Nicole and Matt first approached us in the Fall of 2024 to plan their adventurous elopement for May of 2025. Originally, they had planned a big wedding back in Texas, where they live, for Memorial Day weekend of 2025, but as they started putting down deposits and making all of the arrangements for this large event, they quickly realized that it wasn’t resonating with who they both are and their priorities for their wedding experience.

These two are born adventurers who love being outside together exploring! They quickly realized that the big wedding scene wasn’t for them, and that’s when they reached out to us!

On our first consultation call, we became fast friends as we discussed their hopes & dreams for this intimate experience with their close friends and family members tucked away in the mountains of Crested Butte. We decided that summer, July specifically, was going to be the best time of year for wildflowers, and all of the things they wanted.

We all left that call feeling super excited and aligned with the vision of an adventurous day full of stunning vistas, sweet family moments, and time for the two of them to truly soak in the entire experience!

If you’re looking for inspiration on how to have a unique and adventurous experience without burdening your guests or leaving them out all together, Nicole and Matt’s story is a perfect one for you! Keep reading to hear more about their 2-Day experience in Crested Butte during peak wildflower season!

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Couple getting married at Peanut Lake in Crested Butte in the Summer. Photography by Trail Magic Elopements and Micro Weddings.

If you’re planning a micro wedding in Colorado and need inspiration, we also recommend checking out these guides & stories!

Their priorities for their Crested Butte wedding experience

Since they decided to pivot their plans from a big wedding, Nicole and Matt were very clear on their priorities for this smaller, elopement experience. Here are some things that were really important to incorporate:

Epic mountain views & a new place – Both Nicole and Matt were interested in Crested Butte for their elopement because it was a new place for both of them! Matt grew up in Colorado and had explored much of the state, so it was important that they found a place, like Crested Butte, that was new and exciting.
Wildflowers - Nicole was sooo excited about wildflowers. She knew that Crested Butte was known for wildflowers and wanted to incorporate these stunning blooms into as much of the day as possible. Her bouquet was even made of local wildflowers, and it turned out absolutely gorgeous!
Adventure - They also knew that they were up to an adventure! They love fly fishing, camping, and hiking. One of their goals as a couple is to hike all the hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, so it made sense to them to include adventurous activities into their elopement days. Crested Butte ended up being a great spot for them because there were tons of hiking options, and 4x4 trails for amazing adventures. They also extended their trip so they could have a honeymoon adventure too with lots of hiking, camping, and fly fishing!

Why a 2-Day Experience worked for them

Couple walking towards Peanut Lake for their micro wedding ceremony in Crested Butte, Colorado. Photography by Trail Magic Elopements and Micro Weddings.

As we chatted more about their priorities, we quickly realized that a 2-Day experience would be a perfect fit for their vision and overall vibes. Although they wanted to elope and get epic photos in the mountains together on a hike or more rugged adventure, both Nicole and Matt couldn’t imagine their wedding without including some really close friends and family members.

A two-day experience allowed them to have both experiences without making any sacrifices.

Day 1 - was all about getting married and embracing time with their loved ones. The location was still epic and beautiful, but we kept it close to town so it was easier for guests to access, and we didn’t require any of their guests to hike or take a sketchy 4x4 road to get to their ceremony site.
Day 2 - was all about exploring epic spots, adventuring, and beautiful photos with incredible sunset lighting. We spent the whole afternoon and evening exploring epic locations around Crested Butte, giving them ample time together as just the two of them to soak in their first day as a married couple.

Both Nicole and Matt loved this 2-day setup because they valued the photography side of this experience and wanted to maximize the golden hour lighting as much as possible. By spreading the event across two days, they also didn’t feel rushed or pressured in the slightest because they had plenty of time to connect with their people, prepare for the days, and live in the moment. It was truly the best of both worlds for them, and the exact opposite vibes of what they had originally planned in Texas with their big wedding.

How we helped and pivoted their experience one-week before

Couple kissing on a mountain pass in Crested Butte, Colorado after their wedding ceremony. Photography by Trail Magic Elopements and Micro Weddings.

We were involved in helping plan their elopement from the very beginning, offering location recommendations in Crested Butte and local vendors, but the true defining moment of the planning process was when their guest count doubled in size the week before their elopement.

Originally, they had envisioned about 15 people coming, and so we had planned the ceremony on public lands. One week before their elopement, Matt called me to say that all 30 people they had invited as a courtesy ended up RSVPing “yes” without them realizing it! So, we needed to pivot fast. Here’s what we had to figure out:

Ceremony site: The biggest concern was where to have the ceremony. Because there were far too many people for public lands, we needed to find something that was still available, reservable, reasonably priced, and could accommodate the group size. This proved to be quite tricky.

After a lot of hunting and weighing the few options I found for them, Nicole and Matt ended up settling on Peanut Lake for their ceremony site. This site is a reservable piece of land through Crested Butte Land Trust that allows events up to 100 people. The spot was thankfully still available for their date, and was super easy to book and confirm, even at the last minute. It ended up being perfect for them, and a great pivot that allowed for them to spend even more quality time with their guests that day than we had originally planned.
Timeline Adjustments: We also had to make some major changes to their timeline due to the ceremony site changes, and group size increase. Instead of opting for more portraits after the ceremony as originally planned, we decided it made more sense for Matt and Nicole to stay with their guests, and lengthened the amount of time we adventured the next day. This change ensured that we had ample time to get all of the sunset, adventurous portraits that Nicole and Matt wanted for their final gallery.

Highlights of their 2-days in Crested Butte

There were so many great moments during Nicole and Matt’s 2 days in Crested Butte, but some of my favorites were:

Their emotional first look: These two love each other so much, and it showed when Matt first saw Nicole in her wedding attire. I was tearing up, it was so sweet and special!
Private, Lakeside Vows: Although their family and friends were present for the ceremony, Nicole and Matt wanted to ensure they had private time on their wedding day to share their vows together. Peanut Lake was a beautiful backdrop for this after everyone headed to their reception site.
An epic jeep ride to a stunning sunset location: Day 2 was all about the adventure, so Nicole, Matt and I loaded into their rented jeep and explored Crested Butte stopping at multiple locations along the way. The sunset we experienced was magical, and we barely saw anyone during our time in the high alpine. It was truly surreal, and so fun!
Blue Hour Lantern Photos: To end their 2-Day experience, we stayed out past sunset for blue hour photos with lanterns. This was something Nicole had dreamed about since she started planning their elopement, and it did not disappoint. Between their cowboy hats, the lanterns, and the stunning moon, we were all giddy with excitement and gratitude about the experience and how perfect it turned out.

Conclusion

Nicole and Matt’s 2-day experience in Crested Butte was amazing and full of adventure. Although there were some last minute pivots, it all worked out in the best way possible, and still kept their original vision intact. I’ll never forget how happy we all were on top of that mountain at the end of their second day, and I feel so lucky to call these two friends, not just past clients.

Hopefully you found the story of their elopement experience both helpful and inspiring! If you're looking for help to plan your own small wedding in Crested Butte, we'd love to chat with you to see how we can support you!

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