How to elope in Breckenridge, Colorado
In this guide you’ll find our favorite spots to elope, things to do and basically everything you need to know to start planning your elopement in Breckenridge or the surrounding summit county areas!
If you are looking for an elopement location that has it all, you pretty much just found it. Breckenridge has to be one of our faves when it comes to elopement locations and options for things to do!
It’s only 1.5 hours from Denver, so it’s perfect if you are coming from out of state to elope in Colorado. It also has some pretty EPIC mountain views that you can find whether that be by hiking or driving right up to it. There’s really something for everyone here.
This is why you need to choose Breckenridge as your elopement location:
1. It’s literally open all year round
Breckenridge is one of the few mountain towns in CO that will have something for you to do in every season. If you love the wintertime it has awesome ski and snowboarding resorts, and if you love the summer the hiking and water activities are amazing too.
2. There’s lots of places to eat and drink
We love Breck because the food options there are some of the most diverse for a mountain town. We can assure you can find something you’ll like here! Also, if you’re into breweries check out Breckenridge Brewery or Broken Compass Brewing!
3. You can find a lot of outdoor adventures here
Hiking, paddle boarding, fishing, off-roading, skiing, you name it! It doesn’t matter if you aren’t super outdoorsy, you can find an adventure here for any skill level. It’s also family friendly so if you bring your family there’s fun to be had for everyone.
4. The elopement location options are to die for
You can get the big mountain views, lakes, forests, rivers, and the cute mountain town vibes. There are locations that require hikes to get to, spots that you can drive up to and that you can bring a few guests to. We added some of our faves in this guide, make sure you check them out!
5. Cool options for lodging
You can stay in a hotel in the city, a cabin in the woods or a condo in the outskirts of the town. It really depends on your vibe and how secluded you want your experience to be.
6. It’s close to Denver
You can get to Breckenridge in about 1.5 hours if you fly into the Denver Airport. It’s close but far enough away into the mountains for a true mountain getaway.
What time of year should you elope in Breckenridge?
We might be biased but if you ask us, the best times to elope here are Summer and Fall. We just like that there are way more options for locations without having to freeze your booty off.
Summer [June-August]
One thing you need to know about summer in the mountains, is that it won’t be as hot as you think it is. Summer is the best for high elevations spots and usually temps stay in the 70’s (so the best summer weather)
Fall [Mid-September & Early October]
If you want to experience the true colorful Colorado, come here in the fall. The last two weeks of Sept. or first two weeks of Oct. are usually the best times for the color change.
Winter [November- May]
It can get really cold in the winter, but we can’t lie- it is so gorgeous. Make sure you prepare your snowshoes and pack well because it can snow quite a bit at some spots.
Weekdays
Eloping in such an accessible mountain town also means very busy locations. Weekends are by far the busiest days in areas like this so choosing a weekday for your elopement is the best decision you can ever make. If you are looking for seclusion and intimacy for your elopement, we highly recommend considering choosing days like Monday thru Thursday. Heck, even if you don’t care about privacy- eloping during the week means you get the place to yourself and less chances of photo bombers!
Best Places To Elope in Breckenridge
Loveland Pass
One of favorite locations for elopements because of how accessible it is! If you are looking for the views without the hike, Loveland Pass can be a great option for you. See more of our work and get the quick run through on how to elope here!
Hoosier Pass
Hoosier Pass is one of the lesser traveled mountain passes in Breckenridge. We recommend you hike a little bit for the best views and more privacy, but you can also off-road to get to some pretty great views. In the winter, you’ll probably need to snowshoe like A & N did here.
Officers Gulch
Officers gulch is a drive up location right off the highway. It is pretty scenic and open year round. We especially love it in the fall, because the color change here looks unreal!
Blue Lakes
This alpine lake was an epic place to elope! There are tons of alpine lakes in Breck. Depending on the time of the year, you can either hike to some amazing mountain waters or you can drive up to them like Blue Lakes. Unfortunately, Blue lakes is no longer allowing elopements.
Lake Dillon
You can’t miss Lake Dillon when driving through I-70. This big alpine lake sits at 9,017 ft of elevation with a shore length of 26.78 miles! There is so much room to play and although you can’t swim in it- there are other fun things to do on it like paddle boarding or Kiteboarding!
Summit County Locations
Breckenridge offers so many different options, but the towns surrounding it make it even more diverse. Summit county has countless locations that are postcard worthy! We can’t list them all here so if you need help finding the perfect location for your elopement, that’s part of what we help with- Contact Us so we can get started!
Places Suitable For 10+ Guest Elopements
Sapphire Point
If you are looking to have over 10 guests for your elopement, renting out a area like sapphire point is the best idea. Most outdoor locations have a much smaller capacity for an elopement with high guest counts. Sapphire Point costs $110 to reserve for a 2 hour slot and it overlooks Lake Dillon offering amazing mountain views. The spot is a short walk from the parking lot and it is accessible year-round. Here is the link to rent it! [Currently, another overlook site is being built and it is affecting reservations for this location in 2024]
Windy Point Campground
You can get great views from Windy Point Campground if Sapphire Point doesn’t have availability. It is a great alternative and you still get to drive around the lake to get photos with awesome Lake Dillon views. You can see rental info here.
Dillon Marina Park Pavillion
This reservable spot is perfect if you want to have the beautiful overlook views of Lake Dillon, but also an outdoor covered receptions space to host a mini celebration with your loved ones. Check out info and pricing here.
The Lodge At Breckenridge
The Lodge is also a great area to elope in Breckenridge if you are looking to include guests in your elopement. They offer elopement packages for their deck which has an amazing overlook with a gorgeous mountain backdrop. If you are looking to include a small reception style celebration after your elopement, they also offer restaurant space so that you can have a sit down celebration meal with your loved ones. Check them out here.
Rivertree Lodge
This is great option for those looking to have a more family-oriented elopement! River tree lodge is an awesome cabin in Breckenridge that can accommodate up to 19 guests for your elopement. Lake Dillon is only 5 minutes away for your portrait session and the cabin sleeps 19 guests. Check out the listing and Sabrina+Kenneth’s Elopement at River Tree Lodge.
Tips For Your Breckenridge Elopement
Where To Get Your Marriage License
You can get your marriage license at Summit County Clerk And Recorder. You can receive your license 35 days in advance or same day if needed. Appointments are not necessary but always check in because rules change! Its $30 and both partners need to be present with valid identifications.
Avoid Altitude Sickness
Breckenridge sits at 9,600 ft above sea level. It is super important that you acclimate to the elevation at least 2 days before your elopement day to lessen the chances of altitude sickness-especially if you plan to hike! Drink a lot of fluids leading to your trip as well. One thing that helps us is doing cardio for a week straight before heading to high elevations [& we live here]
Rent a 4WD/AWD vehicle
Having a high-clearance 4WD/AWD vehicle is always a good idea when visiting Colorado Mountain Towns. Colorado actually has a state law during the winter that you must have 4WD/AWD to drive on I-70 ( the highway that takes you to Breckenridge). Having a capable vehicle also opens up so many more activities!
Consider Eisenhower Tunnel + I-70 Highway Traffic
If you are driving from Denver Airport to Breckenridge, mornings and late night are best during the week. The absolute WORST time to drive to the mountains from Denver is Friday afternoon and sometimes Saturdays. If you are trying to drive back to Denver, Sunday afternoon is also terrible so avoid that as much as possible! During the winter time, the Eisenhower tunnel can close unexpectedly due to crashes etc. If that happens, driving through Loveland Pass is an option but not to the faint of heart. If windy roads and snow scare you don’t drive through the pass.
Rent your gear
It is more likely than not that you will want to experience fun activities in Breckenridge that require some sort of gear. Thankfully, there are many gear rental shops including our favorite REI. Don’t let lack of gear prevent your from trying new activities in CO!
Take advantage of the bus shuttle
Breckenridge offers FREE bus shuttles to Frisco, Silverthorne and Breckenridge. So you technically don’t need a car if you are staying in the city . You will need a 4×4 car for you elopement though!
For more affordable lodging:
Check out Silverthorne, Dillon, Alma, and Frisco.
A few fun things to do on or outside your elopement day
- Kite board On Lake Dillon
- Take The Free Gondola To Peak 8
- Paddle board On Lake Dillon
- Snowshoe One Of The Trails
- Scenic Hot Cocoa Sleigh Ride Or Private Sleigh Ride
- Go Skiing
- Snow Tube At Frisco Adventure Park
- Hike One Of Breckenridge Favorite Summer Trails
- Schedule a private sleigh ride with Breckenridge Sleigh rides.
- Visit one of their winter festivals
- Snow cat ride up a mountain!
& food options!
If you are looking for for more chain restaurants like Wendy’s or Chipotle Silverthorne is your best bet but if you are looking for something unique and local to Breckenridge here are a few options:
- If you are looking for a more exotic cuisine: Hearthstone
- Windy City has great Pizza
- Giampietro Pasta and Pizzeria for the Italian food lovers
- If breakfast if your thing Gold Pan is great
- If you want a romantic and historical experience Briar Rose is amazing
- Fatty’s has great American fare
- Broken Compass has a great brewery option
- Any brewery really
- For Burgers Flip Side is yummy
Check out some Breckenridge Elopement inspo:
Looking to elope in Breckenridge?
Hola! We are Laura + Hugo!
We are the photographer & videographer here at Together We Roam.
If you are looking to create an epic experience, get help with location suggestions, get a timeline curated for you that makes sense and get some dope photos/video, we are you peeps! Contact Us to schedule a zoom call- It is super important to us that we are the right fit for you. If you haven’t already, check out our elopement packages too.
Congrats on the best experience yet!
