The Ultimate Sapphire Point Elopement & Wedding Guide

Sapphire Point is one of the most popular and affordable small wedding sites in Colorado! Find out everything you need to know about planning your Sapphire Point Wedding or Elopement!

Sapphire Point Overlook Weddings & Elopements

Sapphire Point Overlook is located off of Swan Mountain Road in Dillon, Colorado. There is a short walk from the parking area to the overlook, which is only about 0.1 miles each way.

This location is popular for small weddings and elopements due to its great views and accessibility, as well as the ability to reserve the area (although not with exclusive use). This location is available year round, which is another reason why it is a great option for weddings. 

How to get married at Sapphire Point

Getting married at Sapphire Point is a fairly easy process! I’ve outlined all the important elements here in these sections.

Reservations

To have your wedding or elopement at Sapphire Point, you’ll need to make a reservation at Recreation.gov.

Reservations can only be made 6 months prior to your event date, and they are for a 2 hour time block.

One important thing to note is that your reservation does NOT mean you have exclusive use of the area. Other tourists and visitors can come in and out of the area as they please. Your reservation only means that no one else can have a wedding ceremony during this time block.

While many people are respectful of a wedding ceremony, some people are not. If this is a dealbreaker for you, you’ll want to consider another Colorado elopement location or small wedding venue.

Cost

The cost to reserve a two hour block is $110.

Guests

Sapphire Point Overlook can hold up to 35 guests for weddings. However, it is important to note this is the absolute maximum for guests. If you have visited this site, you know that it is a very small space and even a group of that size is a tight fit.

The other reason that guests are limited is that there are only 22 parking spots in the parking lot. This includes parking available to general visitors and tourists, as there is no reserved parking. Carpooling is highly recommended for you and your guests.

Vendors

Per the White River National Forest rules listed on the reservation page for Sapphire Point, you cannot have any vendors except your photographer, unless they have a permit. This includes an officiant, coordinators, etc. 

While you can set up chairs at the Sapphire Point Overlook, you cannot hire a vendor to come set up chairs for you, unless they have the necessary commercial permits to do so.

More Tips

The biggest tip that I give couples when planning their Sapphire Point elopement or wedding is to choose your day and time carefully. As I mentioned, your reservation does not give you exclusive use of the area, so it is wise to choose a day and time that typically has less visitors. 

Usually this means a weekday (and not a holiday) and either sunrise or sunset, rather than midday. Sunrise is usually less crowded than sunset.

Another tip is to make sure you are prepared for any kind of weather, especially in the shoulder seasons around fall and spring. At these times of year, you may have a warm sunny day or a huge snowstorm.

Finally, because Sapphire Point is so crowded, I typically recommend that couples just have their ceremony at this location, and then go to other, more private spots around Lake Dillon for additional photos or “just us” time. Sometimes couples like to do their own private vow reading separately from their ceremony with family and friends during this time as well.

How to get to Sapphire Point

To get to Sapphire Point Overlook, you can use this Google Maps link here.

If you’re traveling from Denver, then you’ll want to take Interstate 70 West for about one and a half hours. You’ll take exit 205 and immediately take a left onto US-6 E toward Dillon. Finally take a left onto Swan Mountain Road and follow along this road until you get to Sapphire Point on your right hand side.

What you need to know about getting married at Sapphire Point

Sapphire Point is very popular for weddings, but if you want an honest list of the pros and cons of getting married here, I’ve listed them out here for you!

Pros

1. The gorgeous mountain views! This is the biggest reason why this is a popular elopement spot. From the overlook, you’ll see the lake behind you and mountains in the distance.

2. Accessible and open year round. Sapphire Point is considered very accessible as there is only a 0.1 mile flat walk from the parking area to get to the overlook. Sapphire Point is also open year round! The only caveat to this is that the trail is not maintained in the winter. The packed snow can get slick sometimes, so this is something to be aware of and bring proper foot traction if needed.

3. Proximity to Breckenridge, Colorado. If you’re inviting guests to your Sapphire Point wedding, the proximity to Breckenridge will be extremely helpful! There are lots of restaurant and lodging options in the area. Since this is a popular wedding destination, there are also a lot of local wedding vendors here too (such as hair and makeup artists and florists).

Cons

While there are some great reasons to have your elopement or wedding at Sapphire Point, there are some drawbacks as well, such as:

1. Crowds and no exclusive use. Sapphire Point is not only popular for weddings, but also for tourists. During the weekends and middle of the day, this spot can get very crowded with people waiting in line to take their picture at the overlook spot. Unfortunately, your wedding reservation does NOT give you exclusive use of the overlook. 

2. Parking is limited. As I mentioned previously, parking is extremely limited here, with only 22 spots total. That includes spots for other visitors. You’ll definitely want to carpool!

3. Reservation requirements. In order to have your wedding at Sapphire Point, you need to make a reservation for a two hour time block. This can only be made six months in advance, which does make planning a little more difficult since most traditional venues are booked out well before this.

4. Limited Guests. Sapphire Point can accommodate an absolute maximum of 35 people. If you have more guests than this, consider another one of Colorado’s awesome microwedding locations.

What season is best for your Sapphire Point wedding or elopement

Sapphire Point is gorgeous at any time of year, so it’s just a matter of deciding which season you and your guests would prefer! 

Sapphire Point in the summer can get quite warm. There is a little shade at Sapphire Point, but it is not fully shaded. There are also very frequent afternoon storms at this time of year.

In the fall, the temperatures can vary significantly, and there is always a chance of snow. Lake Dillon itself doesn’t have much fall foliage, but there are other trails in the area if you want to see the colors changing. Spring also sees quite a bit of temperature variation, with a decent amount of snow as well.

In the wintertime, the lake gets covered in snow and there is a frequent chance of snowy days. Expect cold temperatures and be prepared for windy conditions as well. 

Sapphire Point Wedding & Elopement Packages

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.

All of my Sapphire Point Elopement Packages include:

• 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
• Assistance with wedding permit if needed
• Cost of photo permit included
• An entire gallery of edited, high-resolution images great for printing, PLUS websize images ideal for posting to social media
• The rights to print, share, and download all of your images
• A sneak peek of 5 images with 48 hours
• PLUS a 20% off discount on prints, albums, canvas art, etc. for your first order

Are you planning a Sapphire Point elopement or microwedding?

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…