Cottonwood Pass is one of the best Colorado mountain locations for an elopement – in my opinion. It is near the town of Buena Vista, but honestly, feels other-worldly.
I met Jackie + Jose on top of Cottonwood Pass, on the brink of a storm. They read their vows, shed some tears, and exchanged their rings surrounded by stormy Colorado skies. It was beautiful and moody—everything a photographer could want.
Then it started down pouring. And rather than becoming frazzled or upset, Jose and Jackie stood under umbrellas. They laughed about how crazy the weather was here in CO, and waited out the storm. 20 minutes later, the clouds moved to reveal the most beautiful golden hour sunset. We embraced the day with lots of laughter and incredible photos.
Later on, we drove off Cottonwood Pass, into a big field near Buena Vista and took some creative photos in the dark, using flash. This gave us dreamy, film-like mood from these last elopement photos. While I live for the photos on top of the mountain, these unique, moody photos that we took after are just so cool.
I genuinely love all of my couples, but Jackie and Jose fully represent the people I find myself drawn to as a photographer—adventurous, laid back, funny, and authenticity themselves. I’m so thankful they chose me to document this precious day and for the beautiful places like Cottonwood Pass I have the privilege of shooting at.
