Airbnb Elopement in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs Elopement
LOVE, LORRAINE ADVENTURE WEDDING and ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHERS
Sarah and Noah’s Garden of the Gods elopement was one of the most emotional weddings we attended this past year. There was something special about their love that found its way within the entire group present. Close friends and family gathered at a mountain house overlooking Colorado Springs, where they all shared a roof and worked together to help make Sarah and Noah’s dream elopement come to life. It was beautiful, and it was epic.
Sarah & Noah
If you have been following our work for some time, you may have seen Sarah and Noah’s engagement session photos from Great Sand Dunes National Park. This couple stole our hearts from the start. Not only were they willing to adventure all the way out to the Great Sand Dunes for their session, but they were game to get up at 3am to catch the sunrise!
Having spent some time with these two at Great Sand Dunes National Park, we knew that their wedding was going to be something special. These two are adventurous souls with huge hearts. We immediately connected with them, and it wasn’t just over shared interests. They are incredibly kindhearted people, and it is so easy to enjoy time with them. It’s hard to put into words what these two have. When you are lucky enough to share their presence, you can feel their love and energy.
Story time! It all started 10 years ago. Sarah and Noah met as teenagers on a cruise ship. Noah wasn’t necessarily a social butterfly, but he decided that on this cruise, it would be worth it to check out the teen group and see what the other kids on board were up to. This was the decision that led him to Sarah. The minute he saw her, he knew that she was “something special”. They spent the entire cruise together, getting to know each other and enjoying the time they had together. After the cruise, they exchanged numbers and went their separate ways.
As the years passed, Sarah and Noah went through a typical teenage life. Since they didn’t live close enough for regular visits and being at the age that you typically receive a driving permit, the chances were slim that these two would find time to see each other again soon. The next chapter of their friendship, and love, started at Noah’s 21st birthday. We are so grateful to have spent enough time around Sarah and Noah’s friends to have heard this story from multiple perspectives. As the story goes, Noah invited Sarah to come visit for his 21st birthday. There was a party planned with all of Noah’s friends and family to be present. Sarah gladly accepted the invitation, even though she hadn’t met any of Noah’s friends in the past. Noah’s friends tell this story best, but they immediately took a liking to Sarah when she arrived. Noah took a liking to finally being 21 on this particular day, which left Sarah to fend mostly for herself with his family and friends. Sarah immediately became well-liked among the family and Noah’s friends, and even though Noah tapped out early, Sarah enjoyed a wonderful evening with everyone.
Sarah and Noah’s wedding day was perfect. It was everything they wanted and more. We are so grateful they chose us to be a part of it all, and it was an honor capturing the love shared throughout this entire group.
How to Include Family and Friends in Your Elopement
Just because you are choosing to elope doesn’t mean that you can’t include others in your celebration. In fact, elopements with guests are incredibly rewarding. As photographers, we are lucky to be in the presence of love often, and Sarah and Noah’s love for one another extended into their friends and families. This is the beauty of planning an elopement your own way. You CAN have it all on your wedding day!
One of the many perks of a small wedding like this one is the time and space that you have to share stories. A small, intimate group makes this much easier. For about an hour after dinner, there was an open mic for Sarah & Noah’s friends and family to share stories and congratulations to the couple. It was such a beautiful way to end their day. One particularly sweet moment from this event was shared by Noah’s mom. While reflecting back on Noah’s 21st birthday weekend, she shared a moment she will never forget. She quoted Noah stating “Mom, I love this girl… what do I do?!”. She gave him the advice of a lifetime that day when she told him to go for it.
Plan time like this into your wedding when guests will be present. Give space to share stories, and take the time to thank your friends and family for being there with you. Creating a space to spend quality time and share stories will create a wonderful experience for all that won’t be forgotten.
One more thing! Sarah and Noah did something extra special for their immediate family. They had a more intimate vow exchange in front of a select few people, away from the Airbnb and away from the rest of the group they invited to be a part of the celebration. Sarah and Noah share a long history together, and their story is something special. It was important to them that they included their loved ones in this special moment together. This is a perfect example of how you can include your family and friends in a unique way. And this isn’t the only way to go about it! This was their way, and your version will be just as great.
Ways to Include Your Friends and Family In Your Elopement
First Look
Invite your friends and family to share your first look experience. Or, have a first look with your parents or close friends that are present!
Vows
Invite your closest family and friends to witness your vows. Sarah and Noah’s friends and family are a big part of their story and how they met. They wanted those that were a part of their relationship from the beginning to share this moment with them.
Dinner Celebration
If you’d like to spend part of your day with friends and family, plan an intimate dinner celebration at a local restaurant or host a private chef at your Airbnb.
Are Your Friends and Friends Not Present At Your Elopement?
That’s okay! There are still ways to include them as a part of your day. Here’s how!
Planning Process
Simply sharing your elopement plans and ideas with your friends and family can be enough to make them feel a part of this experience. If you have things you need help with along the way, seek their input and spark conversation with them on the topic. Sometimes conversation alone can help them feel like they were able to be a part of such a special time in your life.
Dress and Suit Search
You can have your best friends or family members help you find the perfect attire for your wedding celebration.
Love Notes
Have them write notes to you and your partner or share congratulations videos and read/watch them on the day of your wedding.
Plan a Celebration at a Later Date
Plan a reception or gathering at your favorite brewery or restaurant and celebrate with your friends and family after your wedding day.
How to Plan an Airbnb Elopement
When Sarah and Noah started talking about plans for their wedding day, an Airbnb elopement quickly became a good fit for them. They have a great group of friends and they are close with their family, so being able to host them was a must. Since their guest list was on the smaller side, they didn’t want to book a venue. Keeping their ceremony and their reception in the same place allowed them to invite their grandparents. They also knew that their family members wanted to be a part of their day. An Airbnb elopement is a great option for getting your guests more involved, as you can do a lot of the setting up and preparing for the event yourselves. Extra hands never hurt! The last big check on their list was that they wanted to be somewhere close to Garden of the Gods for portraits at sunset.
It didn’t take long for them to find the perfect mountain house just outside Colorado Springs to host their elopement and their guests. There are so many great properties for rent on sites like Airbnb and VRBO. For Sarah and Noah, they wanted something up in the woods with a view. This would allow them to have their ceremony onsite, and also give them a nice patio overlook to host their friends and family for drinks, food, and fun.
Things to consider for your Airbnb Elopement
Location, Location, Location
For those of you wanting an epic ceremony location, you have one of two (both great!) options. You can look for an Aibnb away from it all from an intimate ceremony in the setting of your choice. Overlooking the mountains, along the pacific coast, or among the redwood trees. Or, if you want a more adventurous ceremony location, consider booking an Airbnb for your reception!
Guests and Accessibility
When looking at rental properties for your elopement, consider the accessibility and the time of year! When considering the mountains for your elopement in the late fall or winter, you’ll want to be sure that your guests don’t have any trouble traveling to your elopement destination.
Property Details
Does the property allow you to host events? Make sure of this first! From there, consider things like parking and your other event plans. For elopements, consider potential ceremony locations, reception locations and other spaces the property offers to best host your dream day.
Looking for more Airbnb Inspiration?
Check out some of our favorite Airbnb Elopements below!
Joshua Tree Desert House Elopement
Kind Words from Sarah & Noah
“My husband, Noah and I, had Lauren and Travis from Love, Lorraine shoot our adventure engagement shoot and our wedding. We cannot express enough how much we love them and the photos they captured for us. Some of my now most valuable memories are from their talent. They scouted spots for us before both shoots so time was spent effortlessly and efficiently during our time together. Which was important when we all drove 4 hours away to wake up at 3am to capture the sunrise window of light perfectly. They are just down for it all. By the end of our journey together (around 9 months of planning first our engagement then wedding) they truly and most importantly became our friends. We love them so much it hurts and will continue to support them until we need to call them up again for our next big adventure. We love you Lauren and Travis!!! Thank you for everything”.
Meet Your Colorado Elopement Photographers
We spent three years living on the road full-time, exploring and adventuring throughout the United States. Colorado quickly became one of our favorite states, and we knew it was a place that we always wanted to come back to. Over the course of three years, we found ourselves back in Colorado time and time again. After selling our van in 2020 in response to the pandemic, we packed up all of our things back east and moved to Colorado. We quickly realized that house life wasn’t our thing, so we bought an Airstream and are now converting it into our second tiny home on wheels.
You can find us all over Colorado exploring and finding the next best elopement location for our couples. We have spent so much time in the beautiful states that we know it like the back of our hand. If you are ready to plan your epic Colorado Elopement, you’ve come to the right place! Inquire with us to start planning your dream Colorado Elopement!