What is the best season to marry in Colorado?

Fall happens September through October. The peak of fall Aspen leaf colors is generally the 3rd week in September. Depending on the amount of rain we received earlier in the year this can stretch for a couple weeks or only be a single week. It can also prematurely be shortned by an early small snowfall or a cold snap.

• Sunsets

  - Most likely you will get a pretty killer sunset. Make sure to be aware of the listed sunset time and be aware that time listed is when the sun is gone beyond the horizon. If you are in the mountains or near a mountain range you can plan on the sun going behind the mountains 30-40 minutes prior to that listed time. So you have low sun above the mountains, then you wait for it to hit the horizon and hopefully kick up some glow ito the sky. Helps to have some clouds too to catch the light. For "traditional" wedding timelines this is usually during Dinner. I will be watching and grab you for a few if possible.



• Peak Leaf Change

  - One of my favorite times of the year is when the aspen leaves are bright gold and red. The light is magical, it makes people glow and the air just feels special. This is generally the 3rd week of September for most locations. This happens earlier in the northern part of the state, then mid state is the 3rd week, then southern Colorado is a bit later, and then Denver is in October. How long is lasts is determined by the amount of rainfall we've had in June and July. Not much rain in August. That can run for 2 or 3 weeks or event just a single week. This can also be cut short with an early October snowstorm, a cold snap, or intense wind.



• High Elevation Snowfall

  - At elevations 8,000 and higher you can expect some snowfall buildup starting in October. So if we are planning some 4x4 adventuring it's always best to check trail conditions and reports. Really only an issue for mid to late October.

Summer is a perfect time in the mountains to get married. There will probably be some rain in the late afternoon but only last for a hour or so. Summer is mid June, July and through August. It can get hot in August. Along the front range you can easily expect high 90s. In the mountains it will be 80s to low 90s, but also cooling off in the evenings. Everything starts out super green but by August the green of the trees and grasses begin to wane and go brown.

• Mountain Access

  - By this point in the year we can go anywhere. All mountain passes are open and so are 4x4 trails with little or no snow and mud.



• Heat

  - It can get really hot here in the summer. It can jump into the 100s but being in the mid to high 90s is not uncommon. Drink water like its going out of style. Seriously, if its been about an hour or so and you haven't gone to the bathroom, you're not drinking enough. The air is really dry and can freak out your skin. Lotion and chapstick are your friends.



• Sunscreen

  - The sun here is no joke. We are at higher elevations which means less ozone and more UV exposure. I have been freezing up on a mountain peak to only realize I burnt my face. You can't even tell so it's best to wear sunscreen when you are going to be outside at high elevations for extended periods of time. Really you should just wear sunscreen any time you're outside.

Winter is also a great time to get married in Colorado. The trick is to know when it happens though. Winter in Colorado doesn't start till mid or late January. Don't expect December to be this winter wonderland. It takes longer to get started depending on the elevation in the mountains. Peak winter would be mid to late January through the first part of March. That's the best time for skiing in my opinion.

• KISS

  - Keep it stupid simple. Don't expect to be able to get around on mountain passes during the height of winter. They will be dangerous or closed. The major ones will be open obviously, but those side ones aren't worth the stress. There's still plenty of amazing spots to go for photos that don't include getting buried in a snowdrift.



• Winter Activities

  - There is a lot of fun things you can do in winter here besides downhill skiing and snowboarding. Although we have some of the best snow in the world for that and I am a fantasic snowboarder and skiier. Snowmobiling is super sun, snowshoeing can be a transformative experience in the quiet of the forest, cross country skiing is super fun too. There's also sleigh rides, ice skating, and dog sledding. Also ice fishing - its not action packed but still a cozy time snuggling with some cocktails and a fire waiting for the fish to take the bait.



• Bundle Up

  - Wear layers vs a giant parka. If you have a winter shawl and a nice hat or ear cover its going to make doing photos more enjoyable as you can keep it on and not be taking a giant snow coat on and off.



• Fireplaces and Hot Springs

  - Choosing to get married in the winter is embracing the season. Have fun with the cold and also dive deep into those warm experiences like natural hot springs, hot tubs, and a cozy fireplace.



• November

  - November in Colorado is kind of ugly. The trees are dead, grass is dead, there is probably patches of snow. There's warm day and super cold days. Yuck yuck. To be fair - in the mountains its a bit better, and naked aspen trees are still pretty. But if I had my choice it would be Fall. November is better than April so there's that.



• December

  - December is better than November in terms of beauty, but its not quite the sweet spot to really feel like that storybook winter. Late December is best if December is your only option to come to Colorado. Christmas at the cabin is always great.

Out of all the seasons to get married in Colorado, Spring is probably the worst. The weather is very unpredictable and can be dangerous. The front range is notorious for hail storms - we are talking golf ball to baseball sized hail... Giant holes in windshields type of damage. We can also get tornadoes.

Further west into the mountains the weather isn't quite as nutty as it's more insulated and the storms move through faster, but it's still a concern.

The trees haven't quite come back and it may snow another 2 more times for good measure. This is generally from end of March into April. We also get insane wind storms for days at a time as well.

Real Talk from a photographer... Spring weddings are hard. I go into the day wanting to do my best for my couples and the weather just doesn't cooperate. It makes for a really trying day on you, the couple, but also me. I am not able to do my best work. I am only able to do my best given the situation, and I hate that for you and myself. I am trying to do my best work for you and myself.

• Rain

  - If you are getting married in June, just plan on it raining. It might rain for a couple hours, 30 minutes, or even several times throughout the day. It will rain so plan accordingly.



• April

  - Super super sucks. Especially on the Front Range. We can get insane wind for like a couple weeks. It's crazy. The probability of hail is very high with any storm system that comes through. This is less of an issue in the mountains, but very much an issue for the city. It can also snow again - and again. Don't get married in April.



• 3rd Winter

  - It sounds funny but by the 3rd or so time its not anymore. 3rd winter is a running joke with locals that winter seems like it is over and it will get up to 50 or even 60 degrees for days on end to only jump back into winter again with a giant storm. These aren't pretty snow storms though. They are bomb cyclones and come with tons of snow, wind, and really wet heavy distructive snow. This will happen 2, 3, or 4 times, hence the name.



• May

  - May tries to get its act together and we even get tree blossoms that are gorgeous but that may quickly get ruined by a freak snow storm or wind. You have to jump on it quick if you want those photos. May can work, but it can be a gamble too. I do feel like it rains less in May than in June.

This is a big one. Where do we go? 1 location, multiple locations? Here are a few things to get you started and things to think of when picking a location.

• Access

  - How difficult is it to get there. Is is seasonal? How do you get there: car, 4x4, hiking, mountain bike, alpaca?



• Lodging

  - Some locations only cater to specific seasons and it might be much harder to find places to stay in winter vs summer. This also goes for things to do and activities. Some towns embrace winter while others go dormant.



• Time of Day

  - If your plan to get married is a few hours before sunset, depending on the season and your location, that can mean your ceremony needs to be at 1pm or earlier for available daylight in the winter. The same location in summer might be closer to 4pm.



• What Season is Best

  - What is the best season for this location? Late Winter/Spring? Summer? Fall? This is definitely something to consider. Some locations aren't accessable all year, or they look and offer very different things in other seasons.



• Activities

  - Do you have an idea of all the things you want to do during your stay? Certain locations will be better for things like off-roading, kayaking, visiting a brewery, waterfalls, hiking, etc. and many are seasonal.

Some vendors don't travel all year round. I do but some don't or charge travel fees. Think about the difficulty of moving a cake in January from Denver to Aspen for instance. Depending on the season is may be best to find people who are local as possible to avoid extra costs but also so you know they won't get stuck in traffic, road closures due to weather, or accidents.

Your timeline will vary greatly depending on the time of year you want to get married and if you want those highly coveted sunset shots. Sunset time in January is 4pm vs 8:30pm in the Summer.

• Prioritize

  - What is most important to you during the day and skew your timeline for that while also keeping in mind the time differences.



• Embrace

  - Embrace the season you are getting married in. This goes for if you chose that time or its the only time in the year you can get married. Jump in and love what that season will give you and adjust your timeline accordingly.



• Travel Times

  - Getting around in Colorado is becoming increasingly difficult with construction, and traffic. Add in weather and its just another big variable you have to consider and leave yourself plenty of extra time to get where you need to be.



• Sunset / Sunrise

  - Both of these vary throughout the year and are location dependant. We will go over this in depth to get a real world view of what times are best in which season for your location.