Lily Lake Intimate Wedding at Rocky Mountain National Park
This blog is for all the couples who really want to elope but couldn’t imagine not having their most important people there as well. News Flash: You can elope with family & Friends! Hannah & Clayton came from Indiana to do that recently and they don’t regret one thing.
Lily Lake makes for the most perfect spot for your Intimate wedding with friends or family requiring no hiking & has parking nearby. About 1.5 Hours from Denver is Estes Park, home to Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park houses some of the most gorgeous views Colorado has to offer without traveling too far from the airport. Estes Park is known for its abundance of wildlife and lively mountain town activities. With tons of hiking, adventure, drivable views, & cabins – there is something to do for anyone coming along to your Rocky Mountain Intimate Wedding.
Lily Lake does require a $300 permit and permits for Rocky Mountain National Park locations go FAST. They’ve released 1 year in advance & usually sell out within the day with limits on how many permits are granted.
Here are some tips for planning your Rocky Mountain National Park:
- The permit grants you access to your ceremony location for your vows but you’re welcome to take photos anywhere in the park afterward!
- You will have to pay admission of $25 to enter the park. If you’re a national park fanatic like me, go ahead and get the Year long National Park Pass which is $80. It pays off quick!
- There are 12 Ceremony Sites to choose from that you can view here. These sites are specifically designated to decrease foot traffic in locations and keep ceremonies organized.
- Avoid planning your ceremony for popular visit dates such as holidays, spring break, & other times that school may be off. Weekdays are always a rule of thumb because of the popularity of the park.
- Weather can be unpredictable at high elevations. Keep this in mind when packing.
- All 2021 Permits have already been issued and there are no more available.
Places to check out in Estes Park:
- Claire’s Restaurant
- Stanley Hotel – The Shining was filmed here!
- Purple
"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."
