When Becca and Matt were faced with cancelling their original wedding due to Covid-19, they decided to go way outside the box. They embraced one of their greatest passions and eloped on top of one of Colorado’s 14ers, complete with full wedding attire, flowers, a dog of honor, and even a bottle of champagne for a mountaintop toast!
I had originally been hired to shoot Becca and Matt’s full wedding, and when they made this dramatic change of venue, they reached out taking a shot in the dark to see if I’d be interested in capturing the whole adventure, not knowing that a 14er elopement had been a dream of mine ever since I first started shooting weddings!
The couple chose a peak and we found a date in early September that worked for everyone involved, only to have the climb nearly cancelled due to an early season blizzard that covered large areas of Colorado in feet of snow. We all decided to go for it anyway, not knowing during our 5 hour drive to Lake City if the original peak, or any of their fallback ideas, would even be climbable. Even as we set out on the trail before dawn, we didn’t know for certain if we’d be able to summit, but what we were greeted with as the sun rose was one of the most pristine climbing days I’ve ever experienced. There was just enough snow to add amazing contrast to the already stunning peak, but not enough to make it dangerous to climb. The couple had the summit almost entirely to themselves for their ceremony, and as word spread among the rest of the people climbing that day, they were greeted by a unconventional receiving line of congratulations the entire hike back down.
The end result is one of the absolute high points of my entire professional career. It may not have been Becca and Matt’s original plans, but in it’s own way, it wound up being a dream wedding. Being able to capture their love in such a intimate, unique setting was indescribably wonderful, and being able to help make something unique and beautiful out of such an unfortunate situation was one of the brightest spots in such a difficult year. Words can’t really express how grateful I am to have been a part of this.
Becca and Matt, thank you for bringing me along on this adventure with you, and giving me the opportunity to capture your unique, amazing wedding. I can’t wait to work with you again for your full celebration next year!
In addition, I want to do two huge shout outs. First to Jonah Frykholm, for jumping in on this madness without a second of hesitation, hauling gear, second shooting, driving the Jeep, and generally being the best assistant I could have possibly asked for. Second to Rachel Beckwith, the incredibly talented photographer who was crazy enough to also sign on to this wedding. Thank you both for being such an amazing team for the day!