A Breckenridge Elopement | Colorado Elopement Photographer
Curious what it takes to elope in Breckenridge, Colorado? If you’re looking for a mix of old school mountain charm and natural beauty, eloping in Breckenridge could be just the move.
How to Get a Marriage License in Summit County
Looking to elope—just you and your partner—at the Summit County Clerk and Recorder’s Office? It’s doable! But if you don’t reside in Summit County, it’ll take just a little bit of planning. First, you’ll want to make an appointment by calling the office. They only allow appointments to be made within a three weeks of the desired appointment date and they recommend calling right at 8:30 AM when the office opens. They are known for filling up appointments immediately! So it’s super helpful to have flexibility for your elopement date if you’re hoping for a popular time of year (summer!).
Available appointment times for marriage license applications are 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.
If you or your partner (or both of you) reside in Summit County, you’re in luck! You can pretty much turn up at the Summit County Clerk and Recorder’s Office for your marriage license appointment any time during opening hours.
At the office, you’ll fill out an application, and then you can fill out and sign your marriage license right then and there. Colorado is unique—you can choose to self-solemnize your own marriage here! This means that you do not need an officiant or any witnesses to make your marriage legal. If you’d like an officiant at the Summit County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, you’ll have to retain one on your own (the office does not provide one).
For more information on eloping at the Summit County Clerk and Recorder’s, check out their website: here.
Requirements for a Colorado Marriage License
There are no residency requirements to obtain a Marriage License in Summit County at this time.
The License and Certificate are on the same piece of paper, obtained at the same time upon time of application.
Both parties must be present at the time of application, there are no remote or advance applications available at this time.
If either party is under 18, contact us in advance of visiting our office for additional required documentation such as Parental or Judicial Consent.
Both parties to the marriage must furnish one form of valid, photo identification (e.g. Drivers License, Passport) upon arrival. We do not need a Birth Certificate or anything in addition to your photo identification, unless you have rare/special circumstances and have spoken with Clerk staff prior to visiting the office to apply.
Check out this Breckenridge Elopement
These two got in touch about a month or two out from their desired elopement date—we love elopements for this (and many other) reasons! Besides getting an appointment at the County Clerk’s office and deciding where they’d like to go for more scenic photos, elopements like this don’t require endless months or years of planning. And when you opt for a weekday like these two did, even better!
Breckenridge is a special place for these two and they came to me with the idea of eloping at the County Clerk and Recorder’s office. A beautiful, brick building, it's a place that fits right in to the historic downtown Breckenridge. After obtaining and signing their marriage license, we walked around and basked in the excitement, taking pictures and enjoying the mid-July afternoon. We walked to Aurum (highly recommend) for celebratory drinks and after a few quick snaps, I left them to it!
Fast forward a few hours, we reunited on Loveland Pass for some scenic, unhurried photos amongst the beautiful landscape. Some clouds and rain threatened to keep us away but these two embraced the weather and we captured some lovely images of these two newlyweds. Check them out below!
Check out this urban elopement for something a little different. Or this couple’s shoot at Loveland Pass to see more of the area.
As a Breckenridge elopement photographer, let me help you plan your big day. Get in touch!
