Andrea Enger Photography

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Crested Butte JEEP Adventure Elopement | Tracy + Justin

4x4s, Alpine Lakes + Doggos?

You’re speakin’ my language!

A Love Story

“After 5 months of dating, we took a road trip for 13 days (2,700 miles) to Colorado and back,” said Justin of his then bride-to-be Tracy. “We spent every moment together, and we never had any arguments or bad times. In fact, we went out to dinner right after returning home. Being able to be ourselves and in each other's space for almost 2 weeks straight really says a lot! It was non-stop fun!”

After meeting virtually with the couple from San Antonio, Texas, I learned that Justin proposed to Tracy at the top of one Crested Butte’s many, breathtaking peaks, “after a white-knuckled drive up the shelf roads,” he remembered. This right here told me a lot about the adventurous couple who had hired me for their destination elopement photography. I knew they’d be up for an off-the-beaten-path elopement in the great outdoors, and I was stoked when I learned they’d be traveling to Colorado in their 4x4 JEEP that could help us take their big day to new heights—literally.

I met these gallivanters early in the morning so we could get to our secluded First Look location before the sun came up. Mother Nature was determined to hydrate the lush mountain town that day (can’t complain about that – without it Crested Butte wouldn’t have the stunning explosion of wildflowers every July)! The rain began early and, well, never really let up the rest of the day! Luckily we had discussed a Plan B and had a contingency in place.

Speaking of contingencies—and this is where my timeline services come in: We had to make some last-minute schedule changes. The couple had booked me for a multi-day Adventure Elopement, with the Rehearsal Dinner the first night at Tully’s. The restaurant owners were extremely accommodating and made sure everyone was dry and cozy inside. After realizing it was going to be a wet weekend, we adjusted the timeline for Day Two, while coordinating with all the wedding guests to make sure they could still make all of the day’s planned events.

We scooted up the ceremony to an early time, right after the First Look and vow reading. The clouds on a rainy day frequently make for some beautiful light, and on this day, blankets of thick fog settled into the valley for a dramatic backdrop. Tracy and Justin’s JEEP also had a super-cool canopy that pulls out, allowing for a cozy picnic sheltered from the sprinkling. I prepared their charcuterie boards and snacks while they cuddled up with their pups and enjoyed some intimate time to relax together before the ceremony.

After the solo nature time, we drove down to the ceremony site to meet up with family and tie the knot! There was a Champagne toast, family portraits as well as some candids, then after the family left, I stayed with couple on the mountain to snag a few more newlywed portraits before making our way back to their adorable Airbnb for a little siesta. Later we reconvened at the Slogar, lovingly known as one of Crested Butte’s best restaurants, for amazing food and drinks and an incredibly fun reception.

The incredible vendor team:

Rehearsal dinner location: Tully’s
Cocktail reception, dinner: The Slogar
Wedding Cake created by Cake me Away
Photography by yo, Andrea Enger Photography

Enjoy the pics from this adventurous kickstart to these lovebirds’ life together!
Congratulations again, Tracy and Justin!!

The After Party

Congratulations, Tracy + Justin!

Inspired?! Check out my complete guide for elopements and micro weddings in this gorgeous town!

Tracy + Justin’s JEEP Adventure Elopement // Crested Butte, Colorado

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Ready to Book?

Elopement Photographer Andrea Enger (Portrait by Jennifer Garza Photography)

If you’re ready to get the ball rolling to secure your photographer (slash wedding planner!), let’s do it!

You can do that by contacting me through my website, emailing me directly at andreaenger.photography@gmail.com, or by calling or texting me at (720) 739-0784. I look forward to hearing from you!

If you’re still in the research phase, I hear ya! Here are some more resources that my couples have found helpful. I hope you do, too!

Colorado Elopement Guide

Elopement Planning Toolkit (free download)

More Photo Galleries:

See this gallery in the original post

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