This Couple Invited Absolutely No One—Not Even an Officiant—to Their Aspen Elopement

Hannah Dismuke was so nervous for her first date with Carl Hollimon in 2015 that she thought she "blew it" before they had even ordered drinks—but he asked her for a second date before the first even ended (clearly, they had a connection). Five years later, Carl surprised Hannah—and her family—by proposing moments before they sat down for dinner at one of their favorite restaurants. "It was so exciting to surprise her family once we sat down for dinner over a 'Cheers' with rosé," says Carl. "The shock and excitement in their faces was priceless."

With Hannah's brother and his family planning to move to Australia in April 2020, she and Carl quickly planned an intimate ceremony and dinner for April 10. "But as fast as we planned our wedding, we quickly had to cancel due to the escalation of COVID-19," she says. "After a few months of quarantine and a lot of homemade margaritas, Carl and I took a trip to Aspen, Colorado, around the Fourth of July holiday to escape our city apartment and enjoy the outdoors. At this point we had talked about eloping, but it became very clear on our trip that we should go for it."

They began organizing their top-secret nuptials for August 20, 2020, in Aspen, keeping their plans hidden from everyone—even their families. "When Carl and I decided to elope, we committed to leaving any stress behind and only having fun with each step of the process," says Hannah. "Because we did not tell a soul of our plan—our friends and family truly had no idea—we were allowed the opportunity to meet so many incredible people along the way who helped us with each decision." They relied on their stylist, jeweler, photographer, and other vendors to put everything together.

The couple's unique, intimate big day included breakfast and getting ready together; a ceremony they wrote and performed—without an officiant—in a secluded field; a lighthearted portrait session; and a celebratory picnic in a nearby park. "Adventure and relaxation were the core priorities of our elopement," says Carl. "It was important to us to be around nature as much as possible during the whole experience." And though their friends and family were surprised by the elopement, they weren't that surprised. "Apparently, the whole idea of eloping reflected who we are as a couple, which our friends and family affirmed once we shared the news!" says Hannah. "As a couple, we are truly go-with-the-flow type people and when the going gets rough, we find a way to still make it fun!"