"My longtime soulmate and I promised each other forever at a 7,000-foot overlook in the Rockies in 2024. There were no guests or officiant, just our photographer and the wind as unofficial witnesses. In a half-hour photo session, we exchanged rings and handwritten vows from a pocket notebook, and tried to look natural for the camera - all while making sure we didn't tumble off the edge in high winds. We picked Colorado for its unique marriage laws, allowing couples to self-solemnize independently."
"When we looked into wedding packages, every option seemed to follow a one-size-fits-all template: pre-selected venues, an assigned photographer, and a timeline with little room for spontaneity. Convenience was the selling point, but to me it felt like paying a premium for a prepackaged cookie-cutter idea of romance. We wanted the freedom to choose a trailhead instead of a chapel, a photographer whose style we loved, and the ability to invest time in making sure the day felt like ours."
A couple eloped alone at a 7,000-foot Rockies overlook in 2024 with only a photographer as witness, exchanging rings and handwritten vows during a half-hour session. Colorado’s laws allowed self-solemnization, enabling an independent, intimate ceremony without an officiant or guests. Total spending was about $3,500, far below the U.S. average wedding cost and common elopement package prices. The couple chose a DIY approach to retain control, select a preferred trailhead and photographer, and personalize every detail, accepting extra planning work in exchange for a more meaningful, intentional day.
Read at Business Insider
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