Ashleigh Miller Adventure Wedding and Elopement Photography

View Original

The Best Month by Altitude to get Married in Colorado

The Best Month by Altitude to get Married in Colorado

Altitude in Colorado can change everything including temperatures, snow amounts, fall leaf colors, number of beers and weather patterns. Here's a list of the best month by altitude to get married in Colorado with a location suggestion by the altitude. If you’re worried about how the altitude will effect your guests or yourself, check out my blog post on it here! Whether you're looking for a snowy wedding day, a desert wedding day, a summer wedding day, urban wedding day, canyon wedding day or a fall wedding day this list will help you narrow down the altitude you're aiming for!

5,280’ - May

Urban Wedding or Elopement - Denver, Colorado

In May everything at the lower elevations is turning green. What better time than to be a mile high in Denver and have an urban wedding for elopement.  It's warm enough to do everything outside and have an urban feel. Spring in the city is such a great time of year at an altitude of 5,280’. 


5,328′ - June

Summer Wedding or Elopement - Boulder, Colorado

In June everything at lower elevations is really springing up with wildflowers and the beauty of summertime is thriving.  It's the perfect time for a summer wedding elopement in Boulder at 5,328 feet. It's warm enough to do everything outside you might have to wait a few minutes if there's an afternoon thunderstorm but it's just perfect with the white clouds and summer warmth. 


5,348’ - April

Spring Desert Wedding or Elopement - Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area, Colorado

April is Colorado's weird spring but usually means a little muddy so, I say, head on over to the desert. At this lower elevation if you're looking for the warmth in the Red Rocks of spring. Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area is the perfect spot at 5,348’  for a warm spring desert wedding or elopement.


6,732′ - February

Snowing Wedding or Elopement - Steamboat, Colorado

For a medium-altitude wedding with the best chances of having snowfall, Steamboat is a perfect location for getting a snowing wedding in February. With an average of 30 inches in February each year you have a good chance of being able to actually travel (The roads won't be closed!) to Steamboat and get a little bit of snowfall while you are there.


7,000’ - March

Desert Wedding or Elopement - Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

In Colorado, March is a little snowy so I think March is the best time to have a desert wedding that's not too hot. It's also really brown at lower elevations so 7,000 ft is perfect in the desert to get that red rock look. Mesa Verde National Park is a perfect spot for a desert wedding in Colorado at a mid-altitude location. 


7,792′ - October

Fall Mountain Wedding - Ouray, Colorado

At around 8,000 feet a perfect Fall Mountain wedding can be found in the beginning of October. The later and later you go into October the more and more chance of a little bit of snow you get but maybe you're looking for fall colors with snow! Which is the best luck I think any bride can have! Ouray is such a cute little town known as the Swiss Alps of the Rockies you can't go wrong anytime up here.


8,150′ - December

Winter Wonderland Wedding or Elopement - Vail, Colorado

At the beginning of December, it's great to go ahead and be higher in altitude at around 8,000 feet in order to get the snowy wonderland feel that you want. A great spot to do that is in Vail. With fabulous views of the mountains, you can ride up the gondola to get views of the bowls or stay in the valley in town and get a Switzerland like feel. There'll be some snow around December but it will be magical with all of the holiday lights and quaint Resort feel of Vail. 


8,775’ - November

Windy Canyon Wedding or Elopement - Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

November is typically a very unpredictable month in Colorado. At around 8000 feet I think you should look into the Black Canyon National Park.  It looks really interesting at any time of year with these light and dark striped walls that you can look down into. It's pretty much like a dark grey Grand Canyon and looks great year-round especially in November at 8000 ft when everything else is looking kind of blah.


9,173′ - July

Summer Wedding or Elopement - Keystone, Colorado

In July at higher elevations the snow is finally melting up the mountains in the wildflowers are springing up in July is the perfect time to be above 9000 feet.  A great spot for a summer wedding at altitude is Keystone. With a variety venues and locations you can have any kind of wedding or elopement of your dreams. I just love the High Country in July!


9,449′ - September

Intimate Fall Wedding or Elopement -  Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is perfect in September for fall leaves specifically around the Bear Lake area. At around 9,000 feet The leaves are Changing color but also still protected by the mountains above so hopefully, they won't be when blown before you get a chance to see them turn. Depending on the year the leaves typically don't turn till the end of September. So if you're looking for an intimate fall wedding I would try to wait till the end of September instead of the beginning but even if it's green it's still pretty darn beautiful and the weather is perfect with a little crisp air in the morning and evening.


9,600′ - January

Snowy Wedding or Elopement - Breckenridge, Colorado

The best spot for a snow mountain backdrop wedding in January is up in the mountains.  Breckenridge is the perfect town for a January snowy wedding. Between the gondola ride in the River Run there's plenty of opportunities for snow in the background. and it's not one of their snowiest months, that’s February. So you have a better chance of not having a blizzard but still having snow. If you want to know more about Breckenridge check out my Breckenridge wedding elopement guide!


11,991′ - August

Above Treeline Elopement - Loveland Pass, Colorado

August is the perfect time to be above Treeline around 12,000 feet.  Loveland Pass is a perfect spot to be a love tree line for your elopement.  The snow will have melted, for the most part, and everything that is not snowy will be bright green. It's a beautiful time to be above treeline in the summer.


Check these out:

See this gallery in the original post

Browse by Category:

Weddings Elopements Engagements Personal For Photographers Tips for Clients