This Colorado micro wedding could not have been any more perfectly Rocky Mountain high. Having a micro wedding is a great way to get those amazing mountain backdrops… you can’t have a wedding ceremony with 150 people in Rocky Mountain National Park, but with 20 people? You can go just about anywhere you like.
These two were recent transplants to Colorado, and wanted to give their families a mountain top experience. It was a chilly September morning at Lily Lake, but the sun was shining and kept us warm and smiling.
There were a few things that were really important to this couple: they were clear they wanted a ceremony that was non religious. But they also wanted a ceremony that felt sacred and reverential, one that reflected their worldview that more than anything else, the natural world and the universe always guide them towards the right path. They were “the energy you put out is the energy you get back” kind of folks. Lastly, it was important that the wedding ceremony be fully bilingual, so that every guest could understand 100% of the ceremony.
It’s really important to me to take a moment during a ceremony to share some appreciation for the beauty we get to experience together, even more so when I am working with nature devotees. Colorado weddings make it so easy — it’s not hard to feel a deep sense of awe with such a magnificent backdrop! Beauty feels like one of things most humans can agree on… we may share different beliefs, cultures, musical tastes, politics, etc., but I can’t imagine there are too many humans who would say, “nope, this setting is not magnificent.” Slowing down to acknowledge what is beautiful about the moment is meaningful and connective and enlivening… as Plato said, “Love of the beautiful illuminates the world.” I like to think that my ceremonies are built upon a love of the beautiful.
Since this was an intimate Colorado micro wedding, I was able to include a moment of authentic community participation. It’s so much fun to spontaneously co-create a ceremony with the community, and these two were so happy to take in all the good juju shared by their guests. It makes the ceremony beautifully participatory, instead of something the guests are simply “watching” happen.
By the time we got to vows and rings, everything felt heightened. There’s an art to crafting a ceremony that builds up to that peak moment — you want to be feeling every feeling, to have created a strong container of love and connection and authenticity. It just feels so good to feel good. These two did not want to write personal vows, but they did want to make sure that their “I do statements” truly reflected their values as a couple. I sent them a long list of possible questions I could ask, and their vows ended up being a gorgeous set of promises, spoken in both Spanish and English.
All in all, a perfect micro wedding. Full of laughter, tears, joy and praise… and fully bilingual to boot. As the couple shared, “Thank you so much for making our wedding day so special & intimate. We couldn’t be happier with the ceremony.”
If you are looking for a Colorado micro wedding officiant or info about Lily Lake elopements, please reach out and we can chat!
All these photos were taken by Ashley Hoehn. Ashley was truly lovely to work with, and her photos speak for themselves. While she does larger weddings as well, her focus is elopements and she’d be a great resource for couples looking to have a smaller wedding.