Rio Grande Gorge Bridge Elopement in Taos, New Mexico
Jason & Kincaid’s intimate elopement took place in Taos, New Mexico in the early spring—it was a gorgeous sunset & a beautiful, simple evening celebrating two wonderful people! I can honestly say this is one of the most stress-free FUN elopements I’ve ever had the honor to document—Jason & Kincaid reached out to me only 8 days before this elopement, but it turned out to be the perfect length of time to pull together their plans. They had the pleasure of enjoying the best of what Taos has to offer—a gorgeous view, a golden sunset & a stunning place all to themselves!
↓ Keep reading for more photos & stories from this wedding ↓
A sunset wedding on the Taos Plateau
Elopements are beautiful, simple weddings because they allow everyone present to really focus on what matters most—the couple who are getting married! Complicated traditions, mounting expenses & impossible-to-satisfy expectations all get tossed aside. Jason & Kincaid didn’t let their special day get overshadowed with complexity—they kept themselves grounded, excited & refreshed from the moment I first spoke with them until we parted ways after the sun had set. Days like this are why I so deeply believe intentionally smaller weddings are SO much better than big weddings founded in traditions that don’t even align with the couple’s values! Jason & Kincaid made it clear that they value each other & their shared experiences above all else.
MORE: Check out The Best Places to Elope in New Mexico
We met at the West Rim trailhead, which can be accessed from the Rio Grande Gorge rest area. From there it was only a shirt 10-minute walk to what is (in my opinion) the best ceremony site with a view of the famous bridge. Jason & Kincaid hired Dan Jones to officiate & he did a wonderful job—the ceremony had everyone in tears & Dan was simply one of the best officiants I’ve had the pleasure to work with. I highly recommend him for your Taos elopement!
After the ceremony, we parted ways with Dan & ventured a little farther along the trail to take advantage of golden hour. Jason & Kincaid shared a first dance, popped some champagne, and laughed all evening telling me stories about their journey to this moment. After meeting through work and becoming fast friends, they eventually started dating and planned to finally have a wedding. Then, as was the story with so many couples recently, their plans were derailed by the global pandemic that halted so much of the wedding industry in 2020. Rather than wait it out, these two drove to New Mexico from Los Angeles with 8 days notice to get married in one of Jason’s favorite places. It was a joy to see how happy they both were to be witnessing the beauty of New Mexico during a truly stress-free elopement that was perfectly them.
If you’re looking for some more New Mexico elopement inspiration, check out:
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There’s nothing quite like a New Mexico sunset – Wherever in the world you want to elope, we can help you plan an authentic true-to-you adventurous elopement!
