On the first day of middle school, Dakota Coleman met the girl of his dreams. Thirteen years later, he married her Wednesday on the steps of the Denver City and County building under the eye of the city clerk and recorder dressed in an Elvis Presley costume.

“This is how it’s supposed to go down!” said the 25-year-old.

Corrina Gama became Corrina Coleman at exactly 11:13 a.m. on Valentine’s Day 2024 with a kiss and lingering hug. It was part of Denver’s “Burnin’ Love Marriage Marathon” Wednesday.

The Colemans flew to Denver to get married because “it’s easier to get married in Colorado,” explained Corinna. They were facing a three-month wait at home in Charlotte, North Carolina, but here, the vows were immediate.

For less than the cost of a hamburger celebration lunch, 13 couples registered for their marriage certificates at the Wellington Webb building on East Colfax, and simply walked across the street to the steps of the historic pillared city and county building to say “I do.”

The numbers and the elevation were higher at Loveland Ski Area’s 33rd Annual Mountaintop Matrimony where 100 couples renewed their vows and 15 married for the first time at 11,215 feet. Dozens of skiers and snowboarders, some in veils and top hats, convened in Forest Meadow where they got hitched or re-hitched.

The great outdoors must foster longlasting love. One couple renewed their vows on skis after 46 years of marriage.

“When we showed up, it was dumping snow, we got a bunch of people married, and the sun came out,” said Pastor Brett Butson, of Universal Life Church, who officiated for all of the couples in a single ceremony. He said that people were still hugging and kissing at 3:30 p.m. at Loveland Ski Area’s apres-ski wedding party.

Though these mass officiated weddings are popular on Valentine’s Day, Colorado is the only state in the country — along with Washington D.C. —which allows couples to self-solemnize. This means people can marry themselves without the usual hoopla of witnesses, additional paperwork or bundles of money — based on the belief that marriage is a contract between two people.

According to a 2022 Helzberg Diamonds survey that queried 1,000 couples, the average price of a wedding is more than $33,000.

Wednesday’s weddings at Denver’s City and County building attracted every kind of couple and situation. Some came alone and others brought their families. Some dressed in tuxedos and white satin and others showed up in jeans and baseball caps, but they all wore huge smiles as couples took their turn to say “I do” in the 16th annual event from the Denver Office of the Clerk and Recorder.

Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez has a stressful election year ahead of him. But Wednesday, he was an Elvis impersonator dressed in the white polyester, silver-studded outfit reminiscent of the singer’s later nightclub days. Lopez even swept back his black hair in a ducktail and, as an officiant, gave the traditional ceremony in English and Spanish.

“Day in and day out, you know what we’re up against, especially when it comes to elections,” said Lopez. “It’s good to step away and it’s actually fun! This year you don’t need to go all the way to Vegas to get married by Elvis.”

Bronson Esheleman, in a red top hat, did not appear nervous about making a lifetime commitment to Julia Perry. She was splendid in plastic pink sunglasses and a sparkly plunge-neck dress studded with red hearts she found online, just like she found Esheleman.

“I just googled ‘most obnoxious heart dress’,” she said.

They met on the dating app “Hinge” four-and-a-half years ago, had their first date at the now-defunct Kinga’s Lounge, survived the COVID pandemic, and couldn’t help falling in love. Bronson loves the fact that Julia is sweet and she loves his generosity.

On this 14th day of February, two of them figured it was now or never.