Ask five Colorado elopement photographers what they charge and you will get five prices that are hard to compare, because each one bundles hours, travel, editing and planning help differently. The good news is that the pricing follows a pattern once you know what drives it. Every figure below that is not a government fee is a typical range based on what Colorado photographers and videographers publicly advertise. It is an estimate, not a quote. The only real number is the one a photographer sends you.
The short answer
| Coverage | What it usually covers | Typical price (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| One to two hours | A short ceremony and portraits at one spot | $1,200 to $2,500 |
| Two to three hours | Sunrise or sunset ceremony and portraits | $2,500 to $4,000 |
| Full day, six to ten hours | Getting ready, a hike, the ceremony, dinner | $4,500 to $7,000 |
| Multi day | Two or more locations over two or three days | $7,000 to $12,000 |
| Video added to photography | Highlight film and ceremony edit | $1,500 to $4,000 |
For most couples the realistic band is $2,500 to $7,000 (estimate), which matches our Colorado elopement cost guide.
Hourly, full day and multi day coverage
Short sessions work for a ceremony at a single overlook with no hike. They are the cheapest option, but the price per hour is often the highest, because the photographer still spends the same time traveling, scouting and editing.
Half day packages of two to four hours are the most popular elopement format in Colorado. They fit a sunrise ceremony at Sapphire Point or a sunset at a Rocky Mountain National Park site, with time for portraits in two or three spots.
Full day coverage follows you from getting ready to a dinner, often with a hike in the middle. You pay more, but the hourly rate usually drops, and you get the story of the day rather than one scene.
Multi day packages cover a ceremony one day and an adventure session the next, or two regions on one trip. These are almost always custom quotes.
Travel fees
Many Colorado elopement photographers include travel anywhere in the state, building it into the package price. Others charge mileage or a flat fee for regions far from their base, and add lodging when a sunrise start means they need to stay the night before. A Denver based photographer driving to Telluride for a 5 a.m. call will price that trip differently from a sunset in Boulder. Expect roughly $200 to $800 in travel and lodging fees for a distant mountain town when they are not included (estimate). Ask for travel in writing before you compare quotes.
Permits and who pays
Permit fees are sometimes passed through to you, so learn the rules for your land.
- National parks. The National Park Service says permits and fees are never required for photography associated with an event authorized under a written instrument, such as a wedding permit. Rocky Mountain National Park’s weddings page says photography and video are allowed under the Special Use Permit, and you can go to other locations in the park afterward without an additional permit. The $300 administrative fee for the wedding permit is yours. Drones are prohibited in the park.
- National forests. The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests note that photographers and other businesses involved in an event may need their own permits depending on the situation. Ask how yours handles this.
- State parks. Colorado Parks and Wildlife says wedding photos taken by a professional photographer may require a photography permit, and sends you to each park’s page.
- County open space. Jefferson County Parks and Open Space requires a $125 calendar year permit for small scale professional portrait photography on its land.
A photographer who already holds annual permits for the places they shoot often will not charge you for them. One who needs a single use permit for your date may pass it through. See our guides to the RMNP permit and national forest elopements.
What is in a package
- An online gallery for viewing, downloading and sharing.
- Edited images. Many photographers quote a range, often 40 to 80 images per hour of coverage (estimate), rather than a fixed number.
- Delivery time. Commonly four to eight weeks for the full gallery, with a few previews sooner.
- Planning help. Location ideas, permit guidance and a timeline. This ranges from a PDF to weeks of emails.
- A second shooter on some full day packages.
- Prints and albums, usually extra. Albums often add $500 to $1,500 (estimate).
Video add ons and Colorado elopement videographers
Video is either sold as an add on from a photo and video team or booked separately from a dedicated videographer. A highlight film of three to six minutes is the standard deliverable, with a longer ceremony edit or raw footage as upgrades. Booked alongside photography, video typically adds $1,500 to $4,000 (estimate). A dedicated videographer for a full day often runs $3,000 to $6,000 on its own (estimate). Ask whether audio of your vows is captured with a lavalier microphone, because wind at altitude ruins camera audio. Remember that drones are banned in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Deposits and payment schedules
Most photographers hold your date with a non refundable retainer, often 25 to 50 percent of the package (estimate), and collect the balance a few weeks before the date. Read the contract for what happens if weather, a road closure or a lost permit moves your date. Many photographers will reschedule within a set window instead of refunding.
Questions to ask and how to compare quotes
- How many hours, and when does the clock start?
- Is travel included to our location, and is lodging extra?
- Do you hold the permits for our site, and who pays any fee?
- How many edited images, and how long until delivery?
- What happens if weather forces us to change the date?
- Is video offered, and is it the same team?
Put each quote into the same terms: hours, travel, permits, images and video. Then compare the work itself. Look at full galleries, not only the highlights on social media, and pick the photographer whose light and style you love.
Next steps
Browse Colorado photographers by region, compare them against the bundles in our elopement packages guide, and see how the photographer fits into the full budget in the cost guide. The Summit County guide and Estes Park guide cover the places most packages are built around. Save quotes side by side in your free planner.
