Kayla + Thong had always dreamed of eloping in front of the stunning mountains of Colorado, and even traveled all the way from Texas to experience it.

We started their day at their lodging in Boulder before driving into the mountains toward our destination: Brainard Lake Recreation Area outside of Nederland, CO. This is one of my favorite areas for couples to elope because of how accessible it is to get stunning high alpine views. There are multiple lakes in this area you can hold your elopement ceremony at, including Lake Isabelle, Long Lake, Brainard Lake, and Mitchell Lake. There is a hike required for all of them except Brainard Lake, but the hikes are all rated as easy to moderate in difficulty.

When we arrived at the trailhead, we were one of the only cars in the parking lot, and arriving at our chosen ceremony spot took roughly 20 minutes, with no one else around to disrupt their ceremony. After sharing beautiful vows, we explored the area, and hiked back to Brainard Lake for a picnic as the sun set.

This area is known for the amount of moose they get during the summertime, and Kayla mentioned “seeing a moose would make my entire day”. Lucky for them, there was a small herd of moose making their way through a field on the edge of the road, so as we drove by, we got to stop and watch them make their way through the field. It was a very exciting moment for them to see moose for the first time, and we were safe 50+ yards away from them.

After our adventure out at Brainard Lake, we headed back to their lodging for some cake and down time. It was the perfect end to a perfect summer day in the mountains.

As a Colorado elopement photographer, I love getting the chance to show couples some of the coolest places around the state, and plan a day that allows them to explore while doing things that they love together. I wanted to make sure this day had opportunity for exploring and hiking, but also had plenty of room for down time to take in the stunning views around them. I think we achieved that perfectly!

But don’t take my word for it! Here’s what Kayla + Thong had to say about their experience with me:

“We were planning on eloping in CO but are from TX so knew we needed someone local to help us through the process.
We searched for over a month and couldn’t find someone we felt like truly matched with us. As soon as we came across Emily, we knew we had finally found the right fit!
She was beyond quick to respond, setup a FaceTime to make sure that we were all comfortable and wanted to move forward.
She remained in contact with us the whole year that we planned and helped us with everything you could imagine!
Day of, she came in with the best energy! Like she was our best friend who knew us all along and was hyped for us to take this step as a family. She handled every bit of the day with the grace, attentiveness, and patience!
Two days after having the best day of our life, and I say that including getting to share our day with Emily, she sent us the most jaw dropping sneak peek.
I can’t recommend Emily enough; there’s a thousand amazing things we could say about her and her work more than speaks for itself. If you’re looking to elope, Emily is the girl you want to go on that adventure with!”

Check out Kayla + Thong’s Brainard Lake & Long Lake summer elopement gallery!

I’m Emily, a Colorado Elopement Photographer with a passion for giving joyful couples the ultimate adventure-filled elopement! I’m ready to help curate your adventure and get our boots dirty in the process. Are you?