The Real Cost of Eloping in Rocky Mountain National Park

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A line-by-line breakdown of what eloping at RMNP actually costs, from the permit and marriage license to photography, lodging, and dinner. With sample budgets at three levels.

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Most couples planning their first elopement have one of two cost expectations going in. The first group thinks it'll cost a few hundred dollars total because elopements are "just" a permit and a couple of signatures. The second group thinks it'll cost a small fortune because everything wedding-related does.

Both are wrong. The actual cost of eloping in RMNP lands somewhere between those two extremes, and where it lands depends almost entirely on choices you control. This post lays out what those choices are and what they cost.

The Required Costs

These are the costs you can't skip if you want to legally get married inside the park. Everything else on this page is optional.

REQUIRED FOR ANY RMNP ELOPEMENT

RMNP Special Use Permit - $300 (Check out our RMNP permitting guide.)

Colorado marriage license (Larimer County) - $30

Park entrance for couple's vehicle - $30 or America the Beautiful pass

Required minimum - $360

That's it. If you and your partner show up alone, hold a ceremony at Sprague Lake, sign your license under Colorado's self-solemnization law, and head home, you're legally married for $360. Most couples spend more than that. Here's why.

Costs that Scale with your Group Size

If you're bringing guests, a few costs multiply quickly:

PER-GUEST COSTS

Park entrance per vehicle (guests) - $30/vehicle

Non-US resident fee (per person, as of 2026) - $100

For a typical elopement with 6 to 10 guests, plan on around $60 to $120 in extra entrance fees if guests are arriving in 2 to 4 separate vehicles. Carpooling helps. So does buying someone in each car an annual America the Beautiful pass ($80) if some of your group plans to come back to any National Park within the year.

The Optional Costs 

This is where the real budget choices live. None of these are required by the park, but most couples want some combination of them.

Photography

The biggest variable. Photography for an RMNP elopement typically ranges from $1,500 (very basic, 1 to 2 hours) to $8,000+ (two-day coverage, two photographers, film, albums).

For reference, our packages:

• The Trailhead (4 hours, 1 photographer, 35mm film): $2,400

• The Overlook (8 hours, 1 photographer, 35mm film, can split between morning and evening): $3,600

• The Summit (12 hours over 1 or 2 days, 2 photographers, 35mm + medium format film): $5,400

The right tier depends on how much of the day you want documented and whether you're including an adventure session, family portraits, or just the ceremony itself. (Check out our post on how to choose the right photographer for you.)

Officiant (optional in Colorado)

Colorado is one of the few states where you can self-solemnize, which means you can sign your own marriage license without an officiant. About two thirds of our couples skip the officiant entirely or have a friend conduct the ceremony. The rest hire one for the ceremony itself, even though it isn't legally required.

Officiant costs typically run $250 to $600 for an RMNP elopement.

Florals

RMNP doesn't allow decorations, so florals are limited to what you carry: a bouquet, a boutonniere, maybe a small arrangement for the dinner table.

• Bouquet only: $80 to $200

• Bouquet plus boutonniere: $120 to $300

• Full small package (bouquet, boutonniere, hairpiece, dinner arrangement): $300 to $700

Estes Park has a few florists who specialize in elopements and know the park's restrictions.

Hair and makeup

Optional but common, especially for couples doing a longer day with multiple looks.

• Hair only or makeup only: $150 to $250

• Both, on-location: $300 to $700

• Both, plus a touch-up later in the day: $500 to $900

Lodging

If you're traveling to Estes Park, plan on at least one or two nights of lodging. The cost of lodging is heavily dependent on season. Peak season (June through September) has the highest rates with deep winter having the lowest.

• Budget motels: $100 to $180/night

• Mid-range cabins or hotels: $200 to $400/night

• The Stanley Hotel or The Estes Park Resort: $350 to $700/night

• Private rentals (Vrbo, Airbnb): $250 to $1,200/night depending on size

• Della Terra Mountain Chateau (when used as lodging): $700+/night

Dinner

Most couples have a dinner reservation either in Estes Park or back at their lodging. You can check out some of our recommendations in our Couples’ Guide to Estes Park.

• Casual dinner in town: $50 to $100/couple

• Mid-range (Bird & Jim, Twin Owls): $100 to $200/couple

• Higher-end (Cascades at the Stanley, private chef): $200 to $500/couple

• Private chef at your lodging: $400 to $1,000+ depending on group

Attire

This one varies wildly. A simple dress and suit can be a few hundred dollars. A custom-made dress or a designer suit can run into the thousands. Plan based on what you'd already spend on wedding clothes.

Transportation

If you're flying in, factor in flights and rental car. AWD or 4WD is recommended October through May. From Denver International, the drive to Estes is about 90 minutes. A rental SUV typically runs $400 to $700 for three to four days.

Sample budgets

Here are three rough budgets to give you a sense of what an RMNP elopement looks like at different levels. None of these include attire, transportation, or lodging, since those vary too much by couple.

The Basics - $1,800 to $3,000

Just the two of you. Permit, marriage license, a basic photographer for 2 to 3 hours, dinner in town. Self-solemnize. Skip florals, hair, and makeup or do them yourself. Stay one night at a budget motel.

Sample breakdown: $300 permit, $30 license, $1,800 photographer (basic 3-hour package), $100 dinner, $150 lodging.

The Mid-Range - $4,500 to $7,500

Couple plus a small group of 4 to 8 guests. A full-day photographer with film, a small floral package, hair and makeup, dinner reservation in Estes, two nights at a mid-range cabin.

Sample breakdown: $300 permit, $30 license, $3,600 photographer (Full Story package), $200 florals, $400 hair and makeup, $300 officiant, $400 dinner, $600 lodging (2 nights).

The Full Experience - $8,000 to $14,000

Couple plus 10 to 30 guests. Two-day photography package with film, full florals, hair and makeup, officiant, dinner at a higher-end venue, multiple nights of lodging at the Stanley or Della Terra. May include a microwedding at an Estes venue with portraits in the park.

Sample breakdown: $300 permit, $30 license, $5,400 photographer (Summit package), $500 florals, $700 hair and makeup, $400 officiant, $1,200 group dinner, $2,000 lodging (3 nights for couple plus shared house for guests).

For comparison: a traditional Colorado wedding

The average traditional wedding in Colorado runs between $25,000 and $50,000 in 2026, according to wedding industry reports. The biggest cost is venue ($8,000 to $20,000), followed by catering ($5,000 to $15,000) and photography ($3,000 to $7,000). Most RMNP elopements cost less than 25% of that, even at the higher end. The reason is simple: you're skipping the venue, the catering, and the dozens of secondary costs (rentals, decor, transportation for guests, save-the-dates, etc.) that traditional weddings carry.

How to Keep Costs Down

Choose an Off-Season Date

This is the biggest thing you can do to keep your costs down. Lodging in Estes drops significantly in November through April. Vendor demand drops too, so some photographers, florists, and officiants offer winter pricing. The park is also at its quietest.

Self-Solemnize

Skipping the officiant saves $250 to $600. Colorado's self-solemnization law makes this a real option.

Stay Outside Estes

Lyons, Allenspark, and Loveland all have lower lodging costs than Estes Park itself, with drives of 20 to 45 minutes to the park entrance.

Keep Florals Minimal

Since the park doesn't allow decorations, you don't need much beyond a bouquet and boutonniere. A florist that specializes in elopements (Estes has a few) can do a small package for under $200.

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See full pricing on our packages

For a complete look at what each of our elopement packages includes, plus the full planning support that comes with every one, visit our elopements page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• Is the $300 permit per couple or per person?

  Per ceremony. The $300 covers your entire group, no matter how many guests you have. The fee doesn't scale with group size.

• Can we save money by skipping the permit?

  No. Holding a ceremony in the park without a permit results in a fine for you, your photographer, and your officiant. The permit is non-negotiable for any vow exchange or ring exchange on park land.

• Is there a cheaper way to get married in the area?

  Yes. You can have a ceremony outside the park (Knoll-Willows Open Space, Hermit Park, Roosevelt National Forest) without an NPS permit. You can still take photos in RMNP afterward since photography doesn't require a ceremony permit. More on outdoor options outside the park here.

• Should we tip our vendors?

  Yes. Plan on 10% to 15% of your vendor costs for tips. Hair and makeup expect 15% to 20%, officiants $50 to $200, photographers at your discretion.
  

• What's the cheapest month to elope in RMNP?

  February. Lodging is at its lowest, vendor demand is at its lowest, and the park is at its quietest. Winter weddings come with their own logistics (some sites close, weather is variable) but the cost savings are real.

• Are payment plans available?

  It depends on the vendor. Most photographers (us included) offer payment plans for elopement packages. The park permit fee is paid in full at the time of approval and isn't financed.

• What's the most expensive part of an RMNP elopement?

  Photography, in most cases. It's the one thing you can't recreate after the fact, and it's where most couples invest the most. Lodging can be a close second if you're at the Stanley or Della Terra for multiple nights.

• Do we tip the National Park Service?

  No. Federal employees can't accept tips. The $300 permit fee is what they get.