and wants a portfolio that proves it

for the elopement photographer who's ready to go all in on full-day adventure elopements, luxury intimate weddings, and real storytelling

Four days in the Rocky Mountains. Two full-day adventure elopements. One luxury intimate wedding at the most retro-cool A-frame cabins you've ever seen. A gondola to the summit of Winter Park Resort. A 4x4 to a remote alpine lake. Camping setups. Paddleboards.

This isn't a styled shoot where you pose a couple in front of a pretty view and call it storytelling.

This is the whole story.

winter park, colorado

ROCKY MOUNTAINS RETREAT

COLORADO

july 26-29, 2027

what we're shooting:

6 SHOOTS:

3 couples: 2 all-day elopements, 1 intimate wedding & 3 casual adventure sessions

But let’s not just call them “Styled Shoots”. These shoots mimic real elopements. They are planned out from beginning to end, just like an actual elopement. You’re walking away with so much more than “pretty photos” for your hero website image and viral-potential insta post. You’re walking away with a full realistic gallery of a real elopement experience. We’re creating intentional images built upon our storytelling methods – allowing your potential clients to truly envision themselves in this story.

ALPINE WESTERN
INTIMATE WEDDING

A-FRAME CLUB & SUMMIT OF WINTER PARK RESORT

This is a fully styled, realistic intimate wedding.

We're shooting at the A-Frame Club in Winter Park, one of the most uniquely cool venues in Colorado. Think retro mid-century A-frame retro cabins,  vibrant colors, and the kind of place that makes people stop scrolling the second they see it.

The morning starts slow. The couple is in their robes in the cabin, writing vows to each other. We're capturing the details .. the coffee, the quiet moments, the intentionality of the morning. Then hair and makeup happens on-site in the cabin. They'll share a First look outside. Portraits around the retro A-Frame Club property.

Then comes the ceremony. A full, intimate ceremony setup decked out in Florals. Attendees will be welcomed to dress up and staged as guests. When they exit, petals are tossing.

Then we cross the street to Winter Park Resort. Everyone loads up on gondolas. We're riding up together, shooting the couple in the gondola, soaking in the views as we climb. At the summit, it's golden hour and 360 degree Rocky Mountain views in every direction. We shoot until blue hour hits, then head back down on the gondolas.

We arrive back at the A-Frame Club to their intimate dinner reception. A full tablescape in the retro restaurant on-site. Candlelight. Details. Then the party rolls in. Shot skis. Direct Flash. Dancing. They're sitting on the bar. It's colorful, it's vintage western, it's fun, it's exciting. It's everything.

High alpine. Luxury. Intimate. This is the Alpine Western.

HIGH ALPINE LUXE ELOPEMENT

SUMMIT OF LOVELAND PASS

This is Colorado at nearly 12,000 feet. Above the treeline. Wind in the veil. 360 degree views of Rocky Mountain peaks stretching in every direction.

This elopement is nature-inspired, editorial, and intentionally luxe. We're walking a ridgeline trail to the summit of Loveland Pass - the kind of place that stops you mid-step because you can't believe somewhere this dramatic actually exists. Then we drop down to the alpine lake tucked below the pass, where the still water refects the mountains and everything feels quiet and cinematic and real.

Think Flowing dress against rugged tundra. Martini in hand on a boulder overlooking the range. The kind of images that feel like they belong on fIlm.

This is the elopement your dream clients have been saving to their Pinterest boards for years. And you're going to walk away with the exact content they're dreaming of.

"LET'S GO CAMPING" 4X4 ELOPEMENT

4X4 ALPINE LAKE IN ARAPAHOE NATIONAL FOREST

This is the ultimate adventure backcountry elopement.

A couple 4x4s down a remote OHV trail deep into Arapahoe National Forest, arriving at a remote alpine lake that sits above treeline. The lake is surrounded by wildfowers and fed by a waterfall that cascades right into the water. They pitch a tent together at this location.

The morning unfolds slowly. They wake up to coffee and a French press, sitting by their 4x4, wrapped in blankets, taking in the mountain views around them. They get ready together right there - in the tent, by the lake, with the peaks as their backdrop. They share private vows in front of the waterfall as it feeds into the alpine lake.

Then the celebration continues as they paddle out onto the water in their elopement attire on paddleboards, surrounded by the mountains and the wildFlowers and the adventure of it all.

This is the backcountry elopement experience - full day, full story, completely one-of-a-kind.

And this is only available as a launch week bonus.

what we have planned:

3-nIGHT STAY AT THE A-FRAME CLUB

JULY 26-29, 2027
WINTER PARK, CO

The A-Frame Club is our home base for the week. A collection of 31 retro mid-century A-frame cabins sitting at the base of Winter Park Resort, backed up to the Fraser River. Towering mountain views in every direction. The vibe is high alpine western meets retro modern — colorful, character-Filled, and the kind of place that makes you want to put your phone down and just... be there.

Each attendee is paired with a roommate for the week. One cabin, two photographers, and a whole lot of mountain air. If you'd prefer your own space, or want to bring your partner or travel bestie, solo cabin upgrades are available upon request.

Evenings here look like soaking in the hot tubs nestled in the trees, unwinding in the sauna, and sharing a craft cocktail at their wood-fred restaurant on-site. Complimentary breakfast every morning before we head out.

And because this is also a real intimate wedding and elopement venue, the same property where we're shooting our Alpine Western intimate wedding, you're not just staying somewhere cool. You're staying somewhere your future couples are going to want to book.

EXPERIENCE ELOPEMENT ACTIVITIES

GONDOLA TO SUMMIT OF WINTER PARK, 4X4-ING, PADDLE-BOARDING IN AN ALPINE LAKE, CAMPING SET-UPS, A-FRAME CABIN & HOT-TUB HANGS

One of the most valuable things you can walk away from this retreat with isn't just the photos. It's the lived experience of actually doing these things.

When you've ridden a gondola to a mountaintop at golden hour, 4x4'd down a backcountry trail to a remote alpine lake, set up a camp in the middle of the wilderness, paddleboarded on a glacial lake in the mountains, and soaked in a hot tub under the stars - you can sell that experience to your couples in a way that no amount of pretty photos alone ever could.

Because couples who want adventure elopements aren't just hiring a photographer. They're hiring a guide. Someone who has been there, done that, and knows exactly how to make their day feel as epic as they're imagining it.

This retreat gives you that. You're not just photographing these activities - you're living them. And that depth of experience shows up in everything from how you talk about your packages to how you shoot on the day itself.

The photographers who book the most epic adventure elopements aren't just the best at their craft. They're the ones who can say "I've done that. Let me show you."

WELCOME PARTY & DINNER

ARRIVAL NIGHT AT THE A-FRAME CLUB

The 1st night is for connecting with others before we dive in to a very full week!

After you check in and get cozy in your cabin, we're gathering for a family dinner at the A-Frame Club restaurant on-site. Good food, good drinks, and the people you're about to spend four days adventuring with. This is your chance to meet your retreat family before we dive into anything.

After dinner, the night is yours. Join us for cocktails in the lounge, hot tub hangs, sauna sessions, and the kind of campFire conversations that happen when you put a group of like-minded photographers in a really cool place together. Most attendees arrive not knowing a single person - and leave with friendships that last way beyond the retreat.

We do this intentionally. Because the best shoots happen when everyone is comfortable, connected, and actually excited to be there together.

HEADSHOTS

YOUR OWN BRANDING PHOTOS DURING THE WHOLE RETREAT!

How many times have you come home from a shoot or a trip and realized you have zero photos of yourself? You were so focused on capturing everyone else that nobody captured you.

During this retreat, we are building time in specifcally for that. Photos of you shooting. Photos of you in these epic locations. Behind the scenes moments of you actually doing the thing — on a mountaintop, at a retro A-frame cabin, by an alpine lake. The kind of content that makes someone land on your Instagram and immediately trust you before they even click your website.

Showing your face in your business matters just as much as the galleries you create. Your future couples want to know who they're hiring. They want to see you in your element, doing what you do, in the places you shoot.

You're going to leave this retreat with fresh portfolio content AND a whole new set of branding photos that actually show the photographer behind the camera.

Intimate Retreat Experience

This is an intimate retreat - Because we’ve all been there – knocking elbows  for the center shot. But that won’t be here. Our shooting groups will stay small. And the photographer’s you’re shooting alongside? You’ll call those your friends. An intimate setting for fun adventurous excursions & creating an adventure of a lifetime.

diversity & inclusivity

all are welcome here 🏳️‍🌈

Eloping is for everyone. And it’s important for us to showcase that in every single aspect of our businesses. Elope Academy prioritizes  BIPOC & LGBTQ+ couples when selecting models for the retreat.

networking, community & ATTENDEE GROUP

You’re going to be immersed in this retreat experience with other elopement photographers who are exactly where you are. You’re going to leave this retreat with so much more than just content & a unique experience. You’re going to leave with lifelong friends and elopement-industry connections. It’s not something that most attendees think about before attending, but it’s a takeaway that ends up becoming priceless.

You’ll get immediate access to a VIP group with all of your fellow attendee friends! Most attendees come alone – not knowing anyone that’s going! This is a great way to meet the others & plan any shared travel!

Flights,  Transportation & all other meals are not included. 4x4 High clearance vehicle is recommended for bonus shoot.

you'll also receive:

THE ELOPE ACADEMY RETREAT COURSE

everything you need to know to book colorado elopements

This retreat includes exclusive access to The Elope Academy Retreat Course focused entirely on booking destination weddings and elopements.

This is where the strategy lives. You’ll walk through how to position yourself for destination work, attract the right couples, price and package elopement experiences, and market your work from this retreat in a way that actually converts. It’s designed to give you the full backend understanding of destination bookings before you ever arrive.

And here’s the important part: We are not sitting in a classroom while we’re in the mountains. All of the teaching happens before the retreat so that when we’re on the ground, we’re doing the work. Shooting. Exploring. Creating. Seeing how this all plays out in real time. This course exists so the retreat can stay exactly what it’s meant to be immersive, hands-on, and rooted in real destination experience, not slides and lectures.

This course is only available to retreat attendees and is not sold separately.

Colorado Elopement Resources

SEO BLOGGING TEMPLATE, EXCLUSIVE LOCATION GUIDE, VENDOR / ACTIVITY / LODGING RECOMMENDATIONS, ELOPEMENT ITINERARIES AND MORE

I want you to walk away from this retreat with EVERY resource you possibly need to successfully market, plan and execute an elopement in Colorado. You are going to leave this retreat as an ELOPEMENT EXPERT on all-things Colorado. I am giving you a free SEO Blogging Template that is speciFic to successfully blogging the full-day adventure elopements that you will be photographing this week.

I am also supplying you with a full-comprehensive list of all of the top elopement locations within Colorado - something that YOU can provide your couples as an added value into your Colorado Elopement packages. I am also providing you with every vendor, activity, and accommodation recommendation for when you are assisting in planning an elopement with your couples. And to Finish it off, you'll also receive example timelines of pairing locations & activities of how you can craft your DREAM Colorado elopements for your couples. You are walking away with MORE than you can imagine - and truly setting yourself up for success.

HI, I'M KASEY JO

YOUR RETREAT HOST!

I used to be exactly where you are... feeling like I wasn’t good enough and never understanding what I was doing wrong, and getting nowhere trying to become that photographer traveling the world to most remote locations & photographing the most epic elopements.

I spent YEARS and more money than I can count doing allllll the things… offering my services for basically free, attending random workshops/retreats/content days that left me unsatisffIed and frustrated, applying every bit of knowledge that I got from any industry “educator” ... you name it, I tried it.

Then I learned the power of attending intentional and realistic adventure elopement retreats. And boom - it all clicked for me.

I’ve taken everything that I learned on my journey and put it into Elope Academy Retreats because it’s exactly what I wish I had when I was on my path to becoming an adventure elopement photographer.

It’s my mission to help as many elopement photographers as possible skip past by simply focusing on what works.

The Elope Academy Retreats would have saved me SO MUCH time & energy.

i can't wait to do the same for you 

you won't be the first. and you definitely won't be the last.

meet the photographers who took the leap and never looked back 👇

meet corey

Corey joined her 1st Elope Academy retreat years ago as a photographer who wanted to break into destination elopement work and build a business that actually took her places. She kept coming back — the Dolomites, Grand Teton, and beyond — investing in the experience and the community retreat after retreat.

And it paid off. Corey has offcially surpassed $200k in elopement bookings (and is on her way to $300k). She's shooting in her dream locations, the Grand Tetons, the Dolomites in Italy, Acadia National Park. The network she built at these retreats has led to new bookings, brand collaborations, and a social media presence that continues to grow. She even booked an elopement and proposal in the Dolomites directly from connections made at the retreat.

What started as a leap of faith turned into a multi- six-Figure destination elopement business doing exactly what she loves.

meet emily

Emily attended her 1st Elope Academy retreat 6 years ago as a photographer ready to take a leap of faith. She kept showing up, retreat after retreat, content day after content day, investing in herself and her business across Italy and the East Coast.

Seven events later, the results speak for themselves. Emily is a six-Figure photographer who gets paid to travel and capture love stories. She's gained knowledge in the craft, business education, posing, location scouting, and built a community of industry friends and connections she never would have found otherwise.

What started as one brave decision turned into the business and the life she'd always dreamed of.

meet jamie

Jamie attended the Elope Academy Alaska Retreat in 2023 as a Midwest-based photographer with a very specifc dream - to build a full season of bookings in the Pacifc Northwest without having to relocate.

In 2025 she signed onto 1:1 coaching to make it happen. And it did. Jamie is now consistently bringing in 5+ leads per week for the PNW and booking $10k+ elopements in one of the most competitive and coveted markets in the country - all from her home in the Midwest.

She didn't wait until the timing was perfect or until she lived closer. She just invested in the right support and did the work.

meet maddie

Maddie attended the 2025 Amalf Coast Retreat as a Pennsylvania-based photographer with a big dream - to travel internationally and photograph destination weddings. She didn't just dip her toe in. She jumped in, pairing the retreat with the Elope Academy Intensive program to build both the portfolio and the business strategy at the same time.

She has taken things even further by hosting and selling out her own retreats.

What started as a dream of getting on a plane with her camera turned into a full photography business and a new passion for bringing other photographers along for the ride.

meet christina

Christina attended the 2024 Iceland Retreat and several West Coast content days as a California-based photographer ready to get focused on her business. And that's exactly what she did. Using the content, the strategy, and the experience from her Elope Academy events, she honed in on her target audience right in her own backyard and built something real.

She's now bringing in multi-six Figures in her photography business, shooting the clients and the work she actually wants. And she's not slowing down - Christina is already signed on as an attendee for the 2026 Alaska Retreat.

WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INSIDE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLORADO RETREAT:

6 Shoots: 3 couples, 2 all-day adventure elopements, 1 intimate wedding, 3 casual adventure sessions


3-night stay at the a-frame club


experience elopement activities: GONDOLA TO SUMMIT OF WINTER PARK, 4X4-ING, PADDLE-BOARDING IN AN ALPINE LAKE, CAMPING SET-UPS, A-FRAME CABIN & HOT-TUB HANGS


welcome party dinner at the a-frame club on arrival night


Headshots: your own branding photos during the whole retreat


intimate retreat experience


diversity & inclusivity


networking, community & private attendee group


the elope academy retreat course: everything you need to book colorado elopements


colorado elopement resources: everything you need to plan colorado elopements

extended financing available!
join for as low as $105/month

Request to finance your payment with Affirm! Subject to approval & APR.

1 payment of $3200

5 payments of $700

10 payments of $375

save $550!

save $300!

meet the photographers
 who have dreamed big
& made it happen!

1. APPLY WHEN APPLICATIONS OPEN ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

2. WHEN ACCEPTED, YOU'LL RECEIVE THE NEXT STEPS TO BOOK (DEPOSIT & CONTRACT)

3. pack your bags & get ready for the rockies!

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Applications are now open!

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY

Day 1: MONDAY, JULY 26

Arrival day! Check into your cabin at 4:00pm, get settled, and meet your roommate for the week. From there we're kicking off the retreat with our welcome party dinner at the A-Frame Club restaurant on-site. After dinner, join us for cocktails in the lounge, hot tub hangs, sauna sessions, and s'mores by the campfre. Get some rest, we have a lot planned!

Complimentary breakfast at the restaurant before we dive in. Today is Alpine Western Intimate Wedding day. We're starting the morning with casual in-cabin shoots and hot tub hangs before rolling into getting ready. From there, portraits and ceremony at the A-Frame Club, then we head across the street to Winter Park Resort and take the gondola to the summit. We're up there until blue hour, then head back down to the A-Frame Club for their intimate dinner setup followed by direct Flash western party shots into the night.

Day 3: WEDNESDAY, JULY 28

Complimentary breakfast before we head out. Today is our adventure day, the High Alpine Luxe Elopement at Loveland Pass. We're driving above treeline to one of the most stunning mountain passes in Colorado, exploring trails, an alpine lake, and photographing a full luxe adventure elopement against the most dramatic Rocky Mountain backdrop.

day 4: THURSDAY, JULY 29

Complimentary breakfast and a slow morning before checking out of cabins by 10am. For launch week attendees, the adventure isn't over yet. We're loading up the 4x4s and hitting the OHV trails into Arapahoe National Forest for the "Let's Go Camping" alpine lake elopement. Tent pitching, lakeside adventuring, private vows by the waterfall, and paddleboarding in elopement attire. We wrap up at sunset and that's a wrap on the Colorado Rocky Mountains Retreat!

Day 2: TUESDAY, JULY 27

if you've made it this far...

you already know.

This retreat was built for the photographer who's done waiting for the right time, the right bookings, or the right portfolio to fall into place on its own.

we'd love to have you.