I have a lot of couples who take advantage of already having a trip planned to Colorado by having me shoot their elopement or engagement photos while they’re here.
I love it – two birds with one stone. That was the case for Alexis and Alex, who were coming out from Illinois for a friend’s wedding. They had just gotten engaged and asked me to photograph their Garden of the Gods engagement photos. The photos we captured are beautiful and capture their personalities perfectly.
The Details and Must Knows
- This location is super accessible, which is why Garden of the Gods engagement sessions and elopements are so popular. You can drive to everything and there are great options for beginner hikes.
- It’s only about an hour and a half from Denver, so it’s totally doable for a day trip.
- The views are friggin effortless. I mean, we took some photos in the damn parking lot and they’re still stunning!
- If you have a fur baby, they’re welcome at Garden of the Gods! You just need to keep them on a leash and clean up after them (duh).
- Photographers do NOT need a permit to shoot here, which is great. But that does mean there are always other couples here taking pictures. Keep that in mind if you’re wanting somewhere more private.
- I always always always recommend shooting here during the week or at sunrise. It’s way less busy and a little more manageable for everyone involved.
Just engaged? Let’s chat boo!
"Hiring McKenzie to photograph our wedding was single-handedly the best decision we made when planning our wedding. Wedding planning and vendor research was so stressful, and once we had Kenzie, she stepped in as support and helped us with narrowing down things that were important to us and to figure out what we really wanted. wish we could get married over and over again just to recreate these and work with Kenzie again! "
Nadia + Daniel
"You will not find another wedding photographer who has the McKenzie signature style- she can capture the absolute beauty of the area and people all at once. She can shoot in a variety of settings and lightings and the photos are all gorgeous. One of the main reasons we booked McKenzie was the fact that she showcases a diverse clientele and finds beauty in all beings- something not all photographers can say.As a plus size bride who was extremely worried about looking back at my wedding pictures with dread that I wouldn't look like those gorgeous girlies on Instagram- this meant so much to me. "
Sydnie + Nathan
"When we got engaged, we searched near and far for an elopement photographer - & we met with several different photographers but none felt right until we met McKenzie. My husband, my dog and I are avid hikers - we wanted a beautiful hike and view, but it was also very important that we could be our authentic selves and intimately celebrate our 10 years together in the way we wanted. I'll be honest, I was shy about wanting to elope (ya know, family opinions and such), but McKenzie made us feel so comfortable in our decision. She wholeheartedly welcomed us being.. us! We couldn't have asked for more."
