If you know us, you know we love a Chautauqua Trail Elopement! You just can’t beat the views of the gorgeous Flatirons in the distance! Needless to say, being able to capture Isaan & Dwayne’s sunrise elopement on a perfect February morning certainly made our day!
Dwayne and Isaan became husband and wife, witnessed by their parents, and had a stunning sunrise elopement on the Chautauqua Trail with jaw-dropping sights all around them.
It was such a special, intimate, emotional day and a joy to photograph!
Their Love Story
The story of how these two met is too good! Isann and Dwayne had been attending the same church for 10 years before ever bumping into each other! How crazy is that? When they finally did, it was May 2019. Dwayne’s parents were teaching a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace course at their church during the upcoming summer weeks. Isaan and her mother had signed up for the course.
On this particular day in May, when Dwayne noticed Isaan for the first time, he stared her down. Coincidentally, their parents noticed the stare-down and tried setting the two up.
Although they were grateful for their parent’s gesture, the two set up their first date independently. They spent that first date at the Japanese Garden and instantly clicked.
As Dwayne put it, “that’s all she wrote!”
The Proposal
In a full circle moment, many years later, Isaan and Dwayne went on a date to a Chinese Garden. It was the first time either of them had been to this particular Garden, and it was somewhat of a challenge to find.
Thankfully, Dwayne had connected with a good friend of his, who happened to be a photographer, and he was able to help him find the exact location. Isaan had a sneaky feeling something exciting might be in the works but had an idea of what would unfold.
After touring the grounds for a bit, they came across an iconic Chinese garden bridge. In the middle of the bridge, Dwayne got down on 1 knee and asked for Isaan’s hand in marriage. Of course, she said yes!
Then it was time to celebrate! The two decided to make a whole weekend out of it and went on a mini road trip to the next big city Milwaukee, WI, to celebrate the next chapter of their love story!
Chautauqua Trail Elopement
Deciding to get married in Colorado was an easy decision for Dwayne and Isaan. While Isaan had been begging to visit Colorado for quite some time, they also knew it was one of the easiest locations to get married out of state. Of course, as nature lovers, the scenic and stunning views also played a big part in their decision.
On the early morning of February 6th, Isaan and Dwayne headed to Chautauqua Trail for their intimate elopement ceremony. They kept their wedding party small, inviting only their parents to join them.
There is a common misunderstanding that when you elope, it’s just you and your partner. However, that’s simply not the case. An elopement means you can celebrate however you want, wherever you want, with whoever you’d like! We always encourage our couples to prioritize what matters most to them on their elopement day and focus on the details that will bring them the most joy!
Isaan and Dwayne’s parents are so important to them and a big part of their story. After all, it was their parents who initially tried to set them up on their first date! So when it came time to choose who would officiate their ceremony, Isaan’s Mother was an obvious (and great) choice!
You could tell how honored her Mother was to be guiding them through their ceremony and to play such an important role on such a monumental day.
After Dwayne and Isaan shared their personal vows with each other and said their “I do’s,” it was time to seal it with a kiss! In true newly-wed bliss, they raised their hands in celebration as they finally felt the full sense of unity after officially tying the knot.
Their parents applauded their new union, then joined to form one giant bear hug around Dwayne and Isaan. The love and support their parents showered them with was so genuine and the sweetest thing to witness. It was the perfect example of how important it is to surround yourself with those who lift you up, support you unconditionally, and will make your wedding day exponentially better.
If you want to include your loved ones in your elopement day but aren’t sure how – we can help!
Dwayne, Isaan & all their family members certainly came dressed for the occasion! They were dressed to the nines and looked absolutely dapper. We are obsessed with their matching evergreen elopement attire and love that Isaan’s Mother matched them perfectly!
If you’re having trouble deciding what to wear for your big day, we created a detailed blog to help you find the perfect attire for your elopement day!
Photographer | Alisha with Colorado Photographer Squad
