinton Gulch Dam Surprise Proposal

Andie and I met in Illinois when we were 12 or 13. We did club gymnastics together for a few seasons, then we went off to different high schools and didn’t keep really keep in touch. At least 5 years later, Andie and I both end up in the Denver area of Colorado. We got dinner together and instantly reconnected like we had never stopped being friends. Andie is one of those people who makes you feel 10x better than you already did after spending time with her. She has amazing advice, insight and is such a supportive friend.

Our lives have changed drastically since we reconnected in Colorado last year, and now she’s engaged!!! Andie and Kevin met through mutual friends in Denver, but realized they had mutual friends in college too. So they’ve been in close proximity to each other off and on for a few years and finally connected in Colorado. I met Kevin once awhile ago at Andie’s birthday party and he was just as great as she was. We had great conversation for a few hours at that party. Five months later, I got a text from Kevin asking if we could talk on the phone sometime and told me he was planning to propose! And the next few weeks, we secretly planned everything out.

November 6th was the day! I got to the reservoir early, made friends with some fishermen, then hid near a tree and waited for Kevin and Andie. There was snow on the ground but the sun was so warm that I was wearing a t-shirt! Andie and Kevin walked around near the water, and Kevin had previously drawn a picture of the lookout he was going to propose at. So when they got to the lookout spot, Kevin showed Andie his drawing that included a sketch of himself down on one knee. Watching this unfold was so emotional and I loved it all.

There are no coincidences. Andie and I both ending up in Denver at this time of our lives was meant to be. I’m so grateful for friends like her that I’ve been able to effortlessly reconnect with and make amazing memories together.

Small Wedding Photographer in Boulder

Small Wedding Photographer in Boulder

Lindsay and Sean met at a comedy club one night when Lindsay didn’t really want to go out with her friends but reluctantly agreed to go. After that night, they discovered so many commonalities among their friends, values and beliefs. They are such a cool, sweet couple. They bought a house in Boulder and have been completely renovating it on their own. Gardening, setting up outdoor lights, building sheds, garages, installing countertops and flooring in the kitchen- everything!! They even renovated a van together to travel in. Despite the persistent rain on their day, it let up at the last second and they decided to have their ceremony outside as planned in the area that they built benches and a ceremony arch for! This rainy mountain wedding was beautiful.

-Photographed for Eleanor Williamson at Be Boulder Photography

Boulder Wedding Photographer

Erik and Sarah’s Boulder, CO Mountain Wedding Photographer

This wedding started at Chautauqua Park in Boulder. The ceremony was at the foothills of the Flat Irons, then we drove up Flagstaff mountains for some amazing views (including a TORNADO) before going to the Flagstaff house for their reception and dinner. Erik and Sarah are great together. They had lots of down time to be present together. Their intimate wedding was beautiful and allowed them to connect with the select few friends and family who were there for them. Boulder weddings always amaze me!

*photographed as a second with Eleanor at Be Boulder Photography

Documentary Wedding Photographer in Boulder, CO

Wedding Photographer in Golden Colorado

July 11th, 2020

Max and Linnea’s Golden, CO Mountain Wedding was incredible. One of my favorite parts of photographing weddings is getting to know people I’ve met only once or twice. I get to hear their family and friends speak about their relationship and them as individuals. I get to hear the best things about them. It makes me happy to hear people being told how much of an impact they’ve had because of wonderful people. Being around Max and Linnea for about 8 hours on their wedding day gave me a view into their lives. I got to meet all of their closest friends and family. I got to see them smile at each other every time someone congratulated them on their marriage- it was incredible. Cheers to this awesome couple and their new beginning!