Should You Elope or Have a Micro Wedding in Colorado?

Intimate wedding celebrations are still at the very forefront of the wedding industry, and it’s easy to see why! From the freedom of choice they provide couples, to the flexibility with how they spend their budgets, more and more couples are choosing a smaller celebration for their wedding day. The question then becomes “how small should we go?” That’s the question we’re here to hopefully answer for you today, as we’re going to go over the differences between elopements, intimate (or micro) weddings, and what you should consider in order to decide which is right for you and your wedding day in Colorado!

What’s The Difference?

So what exactly is the cutoff for a wedding to become a micro wedding, and a micro wedding to become an elopement? There isn’t really a concrete answer to this, as it varies from photographer to photographer. This article from Simply Eloped for example considers an elopement to be anything under 20 guests, and a micro wedding to be between 20-50 guests. For me personally though, an elopement is typically much smaller, usually only involving the couple, maybe an officiant, any other vendors they’ve booked, and maybe a couple guests, micro weddings on the other hand usually fall somewhere under the 30 guest range for my couples in Colorado. 

It really comes down to the feel of the day as a whole. Elopements are INCREDIBLY intimate, and can take shape in a variety of ways so that the couple experience the day that THEY want. Micro weddings are usually structured a little closer to traditional weddings due to guests being present for your ceremony and/or reception, though they do offer a ton more flexibility than larger weddings!

To better understand what separates these two different celebrations, let’s take a look at each a bit more in depth!

Elopements in Colorado

Starting things off with elopements, this is as intimate as a wedding day can be! Typically when a couple comes to me with the idea of eloping, they are looking to plan a wedding day that is all about them and the unique way they want to celebrate their love. With having few to no guests present, the sky literally becomes the limit with what they can do! This is why SO many couples choose to have a destination elopement as they can really achieve an “off the grid” feel for their day. When you have 20 to 30 guests present on the other hand, it’s basically impossible to hike up a mountain for your ceremony for example!

Along with the freedom and flexibility, privacy is another reason so many couples are choosing to elope, not just here in Colorado but all around the world. There are so many unique and incredible locations throughout our planet that make for an unbelievable setting for an elopement, many of which are impossible to have a larger celebration at. Eloping allows you to truly enjoy the beauty of these spaces, and the love you share for your person, without any other distractions or concerns. It’s a wholly unique experience, which is why SO many couples are choosing this option.

For a look at some of the best locations in Colorado to elope at, check out my complete elopement guide!

A Look at Irmina + Brian’s Elopement Day

• Met Up at Sunrise for a Hot Air Balloon Ride
• Portraits in the Hot Air Balloon
• A Champagne Toast After the Flight
• Vows and Portraits in the Afternoon on a Hike
• Sunset Portraits and Dessert Picnic in the Mountains
• A Totally Unique Day for Just the Two of Them

Micro Weddings in Colorado

Even though I gassed up elopements quite a bit above, there are still SO many positives to having a micro wedding, especially in Colorado! The main appeal of micro weddings, and what makes them so special, is they offer couples a balance and the best of both worlds. The smaller guest size allows you to structure the day with more freedom than you could with a larger celebration. Maybe you choose to only have your guests present at your reception, leaving you to have an intimate, elopement-esque ceremony. You could also flip things the other way around and have a ceremony with your closest friends and family before heading off to adventure and enjoy some time as just the two of you.

Even if you do choose to celebrate both your ceremony and reception with the guests of your micro wedding, you can still create a totally unique experience. That’s because the smaller guest size allows you to choose wedding venues that are more intimate and unique. There are plenty of incredible wedding venues suited for micro weddings throughout Colorado for instance, check out 16 of my favorites here! 

Finally, even if you have a micro wedding that’s structured the same as a large wedding and takes place at a venue that can host larger weddings, there’s still something that makes them special: time with your people. With a micro wedding you’re able to actually enjoy the company of your loved ones, something that many couples  who have a large wedding often struggle to do! 

A Look at Katie + Nicks Micro Wedding

• Got Ready with Family at Their Airbnb
• First Look and Micro Wedding Ceremony with Family
• Family Portraits Immediately Following the Ceremony
• Signed Their Marriage License and Snacked with Their Fam at the Airbnb
• Adventured Out to the Mountains for Private Vows and Portraits
• Newlywed Portraits in the Aspen Forest
• Sunset Portraits Looking out Over Telluride Before Meeting Back Up with the Family for the Night
• The Perfect Mix of Micro Wedding and Elopement Vibes!
• Check Out Their Full Day Here!

How Do You Know Which is Best for You?

It’s easy to see why couples are choosing to elope or have a micro wedding in Colorado, but how do you know which is best for you personally? To answer this, there are a few questions you’ll want to ask yourselves before getting into the details of planning your wedding day:

What Experience Do You Want to Have?

As I mentioned earlier, the biggest factor of what separates elopements and micro weddings in Colorado is the experience they provide. So what experience do you want for your day? Think about it. When you daydream of the day what does it look like? Are you sharing your vows atop a remote mountain? Are your friends and family there to cheer and celebrate with you? Be open and honest with yourself and with your partner about what you envision for the day, as it’s the best way to help guide yourselves towards deciding between a micro wedding or elopement!

Are There Any MUST Have Guests in Your Vision?

As you envision your wedding day, who is there? Is it just the two of you? Are your parents and siblings present? Are your friends there too? Remember there isn’t a wrong answer here, but as you daydream about your wedding day, who you picture being there (and how that makes you feel) is a great sign in showing you which size wedding celebration is right for you!

Would Having Guests Change What You Want the Day to Be?

Knowing the answers to the past two questions, do they line up well with one another, or is there some conflict? As an example: maybe you envision a mountaintop ceremony or helicopter elopement. In that case having guests present would make this next to impossible, and would require a change in plans. 

This change could be a totally different plan, or you could still stick with your elopement ceremony and have a micro wedding reception after. It’s important though to consider how having guests present will affect what your day can be. If it’s encroaching on your dream, or you feel obligated rather than wanting to have guests present, an elopement may be the better option for you.

Are There Parameters to Keep in Mind for Must-Have Guests?

For anyone that has a must-have guest list, and is set on a micro wedding in Colorado, are there any parameters to keep in mind? Do the ceremony and reception space need to be ADA accessible? Is hiking at all possible or do you need drive up access available? If you’re going the route of the micro wedding and inviting guests you want to make sure they can actually be there and enjoy it after all!

Should You Elope or Have a Micro Wedding?

Ultimately, it’s up to you, which you knew from the start! The beauty of love is how it’s unique to every couple, and that beauty extends into your wedding day and how you celebrate it. That’s why weddings, micro weddings, and elopements are all still so popular in Colorado! Think about what we went through in this article, talk with your partner, daydream about your wedding day, and you’ll soon realize which option is best for you. For more wedding and elopement tips check out some of my other blogs, and if you’re interested in having me document your day you can send me an inquiry through my contact page!