Silverton Elopement Photographer

Small weddings + Elopements + Adventure sessions in Silverton, Colorado

Imagine Your Silverton elopement, told the way it actually felt.

If you’re dreaming of an intimate day surrounded by jagged alpine peaks, old mining roads, endless wildflower basins, and the kind of mountain scenery that feels completely untouched, a Silverton elopement might be exactly what you’re looking for. Tucked deep in the heart of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, Silverton is a rugged little mining town with dramatic landscapes in every direction and some of the most breathtaking high alpine views in the state.

Whether your day looks like hiking to a secluded lake at sunrise, driving high mountain passes in a Jeep, sharing vows beside an old cabin in the middle of nowhere, or ending the night under the stars in a cozy mountain Airbnb, your Silverton elopement can be as adventurous, laid-back, or intentional as you want it to be.

Let's Elope

Hey There!

I’m Katie Dawn, your Silverton elopement photographer

And I can’t wait to introduce you to my favorite little mountain town in Colorado. For such a small town, Silverton has so many different little places where you can explore the scenery while being totally alone. It’s such a dream to elope here and be able to soak in all that mountain goodness without the crowds of places like Ouray or Telluride.

I was born and raised in Colorado, so I’m really familiar with Silverton and the surrounding towns in the San Juans. Every summer I pack up my van and spend my days hanging out in Silverton between elopements. I know everyone in town and honestly probably bug the staff of the couple of coffee shops in town with how much time I spend just editing photos there.

I can’t wait to help you find the perfect spot to say your vows i the prettiest mountains of Colorado!

Contact Me

I help plan elopements for couples who are chasing feeling over performance

I’m here for the couples who want wind in their hair, dirt on their hemlines, and photos that show you how it felt to elope with just the two of you in the wilderness.

I’m here for unconventional souls who want genuine, imperfect, and unforgettable memories.

I walk my couples through the planning process from start to finish to create a seamless elopement day. We’ll talk about the best, most secluded locations in Telluride to say your vows, the prettiest cabins to stay and get ready in, where you can eat and what activities you can do, and everything in between to make your say special and unique to you.

Let's plan

Step 1

We find your dream elopement location

This is the biggest part. I give all my couples a detailed location guide with photos and information to help you decide where you want to elope, whether it’s someplace close to town and easy to drive up to, or somewhere that’s more of a trek, we’ll find what fits you for your day. I specifically try to find my couples places that are not only stunning backdrops, but also somewhere they can be alone and truly feel like they’re someplace special that feels like their own for the day.

Step 2

We plan the Little details

After we’ve done the bulk of the work figuring out your backdrop, we can talk about the other parts that will make everything come together to make your day special. We’ll create a timeline that works with the best lighting for photos, I’ll recommend all my favorite vendors that will make your day feel like magic, and we’ll plan the activities you want to include that will really make the day feel like you. There’s tons to do in Silverton, we’ll find something that will make your day uniquely yours.

Step 3

You live your elopement day

The hard part’s done, you get to just enjoy your day and bask in the nature of Silverton with the love of your life, and I’ll be handling all the logistics. We’ll spend the day hiking, driving, adventuring however you feel, taking in the view, and taking things at a slow pace where you’ll actually remember your elopement day. I’ll be taking photos that already feel like memories, and you’ll leave with moments you can relive over and over again.

Let's get planning.

How to plan an elopement in Silverton

If you want a more in-depth guide to planning your Silverton elopement, check out my guide here

Pick a location:

There’s tons of stunning views where you can say your vows without anyone around, its just a matter if whether you want to hike, Jeep, or walk up to the spot. Most hikes in the area are pretty long and steep, but there’s still a view with gorgeous destinations that are under 4 miles. I often recommend renting a Jeep or at least a high clearance 4x4 vehicle for the day, because even some of the locations that aren’t crazy mountain roads can be a pretty bumpy ride.

Pick up your license:

Colorado is one of the easiest states to get married in, which is why so many people elope here (also it’s beautiful, obvi). You can self solemnize, which means that all you have to do to get married in Silverton is pick up your marriage license from the county clerk’s office, sign it, and return it. No officiants, no witnesses, just you and your love and your signatures (plus your pet’s paw print if you’d like!).

Do something fun:

You can just say your vows and then be done with the day, but it’s so much more fun and memorable to incorporate a fun local activity into your day. Silverton is known for its skiing, but there’s so much to do beyond that. You can traverse Jeeping trails to breathtaking views, soak in hot springs, hike some of the most beautiful mountains in the country, leaf peep in the fall, and come home to sit by the fire. What activities will be options will depend highly on the time of year, so be sure whatever you want to do is actually available and open when you visit.

Best time of Year to elope in Silverton

Summer: Late June-August

Summer in Silverton is wildflower season, and the mountain meadows are green and warm. This is my faaaavorite time to photograph elopements in Silverton. The weather can be a little iffy- there’s afternoon thunderstorms most days in the summer, so be sure to pack clear umbrellas! This is also fire season, so late summer in the mountains of Colorado can be smokey and hazy if there’s a wildfire going on somewhere nearby.

If you want to catch the peak of the summer season when the snow has melted and roads and trails are accessible, the best time to get wildflowers for your day without wildfire haze is late June through July (sometimes late June is still a little early for some high alpine areas if there was lots of snow the previous winter).

Fall: September-early October

Fall in Silverton is so incredibly beautiful. The trees turn golden yellow for a brief time, and (usually) the weather is more predictably sunny. There’s usually less people around than in the summer, and accommodation can be a bit cheaper. There can be unexpected snow storms this time of year or unexpected rain, but usually the weather isn’t too crazy in one direction or the other- just bring a coat or other warm clothing, because it does get chilly, especially when the sun goes down!

If you want to catch the aspens changing color, they almost always turn in the brief two week period between the last week of September and the first week of October. I wouldn’t recommend coming later than October, the weather turns bad, and most businesses are shut in the shoulder seasons.

Winter: November-March

Silverton is pretty quiet in winter, even though the population is mostly made up of avid skiers and snowboarders. The town itself caters to more extreme sports, like heli skiing and backcountry runs, so there isn’t a big resort in town- Purgatory resort between Silverton and Durango has all the typical ski runs.

There aren’t many hiking or jeeping trails to explore this time of year, but you can still rent a snowmobile if you want to get somewhere more complicated. If you do decide on winter, be sure to come between December and February, businesses tend to start to shut down for the shoulder seasons outside of those months.

Spring: April-early June

Can’t say I recommend spring at all, sorry! Spring in Colorado has really unpredictable weather, gray skies, muddy trails, and nothing is green until at least early-mid June. Most trails and roads that are unpaved are inaccessible until late June (sometimes even later if there’s a lot of snowfall). The ski runs close in March, usually, and the remaining snow is very slushy. I no longer photograph spring weddings in the mountains, and recommend my couples schedule for a different time of year.

Where to elope in Silverton

Silverton has tons of public land you can explore, and there’s so many beautiful hiking and Jeeping trails that lead deep into the mountains to secluded views and scenic meadows. I have a detailed location guide I send all my couples that goes over everywhere you can elope in Silverton. My full day elopement packages give my couples the chance to explore 2-3 different locations so you can really experience the wilderness around Silverton in all its glory.

These are a few of my favorite places to bring my couples:

Jeeping trails to lakes and basins
Hiking trails to bright blue water
A short hike to a secret waterfall
Alpine basins and off roading trails for SUVs
Molas Lake

Venues in Crested Butte

If you have a group over 15, you’re verging into micro wedding territory now, and you’re going to have to rent a venue or VRBO of some kind to host your guests for your ceremony.

These are my personal favorite venues in the area:

Best accommodations in Silverton for your elopement

Having a beautiful space to get ready for your elopement day and to retire to after a long day of running around the mountains adds a little cherry on top of an already lovely experience. There are really beautiful luxury accommodations and unique spaces all over Telluride, but these are my personal favorites:

Silverton Elopement Packages

All my packages are meant for a day full of adventures, so they start at 4 hours and range to multi-day experiences. All packages include planning and location assistance as well as a full gallery of images. My packages are all inclusive, there’s no hidden fees or additional travel costs. Get in touch to get a full pricing guide and to set up a free consult to talk about your dream elopement.