Snowy Breckenridge Hybrid Elopement

Have you ever seen snow in July?

Katie and Brenden did during their Breckenridge hybrid elopement. If you’ve been around for awhile, you know I preach about how unpredictable the weather is in Colorado. These two came out from Nebraska with their closest family, and they really rolled with the punches. Keep reading to see how we dodged the rain and ended up with some perfect Colorado flurries.

The Details

• Brenden and Katie were really torn between doing an intimate wedding with their family and just eloping by themselves. They don’t enjoy being the center of attention, but they also couldn’t imagine immediate family not being there. That’s where a hybrid elopement comes in!
• They rented a Airbnb to serve as a basecamp for their family. They also got ready here but stayed separate so they wouldn’t see each other until the ceremony.
• The whole morning it was down pouring at our initial location – Officer’s Gulch. Only 15 minutes before we left, I made the decision to change our location to Blue Lakes in Breckenridge. There was no rain on the radar there, and we managed to stay dry! Because we were at a higher elevation, we did get some snow flurries, which was magical.
• Everyone was super graceful with the last minute change of plans – no one had any regrets!
• After vows, which Katie’s brother officiated, all the family went back to the Airbnb while Brenden and Katie enjoyed a little picnic alone.
• Once we got back to the Airbnb we did family photos, and then everyone enjoyed a pizza party together.
• To end their day, the three of us snuck off to Dillon Reservoir so they could have a private first dance. It was a dream – we had a beautiful sunset with mountains in the background and were surrounded by wildflowers.

Must Knows

• A lot of my couples who aren’t doing a first look stress about getting ready in the same space without seeing one another. I’m here to tell you it’s possible! Brenden and Katie just stayed on opposite sides of the house and respected each other’s space. We worked around it, and everything was super seamless. Katie even did Brenden’s hair with his eyes shut LOL.
• Hiring local is so important if you’re traveling to elope! When it was clear we needed to change locations, I had several places in mind since I was familiar with the area. If something were to happen on your big day, you want a photographer with immediate solutions.
• Hybrid elopements are my favorite because of how intentional my couples are with their decisions. Katie and Brenden knew exactly what moments they wanted to keep for themselves and which they wanted to share with family during their Breckenridge hybrid elopement.

Learn more about Colorado’s crazy weather in my elopement guide!