Elissa and Dave | Maroon Bells and Independence Pass
Savannah Chandler Photography | Aspen Elopement Photographer
Aspen has some of the most iconic and recognizable views in the state of Colorado. Sitting a mere 10 miles outside of downtown Aspen are the Maroon Bells – a collection of multiple 14,000 ft mountain peaks. This area is one of the easiest to access by vehicle and provides a spectacular background for an elopement. If you want to reserve the Amphitheater, it’s very difficult to secure a permit as they go a year in advance. If your entire wedding party (including photographer, officiant, etc) is less than 10 people and you have no other items (chairs, arches, etc), you CAN elope in the Maroon Bells Wilderness. Which is exactly what Elissa and Dave did.
I met the two of them are their SUPER cute boutique hotel, The Residence, for a first look in their artsy lobby before we all hopped in the car to head up the hill. I think this might have been my favorite lobby that I’ve been in for photos – the mirrors, colors, and artwork were so cute.
Once we arrived at the Maroon Bells, we walked to my little spot that I’ve become so fond of for a ceremony. It’s a short 10 minute walk from the parking lot, and I’ve yet to run into a crowd since most people stay right next to the entry point. We stayed in the area for their vows, some SUPER fun champagne spraying, and generally enjoying the views.
When we first started talking about photographing their elopement, Elissa let me know that one thing that was incredibly important to them was Astrophotography. Anyone who has tried to photograph the stars likely knows how important good weather is to get a glimpse of the Milky Way. Our original date had 100% cloud cover, which would have meant no night photos. I was already slated to be in Aspen a few days later, so we bumped our date by about 48 hours to see if we could catch a clear sky.
Our efforts in changing dates was certainly the right decision.
Though is was quite cold (as it is at 12,000 feet most nights), we pulled up to the lot at Independence Pass and were greeted with clear skies and fantastic views of the entire Milky Way core. We had a fantastic end to our night together (literally) under the stars.
Congratulations again, Elissa and Dave!
Cheers-
