Intimate Van Life Elopement Fort Collins Colorado | Megan and Jesse
Megan and Jesse were married in Fort Collins Colorado. They really embodied the way to do a perfect intimate wedding. With just their closest friends and family present; the guest count was just under 20 people. I liked how laid back they were about everything because it really brought all the focus of the wedding to the most important bits.
Megan and Jesse are rock climbers after my own heart. They hike and climb all over Colorado so they had plenty of experience scouting out public land to have their ceremony on. My favorite part about their ceremony spot was that it had no service and they literally had to drop me coordinates so I could find it. My favorite kind of ceremony site: private and really remote.
Ahead of time, we all arrived to meet for their first look and get some portraits ahead of time. They wanted to make sure the river at their ceremony site was included so we included wedding portraits by the river. They also have a kick A$$ vintage van that they have lived together in and traveled extensively building their lives and relationship together in. I loved how they incorporated special parts of their relationship like the van into their wedding day. Van wedding portraits are another photography dream so this couple’s wedding day really made my heart go pitter patter.
The family arrived and the couple lounged in the van while everyone helped set up chairs and the florist wrapped up her beautiful displays on the handmade alter. The ceremony included some speeches from immediate family members, a knot tie ceremony as a symbol of love, and some sentimental vows exchanged between the couple. Immediately following their ceremony the couple went straight into a first dance with music compliments of siblings played on classical guitar. We all shared many laughs as the first dance song went longer than anticipated and Jesse kept spinning his bride over and over and over until she was dizzy.
Shortly after enjoying each other’s company, everyone headed back down off the mountain to the reception venue and a private chef was already off to the races cooking up appetizers and dinner. Since the guest list was so short I was able to get to know many of the family members and really hear all the buzz going on between the family. It was such a great way to be involved in a wedding because I felt more like I was an insider who knew everyone and was able to tell the story photographically from an intimate perspective.
After some drinks and appetizers champagne popped off and everyone gathered together for toasts and a surprise slide show. I have to say I was a huge fan of the slide show idea. The bride’s sister put it together and gathered pictures of the entire lives of Megan and Jesse to really show how they grew up and eventually met, travelled the world together, and fell in love. It was hilarious, heartfelt, and so genuine.
The family wrapped up sitting all together at the same table enjoying each other’s company and basking in the newlywed love and celebrations. It was an honor to be part of such an intimate wedding day in Fort Collins with M + J.
For a full look at the intimate wedding day these two planned take a slow scroll below!
