Colorado Intimate Weddings & Elopements

Hundreds of couples received alarming news last Thursday regarding the closure of Sapphire Point Overlook, a well-known and popular ceremony site for small intimate weddings and elopements.  Though the message indicated that the area may re-open, it is unsettling when planning a wedding.  Since we help many couples plan their weddings at Sapphire Point,  I took off on Saturday to find equally as beautiful ceremony locations in Summit County to use as “Plan B”.  There are other (comparable to a large wedding) affordable places you can officially book a wedding:

• Frisco Marina Park 
• Breckenridge Historical Society
• Frisco Historical Park - the pavilion or historical chapel
• Town of Dillon - Marina Park Pavilion
• Carter Park through the town of Breckenridge
• The Lodge at Breckenridge - deck with views
• Keystone’s Keytop Deck - starts at $2,000+ for a ceremony fee
• Go rogue on top of Vail Pass (Shrine Mountain Road)

In light of Covid19, we wanted to find more private, “rogue” spots on public lands that are beautiful, open, and outdoorsy so as to respect and maintain physical distancing policies. 

Disclaimer:  my 8-year-old son was the videographer and all the images are from my iPhone.  A  professional photographer would have done a much better job.  But still, the views are pretty darn amazing!  Disclaimer #2:  I am unsure of permitting at any of these sites and need to research - some may require no permit if under #75 people (of course our weddings are MUCH smaller), others may require a photography and/or special events permit.  If anyone knows, please comment!

Finally, if you are planning a wedding as Sapphire Point, I would recommend holding on to the reservation in case it does open.  The email states:  "If the location remains closed at the start of your reservation, and your reservation falls entirely within the closure period, we will cancel your reservation and provide a full refund.”  So, are you reading this the way I am?  No harm if you keep the reservation. But, work with your planner to establish a “Plan B”.  Here are some of those ideas and sites we scoped out: 

I hope you are hunkering down and doing well despite COVID-19. It’s hard to believe this is all happening and my concerns and thoughts go out to every one of you. I get the question from every single one of our couples on what is happening in Colorado, what do to, and when things will be back to normal.  I know all of you are thinking about travel, your loved ones and their health, how this impacts you financially,  your dreams and you just wanting to start married life - all of those are valid!

Let me provide you with some information - legally, its the only thing I can do.   I cannot tell you to cancel, postpone or reschedule - those decisions are up to you.  *Unless* a venue had cancelled or a government order has been put into place - I can then provide more concrete guidance.    

First, you can check the state Department of Public Health and Environment’s website:  www.Covid19.Colorado.gov.   Additionally, many counties have their own Stay/Safer at home orders and it can vary county-by-county.  So, check the county’s website where your event will be held, when accommodations and restaurants are expected to be open.

Then, consider all your options.  Here they are: 

Postpone:  there is a lot of strategy involved with postponing.  First, we have to make sure the site, vendors, and restaurant are all available on your desired date.  We are very willing to work with you, though there are pieces to put together.  Be flexible with your dates and consider a Sunday-Thursday as many couples are postponing to August and September.  

• We are waiving rescheduling fees for 2020 weddings if you are able to reschedule sometime in 2020.  
• We are also waiving rescheduling fees for 2021 dates of Sunday-Thursday; 2021 Friday and Saturday (peak dates) will incur a 20% rescheduling fee. 
• Some couples are doing a Justice-of-the-Peace wedding on their original wedding date, and moving back the wedding celebration to one-year-later

Scale back your guest list and go TINY:  Currently, many “Safer at Home” orders allow social gatherings of 10 people or less.  Yes, this means to count yourselves and count a photographer and officiant in that 10.  By keeping your date, you can salvage what you have paid for.   We are even working with couples to have a ceremony on their original wedding date whose venue has cancelled, finding alternative scenic “rogue” ceremony sites.

• We are also placing “markers” on the ground were family groups can witness from a greater distance (for example, 20 paces).  If you choose that option, we do ask for following of social distancing ordinances at the time of the wedding.
• We are also setting up the cake (safely with masks/gloves, sanitizing) at the ceremony site even if restaurants are not open.  Yes - you’ll have to cut and serve your own cake!

Cancelling.  Yes - sadly this is an option too.  I’ve taken a hard look at my time planning weddings, the expenses incurred with retaining vendors, and if or how lenient we can be with our contract.  The thing we have to consider in businesses is longevity and sustainability.  Given that all of us (me, photographers, officiants, baker, florist) are independent business owners and not a large Target or Netflix of this world, we are not recession-proof.  Our retainer fee as stated in the contract is non-refundable.  I know this is not the outcome that you were hoping.  As you all can imagine, it's simply not something I can risk as it would cause us to go under.  We have added flexibility in the contract: 

• Outside of 21-days in advance: if couples have contractually passed the 100% full package price/payment date identified on the contract and would like to cancel, we will only hold them to the retainer fee (not 100% of the package price).  
• At or within 21-days in advance of the wedding, we would hold to the 100% full package price as there is a great expense involved with ordering goods and services.

​Force Majeure or “Act of God” clauses:  this clause does not automatically entitle a refund.  It means that it is an excuse or delay performance of a contract ​without penalty.  It does not automatically “rescind” a contract (i.e. put the parties back to square one as if it never happened).  If expenses are incurred (which there is when you sign the agreement), if items are ordered that cannot be refunded (securing vendors, rentals), and if a lot of planning has been done for the couple (which I do 85% within the first month of booking), then payment is due.  What is does mean is that no further payments can be requested; or if a “pay in full” is active, the payments can be delayed.  Force Majeur is a way of making sure that the client or we don’t have to do anything else because of the bizarre events of which neither party is at fault.  
​
I am working on a Covid19 addendum to make sure everyone is clear about what steps to take and how to stay healthy.  You can download it below.  

I hate having to write this article.  If there are other options or ideas that you have, please let us know.  We are willing, able, and want to serve on your wedding day - even if the original date changes!  Please write me and let me know where your thoughts are and what you would like to explore.

​ Kindly ~ Wendee