Wildflowers, Horses, and a Crested Butte Elopement

Their first date included a horseback ride through Estes Park. Years later, Mersaides (she/her) and Katherine (she/her) returned to the saddle to wrap up their Crested Butte elopement, a quiet nod to where it all began. Between those two rides came a proposal in a cozy Colorado A-frame cabin, a home they bought together, and the decision to skip a traditional wedding in favour of something more intimate. With personal vows, mountain views, wildflowers, their dogs Scout and Lola, and plenty of time to simply be together, they created a celebration that felt right for them.

How did your story begin?

Katherine and I both moved to Colorado within a year of each other. It never felt like chance that we met. It felt more like two people who were always meant to find each other.

Our first date started with lunch before I took Katherine horseback riding in Estes Park. We finished the day with dinner, and the next evening, on New Year’s Eve, she asked if she could kiss me properly after our quick peck goodbye the day before. We had another amazing night together, and the rest is history.

Since then, our relationship has been built on intentional moments, both big and small. We’ve celebrated milestones, supported each other through challenges, bought a home together, adopted Scout and Lola, travelled abroad, and grown into the people we are today. In June 2022, Katherine surprised me with the sweetest proposal in a cozy A frame cabin in Colorado. It was the easiest yes of my life.

We had a long engagement that we genuinely enjoyed because choosing to elope took away so much of the pressure that often comes with planning a traditional wedding. Looking back, every step brought us closer to the life we’ve built together, and we’re so excited for everything still to come.

Why did you decide to have an elopement?

From the very beginning, we both knew we wanted something incredibly intimate where we could be fully present with each other. That feeling guided every decision we made.

Wildflowers, Horses, and a Crested Butte Elopement – photo 1

Wildflowers, Horses, and a Crested Butte Elopement – photo 2

Why did you choose Crested Butte, Colorado for your elopement?

We had never actually been to Crested Butte before, but living in Colorado meant we already knew a little about it. We wanted mountains and wildflowers, and Crested Butte was the perfect place to have both.

How did your friends and family react when you told them?

When we got engaged, we already knew we wanted to elope, so we shared that decision with everyone straight away.

Everyone was incredibly supportive and excited for us. I do think it became harder for some of our closest friends and family when the day actually arrived and they realised they wouldn’t be there in person, but they were still so happy for us.

What were your favourite moments from your Crested Butte elopement?

There were so many moments that we’ll never forget.

We woke up in a cabin surrounded by mountain and creek views, watched heartfelt video messages from our family and friends, cried happy tears, opened a beautiful gift from my sister, and laughed while getting our hair and makeup done by Cate Hair Makeup. I made a playlist just for Katherine, and seeing each other in our dresses for the first time was unforgettable. I wore a Rish Bridal gown from Unbridaled New Orleans, while Katherine found her dress at Grace Loves Lace.

One of our favourite moments was having Scout and Lola sign our marriage license before heading into the wildflower fields. We drove up the mountain to our ceremony location, spotted deer along the way, shared our vows while wearing our Cartier wedding rings, and kissed for the first time as wives.

Afterwards, we ran through downtown Crested Butte in our dresses while strangers cheered us on, enjoyed a beautiful cake from Sweet Sisters Bake Shop, and the following morning hiked at sunrise with our dogs before finishing the celebration with a horseback ride as a tribute to our very first date.

How did you make your ceremony feel personal?

We wanted every part of the day to feel like us.

Rather than following traditions, we built a day around connection, intimacy, and the things that matter most in our relationship. We wrote our own vows, chose meaningful music for getting ready, included thoughtful surprises for each other, and even hid a rainbow inside our cake. The colourful blooms from Fanciful Weddings were another thoughtful detail that made the day feel completely ours.

Every detail reflected who we are together.

How did you find vendors who supported your vision?

We found Authentic Collective on Instagram, and as soon as we saw their photography and films, we knew they were exactly who we wanted alongside us.

We felt the same about Cate Hair Makeup. One of the most important things for us was finding vendors who were genuinely inclusive and supportive of the LGBTQ community. We also chose The Diamond Reserve for our engagement ring because every part of the experience felt thoughtful and meaningful.

Both teams exceeded every expectation. By the end of the day, it felt like we’d gained new friends, not just incredible vendors.