Snow Peaked Mountains for Brittany & Joseph at 3M Curve in Colorado

It took meeting twice but the second time was the charm! Brittany & Joseph became inseparable friends. A watery Bahamas proposal kick-started their elopement plans. They agreed that they wanted their day to be just about the two of them – the thought of a big wedding was panic-inducing! So they worked with Simply Eloped to make their vision come true. 3M Curve in Colorado was just the spot. Snow-peaked mountains and epic scenery as far as the eye can see! Brittany rocked a lace bodice gown with a gorgeous veil and lush bouquet of white roses. The newlyweds celebrated with champagne and intimate photos before heading back to their mountain resort. Read on to find out why they describe their elopement experience as amazing and stunning!

How did you meet? What was your first impression of one another?

Brittany: Joey and I met right after high school at a college party. The first time we met, we didn’t really notice each other. However, the second time we knew how special it was. We’ve been inseparable ever since. My first impression was he was so sweet and caring, but those baby blue eyes had me hooked pretty quickly too! 

Joey: We met at a mutual friend’s party, and my first impression was disbelief that she was even interested. She is so beautiful. I’m a sucker for red hair and freckles, and her hazel eyes look like the ocean after a storm on a sunny day—deep and dark emerald green. 

How did you propose or accept the proposal?

Brittany: Joey popped the question while we were on a private island excursion in the Bahamas. He kept asking me to go in the water, and I honestly kept saying no, lol. Finally, after multiple failed attempts, I agreed. He grabbed a raft, and I laid down while he pulled me to the center of the water. Then out of nowhere, he pulls this diamond ring from below and asked me to be his wife! Of course, I said yes! He is my best friend and the love of my life.

Joey: So I had the brilliant idea of proposing in a tropical lagoon in the Bahamas. The problem was that I had to hide the ring while wearing swim trunks with no pockets.  So I hid the ring between my toes as we walked out into the water. Thank God I didn’t drop it!

Where did you choose to elope, and why did you choose that destination? 

Brittany: We decided on the 3M Curve in the Rocky Mountains for our elopement. We chose this destination because it was absolutely gorgeous! Every single photo I’ve seen at this location was stunning, and we wanted to experience that beauty first hand. We love the mountains! Since both of us come from Florida, it’s just scenery we don’t get to see very often.

Joey: We eloped in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes, Colorado. It was intensely beautiful and gave you the feeling that you are the only two people left on Earth. 

 

What attracted you to the venue you chose for your elopement? What were your favorite things about eloping there?

Brittany: Words on a page could never describe the stunning views at the 3M curve. The mountains are massive, covered in snow just at the peak, and blue skies stretch forever. The wedding gods were in our corner that day and gave us the perfect amount of sun, skies, and clouds! You truly feel like you are the only people there (once you walk down)! This was my favorite part because it felt so private and personal. 

Joey: Again, the beauty is unmatched to anywhere else in the world. We’ve been to Colorado before but never saw the Rockies from that perspective. It is naturally beautiful and feels hard to ever take it for granted. Despite bringing a photographer, videographer, and visitors to the park, you still feel the magnitude of its beauty, and every person you see is amazingly happy for you. This was something that we did for each other and will share the memories forever. After 17 years of being together, we gave ourselves to each other. We will share this intense experience forever in a way that no one else but for us could ever understand. 

How would you describe your elopement venue to someone who has never been there? 

Brittany: No words! Seriously! This place is gorgeous! Stunning! We couldn’t have asked for a better backdrop for our very special day! 

Joey: Naturally beautiful and exactly as you would imagine a scenic view of the Rocky Mountains would look.

How was your experience with Simply Eloped? 

Brittany & Joseph: From start to finish, Simply Eloped did an incredible job! They gave us the ability to focus on each other and leave the planning and details to them. Each person gave 100%, and we feel so lucky to have shared such an amazing experience with people who felt like our friends immediately. 

What did you do before the wedding? How did you get ready? How did you feel in the moments leading up to your elopement? 

Brittany & Joseph: We stayed at Devil Thumb Resort in Tabernash, Co., so our room had the most amazing views of the Continental Divide. Simply Eloped arranged almost everything for us, so even though we were in the middle of nowhere, we were able to have them do my hair and makeup. I was very anxious at first. It’s a hard decision to make to elope without family or friends. However, once we got started, I felt so much better. Stephanie did an amazing job, and I felt beautiful! We realized the night before (or rather Joey did) that it would take us three hours to get to the park vs. one hour due to road closures. Insert mini panic attack! So, I decided I would just change into my dress once we got closer. The only problem was I didn’t really want to bring my dress into a gas station bathroom. So we found a gas station and pulled into the back where we had a little more privacy. I started to change with Joey blocking me, but then I realized not only was this a gas station, but it also served fast food through a drive-through. As the cars started to pile up, I got into my dress as quickly as possible. Needless to say, they got dinner and a free show!

How did you choose to celebrate your elopement?

Brittany & Joseph: We didn’t realize until the day before that one of the roads to our venue was closed. This made our drive three hours! The elopement ended around 8 pm, so we knew we had a long drive back, not to mention, everything closes super early in that area. We decided the best way to celebrate was going to be Chick-Fil-A Nugs-N-Fries. It was honestly the BEST decision! We also had strawberries and champagne waiting for us once we got back to the resort! 

What words of encouragement do you have for those considering eloping? 

Brittany: Personally, having a large wedding terrified me. I didn’t want the day to be about anyone else except us. Eloping made that possible! It was totally worth it, and our family and friends were super supportive. We had so much fun that day, and being able to focus on each other and express our love in a low-stress environment was everything! 

Joey: Doing something for the two of you, like eloping, is fun, low stress, and a unique experience.

 

Officiation by: Brandon Baker
Photography by: Alisha Light
Hair & Makeup by: Stephanie Manzanares
Flowers by: Ruffly Rose
Planning by: Simply Eloped
Venue: Rocky Mountain National Park, 3M Curve, Colorado