Looking to elope at the Maroon Bells?

You’ve chosen one hell of a place to say, “I do” in Colorado and/or for your portraits on your wedding day! With one of the most ethereal and iconic views in the state, the Maroon Bells is one of the most incredible places to elope in Colorado! The best part, hosting your wedding ceremony or obtaining the right to take your wedding portraits in the Maroon Bells (if there is no availability) is super easy, while being very affordable!

But in truth, no national reserve service plainly tells you how to make this happen, so after shooting at the Maroon Bells as a destination Colorado elopement photographer, I wrote this blog post to tell you how to elope at the Maroon Bells and everything you need to know to make it happen! So pull out your notepad and save this link so you can refer to it later! Let’s do this! 🙂

Table of Contents (What we’re about to cover):

1. Why to Choose Maroon Bells for your Ceremony and for photos 
2. Regulations and what to know about eloping in the Maroon Bells
3. How to Reserve Maroon Bells Amphitheater 
4. Requirements to Take Portraits ONLY at the Maroon Bells
5. 6 Aspen Colorado Wedding Venues with Mountain Views Near the Maroon Bells

Why Choose Maroon Bells for your Colorado Wedding:

Let’s be real, there are many, MANY beautiful places to elope in Colorado and I have the opportunity to document incredible love stories at many of these awesome places as a Colorado elopement photographer, but the Maroon Bells definitely has one the top 3 most beautiful ceremony venues for your wedding in the state, Maroon Bells Amphitheater. 

Though the Maroon Bells usually has a high volume of foot traffic, the Maroon Bells Amphitheater sits off the big hiking trails, providing you with almost complete privacy and an unrestricted view of the mountains (yay to no photo-bombers during your ceremony!) The amphitheater is also very easy and affordable to reserve and doesn’t require a contract or contact with any vendors, it’s actually just like reserving a campsite and everything is done online! 

Outside of weddings, Maroon Bells is known as the most photographed site in Colorado and features lots of hiking trails. Maroon Bells Lake sits in what looks to be a valley between two mountains, with a jagged, rocky mountain peak towering over you.

The Only Problem You Might Face When Reserving the Amphitheater:

Just like you right now, everyone wants to reserve the amphitheater, and not just for weddings. Only one group can reserve the site a day, and the Maroon Bells reservation system opens exactly one year in advance. In order to reserve the site for your ceremony, you must be ready to hop online and snag it right when the next date becomes available. 

Great news though, there are plenty of beautiful venues nearby and you can easily take portraits inside of the Maroon Bells if you cannot snag the ceremony site. We will talk more about this further down in the blog!

Regulations and What to Know About Eloping in the Maroon Bells:

Alrighty, let’s cover a few things you ought to know when planning to elope in Maroon Bells:

Maroon Bells is Reservations are NOT year round:

Due to winter weather in Colorado, Maroon Bells Amphitheater is only open for reservations starting in the month of May (usually starting Memorial Day weekend) and then ending the first week of October. Weather can cause the start and end dates to shift slights, but that’s the general gist.

Maroon Bells Amphitheater Fee:

To reserve the Maroon Bells Amphitheater, a very affordable fee of $200 is required upon booking the site. You pay the fee online right after reserving the date, so have your card on hand when reserving as everything works based off of a first come first serve basis!

Maroon Bells Parking Permits:

Upon reserving the ceremony site, you are given 5 parking permits for your guests on your wedding day. Great news, you don’t need a permit in order to only take couples portraits (meaning you can’t have your elopement/wedding here, only for photos.)

Maroon Bells Amphitheater Capacity:

The Maroon Bells Amphitheater can seat up to 50 guests for your Colorado elopement. The site features built in pews for your guests, so you will not need to provide any seating!

No Receptions, Only Ceremonies:

Unfortunately, you can’t use any of the space inside Maroon Bells for your reception (unless it is just the two of you eloping, you may be able to pull off a small dinner/picnic in the area if that is what you desire.) You can only use sites in the park for your ceremony.

You Must Apply by the Leave No Trace Policies:

While eloping in Maroon Bells, you must apply by the rules and regulations put into place by the Leave No Trace foundation to help preserve the state of the reserve. You can click here to view what these policies entail!

Don’t Cross the Rope Fences Surrounding Maroon Lake:

You used to be able to go right up to the banks of the Maroon Bells Lake for portraits, but recently the National Park Preservation Services put up a rope fence around the lake to allow the area to re-grow. Please don’t cross the fence, if you walk a little further down the trail (not very far) the rope ends, and you will be able to get down closer to the lake there!

Both of the images above were taken on the Maroon Lake shore were it’s safe to cross!

How to Reserve Maroon Bells Amphitheater:

Like I mentioned earlier, if you can beat the rush to reserve the site, the reservation process is very easy! Here is how to place the reservation step by step:

1. Visit https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campsites/94641 (this will take you to where you can view the current availability of the site a year from now.) 
2. View your preferred date availability.
3. If available, select the date. If not, wait until the next available date you want becomes available and then hop back online as soon as it becomes available. 
4. Once you’ve found an available date, click the button, “Book Now” 
5. Follow the steps (you may need to create an account with the site) 
6. Pay the $200.00 reservation fee online

And that’s it! Easy! 🙂 If you’re like me and want to talk to a representative about availability, or need help answering any questions, call the Aspen Ranger Station at (970) 963-2266. They will always have the most up to date information on reserving the space.

Requirements to ONLY Take Wedding Portraits at the Maroon Bells:

Trying to reserve the ceremony site and having to find a reception venue outside of the park can be a little taxing, so if you wish to book a wedding venue near Aspen and then go into the Maroon Bells for wedding portraits, great news is that it is actually FREE to do so! You may have to pay some sort of standard entry fee, but there is no need to go online and apply for a permit. 

Just to be safe, it will be a good idea to type, “maroon bells portrait permit” into your browser and see what comes up just to be safe as policies tend to change!

6 Aspen Colorado Wedding Venues With Mountain Views Near the Maroon Bells:

To help make your Colorado wedding or Maroon Bells elopement planning go a little smoother, if you go the route of booking a venue in Aspen, here are my favorite 6 Aspen Colorado Wedding Venues:

Six Wedding Venues with Stunning Mountain Views in Aspen, Colorado:

1. Aspen Meadows Resort – learn more by clicking here!
2. Elk Camp in Snowmass Village – learn more by clicking here!
3. Buttermilk Mountain Lodge – learn more by clicking here! (personally, my favorite!)
4. Lynn Britt Cabin – learn more by clicking here!
5. The Little Nell – learn more by clicking here!
6. T-Lazy 7 Ranch Event Lodge – learn more by clicking here!

Capture Memories with me and Embark on an Adventure of a Lifetime!

Planning your dream elopement and finding the perfect Aspen Colorado elopement photographer to document this romantic adventure shouldn’t be hard. Luckily, simplicity and authenticity is at the core of Rooted Photo & Film Co. and the experience I provide to my amazing couples. Click here to learn more about what your journey with me will look like and inquire here to book a commitment free discovery call so we can speak face to face and begin to curate an emotive Colorado elopement photography package that aligns with exactly what you envision your dream day to look like!