A Sunrise Elopement with Rainbows, Pizza, and Polaroids
For Reema (she/her) and Whitney (she/her), choosing to elope wasn’t about escaping tradition. It was about celebrating in a way that felt right for them. After months of weighing up a wedding against an intimate celebration, they found themselves drawn to a quiet sunrise ceremony beside a lake in Crested Butte, Colorado, with only their officiant and photographer by their side.
What followed was a day filled with everything they love most: handwritten vows, mountain views, wildflowers, a surprise rainbow, coffee beneath a Pride flag, pizza back at the condo, and the chance to soak up every moment together. It was simple, deeply personal, and exactly how they wanted to begin married life.
How did your story begin?
Whitney: Our love story started in the most modern way: matching on Hinge. But it didn’t take long before it felt like something special. We met for a beer at a local brewery, and right away we connected over our shared roots in Georgia, our love for working with kids, and our excitement for exploring life in Denver. From the beginning, being outdoors, trying new things together, and simply enjoying each other’s company came so naturally.
Some of our favorite moments so far have been the adventures we’ve encouraged each other to take, from her hiking her first 14er with me cheering her on, to learning to ski and snowboard side by side, and spending cozy nights watching movies together.
What I love most about Reema is how big her heart is, how deeply she cares for the people in her life, and how willing she is to jump into new experiences with me. She says she loves how excited I get about adventures and the little moments, how we’re always growing together, and the way we both adore our cat, Meeko.
Our story isn’t complicated. It’s simply two people who feel right together, choosing each other every step of the way.
What made you decide that eloping was the right choice?
We went back and forth for months on whether to have a wedding or elope. When we explored the idea of having a wedding with our friends and family, we knew we would have fun, but it also felt very stressful, and we both had a lot of anxiety about being in front of a crowd.
The more we talked about eloping in one of our favorite places, the more we knew it felt right. We chose to celebrate with just the two of us, an officiant, and a photographer to capture the happiest day of our lives.
How did your loved ones react when you told them you were eloping?
Reema casually told her family, and they were understanding and happy that our decision to elope reflected the experience we wanted. Her friends and family were also excited when we shared that we still planned to have a reception to celebrate with everyone.
Whitney’s family had a hard time when she first came out, but they have come a long way in welcoming Reema into the family. At first, they felt it was more appropriate for us to elope than to have a traditional wedding ceremony, which was hurtful at the time. They seemed to regret how they handled the initial news and came to our reception fully supportive.
What was it like finding your elopement outfits?
Whitney: I really struggled to find the style I wanted. I knew I wanted something feminine, but I also wanted a two piece with pants. I tried on a few dresses, but nothing felt comfortable or like me. It was hard to find exactly what I wanted until I came across the outfit I ended up wearing. It didn’t arrive until about two weeks before the elopement, and thankfully it fit. I definitely felt like it was the one.
Reema: Finding my elopement outfit was a bit of a journey. I struggled at first to figure out the style I really wanted, and it took some searching online to find something that fit both my style and my budget. I didn’t go into the process placing a huge amount of importance on the dress, so I simply chose the one I felt most comfortable and beautiful in out of about 12 dresses. I did end up needing last minute alterations, which added a little crunch time stress, but in the end it all came together perfectly.
What were your favorite moments from your elopement day?
Whitney: We chose to have our ceremony at sunrise on a beautiful lake in Crested Butte, Colorado. I woke up at 4:30 am to get ready and started documenting the day with Polaroids and videos. Walking up to our ceremony spot and seeing it was just us, our officiant, and our photographer felt so special.
Standing in front of Reema as we exchanged vows is a moment I’ll never forget. After the ceremony, we explored the mountains and wildflowers for photos, grabbed coffee at a mountain café with a Pride flag out the front, then spent the rest of the day enjoying cocktails, pizza, and the beautiful scenery. It was everything I could have hoped for.
Reema: Waking up early for our 7 am lakeside ceremony was absolutely worth it. On the drive to the lake, a rainbow appeared while it was lightly drizzling, and our photographer, Rose, pulled over so we could capture some spontaneous photos before the weather cleared.
My favorite moments were sharing our vows at sunrise, stopping among the wildflowers for photos, and simply spending the day together. Back at our condo, we enjoyed good food, cut our little wedding cake, and looked through the Polaroids we’d already taken, reliving the day while it was still unfolding.
How did you find the vendors who brought your elopement to life?
We planned to meet with several officiants, but as soon as we met Carey from Wandering Honeymooners, we knew she was the perfect fit. She asked thoughtful questions about our relationship, what we loved most about each other, and walked us through the ceremony. She also suggested a unity ceremony that felt personal and unique to us. On the day, she made us feel completely at ease, and we couldn’t have been happier with how she officiated our ceremony.
Rose from Matlai Photography is just an incredible human. We met with several photographers, but as soon as we met her, we knew it was a done deal. The conversation flowed so naturally, and she made us feel completely comfortable throughout the process. We were both nervous about being photographed and unsure how to pose, but Rose eased our anxieties with her calm demeanor, gently guided us, and found the most beautiful locations to capture our day.
What was it like writing and sharing your vows?
Yes! The process was very similar for both of us. It was a struggle to put so many feelings into words. In the days leading up to the ceremony, we spent time in separate rooms trying to write our vows. In the end, neither of us had finished the day before, so we spent the evening sitting across from each other and finishing them together.
I think the comfort of each other’s presence was all we needed to finally put words to the most important day of our lives.
Was the legal side of eloping as simple as you expected?
We started checking for available appointments at our county’s marriage license office several weeks before our date. It took a few tries to secure a time, but once we had our appointment, everything went smoothly.
On the day of our ceremony, we signed the marriage license with our officiant, then returned it to the office within the required timeframe. It ended up being a simple, stress free process.
What advice would you give other couples thinking about eloping?
Make it exactly what you want it to be. There are so many expectations about how things should be done, even when it comes to eloping, but your day should reflect what you want to remember 50 years from now.
Get pizza, wear comfortable shoes (or heels if you want!), and be as present as possible. It all goes by so fast, and there’s nothing quite like the moment you say “I do” and it finally feels official.
Captured by Matlai Photography
Cake Born2Bake
Celebrant Wandering Honeymooners
Rings Justin Alexander
