A Beautiful "Just Us" Elopement On A Mountaintop

Erika and Emma chose Colorado for their elopement because you can self-solemnize in the state, and this allowed them to have the truly private celebration that they desired — just them, their beloved pup Armstrong and their talented photographer, Alexandra Knight Photography.

After hiking to the top of a mountain (11,669 ft high to be exact!), they exchanged vows with the alpine lake behind them, and incredible views of the Rockies. “We wanted to elevate our vows as much as possible and not just have them written on paper. Erika found a seller on Etsy who would inscribe our vows onto an acrylic sheet and traced a photo of the couple onto the sheet as well. It's a piece of art that we will keep forever,” says Emma.

As they finalized it with a kiss, their dog jumped into their arms. “The most meaningful part of our wedding was having our 4 1/2 year-old-dog, Armstrong, there with us. Having him there made the wedding feel whole, and he was a big part as to why we eloped,” says Emma. “I don't think I could ever do something so impactful in my life without him by my side. I've had him since he was two-months-old, adopting him from a kill shelter in Texas. We went through college together, moved to Seattle together, and love Emma together,” adds Erika.

And after exchanging the heartfelt vows, they toasted with a local IPA that they had picked up at a small store en route. “We are huge fans of beer, and Colorado makes some of the best!” they exclaim. They then had their first dance, “No music, just us twirling around in the valley surrounded by the most beautiful mountain range.”