Colorado has everything – mountains and valleys, pristine blue lakes, and abundant beautiful wildlife. Suppose you’re considering an outdoor Colorado wedding and looking for a place that captures the full scope of Colorado’s beauty. In that case, you definitely need to consider Sapphire Point Overlook. The overlook has a breathtaking view of Dillon Reservoir, surrounded by the Gore and Tenmile mountain ranges. It’s the perfect blend of water, mountains, greenery, and sky – an ideal backdrop for an absolutely breathtaking Sapphire Point wedding.
About A Sapphire Point Wedding
The overlook stands at about 9,500 feet and is a part of the 2.3 million-acre White River National Forest. It is a stunning and serene oasis away from the world’s business below, with eight wilderness areas and ten peaks that surpass 14,000 feet in elevation! It’s an excellent spot for couples that love and appreciate nature and adventure.
There are a few essential things to keep in mind when thinking about a wedding at Sapphire Point:
- The overlook can accommodate up to 35 people for an intimate wedding ceremony, which is perfect for anyone considering an elopement or a small destination wedding.
- When you secure your reservation of the overlook, you do not have private access, and weekends, particularly in the summers, get really busy. Just know that you may have some people walking past your wedding ceremony. While most people will be quiet and respectful, if you’re looking for a private location, this may not be the spot for you.
- With the park’s business, the parking lot is often full all day, which can inconvenience your guests. Consider asking them to carpool, providing transportation to the overlook, or hosting a morning ceremony!
- The overlook is perfect for a breathtaking ceremony. Still, there are no picnicking or gathering places for a reception, so you’ll want to consider celebrating elsewhere following your exchange of vows.
When You Should Have a Sapphire Point Wedding
Sapphire Point is breathtaking every season, but there are a few things to remember depending on when you pick your wedding date.
In the summertime, you’ll have warmer weather with some gorgeous breezes, so pack layers. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, so you may want to consider a morning ceremony. Plus, with the gorgeous weather, there will be a lot of people at Sapphire Point, making parking a little more of a challenge.
The snowfall is romantic in the winter months, and everything looks like a page out of a winter wonderland fairy tale. However, the pathway to the scenic overlook isn’t maintained, so you will have to plan for potential icy spots and unstable footing.
The more transitional months of fall and spring bring less predictable weather but some beautiful nature. Autumnal foliage adds an absolutely stunning aesthetic, fall colors usually peak around early September, and springtime brings beautiful buds and new greenery. However, spring is known for being particularly muddy, so keep that in mind, particularly when it comes to attire!
How to Get to Sapphire Point
Standing at 9,500 feet, Sapphire Point Overlook is located between Breckenridge and Keystone. It is relatively accessible and easy to drive your car up to the parking lot. However, with parking being a potential challenge for an event, you may want to encourage any guests to carpool. Or, consider renting a fun bus, limo, or other transportation to drive you up to the ceremony site and then pick you up once you’re ready to go!
If you’re getting married on the trail, it’s about a ten-minute walk from the parking lot (so you may want to reconsider those stilettos or at least have a backup option)! It’s also wheelchair accessible, though the path isn’t paved and is, therefore, a little rugged, so if you do have a guest who uses a wheelchair, you will need to consider having someone available to help them as needed.
How to Get a Marriage License
Applying for a marriage license in Summit County is a pretty straightforward process. However, getting an appointment can be tricky since their office is relatively small. You must apply in person (no online or mailed applications are accepted).
Appointments are required and can be made up to three weeks in advance, and you’ll need to bring all of the required paperwork and documentation to apply. But the good news is that once your application has been approved, there’s no waiting period or testing, and the entire process should only take about 20 minutes!
How Much Does a Sapphire Point Wedding Cost?
Like all weddings, the cost of a Sapphire Point Wedding is totally at the discretion of your budget. If you’re simply planning a romantic elopement, you can keep costs low. However, if you hope for a slightly larger celebration, consider extra expenses like food, beverages, and décor.
There are so many ways to save money on a wedding; you can buy things like attire and decor secondhand, make beautiful decorative statements with greenery and candles over florals, and cut rental costs by hosting at a restaurant (thus alleviating the need to rent chairs, tables, and other fixtures), and keep your guest list nice and small. However, if you want to throw a big celebration, go for it! Indulge! It’s all about your budget and what you want for your wedding. 
Local Venues for Celebrating After Your Sapphire Point Wedding
You can only reserve Sapphire Point for wedding ceremonies. If you plan on hosting a reception or dinner following your “I do’s,” you’ll want to look elsewhere in the area. These are some of my suggestions for a fabulous post-wedding meal!
BoLD is a cozy restaurant that offers elevated cuisine, both in quality and altitude! Their Mediterranean-inspired menu is full of creative and fresh dishes that will delight every palate, and they can accommodate up to 100 guests for your private celebration. It has a lovely aesthetic with wrap-around bookcases and welcoming colors. It is a wonderful place to share your first meal as a married couple with the people you love most.
Breckenridge Distillery is the world’s highest distillery, and their delicious whiskeys use Rocky Mountain snowmelt for a unique mineral-infused twist. They have several indoor and outdoor spaces for a unique private dining experience with a specially curated menu from their chef. It’s an upscale, unforgettable mountain setting with sophisticated design, eccentric art, and delicious food and spirits.
Hearthstone Restaurant is a local favorite for delicious food like hand-cut steaks, wild game, and fresh seafood. Located in a richly decorated 125-year-old Victorian home, you’ll take in breathtaking views of the Breckenridge Ski Resort and Ten Mile Range slopes while sipping cocktails and enjoying genuine Colorado hospitality.
Bagalis is the perfect spot for classic Italian, though as a chef-owned restaurant, they incorporate their chef’s international roots and passion for fresh, local ingredients to create an exceptional dining experience. Whether you’re looking to rent out a single room with a smaller party or buy out the restaurant for your celebration, your guests will love the beautiful décor that is elegant and rustic.
Hiring a Colorado Wedding Photographer
If you’re planning the most important day of your life amidst a backdrop of incredible Colorado wilderness, you’ll want a photographer who can appreciate it all right alongside you. My passion is helping real couples have an extraordinary wedding experience and capturing it for them to relive again and again and again.
I love to follow couples on their adventure of a lifetime, especially when it involves beautiful mountains and wilderness. I’ll be the first to encourage you to follow your gut regarding a Colorado destination wedding. Be sure to check out my photos to see for yourself how I’ve helped other couples capture their Colorado weddings, including at Sapphire Point!
Sapphire Point Wedding
Your love story is an adventure, so what’s stopping your wedding from being one, too? A Sapphire Point wedding is full of beauty, nature, and romance, just like your relationship with your partner.
Check it out, and then let’s discuss how I can help you capture every moment of your beautiful wedding day!
