• My partner and I eloped with no family or friends. • We had our photographer with us, and we got married in the Rockies. • We spent about $3,500 on our wedding, which is way under the US average.

My longtime soulmate and I promised each other forever at a 7,000-foot overlook in the Rockies in 2024. There were no guests or officiant, just our photographer and the wind as unofficial witnesses.

In a half-hour photo session, we exchanged rings and handwritten vows from a pocket notebook, and tried to look natural for the camera — all while making sure we didn't tumble off the edge in high winds. We picked Colorado for its unique marriage laws, allowing couples to self-solemnize independently.

What we spent that day was a fraction of the norm. The average US wedding now tops $30,000, w

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