Maroon Bells Amphitheater
Micro-Wedding & Elopement Packages
Maroon Bells Amphitheater is one of the most desired small-wedding ceremony sites in the state of state of Colorado, and for good reason! The location offers a stunning mountain backdrop that makes for breathtaking photos. However, the location does have a few drawbacks to consider.
Colorado MicroWeddings
Maroon Bells Amphitheater Package
Planning Service: $500
This is the only required payment for my services, the vendors below are all optional.
Photographer (1.5 Hours): $600 + $450 Travel
Videographer (1.5 Hours): $1,100 + $450 Travel
Wedding Officiant: $300 + $450 Travel
Flowers (Bouquet & Bout): Starting at $130 + $40 Delivery
The “Travel” Fees above include a $150 hotel fee for each vendor which is removed for ceremonies after noon. However, it is strongly recommended to do the ceremony either at sunrise or sunset for optimal lighting.
**Please note, at this time, my planning services for the Aspen area are limited strictly to the coordinating of these vendors. If you are looking for hands-on assistance with other vendors, reception planning, lodging/dining facilitation, I would recommend trying to find a more traditional coordinator based out of that area.**
Maroon Bells Amphitheater
Wedding Info & FAQs
0 Guests?
Scroll to the bottom of this page and check out the “Trail” package that may help you save time and money.
Reservations & Availability
Maroon Bells Amphitheater wedding reservations can be made June 7 - October 4, reservations are not accepted for Fridays and Saturdays in June, July and August. Reservations are not accepted for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in September and October.
The reservations for this location open up exactly 1 calendar year in advance to the day. When the date opens, the first person to “click” the reservation gets it. Generally speaking this happens within second. This process can be a bit frustrating and makes it difficult to plan on a specific date more than a year in advance. While couples can get lucky and get their top date, my advice is generally:
If your getting married more than a year in advance, pick a month for your wedding (example July of next year) then July of this year, go on every morning and try to get a permit for each day when it opens up until you get lucky. Option 2
If your getting married less than a year in advance, simply go on their website and click “Next available” there will usually be a couple random dates that have opened up due to cancelations.
Travel Time
Aspen is located on the Eastern side of Colorado, making it a bit of a trek for wedding groups that are flying in to Denver, or driving from the Midwest. Google may tell you it’s 3.5 hours, but the route goes through the mountains where traffic and conditions can radically effect the travel time, which can often be closer to 5 hours.
Day-of Timeline
The permit allows you to use the ceremony site from 9am to 3pm. The problem is that in order to have optimal lighting for photos, you need to do your photos as close to sunrise or sunset as possible, since sunset isn’t an option, you’re stuck with an early morning if you want to ensure you get the best light (keep in mind if it’s overcast then the lighting will be good all day, but I don’t recommend counting on that to happen). I recommend a ceremony time of 9:00am, with the couple and the photographer doing the “first look” and portrait session prior to the ceremony (8am).
The Aspen Area
Aspen is one of the most expensive areas of Colorado, while of course there can be exceptions, you should expect to find significantly more expensive options in terms of dining and lodging. The area also doesn’t have any sort of a “budget” minded culture, so small groups who are looking for rental homes or restaurants to be flexible with their budget and preferences may not find many options.
Group Size
The ceremony site technically allows up to 50 people, but I strongly discourage it for groups of larger then 20. The primary reason for this is the logistical conflicts that can come with the parking/shuttle system for large groups, and also difficulty in finding a place to take a larger group afterwards for the “reception” lunch/dinner.
Permit Cost
Reserving the amphitheater requires a reservation to be made and a $200 payment for the permit.
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Again I’m not trying to be a pessimist about the location! We do several weddings there every year and it’s always beautiful. I just want to make sure you understand the limitations and complications to ensure it’s the best fit for your day.
Maroon Bells “No Guest Trail” Package
If it’s JUST the two of you, with no guests, we don’t need to go through all the work of reserving the Amphitheater. We can simple go on the trails and do a simple “vow exchange” and portrait session. There may be other people in the area, and you’re not allowed to have an officiant or guests, but this is a simple and budget friendly option that can work for some groups!
This package is 50% off my planning fee ($250 total) and $600 +$350 travel for 1.5 hours of photography
If you’re interested in this, email me directly, don’t worry about the info below!
Iver@ColoradoMicroWeddings.com
This package is 50% off my planning fee ($250 total) and $600 +$350 travel for 1.5 hours of photography
