Great Sand Dunes Elopement Photos and Tips

Great Sand Dunes Elopement Photos and Tips

No matter where you’re at in the process of considering a Great Sand Dunes elopement, you’ve come to the right place! This blog post will contain everything you need to know to start planning your Colorado elopement at this stunning national park – from what to expect with the landscape to where to stay and what permits you need to make sure that you get taken care of for your Colorado elopement day.

If you love sandy beaches as well as breathtaking mountain views, a Great Sand Dunes National Park elopement might be right for you! You’d never know it without taking the exit off of the highway but these epic sand dunes are nestled right in the mountains which make for the coolest landscape combination. The sand is harder than expected to hike around in but it’s an absolute blast to run around in the dunes and slide down them!

FAQS about Great Sand Dunes National Park elopements:

Where should we fly into to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park?

San Luis Valley Regional Airport is located about 45 minutes away from the park in Alamosa! The connection to get to this airport will be from Denver. They also have Hertz rental cars there. I personally recommend flying into Colorado Springs or Denver airport and enjoying the little road trip through Colorado! There are a lot of beautiful spots to see in either of those locations, like Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Flights for these areas will be a little bit less and you also have the opportunity to pick up things from vendors like florists or bakers if you have a cake made.

Where do most people stay when visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park?

There are a few locations in / near the park including Great Sand Dunes Lodge and Great Sand Dunes Oasis for RV spots and cabins. The campgrounds in the park can be a little hard to snag if you don’t start looking in advance, but there are campgrounds in the neighboring areas that you can book a spot at! Most people find accommodations in Alamosa, Colorado but there are also little towns along US-160 that have lodging options for you to choose from! The Alamosa KOA Journey also has cabins if you want an in-between from a hotel experience and sleeping in a tent.

How do we go about getting a marriage license for our elopement?

It’s really easy to get your marriage license (they’re typically $35) but my recommendation on where is just dependent on where you’re flying into and where you’ll be visiting in Colorado throughout your stay.

Some of the couples that I work with will actually get legally married either before or after their elopement so that they don’t have to worry about obtaining and sending a marriage license during their trip.

Your elopement day is all about vowing your love to one another and celebrating the start of your marriage and that isn’t something that has to be defined by when or where the legal part of getting married takes place!

Do we need an officiant for our Great Sand Dunes National Park elopement?

Nope! You do not need an officiant to get married in Colorado. The state of Colorado is actually so amazing for elopements because couples are actually able to self-solemnize. This means that to be legally married, you don’t need and witnesses or officiants present! And you can even have your dog’s paw print on your certificate which leads me to the next question…

Are dogs allowed at our Great Sand Dues National Park Elopement?

Yes! Dogs are allowed. On the national park’s website they outline some of the rules and regulations about where your dog can be in the park but essentially anywhere not in the backcountry is fair game and they are required to wear a leash. If you’re planning on bringing your dog to your Great Sand Dunes National Park elopement, I highly recommend either hiring an assistant for your photographer to bring along or having someone you’re close with come along for your elopement so that they can keep track of the dog while you’re doing photos and saying vows and whatnot.

Does eloping in Great Sand Dunes National Park require a permit?

Yes! But wedding permits typically aren’t super challenging to obtain from parks. As long as you communicate with them and make sure that the area you choose to say your vows in is an approved spot, you shouldn’t have any issues! Be sure to give the parks plenty of time to process your permit. I typically like to allow for at least a month, if not two months to get everything squared away.

Great Sand Dunes elopement inspiration

The first time I visited, I knew that a Great Sand Dunes National Park elopement would be such a blast to photograph and I was so excited to show off this location as a potential spot for my Colorado elopement couples. I got together with a few other photographers and Taylor and Logan modeled for us on a beautiful late April day! I loved that these photos really show how much fun a Great Sand Dunes elopement can be.

If you want more information about eloping in Colorado, visit my Colorado elopement page or check out my blog post with 5 Tips for Eloping in Colorado! I’d absolutely love to chat with you two and share all of the best spots throughout the state for a day that feels true to you and perfect.