Guanella Pass Engagement Photos in Fall – Marguerite & Jeff
We were so excited to photograph Marguerite & Jeff’s Guanella Pass engagement photos during peak fall color in the Colorado mountains last September.
Marguerite and Jeff are the kind of couple who make you feel instantly at ease, they’re down-to-earth, genuinely sweet, and clearly so excited about this season of life together. Marguerite has a busy schedule working with large animal patients at the CSU VTH, so we felt extra grateful that we were able to align their session around her busy days. Even though they both live in Fort Collins now, their story stretches far beyond Colorado, these two actually met in Fairbanks, Alaska four years ago!
When they reached out, they had a really clear vision for their Guanella Pass engagement photos: prime Colorado autumn, true peak color, and a look that feels timeless. They weren’t interested in anything overly trendy or filtered or warm-toned for the sake of being “in style.” They wanted crisp, sharp, vibrant images.
We planned their session with variety in mind, we wanted to make sure we included the aspen groves, open mountain views, and then the dramatic alpine summit! And since Georgetown is such a classic little mountain town nearby, it’s always a sweet anchor point for sessions up this way, close enough to feel accessible, but once you’re up on the pass it feels like you’re worlds away.
Starting at Burning Bear / Abyss Trailhead
We began their Guanella Pass engagement photos with their pup, Sunny, at the Burning Bear / Abyss Trailhead area near Geneva Creek. It was one of those fall days that feels almost too perfect. We kicked things off in an aspen grove where the leaves were absolutely glowing. That soft warm light filtered through the trees and turned everything into this luminous gold canopy which was exactly the kind of scene people dream of when they picture Guanella Pass engagement photos in peak fall season.
Sunny was fully living her best life too, she was so excited to be exploring in the mountains! From there, we navigated the space to bring in a few wider mountain views. Sweeping alpine vistas is one of the major reasons Guanella Pass engagement photos are so iconic. It’s always such a treat for us to get to photograph couples out there!
Next, we wandered over to the meadow across the way, and the whole feel shifted. The meadow gave us those more expansive, open views where you can really see fall color sprinkled throughout the mountainsides instead of surrounding you completely.
Summit trailhead
After soaking up the lower-elevation glow, we drove up to the Summit trailhead at the top of Guanella Pass for the second half of their Guanella Pass engagement session. And wow, if the first location felt cozy and golden, the summit felt dramatically colder and you could tell we had just climbed quite a bit of elevation. The light was shifting fast too, as it does in September, so sometimes planning for the right light is key!
Champagne + Alpenglow on Mt. Bierstadt
At the summit, Marguerite and Jeff popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate their engagement. We meandered around and explored this gorgeous gold space while alpenglow hit Mt. Bierstadt, and the light was just right!
That alpenglow is the kind of thing you can’t fake with a filter. We grabbed a mix of wide scenic frames and more intimate portraits, and these two held each other close and tried to stay warm!
We’re so excited for their 2027 wedding at the Tapestry House in Fort Collins, so we can’t wait to celebrate them soon! Until then, check out some of our favorites of their Guanella Pass engagement photos!
Love these Guanella Pass engagement photos and would like to learn more about our engagement photography packages? Check out pricing page for details or our blog for more recent work!