Maroon Bells Wedding

Why choose Maroon Bells for your wedding?

Weddings at Maroon Bells take advantage of some of the best views in Aspen. The Bells (as they’re affectionately called by Colorado locals), is one of the most iconic peaks in the US and they are the subject of many nature photographs.

The scenery outside of the Bells themselves is also awe inspiring. Many people focus on the mountain peaks as the desired backdrop of your photos, but there are so many other options! I love the red rock peaks found opposite the bells, the aspen groves, and the scrub brush that turns golden in fall.

If you love fall in Colorado, visiting Maroon Bells is a no brainer. The aspens around the lake when they are in peak, are so beautiful.

However, that does mean that September dates are extremely popular, so don’t hesitate on booking if you know the Bells are what you want.

Of course, the exact peak dates varies slightly year to year, but in general, the last week of September and the first week of October are peak leaf season in Aspen.

You can host your ceremony at Maroon Bells and your reception back in Aspen or Snowmass Village. So there are endless options to design the full wedding day experience you envision.

The capacity of the amphitheater is 50 people.

Plan on an hour or more for couples photos at various locations around Maroon lake.

Where is Maroon Bells?

Maroon Bells is located in White River National Forest, near Aspen, Colorado. Its about a four hour drive from Denver through mountain passes, but the drive is absolutely beautiful. Especially in the fall when the drive takes you through changing Aspen groves.

From the Aspen visitor’s site:

The Maroon Bells, a series of distinctively bell-shaped, wine-colored peaks towering 14,000 ft. above the pristine, glacial Maroon Creek Valley, offer some of the most spectacular natural views in the world. From meadows of vibrant wildflowers to airy groves of Aspen trees to summit-based alpine tundra, the Maroon Bells promise a variety of natural habitats and a diverse, vivid representation of the wild Elk Mountain range. With six scenic hiking trails, various camping sites and biking paths, visitors can enjoy multiple ways to access Aspen’s natural marvels and endless mountain adventure any time of year.

How much does it cost to plan a Maroon Bells Amphitheater Wedding?

Weddings at Maroon Bells are affordable. Renting the amphitheater for your ceremony only costs $200 so it’s one of (if not the most) affordable ceremony sites in the Aspen area.

How do you reserve the Maroon Bells amphitheater for your wedding?

You can reserve the amphitheater via the Recreation.gov website.

For 2024 dates, they’ll be released exactly one year in advance during their allowable booking timeframe. If you’re interested in a weekend date during June – September, you’ll want to be ready to book as soon as it becomes available. Weekday dates don’t go quite as quickly, but they usually do fill up.

September dates also go fast, as the aspens peak at Maroon Bells the 3rd or 4th week of September.

You’ll need to have a Recreation.gov account in order to complete your reservations, so I would recommend setting that up in advance.

Planning a Maroon Bells Elopement

If you’re not looking to rent the amphitheater for your intimate wedding, but plan to elope instead, you have a little more flexibility in your planning.

Maroon Bells doesn’t require that you have a permit for a 2 person elopement (or if you plan to have a small group with you, that’s okay, too, just please keep it under 10 people!). However, you and your guests will have to travel to Maroon Lake with all the rest of the regular visitors, which means either snagging a parking pass or taking the shuttle.

You can reserve Maroon Bells Parking passes here.

Parking reservations are available between May 15 – October 31, 2023 and cost $10/ vehicle. Shuttle reservations are available May 26 – October 22, 2023 and costs between $10 – $16.

If you happen to reserve one of the two picnic sites along the road to Maroon Bells, the reservation also comes with a few parking passes. This can be a great way to snag parking for your elopement and you can use the space after for a celebration with your crew.

Other resources to help you plan your Maroon Bells wedding

6 Tips for Planning a Destination Wedding

3 Tips for Writing Your Own Vows

7 Tips for Writing Your Own Ceremony

How to Tell if Your Wedding Vendor is LGBTQ+ Inclusive

8 Intimate Colorado Wedding Venues