The Ultimate Planning Guide for your Maroon Bells Wedding or Elopement
Are you considering having your wedding at Maroon Bells? In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about getting married at this iconic Colorado location.
Page Contents
- The Ultimate Planning Guide for your Maroon Bells Wedding or Elopement
- Why Maroon Bells is an epic place to get married!
- Maroon Bells amphitheater wedding
- Not able to reserve the amphitheater? Consider a Maroon Bells hiking elopement!
- Maroon Bells wedding reception
- Are dogs allowed at Maroon Bells?
- Choosing when to elope at Maroon Bells
- Maroon Bells wedding and elopement photography packages
Updated: April 13, 2023
Why Maroon Bells is an epic place to get married!
Maroon Bells is considered to be one of the most photographed places in Colorado, and for good reason!
Located in the Elk Mountains near Aspen, Colorado, the Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak tower over the lush green valley below, making this location incredible for your Colorado elopement or wedding.
In addition to having incredible mountain views, Maroon Bells is also very affordable, especially when you compare it to other ceremony venues in the Aspen and Snowmass areas.
The Maroon Bells Amphitheater is also completely accessible. So if you’re looking for a spot that all your family members and friends can access, but you don’t want to sacrifice the views, Maroon Bells is one of the best options in all of Colorado.
Maroon Bells amphitheater wedding
Because the Maroon Bells is such a popular tourist area, I always recommend reserving the amphitheater. This allows you to have total privacy and a spot with no tourists in the background for your photos!
The amphitheater is a small, paved platform with benches that can accommodate up to 50 guests, so it’s perfect for intimate weddings or elopements with friends and family. It is located down a short, paved path right near the Maroon Bells shuttle bus drop-off and parking areas.
How to reserve the Maroon Bells amphitheater for your wedding
It’s very easy to make your reservation through the White River National Forest.
- Go to the reservations website.
- Click on View Availability.
- Either choose your desired date or click on Next Available to find the soonest available date.
- Select the available date you want and Click Book Now.
- Create a login if you don’t already have one with Recreation.gov
- Follow the prompts and pay the rental fee.
When to reserve the Maroon Bells amphitheater for your wedding
The Maroon Bells amphitheater is only available from early June to early October each year, and reservations fill up very quickly.
Note that in June through August, only Sundays through Thursdays can be reserved. In September and October, only Mondays through Thursdays can be reserved. These rules are in place to prioritize public use during peak visiting times.
This means that if you want a weekend day, your only option is Sundays between June and August. Because of this, Sundays are typically reserved very quickly, almost immediately after they become available.
Reservations for a given day open up at 8 a.m. MDT exactly one year in advance. So for example, if you are looking to book the Maroon Bells wedding site on June 18, 2024, the reservation system opens up for this date on June 18, 2023 at 8 a.m. MDT.
If there is a specific date that you really want, I recommend being online to make that reservation exactly at the time it opens up (especially for Sunday rentals). On the other hand, if you can be flexible with what date you choose, you won’t have as much trouble getting a reservation, although they do still fill up fairly quickly.
Maroon Bells wedding cost
You can reserve the Maroon Bells Amphitheater for only $200 for the day! Considering the views and accessibility of this location, it really is incredibly affordable.
Parking and shuttle bus
Vehicle access is heavily restricted to the Maroon Bells visitor area, which includes the Amphitheater. From 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., vehicles are generally not allowed past the Maroon Bells Welcome Station.
Most tourists will take a shuttle bus that runs from the Aspen Highlands Visitor Center up to Maroon Bells. Shuttle tickets are $8 per adult, and dogs are allowed on the shuttle.
However, when you reserve the Maroon Bells amphitheater, you are allotted up to 5 parking passes, which makes getting to and from the Maroon Bells wedding venue very convenient for you and your guests! You can pick up your parking passes from the Maroon Bells Welcome Station 5 days prior to your event.
Day use parking with these parking passes is approximately 200 yards from the amphitheater, and there is also accessible parking 50 yards away from the site.
Facilities
The Maroon Bells area does have vault toilets available for use, but there are no electrical outlets and there is no drinking water available.
There are also a few benches and picnic tables scattered throughout the general area.
In addition, there are plenty of walking paths and hiking trails which vary in difficulty and distance. So if you or your guests are looking for activities to do, there are lots of options.
Not able to reserve the amphitheater? Consider a Maroon Bells hiking elopement!
If you are interested in a hiking elopement instead of a more traditional ceremony, Maroon Bells is also a great choice. There are some nearby hiking options in the area that will offer you a lot of privacy.
This is also a great choice if you want to get married at Maroon Bells but are unable to get a reservation for the Maroon Bells amphitheater.
You can check out AllTrails to explore different trails, or talk to your photographer! As an elopement photographer, location planning and finding the perfect trail for you is part of all of my elopement packages (more info below)!
Maroon Bells wedding reception
East Maroon Portal Picnic Site
While the Maroon Bells Amphitheater is a great ceremony location, you are not able to host receptions here. If you’d like, you can separately reserve the East Maroon Portal Picnic site for your reception, which is approximately 4 miles down the road from the Amphitheater.
The East Maroon Portal Picnic site can accommodate up to 75 people. Keep in mind that all food and beverages (and any other scented items) must be properly stored until the reception, and these items also must be properly disposed of afterwards for bear safety. Maroon Bells does have a bear-proof food locker to store items until they are needed.
Restaurant
Another option for your reception would be to reserve a private room in a local restaurant in nearby Aspen or Snowmass Village, or to contact a hotel to host a dinner reception.
Here are a few restaurants in Aspen and Snowmass Village that I recommend!
Private Chef or Catering
Finally, if you are staying at an Airbnb or VRBO, you could have a private chef or local restaurant cater food for you and your guests! Just make sure that your rental allows for parties or events.
Here are a few private chefs in the area to check out!
Check out this elopement reception planning guide for more ideas and inspiration on a planning a post elopement celebration!
Are dogs allowed at Maroon Bells?
Yes! Dogs are allowed at Maroon Bells as long as they are leashed, and they are even allowed on the shuttle bus to Maroon Bells. So if you just can’t imagine getting married without your pup with you, Maroon Bells is a great choice for your wedding!
Choosing when to elope at Maroon Bells
Season
The road to access Maroon Bells is only open for a few months of the year.
The road typically opens in mid May and closes in mid November. However, the exact date that the road opens varies from year to year. For example, in 2019 the road wasn’t opened until mid June due to higher than average snow levels during the winter and increased avalanche activity. The avalanche debris had to be cleared from the road, leading to a later than normal opening date.
June is usually when you’ll start to see a lot of greenery return to the area, and July and August are great for wildflowers, although peak wildflower blooms vary from year to year.
September and October are the most popular times for many tourists to visit due to the beautiful fall foliage. The peak time for leaf changing also varies from year to year, although it is typically in the second or third week of September.
If you want to get married at Maroon Bells in the winter time, you can still get there, but it is much more difficult. The road up to Maroon bells is 12.4 miles, and it will be snow-covered. This means that you will need to either cross-country ski or snowshoe or take a snowmobile up to the area (which actually could be pretty fun for an adventure elopement!) You will also need to have appropriate avalanche knowledge to undertake this trip, as the road up to Maroon Bells passes through a number of avalanche chutes.
Weekend/Weekday
Because of the popularity of the Maroon Bells area, I always recommend a weekday wedding or elopement if at all possible. However, if you do have the amphitheater reserved, you will have privacy at your ceremony spot.
Time of day
When considering what time of day to have your wedding or elopement there are a couple of factors to consider.
First, in the summer in Colorado, you will always want to be aware of the potential for afternoon thunderstorms. The weather can change very quickly and storms can happen even when the forecast does not show a chance of rain.
If you are eager to avoid bad weather, you’ll want to consider a morning or midday ceremony. However, the storms that do roll through tend to pass quickly, so you can still have a late afternoon ceremony if you are willing to be more flexible with your schedule for the day.
The other factor you may want to consider is lighting for your photos. Early mornings will offer the best lighting at this location. And if you are willing to get there early enough, the alpenglow on the Maroon Bells is a spectacular sight.
Maroon Bells wedding and elopement photography packages
Looking for someone to help you document your special day? I’m a Colorado-based elopement and intimate wedding photographer, and I love helping couples turn their vision for their dream day into a reality!
I’d be honored to help you with photographing your elopement or microwedding. Learn more below!
I’m more than just a photographer…I’m here to help you have the best day ever!
Based on my experience, especially with elopements and microweddings, couples need more than just a photographer.
Unlike with a traditional wedding, you may not have a venue coordinator or wedding planner helping you think through logistics, locations, or all the little details that really add up!
But here are just a few of the ways I can help you, all included with my custom elopements:
- Elopement & Micro wedding VIP Planning Guide exclusively for Wild and Found couples
- Questionnaires to help you through the planning process
- Personalized location assistance
- Local vendor recommendations
- Logistics help and a custom timeline
- Gear and day-of checklists customized for your day
- More one-on-one planning help
I don’t just show up and take photos on your day. I’ll be here for you every step of the way.
I know you have a lot of choices when it comes to picking a photographer. What makes me different is that my number one goal is to be here for YOU–not just as your elopement photographer… but as your elopement partner to help you create the epic day your love story deserves!
The Ultimate 2-Day Maroon Bells Elopement Package
Can’t decide between a “just us” celebration, or a day with friends and family? Have both!
Includes 12 hours of photo coverage, split over 2 days.
Personalized assistance with locations, local vendor recommendations, custom planning tools, checklists, and more. I’ll be there to help you every step of the way.
You get an entire gallery of edited, high-resolution images great for printing, PLUS websize images ideal for posting to social media.
Includes the rights to print, share, and download all of your images.
No travel fees!
Half Day Maroon Bells Elopement Package
Our most popular package–for capturing memories of your entire elopement day
Includes 8 hours of photo coverage.
Personalized assistance with locations, local vendor recommendations, custom planning tools, checklists, and more. I’ll be there to help you every step of the way.
You get an entire gallery of edited, high-resolution images great for printing, PLUS websize images ideal for posting to social media.
Includes the rights to print, share, and download all of your images.
No travel fees!
4 Hour Maroon Bells Elopement Package
A great choice for simple elopements at accessible locations.
Includes 4 hours of photo coverage.
Personalized assistance with locations, local vendor recommendations, custom planning tools, checklists, and more. I’ll be there to help you every step of the way.
You get an entire gallery of edited, high-resolution images great for printing, PLUS websize images ideal for posting to social media.
Includes the rights to print, share, and download all of your images.
No travel fees!
Are you planning a Maroon Bells elopement or intimate wedding?
I’m more than just a photographer. Helping couples create their dream day is what I do best!
Get in touch and let’s chat about your vision!
Or check out more elopement planning resources…
Hi I’m Kim, a Denver, Colorado based photographer specializing in Adventure Elopements in Colorado and worldwide! Photographing couples on the most special day of their lives is a true honor for me. But I’ve made it my mission to take it one step further than that. When you work with me, you’re getting more than just a photographer. I’m here to help you with all of the planning resources you need to have the most amazing elopement day ever! That includes everything from assistance with location ideas, timeline planning, and lots more free resources. So you can forget the work, and focus on having fun!
