For the wedding couple and their guests, the family photos are the images that are most likely to be printed but the largest quantity of people. However, no one wants to stand around taking pictures rather than celebrating the wedding. We’ll talk about how to balance capturing solid family photos with making sure it doesn’t negatively impact the wedding day experience.

Then, we’ll discuss some tips for family photos that will help achieve your goals, whether you’re a bride or a photographer. And finally, I’ll share a recommended shot list for your family photos. Which is the one and only time of the day that I like to have a show list.

Family Wedding Photos: The Pictures Everyone Wants But No One Wants to Take

Family photos. Beloved images but an often hated pastime. Wrangling people when some family members run off to the bar while others are in the reception or bathroom is an impossible task. A wedding day is short and sweet, every minute is precious.

Every minute spent taking photos is a minute not spent enjoying your family members and wedding guests. Wedding photography is very important. But so is having amazing wedding day memories. A lot of people who have been in a few bridal party photos, have had negative experiences around how much time they spend wasting, I mean waiting on photos.

My philosophy for family photos is that they are some of the most important pictures that I take on any given wedding day and yet they are the ones that I try to be the most efficient on. I want to spend limited time on these photos so that my couples have both a great experience and great images.

Family Wedding Photo Tips

How do we get great family photos but do it efficiently? That’s the challenge when it comes to most wedding photos, it’s just most important with the family wedding photos because of how many people are involved. The more people you add to the wedding family photos, the more complicated it gets mostly because of the time you spend waiting around for various people.

In this section, I’m going to talk about dealing with the details of all the family members. Then I’m going to address how to make the photos great. Using all this information, you’ll be abe to come up with a strategy that will work best for you.

How Long Do Family Photos Take

The first question to come to terms with is how long family wedding photos take. Often, not understanding this is why the experience ends up being so bad. Couples think they can just knock out family photos really quick but it actually takes time to move people in and out of the frame.

I like to put an estimate on each combination in order to do simple math. For example, let’s say you’re going to take 10 different pictures and it’ll take an average of 1 minute per picture, you know that’s 10 minutes. The tricky part is that the more people involved, the longer the pictures take.

With a big and complicated family, your average might end up closer to 2 or 3 minutes per picture which adds up quickly with every photo combination you decide to do. Putting time to each photo that you’re taking helps you know how valuable that time is. While it can be nice to think you want every combination just in case, when you start to add up all that time you suddenly realize it’s more important to prioritize.

Immediate Family Versus All the Family Members

One of the easiest ways to limit the family pictures it to do immediate family only. This is a huge time savings but often disappoints the extended family members who wanted a family reunion picture. Often a good compromise is to just do one extended family photo and ensure you don’t get out of control with a cousin’s pic and an aunt’s pic and a million other combinations.

Who a couple wants in their wedding photos varies from couple to couple. There are family expectations and boundary-setting that need to take place. Family dynamics play a big role in how this all goes down.

I find that the best thing to do is to remember that every photo will suck 2 minutes of time and those minutes will add up. Therefore, ideally, we want to limit the number of photo combinations. But from there, it’s easy to share with moms or other family members the proposed family picture list and make sure there’s nothing else that’s super important to them.

Dealing with Family Dynamics

All of that brings us to family dynamics. The more complicated the family dynamics, the more complicated a whole family portrait list or picture list can get. However, it’s better to think things through ahead of time because you can build a shot list based on what will keep everyone happy.

As you’ll see later when I build a family picture list, I try to build a list that will be most efficient for moving people in and out of the frame. If there are people that can’t stand next to each other or be in a photo together, the efficiency will change. But sometimes it’s important for the experience to keep certain people separate.

In a similar vein, I will often change the shot list order if there are small children or grandparents who for whatever reason can’t be as patient as the rest of the families. I always ask my couples about family dynamics as well as the mobility of grandparents and the patience of small children. Then, I’ll use that information to help inform who goes first.

What About All the Other Cameras

When I’m taking family photos I snap a handful so that there is a high likelihood that everyone will have their eyes open in at least one image. The biggest disruptor to that success is when other family members are trying to take pictures at the same time. Then, people don’t know where to look and it harms the quality of the photo.

The best thing to do is either to tell everyone ahead of time that the photos will be shared and they don’t need to stress. But people will still want their own photos. The second best thing to do is to just let them go first.

They’ll snap a photo really quickly because they’ll feel guilty for being in the paid photographer’s way, and then they’ll stay out of your way. It works most of the time and is peer pressure at its finest. The posed pictures taken with the professional camera are going to be much better than an iPhone snapshot anyway.

Backdrops for Family Photos: The View Versus the Light

Now, speaking of the opinions of others, there is some controversy around where to do family portraits. Do you do them in front of the epic view? Do you do them where the best light is?

Or do you do family photos where it’s most convenient for everyone to walk and stand? Many people will have strong opinions on the answers to those questions. Ideally, you want all three and sometimes that works out if the ceremony backdrop is the prettiest view and the light is cooperative.

Otherwise, you have to prioritize, and while in my opinion, the wedding family photo is about the family and therefore soft light on everyone’s faces is most important. However, in the opinion of most of my clients and their families, they chose to get married somewhere epic so they want epic views in their photos. Therefore, we often need to find solutions to how to get nicely lit photos with tricky lighting with a nice backdrop somewhere that everyone can easily get to.

Sometimes, you need to light the family photos to accomplish your goals. While I’d rather use natural light for group shots since flash is slower, if the view is vital sometimes artificial light is necessary.

Timing for Family Photos

One of the easiest ways to know whether the backdrop is going to be a problem is to identify the timing for the family wedding portraits and what the light is going to be like. In a dream world, you would plan everything around beautiful light.

For wedding day family portraits the timing typically comes down to when it works best with the wedding day schedule. I almost always vote for right after the ceremony because everyone will be present and accounted for. Inevitably if I try to do the group photos just before the ceremony to save time during cocktail hour, someone is missing or late and we have to re-do the shots anyway.

If it’s immediate family only, I think you can get away with a lot more flexibility because the bridal party is often getting ready with the bride anyway and the bride’s parents want to be ready when the bride is. But often in trying to save time and getting photos done before the ceremony, we just end up with prolonging the efficiency of the photos.

Recommended Family Photo Shot List for Your Wedding Day

Below I’ll share a sample shot list for your wedding day.

You’ll see the way I build up a photo trying to minimize how often I’ve moving anyone in or out of a photo.

Traditional Family Wedding Photo Groupings

If you’re dealing with a traditional family, meaning parents who are still married to each other, you might end up with 24 picture combinations. Here’s an example of 12 pictures that might be important to do.

Example of Bride’s immediate and extended family photos

1. Bride with Mom

2. Bride with Dad

3. Bride with Mom and Dad

4. Bride and Groom with Bride’s parents

5. Bride and Groom with Bride’s parents and siblings

6. Bride and Groom with Bride’s parents, siblings, and siblings families

7. Bride and Groom with Bride’s parents, siblings, siblings families, and maternal grandparents

8. Bride and Groom with Bride’s parents, siblings, siblings families, maternal grandparents, and maternal extended family

9. Bride and Groom with Bride’s parents, siblings, siblings families, and paternal grandparents

10. Bride and Groom with Bride’s parents, siblings, siblings families, paternal grandparents, and paternal extended family

11. Bride and Groom with paternal grandparents

12. Bride and Groom with maternal grandparents

Then, you would repeat the list with the groom’s immediate and the groom’s extended family. This is a lot of photos, even though you might cross off some combinations depending on the families. You’re looking at 24 photo-combinations and that’s without adding any special combos like mom and grandma or all the cousins.

Divorced or Blended Family Wedding Photo Groupings

The possible combinations grow as the family combinations get more complicated. In the example below you’ll see 19 combinations of just the bride’s side which puts the total photo-combinations to 38 if both families do the same.

Example of Bride’s extended and immediate family wedding photos:

1. Bride with Mom

2. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom

3. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom and stepdad

4. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom, stepdad, and siblings

5. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom, stepdad, and siblings families

6. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom, stepdad, siblings, siblings families, and maternal grandparents

7. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom, stepdad, siblings, siblings families, maternal grandparents, and maternal extended family

8. Bride and Groom with maternal grandparents

9. Bride with Dad

10. Bride and Groom with Bride’s dad

11. Bride and Groom with Bride’s dad and stepmom

12. Bride and Groom with Bride’s dad, stepmom, and siblings

13. Bride and Groom with Bride’s dad, stepmom, and siblings families

14. Bride and Groom with Bride’s dad, stepmom, siblings, siblings families, and paternal grandparents

15. Bride and Groom with Bride’s dad, stepmom, siblings, siblings families, and paternal grandparents, and paternal extended family

16. Bride and Groom with paternal grandparents

17. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom and dad

18. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom, dad, and siblings

19. Bride and Groom with Bride’s mom, dad, siblings, and siblings families

You can see how quickly family photo lists can grow. And some combinations are more important than others. I think it’s important to think about what photos might actually get printed by someone. Focus on those and cross out the rest.

Honoring Moments With Grandparents

Lastly, one of the things that has become more important in life to me over the years is making sure to honor moments with grandparents. I’ve resent family photos to couples over the years when a grandparent has passed and they’re looking for good photos of the grandparent.

Sometimes the grandparents talk to the couple before or after the posed shot, this is a fun and great time to honor the moments with grandparents.

More Wedding Photography Tips

Here on the Bergreen blog, we teach the basics of photography for both Brides and photographers. We offer tips for planning for wedding from location advice and beyond.

Learn things such as the exposure triangle and camera settings. We also review some of our favorite gear. Let us know what you’re interested in and we’ll do our best to help take your photography to the next level.

Next, check out our candid moments shooting guide, marketing guide, or our 9 Best Tips for Outdoor Wedding Photographers. Links to products are affiliate links.

About the author

I am Brenda Bergreen, one half of an Evergreen husband and wife photography team specializing in Colorado wedding photography and videography, and adventure photography. If you need wedding photography tips or advice on the best gear for your goals, reach out.

Download our free guide on how to build a creative business and a life you love. Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help!

In the meantime, remember to…

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What I mean is going beyond the style of the photography. I’m going to talk about the style of the photographer and how their interaction with the wedding couples impacts the stories they are telling. As storytellers, most photographers put a little bit of themselves into their work. Therefore, you can see why the photographers’ style matters.

In this article, I’m going to go beyond the style of photography for wedding pictures themselves and talk about the style of the photographer. How does the wedding photographer impact the wedding photography? Or to go further, how do they impact the wedding experience?

Less Talked About Wedding Photography Styles

Let’s be honest, have you been to a wedding where you remember the photographer? If I were to ask that question to a room full of people I would probably get three different answers. Here is how I would categorize them.

Impressions of the Wedding Photographer

1. Yes, I remember the photographer at this one wedding and they were terrible. We spent hours taking photos and it was so hot and boring. We just wanted to celebrate.

2. No, I don’t really remember the photographer. I remember the food or the dance party.

3. Yes, I remember this one photographer who just helped make everything go so smoothly and efficiently. They were unobtrusive to our day but also made the experience so much better.

Do you understand where I’m going now? I’m talking about a less talked about wedding photography style that can make or break a wedding day. Because the photographer is always there and always around. They should be an asset, not a liability.

The “Other” Wedding Photography Styles

Let’s talk about the three different types of wedding photographer and their wedding photography style. This is beyond if your images come out dark and moody or if you shoot in a photojournalistic style. In this section, I’m talking about how wedding photographers act at the wedding and how that impacts their couples.

The Hollywood Director

Some wedding photographers fancy themselves Hollywood directors. They want to produce epic wedding photos and they’ll choreograph the wedding day to make that possible. This is great for couples who want a highly produced wedding day but less great for those who want to enjoy their guests and have their photographer capture some candids.

Fly On The Wall

Completely opposite of the wedding photographer who is directing the day is the photographer who takes the photojournalistic style to the other extreme. This wedding photographer is a fly on the wall that doesn’t interfere with the wedding at all but rather tries to capture everything in its pure form. This is great for the couple that doesn’t want photographer interference.

Unobtrusive but Helpful

Somewhere in the middle, and the exact balance will depend on photographers own unique style, is the photographer who tries to remain unobtrusive while also being helpful. They will direct certain aspects of the day when necessary or even immerse themselves in the moment, but their goal is to enhance the moment by utilizing their expertise.

The Photography Styles You Typically Think Of

In this section, I’m going to review the popular wedding photography styles that you typically think of, mostly because I don’t want to disappoint if that’s the reason you clicked on this article. These wedding photography styles are important to note too because they’re part of what sets one photographer apart from another.

If a bride is looking for and expecting a certain wedding photography style, it’s important that they find a wedding photographer that fits what they’re looking for.

Traditional Wedding Photography

The wedding industry has grown but traditional wedding photography is what you think of when you look at wedding photos of grandparents. It’s typically more about posed photos of who was present. Most couples want at least some traditional-style photos from their wedding, meaning they want some family portraits even if they want the rest of their photos to take on a different style.

The classic images from a wedding day are those key shots like the first kiss, exit from the aisle, or cake cutting. The right photographer for any particular couple will capture the right amount of these classic shots and posed shots. Some couples have less traditional weddings where the wedding day is less prescriptive so that can

Editorial-Style Wedding Photography

The editorial photography style is what you think of when you look at a magazine photoshoot. Similarly, editorial wedding photos are going to include a lot of details to show the style of the wedding. Many photographers shoot some editorial-style photos in their image collection.

Photojournalistic Wedding Photography

The photojournalistic style is popular for couples seeking to capture candid moments that seem more real. The candid photography style tries for minimal interference from the wedding photographer so that moments are more genuine. Different photographers have different standards for how strict they are about interfering.

Lifestyle Photography for Weddings

Lifestyle photography for weddings falls somewhere between editorial and photojournalistic wedding photography, in my opinion. There might be real moments but sometimes they are more staged and directed in order to make it look a certain way. This isn’t a common term used for a wedding photography style because most photographers will fall into one of the other categories but the more directive a photojournalist gets the more they move away from pure photojournalism to something else.

Fine Art Wedding Photography Style

When you think of fine art photography you think of photography that is about the creative expression of the artist. Fine art wedding photography is similar where the photographer might express more through their photos than what meets the eye. In my mind, this is about quality over quantity and a photographer might spend more time on fewer images.

Wedding Photography Editing Styles

Beyond how a photographer approaches the day comes how the photographer edits the wedding day. This is where you get the photos that are edited differently. Some photographers deliver moody images while others deliver airy photos, while some of this is based on how the photographer shoots much of it happens in post-production.

If a bride wants vintage wedding photography, black and white photography, or dark and moody photography, that really applies more to how the photographer edits their images than their approach to shooting. A photojournalist might be dark and moody in their editing, for example.

I think that the post-production style has the biggest impact on whether you end up with timeless images or more trendy images. Wedding photography has evolved over time but it’s also still wedding photography. The style of wedding photography doesn’t change the subject of what we’re photographing.

Other Things That Impact a Photographer’s Style

Let’s talk about a few other things that can impact a photographer’s style. Sometimes the venue plays a part in the style of wedding photography. Outdoor weddings, for example, are easier to shoot natural light or aerial photography.

Wedding photojournalism is popular but sometimes the wedding photographer has to play the part of wedding planner by helping things move along. If the wedding party doesn’t know when to go where, the wedding photographer choose to keep people on task. The different wedding photography styles then can start to blend together and feel less like any one particular style.

On that note, a photographer might embody more than one style resulting in their own signature style that is a blend of different styles. This is actually great because in creating their own style they’re able to differentiate themselves from other wedding photographers and set expectations for their wedding clients.

Choosing the Style of Photography for a Wedding

So how do you choose your wedding photography style? Or how does a bride choose a fine art wedding photographer over a photojournalistic dark and moody photographer? It comes down to what a couple is looking for in their photography and whether that’s compatible with how a photographer likes to create images.

Arguably, a wedding photographer could simply edit in various post-processing styles to get a dark and moody style or a light and airy style. Some of those looks come from your shooting style and how you’re using the natural light or camera flash. But some of it comes from how you edit.

Either way, many wedding photographers have both a personality style, approach to how they shoot, and vision for how they edit. The different wedding photography styles are based on what someone likes to create. For example, if you love flying a drone you might develop an aerial wedding photography style. And then similar a bride will choose the right photographer for her based on her interests.

More Wedding Photography Tips

Here on the Bergreen blog, we teach the basics of photography for both Brides and photographers. Learn things such as the exposure triangle and camera settings. We also review some of our favorite gear. Let us know what you’re interested in and we’ll do our best to help take your photography to the next level.

Next, check out our candid moments shooting guide or our 9 Best Tips for Outdoor Wedding Photographers. You might love these marketing tips for growing your business or pricing tips. Links to products are affiliate links.

About the author

I am Brenda Bergreen, one half of an Evergreen husband and wife photography team specializing in Colorado wedding photography and videography, and adventure photography. If you need wedding photography tips or advice on the best gear for your goals, reach out.

Download our free guide on how to build a creative business and a life you love. Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help!

In the meantime, remember to…

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Some of our favorite locations in the Colorado mountains for a wedding aren’t venues at all. We love helping couples elope in a beautiful setting off the grid. But we also love helping couples gather with their friends and families to support them, which often means finding a wedding venue with shelter, bathrooms, and parking lot among other simple comforts.

The Evergreen Lake House boasts a nice balance of comfort and nature that makes for a truly magical venue for your wedding ceremony. In this blog post, I’ll talk more about why we love shooting wedding photography at the Evergreen Lake house. Then, we’ll give some wedding planning tips. And of course, we’ll share some of our wedding photography from this special place.

Why We Love Weddings at Evergreen, CO Lake House

There are many challenges to getting married in Colorado’s rocky mountains. Many couples go on the search to a gorgeous venue dreaming of the perfect outdoor ceremony and celebratory reception nestled under the peaks. The problem is that a Colorado wedding is more complicated than that.

It might rain, snow, sleet, or throw any variety of weather conditions at you at any point in the year in Colorado. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love an adventure as much as anyone (probably more.) However, when it comes to weddings sometimes it’s nice to ensure the comfort of your guests.

Evergreen, Colorado is only an hour from the Denver airport or 30 minutes from downtown Denver and at an elevation of 7000 feet. While we’re still above the mile-high city, it’s not as bad as some higher-elevation wedding venues for your out-of-town guests that aren’t used to the altitude. You can have an outdoor ceremony on a mountain lake and still move indoors for dinner.

What Makes the Lake House Such a Beautiful Venue

Now, since wedding photography is our job, we always look at a wedding venue from the wedding photography standpoint. To be clear, the Evergreen Lake House doesn’t have big mountain views of giant rugged peaks, instead, it boasts rolling green mountains. So it may not be the most epic location to a wedding photographer that’s traveled to some of the world’s most magical places for weddings, but it’s a stunning venue nonetheless.

I personally love shooting at the Lake House because it’s incredibly familiar to me, being only a mile from my house. And at the same time, it is different every time I visit. Whether I’m anticipating fairytale snowfalls, enjoying the green of summer, or waiting for the ice skating rink to melt, I love the views from the lake.

As a wedding photographer, I love shooting both familiar are new locations as both provide entertaining space for my creativity. The Lake House has a lot of great angles from the outdoor deck or surrounding features to inside the building itself.

Tips for Planning a Lake House Wedding

As with any wedding planning, I always suggest deciding on what your priorities are so that you can allocate your budget accordingly. When it comes to checking all of the boxes, the Evergreen Lake House staff will give you a list of (and every provide an opportunity to meet) preferred caterers and other vendors. You don’t have to follow the list but if you do, you can be assured they’re used to working at the wedding venue.

The building has relatively simple decor with simple string lights, rustic mountain charm, and huge windows. You can decide how much or little work to do to transform it towards your wedding day vision. From there, it’s all about envisioning your wedding day and planning for a great experience.

Based on event date and your rental time (there are different time blocks) you’ll decide on other locations such as where to stay, get ready, or do a first look. We can always help with any of that from a wedding photography standpoint by showing you the best places and times for pictures.

Looking for an Evergreen wedding photographer?

Thanks for checking out this vendor highlight to hear why the Evergreen Lake House is one of our favorite places to capture your wedding photography. Check them out. As Colorado wedding photographers, our style is both environmental and experiential. That means we focus on capturing the beauty of your surroundings as well as the amazing experience you’re having on your wedding day.

You’ll see our landscape portraits and our photojournalistic storytelling candids. Once you’ve selected your wedding venue, reach out and let’s talk about your photography! Whether you’re having an outdoor reception or need help picking ceremony locations, we’re here to help with planning and logistics.

As I mentioned, the Evergreen Lake House is our local wedding venue so we know it well and it has a special place in our hearts. Lakeside outdoor ceremonies are memorable. It’s also a great venue for a winter wedding because you can always have the ceremony indoors if it’s too cold on the outdoor deck.

More Evergreen Lake House Wedding Photos in Colorado

Below is a list of weddings that we’ve shot at the Evergreen Lake House. Since they host weddings year round, it’s a perfect location for great indoor/outdoor wedding ceremony. Every couple has brought their own unique twist to their Evergreen Lake House wedding ceremonies, which can be seen in their wedding photography.

• Cole & Taylor – Wedding at Evergreen Lake House Colorado

• Trevor & Lucille – Married at the Lake House Evergreen Colorado

• Kelly & David – Evergreen Lakehouse Wedding

• Brooke and Jason – Evergreen Colorado Wedding Photography and Videography

• Kevin and Kim – Evergreen Lake House Colorado Wedding Photos

• Noah and Sarah – Summer Evergreen Lake Wedding

• Brooke and Sam – Evergreen Lake House Wedding Pictures

• Summer and Citrus – Evergreen Lake House Wedding Inspiration

Next, check out more of our work in Evergreen. There are other great venues like the Barn at Memorial Park and Boettcher Mansion.

More Wedding Photography and Videography

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen. We’re a husband and wife team of adventurous Colorado wedding and elopement photographers. Above all our philosophy, love. adventurously. is the guidepost for everything we do.

Based in Evergreen, CO we travel throughout the state as Colorado adventure wedding photographers to awesome places like Beaver Creek. Find us in Vail, Breckenridge, Estes Park, and more. Additionally, we frequently travel to California and other wedding destinations.

Be sure to check out photography tips on the blog for things like how to price photography or more of our work as Colorado wedding photographers and videographers! We love capturing adventurous couples in the beautiful places they choose to say I do.

In the meantime, remember to…

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As storytelling photographers, it’s important to us that our wedding couples have an amazing wedding day experience. The more fun the couple and their guests are having, the more we can capture that experience in a way that is meaningful to them. We love working at the Flagstaff house because we cam always count on a fantastic wedding and therefore delivering great photos.

In this post I’m going to talk about (and show you) what makes the Flagstaff house the perfect wedding venue. I’ll also give you a list of other Boulder wedding venues to consider as well as venue selection criteria to help with your wedding planning. Choosing the perfect venue is the first step in most wedding planning journeys, so let’s make it a good one.

Criteria for Selecting the Perfect Boulder Wedding Venue

From searching for natural beauty for your wedding day to creating the experience that you want your wedding guests to have, let’s talk through some criteria for selecting the perfect Boulder wedding venue. You’ll want to notice how each of these criteria categories resonates with you so that you can determine your own values and priorities.

As Colorado wedding photographers, we love mountain views. Many of our couples choose to get married in Colorado because it’s so beautiful and we want to be able to capture that. From there, many couples biggest expense is the food so let’s make sure that’s a worthy investment.

And lastly, as I mentioned above, we love when a wedding venue results in an incredible experience for our couples. Is the staff friendly, professional, and on top of making sure your wedding day runs smoothly? Let’s answer these questions and more below.

Mountain Views

When you think about what makes a Boulder wedding special, you definitely want mountain views. But more specifically, you want views of the Flatirons. The Flagstaff house property sits on Flagstaff mountain and boasts views of the flatirons and downtown Boulder from it’s beautiful decks rooftop terrace.

It’s conveniently located close to downtown boulder, in case you’re getting ready at the St Julien Hotel and Spa, but you get to go on an adventurous drive up Flagstaff road to a beautiful viewing with stunning views of boulder canyon. There are also great spots for portraits nearby allowing for photographers like us to capture the vibe of Boulder CO.

You can begin with portraits with views of the foothills, Flatirons, or the Rocky mountains from a nearby park. Then you can say your vows at an outdoor venue at the Sunrise Amphitheater or on the Flagstaff deck. Finally, while you sit in the event space sipping your wine, you overlook Boulder CO as the sun sets and downtown boulder lights up.

Incredible Food

Whenever I’m giving wedding planning advice, I always tell couples that their first task is to determine their priorities. You can’t decide what to focus on or how to spend your budget until you know what is most important to you. If you don’t take the time to do this, you’ll end up wasting money on things you don’t care about and missing out on the things you do.

And what is one of the most important things to a lot of couples? Serving delicious food to their wedding guests. If serving a good meal to your guests is high on your priority list, the Flagstaff House delivers.

With many wedding venues all you get is the location. With the Flagstaff house you get build in delicious food and you can check catering off your to-do list. And in case you’re worried about your photographers and other vendors, Flagstaff house treats us well too and doesn’t cheap out when serving vendor meals.

Stress Free

Finally, when selecting your wedding venue, I highly recommend you find an event venue that knows what they’re doing. The staff should be friendly, professional, and good at what they do. You want to know that you’re in good hands and that your wedding day will go smoothly.

We’ve been to Flagstaff many times over the years and there’s always staff that we recognize year to year. Their wedding coordinator Annie does an amazing job of making sure everything is top notch for the couple. As photographers, we love knowing that the wedding day is going to be smooth.

There are enough inevitable bumpy parts of throwing a party but if the wedding venue is like a well oiled machine then you’re bound to be able to smooth anything out that comes up. Flagstaff is great at weddings but they’re not a wedding factory. What I mean is, they aren’t just rushing one couple out so they can bring in the next. Instead, they are truely serving each couple that enters their doors.

Highlights of Getting Married in Boulder CO

There are a lot of great things about getting married in Boulder CO. It’s lower elevation than towns higher in the Rocky Mountains but you definitely get the outdoorsy vibe even from downtown boulder. The wedding season is also longer than higher elevations especially if your wedding venue has both indoor and outdoor spaces.

The Flagstaff is flexible and we’ve shot both indoor and outdoor receptions. The natural light is beautiful will the floor to ceiling windows in the indoor space. The indoor space is part of what makes it one of my favorite wedding venues because sometimes the indoor ceremony backup location isn’t as good as the outdoor ceremony sites.

Speaking of ceremony sites, we’ve even had couples take portraits or elope in places like Rocky Mountain National Park and then have their reception at the Flagstaff House. That’s the best of both worlds in terms of having a nice reception and a adventurous outdoor ceremony. You can always separate your wedding venue from your ceremony venue if you don’t have one place that fits all of your weddings.

Other Boulder Wedding Venues:

Maybe you’re not convinced and you’re still looking for wedding venues in Boulder, CO. Below are some Boulder wedding venues to explore. This list of wedding venues in Boulder isn’t comprehensive but it is a great start to help you find what you’re looking for.

• A-Lodge Boulder

• Black Cat Organic Farm

• Boulder Country Club

• Boulder Creek by Wedgewood Weddings

• Boulder Flower Farm

• Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art

• Boulder Music and Event Center

• Boulder Theater

• Burning Sky Farm

• Chautauqua Dining Hall

• Embassy Suites by Hilton Boulder

• Flagstaff House Restaurant – Check it out!

• Greenbriar Inn

• Greystone Castle

• Haystack Hearth

• Hotel Boulderado

• Koenig Alumni Center at CU Boulder

• Lionscrest Manor

• Lone Hawk Farm

• Lyons Farmette

• Millennium Harvest House Hotel

• Sanitas Brewing Co.

• Shupe Homestead

• Sparrow Hawk Ranch

• Stone Mountain Lodge

• The Boulder Farmhouse

• The St Julien Hotel and Spa – Events and Accommodations

• The Studio Boulder

• Vermillion Hill

• Wild Basin Lodge

• Yellowstone Farm

Looking for a Boulder wedding photographer?

Thanks for checking out this vendor highlight to hear how we choose our favorite wedding venues and why the Flagstaff House made the top of our list for Boulder Colorado wedding venues. As Colorado wedding photographers, our style is both environmental and experiential. That means we focus on capturing the beauty of your surroundings as well as the amazing experience you’re having on your wedding day.

You’ll see our landscape portraits and our photojournalistic storytelling candids. Once you’ve selected your wedding venue, reach out and let’s talk about your photography! Whether you’re having an outdoor reception or need help picking ceremony locations, we’re here to help with planning and logistics.

Flagstaff House Weddings

Below are some weddings we’ve shot at the Flagstaff House if you’re planning a wedding there and looking for inspiration. Every couple is unique and every wedding is as well, reach out and let us help make your wedding day fit your vision!

• Robbie and Mark – Flagstaff Restaurant Wedding

• Amy and Austin – Sunrise Ampitheater & Flagstaff House

• Dovydas and Sam –Flagstaff HouseWedding

• Caroline and Nick – Flagstaff Mountain

• Courtney and Wiley – Boulder Wedding Photography

• Allison and Michael – Joyful Boulder CO Wedding (and Hike)

• Robin and Geoffrey – Intimate Boulder Wedding Photography

More Wedding Photography and Videography

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen. We’re a husband and wife team of adventurous Colorado wedding and elopement photographers. Above all our philosophy, love. adventurously. is the guidepost for everything we do.

Based in Evergreen, CO we travel throughout the state as Colorado adventure wedding photographers to awesome places like Beaver Creek. Find us in Vail, Breckenridge, Estes Park, and more. Additionally, we frequently travel to California and other wedding destinations.

Be sure to check out photography tips on the blog for things like how to price photography or more of our work as Colorado wedding photographers and videographers! We love capturing adventurous couples in the beautiful places they choose to say I do.

In the meantime, remember to…

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The Purpose of the Engagement Session

Your engagement session can be one of the fun parts of wedding planning. Even if you don’t think you’re photogenic or if you’re not comfortable in front of the camera. We work with normal people like you and we focus on having fun and making memories.

Having an adventure is one of the best ways to distract you from the fact that someone is following you around with a camera! Your engagement session will allow you to get photos from this important stage in your relationship. Couples use those photos on their website or save-the-dates, invitations, and more.

But beyond that, the engagement session gives you a chance to work with your photographer before the wedding day. This not only makes you more comfortable on the wedding day but it is a fun part of the wedding planning process.

Best Places in Colorado for Engagement Photos

We’ve taken engagement photos in Colorado and beyond. It’s one of our favorite aspects of working with our couples. Engagement photography doesn’t have time pressure or location limitations! We can explore the best places and locations.

As Colorado engagement photographers, based in the foothills of the Rockies, we love the iconic places that make Colorado the photography destination that it is. However, we specialize in exploring places you’ve never seen that are off the beaten path.

Let us help you find the perfect backdrop for your engagement photos. Colorado engagement photo locations are breathtaking. They vary in accessibility and some of the best require a little hiking or off-roading. Whether you’re looking for an alpine lake or a summit, we’re here to help, let’s have an adventure.

Choosing a Vibe to Guide Your Engagement Photo Locations

Before you can select engagement session locations, you need to determine the vibe you’re going for and the season. Is it winter in Rocky Mountain National Park, fall colors at lake Dillon, or spring in Colorado springs?

I prefer not to get into specific locations because that’s how locations get over crowded. Over crowded locations can negatively impact your experience. I suggest thinking through these suggestions and then using this information to communicate with your photographer what you’re looking for.

Mountain Majesty:

Consider heading to the Rockies for a dramatic and awe-inspiring engagement session. Whether it’s against the backdrop of snow-capped peaks or amidst alpine meadows, the majestic scenery will add a touch of grandeur to your photos. Sunrise and sunset shoots can infuse warm tones and a magical atmosphere, creating a truly enchanting experience.

Urban Elegance:

For couples who prefer an urban vibe, cities like Denver and Boulder provide a sophisticated setting. Stroll through historic districts, explore vibrant street art, or pose against modern architectural wonders. Urban engagement sessions in Colorado offer a blend of contemporary charm and timeless romance.

Lakeside Serenity:

Colorado boasts numerous pristine lakes, offering serence and tranquil settings for engagement photography. From the reflective waters of Bear Lake to the picturesque shores of Dillon Reservoir, lakeside sessions provide a peaceful and romantic atmosphere for capturing intimate moments.

Seasonal Delights:

Embrace Colorado’s distinct seasons for a diverse range of engagement photo opportunities. Whether it’s the golden hues of fall foliage, the snowy wonderland of winter, or the vibrant blooms of spring, each season brings its own unique charm to the canvas of your love story.

Narrowing Down Engagement Session Locations

Closer to Denver

Depending on logistics, you might want to consider something close to Denver. There are still beautiful natural spots like Roxborough State Park. If you want to do a photo shoot at Roxborough State Park or any of the state parks or open spaces, you’ll want to make sure your photographer can get a photo permit.

Iconic Locations

Are you on the hunt for well-known locations such as Rocky Mountain National Park? (Photo permit needed.) Maybe you want mountain views and aspen trees in Vail or Breckenridge. Colorado has some iconic locations like the Maroon Bells in Aspen, which can be fun. (Photo permit needed.)

Off the Beaten Path

If crowded and well-known locations aren’t your thing, there are golden aspen trees down secret roads throughout the state. An experienced engagement photographer will have their favorite engagement photo locations that they utilize for engagement sessions. (We aren’t listing them here because we want them to stay off the beaten path.)

We call it a PhotoDate: part photoshoot and part double date!

As Colorado engagement photographers we love helping you remember the joy of this time in your relationship with gorgeous engagement photos. But we like to make it an experience. We like to make the engagement session a fun memory from your engagement.

Whether it’s a shared passion like rock-climbing or mountain-biking or a special place like where he proposed, we’re excited to get you in front of our cameras. With our focus on having a great time, even couples that previously identified as not-photogenic end up having a blast.

We call your colorado engagement session a Photo Date, part photoshoot and part double date. It’s a chance to get your soon to be husband and wife team together with our husband and wife team and get comfortable in front of our cameras.

Let Your Wedding Photographer Be Your Guide

When we show up on your wedding day we want the stress level to go down, “Whew, there’s Marc and Brenda!” Because you already know how easy it is to work with us and you’ve seen that we’ll do an amazing job making you look good in your online gallery. Your engagement session has that power!

Don’t know where to start? Let us take you to one of the best places in Colorado for engagement photos and take in the epic mountain views together. We’ll help you find the perfect location either one of your favorite places that’s meaningful to you or one of the hidden gems we’ve found in over 10 years of experience.

Our goal is that the entire experience is one of the fun aspects of wedding planning. Your engagement pictures will help you remember your joy and love. Oh, and you’ll have some epic photos of yourselves in stunning mountain views.

Engagement Session Experience

The main goals for your engagement Photodate are: to have a fun and memorable experience, to celebrate and document this special time in your relationship, to get to know each other and get comfortable in front of our cameras.

Whether you’re planning a Colorado wedding or just looking for a photo session while you’re in the beautiful Rocky Mountain state, we’re here to capture your love on a mountain top or at sunset or under the Milky Way. We love to plan around sunrise or sunset when the light is most beautiful. And we also know to be flexible for whatever Colorado decides to offer us on any given day!

Sample Colorado Engagement Photography

Below are some sample colorado engagement photos:

Fall Engagement Photos | Jon and Jess

Colorado Engagement Pictures on a Mountain | Ian and Kelly

Vail Summer Engagement | Sophie and Andrew

Sequoia National Park Engagement Phot | Jagrut and Suhani

Colorado Engagement Pictures in the Mountains | Marilyn and Jordan

hSunrise Engagement Photos | Ben and Brittany

Fall Engagement Photo Shoot Colorado | Kelsey and Jeff

Colorado Fall Engagement Photos | Wendy and Allison

Colorado Engagement Pictures at an Alpine Lake | Anje and Alison

Colorado Springs Engagement Photos | Lauren and Jeff

Sunrise Breckenridge Engagement Photos | Lauren and Craig

Mountain Sunrise Engagement Photos | Alex and Charlie

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in mountain wedding photography and other adventures.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help with your photography needs!

In the meantime, remember to…

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Advice from Colorado Elopement Photographers and Videographers

As Colorado elopement photographers and videographers, we specialize in capturing adventurous couples in the beautiful places they choose to get married. Our Colorado elopement photography style is experiential and photojournalistic. We also love a good environmental portrait!

We can help you plan everything from the location to the timing to maximize both your experience and the beauty of the lighting. We offer elopement photography and/or videography but most importantly over a decade of experience helping adventurous couples say “I do” in memorable ways.

The Best Part About Your Colorado Mountain Elopement

The best part about your Colorado elopement is that there’s an insane amount of flexibility and freedom to make the day perfectly you.

You can plan to elope in Estes Park or Summit County. You can catch that epic sunrise or sunset light, you can go somewhere off the grid, and you can create your own traditions and have a memorable adventure.

When it comes to eloping in Colorado there are no rules for the timeline, agenda, or traditions! (You don’t even technically need an officiant. All you need is a Colorado elopement photographer and videographer.)

More Benefits to Eloping

With an elopement, you’re not late no matter when you start planning. All you need is the person you want to be your husband or wife. If you’re camera shy, a smaller event is a way to feel comfortable whether it’s the photography or the whole day that’s making you nervous.

If you want to hike, there’s time to hike when there might not be in traditional weddings. That means a better experience and better pictures too. Reach out and let’s document this special time in your relationship!

Your elopement destination doesn’t have to be easy to get to for all your guests, because you have fewer guests. You can plan for what you want to do instead. All you have to do is get a marriage license and depending on the location, local marriage laws can be very simple and straightforward.

The Elopement / Wedding Hybrid

Sometimes couples want to celebrate an intimate elopement and then follow it with a big reception. Photography can help bridge the divide. You can share a slideshow of your images or a video so that your guests can see the experience you had and feel like they’re a part of it. Your special day doesn’t have to be only one day.

Elopements might allow you to do outdoor activities on your wedding day that grandma might not be able to attend. But having a reception in addition might allow her to help you celebrate. There are countless ways to celebrate your big day, reach out if you want our help planning a great wedding day experience.

Elopement Planning for a Dream Elopement Day

Elopement planning is a unique and intimate way to exchange vows and start a life together. It’s a popular choice for couples who want to celebrate their love in a more private and personal way. Planning an elopement is much different than a traditional wedding, as the focus is on creating a more intimate experience that reflects the couple’s values and preferences. Couples can choose to elope in a variety of locations, from a beach in Hawaii to a mountaintop in Colorado, and there are endless possibilities for making it a truly special day.

When planning an elopement, it’s important to consider the location and logistics. Couples should research the location they want to elope to, including the weather, permits, and any legal requirements. They should also consider how they will get there and where they will stay. Some couples choose to hire a planner or elopement photographer to help them with logistics and to capture the special moments of their day.

Another important aspect of elopement planning is personalizing the experience. Couples can choose to incorporate their favorite hobbies, foods, and activities into their elopement day. They can also choose to write their own vows, exchange meaningful gifts, or include loved ones in the ceremony through video calls or personalized messages. The goal of elopement planning is to create a unique and memorable experience that reflects the couple’s love story and values.

Why do you need an adventure elopement photographer?

You may have heard us call ourselves adventure elopement photographers. We believe your love is an adventure and your wedding should be one too. We can easily help you plan the right amount of adventure for your elopement whether it’s close to the car or deep off the grid.

If you’re looking for a Colorado wedding photographer or Colorado elopement videographer, you want one that’s adventurous. Colorado has a lot to offer in terms of epic landscapes. Adventure elopement photographers specialize in helping you have an incredible experience.

We’ve learned that an incredible experience is the first step towards incredible pictures. With an adventure elopement photographer, it’s a win-win. You get adventure elopement photography to complement your dream elopement experience.

Wedding Photography in the Rocky Mountains

Wedding photography in the Rocky Mountains requires some extra planning and preparation to ensure that you and your photographer get the most out of this beautiful and unique location. First and foremost, it’s important to choose a photographer who has experience shooting in mountainous terrain and is familiar with the challenges that come with photographing in changing weather and lighting conditions.

Another important consideration when preparing for wedding photography in the Rocky Mountains is the weather. The mountains can be unpredictable, so it’s important to be prepared for anything from rain to snow to strong winds. It’s a good idea to pack extra layers and clothing options, including rain gear and warm jackets, as well as comfortable shoes for hiking or exploring mountain trails. You should also be prepared for the altitude and bring plenty of water and snacks to stay hydrated and energized.

Lastly, when preparing for wedding photography in the Rocky Mountains, don’t forget to take advantage of the stunning natural surroundings. The mountains offer a wide range of photo opportunities, from panoramic views to intimate, romantic settings.

What do you want your wedding day to look like?

Are you thinking you just want a few guests or to be alone with your fiance? Is it an intimate wedding, a micro wedding, or a true elopement? The definitions and details don’t matter as long as you identify what you want during the planning process and stay true to that throughout the entire process.

There are countless elopement planning resources out there. Ignore the ones that make you feel stressed and focus on the ones that align with your values. Whether you’re having a big wedding or a small wedding, focus on the experience of that epic moment.

As a husband and wife photography and videography team we want to help you avoid or embrace family drama whether you’re going to explore an alpine lake or other hidden gems. When you see your stress-free face captured in the beautiful landscape in our photos, I hope you remember the fun you had for the rest of your life.

Choosing a Colorado elopement photographer and videographer team

Whether I’m acting as a Colorado elopement videographer or photographer, I seem to also double as a wedding planner. Don’t look for just a photographer, look for an elopement photography team that has experience helping you with wedding planning. While elopements and intimate weddings are often simple and stress free, it helps to have someone in your corner that knows how to create a great experience.

When you’re choosing your Colorado elopement photographer and videographer, look for someone who seems to have values that align with yours. The vibe they present will show you the type of day you will have with them. For example, if you search for an Breckenridge colorado elopement videographer you might find someone very trendy and someone else very edgy, someone sporty and someone classy.

For example, we often call ourselves adventure elopement photographers because we like to help our couples add a little more adventure to their elopement day. As elopement planners, we help our couples find the perfect time and place to celebrate their love. If you want to hear more about our mountain elopement packages Colorado: see here.

Sample Colorado elopements:

breckenridge colorado elopement | alison and anje

Sunrise Elopement in Colorado | Travis and Alli

fall colorado wedding pictures | buffy and jesse

Is adventure elopement photography right for me?

Adventure elopements are just elopements with an adventure twist. Whether you want to plan an epic adventure or just a slight more adventurous day outdoors, adventure elopement photographers usually love helping you plan something memorable.

For the adventure elopement photographer, Colorado has a lot to offer. From intimate weddings in a small mountain town to adventurous outings to exchange vows, you can do it all. For an adventurous couple, you can make your wedding day whatever you want it to be.

To find the best Colorado elopement photographers, I suggest looking for the right Colorado elopement photographer. What I mean by that is that the best elopement photographers are the ones that are the right fit for their clients. We love adventure and think that it adds a little something to the already incredible experience of the wedding day.

That can mean different things. Maybe we take epic photos without getting too far from the car or maybe we hike to a remote location. Our goal is that you have an amazing time. With us, you also have the option of a Colorado elopement videographer in case you want the experience to be intimate but you want to share it with your friends and family.

Building a Custom Elopement Package

Whether you’re planning an intimate elopement to exchange vows with just the two of you or an intimate wedding ceremony with a few loved ones, we can help you decide what types of elopement packages would be a good fit. The best elopement packages might include coverage of everything from the elopement ceremony and intimate portraits to cutting a little wedding cake for two or a candlelight dinner. Different elopement locations will require different logistical challenges. National Parks might be more congested than exchanging vows on a private beach.

Just because you’re not doing a traditional wedding with invitations and all doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the most of your dream elopement. Some couples choose to do a destination wedding to make it memorable even if it’s not going to be a big celebration. We typically recommend 3-4 hours of coverage as a good starting point because you want enough time to capture a story of the day.

Our mountain elopement packages range from a simple portrait session to all-day coverage of your day. We help you plan what your wedding adventure will look like and customize a package for you. See more details on our colorado wedding photography and videography packages and FAQ page.

Looking for information on how to become an elopement photographer?

If you’re here because you’re an adventure elopement photographer Colorado-based or otherwise, we have some tips for you.

Check out our blog posts on Adventure Wedding Photography Advice and An Unforgettable Experience with a Colorado Elopement Photographer.

Look for a Colorado elopement videographer?

With our experience as Colorado elopement photographer and videographer, we act as an adventure elopement guide for our couples helping them with everything from selecting their elopement location to finding other elopement vendors.

If you’re looking for an adventure elopement photographer Colorado based that’s ready to take you on an amazing adventure, contact us. You can get an colorado elopement videographer too, we’re a husband and wife team ready to help you celebrate. Check out our testimonials to see why our clients think we’re the best elopement photographers!

Whether you’re looking to avoid a traditional wedding or just fascinated by the idea of an adventure wedding, we’re more than adventure elopement photographers. We’re tour guides and friends that care about your experience. Our clients don’t call us the best elopement photographers simply because they love our photos (which they do!) It’s also because they love their wedding day experience!

So whether you’re looking for a Breckenridge Colorado elopement videographer and photographer to tell your story or just trying to find a Colorado elopement videographer that doesn’t make you camera shy, reach out and let us talk about how to capture you in the best light possible. (Pun intended!)

More on wedding and elopement planning:

Below are some more elopement planning resources:

How to plan an elopement in 10 steps: the ceremony, the reception, the family

Planning Your Colorado Mountain Elopement (Less Stress More Views)

How to Get Married in Colorado & How to Elope in Colorado

Elope with Family (A Little Something for Everyone)

Wedding vs Elope (Either way “I do!” – Take Our Quiz)

How to Make an Elopement Special

Eloping for a Wedding (How to reframe your thinking)

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in mountain wedding photography and other adventures.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help with your photography needs!

In the meantime, remember to…

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Marriage is an adventure and the wedding is just day one. We want to create timeless images that will remind you of the bond you share, the places that inspire you, the community that supports you, and the fun you had. In short, we care about your experience.

We specialize in adventurous wedding photography using epic landscapes as the setting for love story. Whether you’re eloping on a mountaintop or gathering with all of your loved ones somewhere important to you, we want to help capture your day.

Adventure Wedding Guide

Your love is an adventure, your wedding should be too. Below you will find an adventure wedding guide to help you through the process of envisioning your adventurous wedding or dream elopement experience. Enjoy these adventure wedding ideas to kick start your planning.

Wedding planning can be stressful whether you’re going the traditional route, looking at an intimate wedding, or planning your dream elopement to exchange vows. Sure, other people’s expectations can be brutal but so can your own! As adventure elopement photographers and traditional wedding photographers for adventurous couples, we’ve seen it all.

We’re more than just “wedding or elopement photographers.” Our main job is actually to help you have a great wedding experience aka ADVENTURE. (Which secretly results in the best wedding or elopement photos!) Which is why we help you focus on the best part of getting married: LOVE!

What is adventure wedding photography?

What is an adventure wedding? It’s your love story complete with your characters, setting, and plot. An adventure wedding is really just a wedding with more adventure mixed in to your average wedding day.

For come couples adventure weddings might mean climbing a mountain an exchanging vows on the summit. To other couples adventure weddings might mean taking their guests white water rafting before a luxurious ski resort wedding.

We’re not big on rules, we’re big on love! Want to add a dash of adventure to your traditional wedding? We can show you how. Ready to climb a mountain and exchange vows underneath the stars with an adventure elopement photographer? We’re there.

Why choose an adventure wedding?

Back in 2011 when we started our photography business, adventure weddings didn’t really exist. All we knew is that as photographers we had a knack for telling adventurous stories. As a couple, love and adventure were our most important values.

We started marketing as an adventure wedding photographer team because we wanted to attract couples that had similar values to us. We personally had a somewhat traditional wedding at a wedding venue so that our grandparents could attend. But we had that wedding at the entrance to a National Park where we loved to hike and rock climb and we made our friends and family hike with us on the morning of our wedding.

If adventure is a big part of your life, then it can be the theme of your wedding. That can mean an epic adventure for your elopement day or simply adding a little adventure to your traditional big wedding. Whatever you decide to do, your wedding day should be a memorable experience that helps you kick off the marriage ahead.

Any Wedding Can Be Adventurous

Don’t be intimidated by what you think an adventure wedding is. Sometimes its hiking in your wedding dress and sometimes it just means finding ways to add a little more adventure to your wedding day. Let us help!

In the next section, we’ll talk about planning your wedding. You might want to start by working through our free downloadable guide: How to Prioritize Your Planning so Your Wedding is a Memorable Adventure. The guide will walk you through figuring our your priorities for your wedding day so that you can make decisions that align with your values.

We’ve seen couples have an adventurous vow exchange somewhere epic and then head to a more traditional reception the next day or even next week. Other couples have driven their families up a mountain in the middle of nowhere. The options are endless and you can plan the right balance of adventure wedding ideas for you.

Planning Your Adventure Wedding Ideas

Let’s dive into planning your adventure wedding. We’ll start with the engagement shoot and work our way through to the wedding day itself. Again, if you remember to think back to your priorities and values throughout the planning process it will help you avoid getting derailed.

Kick Things Off with Adventurous Engagement Photography

Adventurous engagement photography is a great way to kick of the epic adventure that is your wedding and marriage. Since an engagement session is just you and your photographers, there is a lot of flexibility to plan for adventure. There are less time constraints than on the wedding day which opens up options for locations.

Engagement shoots make great adventure sessions because we have the time to hike somewhere absolutely stunning in order to get those epic shots that you’ll cherish forever. It’s also a great way to get an idea of how much adventure is realistic for your wedding day. For example, doing your engagement photos in a national park will help give you an idea of what’s involved in a national park wedding.

Typical Wedding Planning Details

Like with any wedding you’ll need to set a budget, create a guest list, and hire wedding professionals. You might also need to consider permits if you’re getting married somewhere like a state or national park. Once you decide who is invited, that helps narrow down your location choices too.

You’ll want to thing about the ceremony itself and your vows, readings, or other symbolic gestures. You might think about keeping your decorations on theme with adventure. If you are having guests you’ll need to provide information about logistics, accommodations, and transportation.

From there it’s about planning memorable moments. Maybe you plan adventure activities for everyone or just yourselves.

Choosing Your Adventure Wedding Destination.

Based in Evergreen, we work as Colorado destination wedding photographers and tour guides. After-all, many of our couples are coming from out of state and need a little help planning. We still serve clients throughout California and other adventure wedding photography destinations.

We do our best to keep our travel fees minimal so that you’re investing in wedding photography. Need help with timeline planning, finding beautiful landscapes for adventurous photos, or how to balance your dream adventure with family pressure? We can share wisdom from over ten years of experience watching couples get married.

Our experience with location scouting and trip planning everywhere from Colorado, California, and Utah to the Pacific Northwest, means with can assist you with things like the wedding timeline so that you get the pictures you want without the stress. Check out our destination wedding photography guide.

Our Favorite National Park Adventure Wedding Locations

• Rocky Mountain National Park

• Yosemite National Park

• Sequoia National Park

• Zion National Park

Our Favorite Colorado Town Adventure Wedding Locations

• Vail, Colorado is a well known destination with access to some pretty epic wilderness.

• Breckenridge, Colorado is a more laid back mountain town with beautiful passes to explore.

• Telluride, Colorado is what we call epic and great if you really want to get out there.

• Crested Butte, Colorado is another stunning location and a less crowded mountain town.

• Evergreen or the Front Range is a great choice if you’re from out of state and worried about time or altitude. The season is also longer if you want a non-summer wedding or elopement.

Planning for Weather and Logistics

The main factor to keep in mind is that you want an adventure. That means that despite all of your planning and preparation, part of an adventure is that you can’t control everything. One thing we can’t control is the weather.

However, we can plan for the weather and all of the other logistics involved in getting married in a remote location. It just takes a little foresight to know what you need. Note that the more people you add the more needs you’ll need to take into consideration.

As you make your plan, you’ll determine what you need to bring with you. Layers for warmth, water, and snacks. Those are the main considerations but we’ve also seen couples bring cakes and champagne glasses to National Park parking lots.

Planning the Schedule

If you’re having an adventure elopement, your photographer will likely double as a wedding planner. As photographers we often help plan the schedule of the day based on priorities. If you have wedding guests to plan around, that’s a big factor.

Otherwise we generally plan around the best light for the best photos. Luckily sunrise and sunset are not only stunning but less crowded at most locations too. You’ll want to plan for the ceremony itself followed by exploring a few locations for portraits.

From there, you’ll plan any other events you want to incorporate into your day such as cutting a cake, sharing a first dance, or having a meal. If you’re having a more typical wedding, then you’ll want to fit the adventure in around the needs of the rest of the day.

Adventure Wedding Attire

The main considerations when it comes to wedding attire are footwear and layers. Despite the fact that you see brides in thin dresses on frozen lakes in winter, the elements can be harsh. Wear shoes that you can hike in, you can always bring heels to change into or wear at your reception.

You’ll want layers to keep you warm when you’re not taking photos and you’ll want lots of hairspray in case its windy. Other than that, adventure weddings are pretty fun because you dress fancy like a wedding but you’re somewhere epicly beautiful on an adventure.

If you have guests, it’s important to communicate to them how much adventuring to expect. You might consider telling them what shoes to wear and jackets to bring. People might not expect to need botts on your wedding day.

Next Steps

After the adventure wedding, it’s time to plan an adventurous honeymoon!

Looking for a wedding or elopement photographer?

Elopement day, intimate wedding, or big bash, we love them all and can help you find the right level of adventurous wedding photography for your big day. We’re easy going and approachable, our goal is that you feel comfortable and your stress levels do down when we arrive. We want your wedding experience to be the focus, that’s where great photos come from.

We’ve been shooting adventure weddings since before it was even a thing. It’s the precious moments with your closest friends, it’s saying I do to your best friend, it’s having an amazing adventure surrounded by all of your loved ones or just a photographer. Contact us, we’re not afraid to follow you off the grid to explore your favorite ridge-line or for unforgettable mountain wedding photos.

If you’re looking for adventurous wedding photography we would love to connect. Based in Evergreen, CO we travel to help you celebrate. View our Colorado wedding and elopement packages on our pricing and FAQ page or reach out and we’l help you build something custom to fit your vision. 

More Wedding Planning Tips

Need more wedding planning help and adventure wedding ideas? Check out our Wedding Planning Tips such as these outdoor wedding photography ideas or the best places to elope in Colorado. Check out these popular posts to help your wedding day be an adventure.

• what to know before choosing a destination wedding

• engagement photoshoot survival guide

• how long does wedding photography take? – timeline and turnaround time

• how to choose a wedding photographer (that doesn’t suck)

• understanding wedding photography styles | wedding photography tips

• good light for great wedding photos

• how to find wedding vendors that fit your style

• Less Common Tips for Your Destination Wedding in the Mountains

• Planning a Destination Wedding in Colorado.

• Mountain Top Wedding Ideas,

• Colorado wedding planning advice

• beautiful Colorado mountain wedding venues

• Remote Wedding Tips

Sample Adventurous Wedding Ideas:

Telluride Colorado Wedding

Wedding Portrait Session in Rocky Mountain

Summer Crested Butte Wedding

Breckenridge Colorado Elopement

Wedding in Sequoia National Park

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in mountain wedding photography and other adventures.

Check out the blog for everything from sample shoots to marketing tips and this wedding settings guide.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help with your photography needs!

In the meantime, remember to…

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For the first few years of our business, we lived in Visalia, California at the base of the Sierra in the closest city to Sequoia National Park. We are lucky enough to frequently return to explore the big trees, vast meadows, and rugged backcountry. As experienced Sequoia National Park wedding photographers you can imagine that we have some tips.

A few of the topics we will discuss below are: venues, avoiding crowds, and must-see views. Planning a Sequoia wedding? We love working with adventurous couples so be sure to reach out!

Sequoia Wedding Planning Guide

Naturally, if you are planning a wedding in Sequoia National Park, or any National Park, chances are you are inspired by nature. While less populated than its neighbor, Yosemite National Park, Sequoia still has its challenges with the crowds. You’ll want to consider avoiding the busy tourist season and look into weekdays. It’s also good to have a plan for other weather.

Additionally, beware that the drive into Sequoia National Park and more importantly, up to some of the iconic spots, is steep and winding. Sometimes we do a Sequoia wedding photography session on a different day than the actual wedding. We’re here to help work with you to make sure your timeline fits your hopes for the day.

In our opinion, the gem of Sequoia National Park is the Giant Sequoias. Standing under a big tree is unlike anything else and it never gets old. There’s something breathtaking and powerful about these trees that makes them ideal for Sequoia weddings.

Tips for Sequoia Weddings

Like any National Park, Sequoia National Park can be crowded so you’ll want to consider planning your wedding outside of the peak tourist season if possible. We always suggest timing things around sunrise or sunset when the light is beautiful and the locations are less crowded. We can help you find a secluded spot, especially if you’re willing to hike a little.

The plan for a wedding reception can be a little challenging because there aren’t a lot of venues close by. This actually makes Sequoia National Park well-suited to elopements or intimate weddings. As far as destination weddings go, you’ll be able to achieve a smaller guest list by necessity.

My main tip for weddings in Sequoia is to give yourself plenty of time to explore the park, especially at sunrise or sunset when it’s less crowded and most beautiful. Sometimes that means throwing out the traditional wedding timeline and instead creating one that maximizes your experience and your photography.

Challenges for a Wedding in Sequoia

The same things that make Sequoia a challenging location for a wedding are what make it great. It’s not a wedding factory. You might have to do a little research, planning, and logistics but the results will be an unforgettable experience.

Sequoia is one of my favorite places for weddings and elopements because it’s not as wedding-centric as some other locations. I love Rocky Mountain National Park and Yosemite, for example, but they have weddings down to science. When it comes to Sequoia, weddings are more of an adventure.

From the Giant Forest Museum to Crescent Meadow to a hike out to sunset rock, there’s endless exploration and mouth dropping sights to see.

Sequoia National Park Elopement

Sequoia is a great destination for an elopement. The things that make it challenging as a wedding destination make it the perfect escape for your Sequoia National Park elopement.

Envision an intimate wedding ceremony nestled in the big trees followed by a memorable and adventurous portrait session around the national park. An elopement in Sequoia National Park is a unique and unforgettable experience.

After a decade of shooting weddings, some of my favorite memories and wedding images are still from Sequoia National Park.

Where to Get Married in Sequoia

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are quite vast so you’ll want to explore specific locations when creating the plan for your wedding day. Then, you’ll want to obtain a wedding permit for your selected ceremony site. The next step will be figuring out where to do your wedding reception.

In addition to the Giant Sequoia trees, the park has stunning meadows and epic views. When you take time to hike the views get even better.

Every time we visit we discover new trails and new trees that make us smile. At the same time we always return to some of our favorite spots such as Moro Rock and the Parker Group.

Ceremony Locations

There are a variety of wedding ceremony sites that the National Park service allows you to choose from depending on the size of your wedding. In addition to picking your favorite spot you will want to consider the location in the park relative to the Sequoia National Park wedding venues. The National Park Service offers approved locations for weddings in Sequoia and Kings National Parks which can be found on their website along with wedding permit information.

Each of these locations has something special to offer so if you can’t visit them in person, feel free to reach out. We’ve photographed wedding ceremonies at many of these locations.

Beetle Rock

Giant Forest

Crescent Meadow

Halstead Meadow

Wolverton/Long Meadow

Lost Grove

Panoramic Point

Muir Rock

Sequoia National Park Wedding Venues

Sequoia has limited options for wedding venues so finding availability might dictate your date. Some of our couples choose to get married near Sequoia but not in Sequoia. Three Rivers is a nearby foothills town with a lot of great airbnb options to consider.

Pay attention to how everything relates. Where will your guests stay, your reception be, and where do you want to take portraits! You might check out these guest posts we did for Mountainside Bride: Getting Married Off the Grid Part 1 and Getting Married Off the Grid Part 2

Wedding receptions in Sequoia are tricky but wedding receptions are always tricky. One of our favorite weddings the couple explored in home catering services and found a private chef to come to an airbnb. Catering services might be one of the biggest challenges but its worth it for those biggest Sequoia trees isn’t it

Sequoia Wedding Tips

Need more Sequoia wedding tips to help you decide on a wedding in this wonderful place? Reach out because we can help customize your day whether you just want to exchange vows with your best friend.

We love helping couples with things like where to go. Check out our tips for other National Park Weddings in the wedding planning advice section of our blog. Here are 3 Simple Steps for a National Park Wedding and 5 Ways to Prepare for your National Park Elopement Photography.

Haven’t decided on a wedding location yet? We frequently work as Yosemite National park wedding photographers as well as at Rocky Mountain National Park weddings so check out similar location-based tips and sample weddings through the links.

Sequoia National Park Wedding Photographers

As wedding photographers, we want to help make your wedding day an incredible experience. The more fun you’re having, the better our wedding photos are. From the wedding ceremony to the portraits, we can help guide you.

Sample Sequoia Photography

Below is some samples of our photography from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Sequoia Nationa Park Engagement

Wedding in Sequoia National Park

Intimate Sequoia Elopement

Sequoia National Park Maternity Session

Sequoia Elopement with Star Photos

Intimate Sequoia National Park Wedding

Small Sequoia Wedding

Wildlife Filled Sequoia Wedding

more on wedding planning:

Need more wedding planning help? Check out these popular posts to help your wedding day be an adventure.

• what to know before choosing a destination wedding

• engagement photoshoot survival guide

• how long does wedding photography take? – timeline and turnaround time

• how to choose a wedding photographer (that doesn’t suck)

• understanding wedding photography styles | wedding photography tips

• good light for great wedding photos

• how to find wedding vendors that fit your style

• Less Common Tips for Your Destination Wedding in the Mountains

• Planning a Destination Wedding in Colorado.

• Mountain Top Wedding Ideas,

• Colorado wedding planning advice

• beautiful Colorado mountain wedding venues

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in mountain wedding photography and other adventures.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help with your photography needs!

In the meantime, remember to…

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As a destination wedding photographer, I’ve had the honor of capturing fleeting moments in unreal locations. Your wedding photos will help you remember the location, the people, and the love you felt on your wedding day. In this guide, we’ll help you plan a destination wedding that will result in both an incredible experience and the wedding photos to remember it by.

We’ll share some of our favorite destination wedding locations and other tips we’ve picked up as destination wedding photographers.

Adventurous Destination Wedding Planning Guide

A destination wedding is first and foremost an adventure. It’s taking your special day out of your comfort zone, your hometown, and maybe even your country. We’ve followed couples to France, Mexico, and numerous National Parks here in western Colorado.

Whether you plan to walk, fly, or sail to your wedding destination, this guide will help you have an amazing experience complete with epic wedding photography.

Let’s start by asking why you might be interested in having a wedding somewhere unique!

What is a destination wedding?

What is a destination wedding? Destination weddings are about love, exploration, and of course the destination. It is when the couple or guests travel to a location to celebrate kicking off the marriage.

A destination wedding defined: When a couple recognizes that the wedding day is just the beginning of the adventure that is marriage. Thus, they decide to make the setting of the wedding a destination.

Couples choose a destination wedding for numerous reasons. Perhaps they have a lot of experience traveling and want to share it with their friends and family. Or maybe they want to see the beauty of the world on their big day. Often, couples want epic photos and know that the best portraits require a unique backdrop.

Destination wedding pros and cons

Let’s talk through the destination wedding pros and cons. Destination weddings mean that you and or your guest have to travel. That’s the main consideration. Does that sound fun to you? Make a pros and cons list and see where you fall.

Traveling can impact prices positively or negatively depending on where you are coming from and where you are going. For example, your destination wedding photographer cost may be higher than in your local town mostly because photographers in popular wedding destinations are in demand. You can find a local photographer but many photographers will also travel with you to your destination.

Having a destination wedding might impact your guest list or your turnout, but don’t count on it. You might have a set of friends and family that feel lucky to travel across the world for your event. Destination weddings often mean dealing with the stress of new experiences or the unknown and unfamiliar.

How to Get Epic Destination Wedding Photography

If you’re having a destination wedding then chances are good that you want epic photography to capture the background of your love story.

Choose your destination based on your vision for your wedding then look locally at your destination for photographers that fit your style.

Or, look at destination wedding photographers in general to find one that fits your style even if they aren’t based in your selected destination.

Selecting a Photographer for Your Destination Wedding Photography

A wedding destination photographer needs to be a master of location-based wedding photos. Our expertise in traveling to both new and familiar places allows us to capture the uniqueness of your wedding day. In the setting of your choice, we’ll document the love, emotion, and awe.

For your destination wedding photography, we want to focus on your experience. Places allow us to both escape and be grounded in reality. Your wedding should feel like a dream, but the messy real-life crazy story kind with uncontrollables like weather.

A destination wedding photographer might be local to your wedding destination or someone that you bring from somewhere else, the point is that they specialize in capturing couples in the beautiful places they choose to get married. You want a destination wedding photographer who will capture your wedding with the style of photos you like best.

Need a Photographer for Your Destination Wedding?

Need a photographer for destination wedding adventures? We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team. As adventurous destination wedding photographers, we specialize in capturing couples in the beautiful places they choose to get married.

We met on an ice-climbing trip. That led to a shared passion for photographing the beautiful landscapes we like to explore together. Eventually, we discovered the power of places on love and marriage.

Let us get to know you and meet your loved ones. Take us on a journey physically and emotionally. Let us tell your story with both epic wedding landscape portraits and emotional documentary moments. Contact us here.

Best Locations for a Destination Wedding

The best locations for a destination wedding will vary from couple to couple. You may want to find somewhere that is an adventure to get to, but not too much trouble for your guests. Most of all, you want a setting that inspires you as the backdrop of your love story.

When you think about the location consider the backdrop for your ceremony but also the experience of the overall event. What type of accommodations do you envision and what activities will your guest do over the weekend? Is it a quaint town in Italy or a relaxing beach in California?

Below are some favorite locations from a destination wedding photographer who’s had the opportunity to photograph weddings in numerous locations. From Yosemite, Zion, and Rocky Mountain National Parks to the castles of France, we want to help celebrate.

Destination Wedding Colorado

If you’re planning a destination wedding in Colorado, you might be dreaming of epic mountain views and romantic ski towns. Colorado has epic mountain views and wilderness located in fun mountain towns. It’s a great combination of adventure and cozy.

Below are location guides for Colorado weddings and some sample weddings from a Colorado wedding photographer. (Me!)

Location Guides

Beautiful Colorado Mountain Wedding Venues

Evergreen Colorado Wedding Guide

Rocky Mountain National Park Wedding Guide

Vail Wedding Guide

Breckenridge Wedding Guide

Sample Weddings

Telluride Colorado Wedding

Crested Butte Destination Wedding

Winter Park Intimate Wedding

California Destination Wedding

If you’re planning a destination wedding in California you might be hoping for a sunny beach or one of the states stunning national parks. We used to live in California and photographed weddings up and down the coastline as well as throughout the Sierra Nevada mountain range. California has a lot to offer couples seeking a unique destination wedding experience.

Below is a Yosemite wedding guide and a few other sample weddings from an experienced California wedding photographer (even though we are now based in Colorado.)

Yosemite Wedding Guide

Intimate Sequoia Wedding

San Luis Obispo Central California Wedding

California Redwoods Wedding

Utah Destination Wedding

Speaking of National Parks, Utah makes for an amazing destination wedding location. Utilize the expertise of a destination wedding photographer. Our ability to scout and see a place with fresh eyes whether it’s somewhere we’ve been before or somewhere new.

Below is our Zion wedding guide and some sample weddings.

Zion National Park Wedding Guide

Sample Zion National Park Elopement

Sample Wedding at Zion National Park

More Destination Wedding Photography Tips

• Choose the right location to suit your vision.
• Use simple touches like choosing the right wording for your vows or invitations
• Select the right photographer to tell your story.
• Make sure you plan time for portraits and to capture the story of the experience

Check out our less common tips for your destination wedding in the mountains. Or more generally, 5 tips for your destination wedding. Or get specific and check out these tips for planning a destination wedding in Colorado.

Better yet, reach out and let’s start talking about your destination wedding photography or ! We can help you with things like figuring out the rules of a National Park wedding or where the sun will set on your wedding venue.

There is so much to delight destination wedding photographers!

more on wedding planning:

Want more wedding planning advice from a photographer with over a decade of experience?

• what to know before choosing a destination wedding

• engagement photoshoot survival guide

• how long does wedding photography take? – timeline and turnaround time

• how to choose a wedding photographer (that doesn’t suck)

• understanding wedding photography styles | wedding photography tips

• good light for great wedding photos

• how to find wedding vendors that fit your style

• Less Common Tips for Your Destination Wedding in the Mountains

• Planning a Destination Wedding in Colorado.

• Mountain Top Wedding Ideas,

• Colorado wedding planning advice

• beautiful Colorado mountain wedding venues

• Adventure Wedding Readings and Quotes

Or if you’re a photographer check out tips like these camera settings for weddings.

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in mountain wedding photography and other adventures.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re looking for a wedding photographer and/or videographer!

We want to capture your love in action!

In the meantime, remember to…

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Colorado offers stunning summer wedding options as well as winter weddings for those willing to risk snow. And we can’t forget fall and the beauty of aspen trees changing color. Enjoy the planning process as you look forward to exchanging your vows and partying into the night at your ski resort or indoor Denver venue!

Colorado Mountain Wedding Venues

As adventurous Colorado mountain wedding photographers we are always on the hunt for the best Colorado mountain wedding venues. (Even better if it has views.) Planning a luxurious mountain stay or a rugged adventure? The Rocky Mountains have something for everyone.

Below we share some of our favorite picturesque locations perfect for that Colorado wedding experience and breathtaking wedding photography.

Colorado Wedding Venues with Mountain Views

What makes a mountain wedding venue beautiful? For us, we can’t get over those Colorado wedding venues with mountain views. Even if the ceremony or reception site itself doesn’t have epic views, it’s all about access. A lot of venues has access to epic mountain views which you should take advantage of for some quick sunset portraits.

Our Top Colorado Wedding Venues with Mountain Views

Below are our top wedding venues in the mountains, they range from Vail to Estes Park and everywhere in between. There’s something for everyone: outdoor ceremony, spacious reception hall, romantic atmosphere, gorgeous views, and more! There are places in the front range and foothills and other venues higher up or further away.

We love these venues for a variety of reasons from the views to the staff to the experience both we and our clients have had. Some are intimate laid back spots while other are geared up and ready for a party.

Camp Hale

Piney River Ranch

Ten Mile Station

YMCA of the Rockies

A Basin

The Sevens at Breck

Strawberry Creek Ranch

Telluride

Any Estes Park Wedding Venue with Access to National Park

Beaver Creek Wedding Deck

Vail Wedding Deck

Vail Golf Club

Explore Mountain Wedding Venues in Colorado by Location

Sometimes in searching for mountain wedding venues in Colorado, you need to first narrow it down to a region that you’re interested. Are you looking for something in Rocky Mountain National Park or Summit Country?

You can explore the following location guides to help narrow down your search for wedding venues.

There are a lot of stunning venues in the mountains of Colorado. There are high-end and expensive options or simple permits for inexpensive backdrops. Below I’ll share some of our favorites from our experience photographing a lot of Colorado weddings.

explore evergreen co wedding venues

Evergreen, Colorado and other front range or foothills towns are the perfect compromises for couples that want to escape into the mountains without being too far from Denver or the airport. Sometimes this can simplify travel and costs for your guests.

explore rocky mountain wedding venues

Estes Park or Rocky Mountain National Park is a popular destination for visitors to CO. Colorado mountain wedding venues in or near RMNP boast epic views. Approximately 1.5 hour drive from the airport and you’re reveling in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains.

Estes Park is one of our favorite places for weddings because it’s at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park which is a breathtaking place to celebrate your love. It’s an epic spot to bring your guests and make memories. Colorado mountain venues in or near RMNP boast epic views or quick access to breathtaking backdrops.

Approximately 1.5 hour drive from the airport and you’re reveling in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. You can get a permit for a outdoor ceremony in the National Park or even just to take some wedding day portraits there which we highly recommend regardless of what venue you end up at. Below are our top 3 venues in Estes Park for your dream mountain wedding including the floor to ceiling windows at SkyView.

1. SkyView at Fall River

2. Della Terra Mountain Chateau

3. Black Canyon Inn

explore breckenridge co wedding venues

Breckenridge, Colorado is another popular ski town that boasts a lot of great wedding venues with mountain views. Wedding guests love the laid back and welcoming vibe of Breck making it a great spot to celebrate your big day.

Breckenridge is one of our favorite mountain towns because it has a playful laidback vibe while having stunning backdrops. It’s a fun ski town that is also vibrant in the summer. There are a lot of great hikes and spots that we love to take our couples.

Our top 3 Breckenridge wedding venues are below.

1. 10 Mile Station

2. The Sevens at Breck

3. Breckenridge Nordic Center

explore vail co wedding venues

Vail, Colorado is one of our favorite mountain towns. It’s 2 hours from the airport on a good day, but make sure your guests check traffic or arrive a day early. Known for the ski town, Vail boasts a lot of mountain wedding venues with epic views.

As you may have already seen from our initial list, Vail is an awesome place to say I do filled with epic views! Vail, Colorado is one of our favorite mountain towns with amazing venues to choose from. It’s 2 hours from the airport on a good day, but make sure your guests check traffic or arrive a day early.

Known for the ski town, Vail boasts a lot of mountain wedding venues with epic views. Here are our top 4 Vail wedding venues.

1. Camp Hale

2. Piney River Ranch

3. Vail Wedding Deck

4. Vail Golf Club

Looking for Something Remote or Off the Grid?

Try towns like Ouray, Crested Butte, Aspen, or Telluride. Start by finding the right town and then finding the Colorado wedding venue will come easily. Talk about mountain views!

Location Factors to Consider for Mountain Wedding Venues in Colorado

The locations above include everything from foothills wedding venues to mountain top elopement spots. There are a lot of factors to consider when searching for mountain wedding venues in Colorado. The venue that you choose will serve as the setting for your story.

Think back to your last creative writing assignment. It may have been in grade-school or grad-school. Regardless you developed your characters. Then you built your storyline and picked a setting for the events that would unfold. The purpose of your setting was to help set the mood for the story.

Next, think of your Colorado wedding venue the same way. What experience do you want to have? What experience do you want your guests to have? How can you choose a setting that will enhance that experience? For us, the setting contributes to our storytelling as we capture images that will allow you to relive your best memories.

Additionally, for other locations outside of the categories above check out this Beaver Creek Wedding Deck Ceremony or this Intimate Boulder Colorado Wedding.

Challenges and Considerations for Colorado Outdoor Wedding Venues

The Colorado mountains have their challenges from inclement weather to altitude sickness. As is common, with risk you are often rewarded. The snowy peaks create dramatic views. The wildflowers and aspen trees mark the seasons. And the quaint mountain towns invite visitors to relax and unwind.

The best Colorado destination wedding venues will help you handle challenges for out of town guests with shuttle information and more. Mountain town wedding venues often create a memorable experience and escape from everyday life.

Let’s dive deeper into some of our favorite Colorado wedding venues, answer some frequently asked questions, and provide you with some general wedding planning tips when it comes to venue selection. As Colorado wedding photographers, as you can imagine one of our priorities is that a venue is a beautiful backdrop for your wedding day. Afterall, one of the reasons people choose to get married in Colorado is that it’s an unforgettable experience in a beautiful place.

Affordable Mountain Wedding Venues

The most affordable way to have a mountain wedding is to have a small enough guest list that you can get married somewhere with epic views for only the cost of the wedding permit. Affordable mountain venues seems like a oxymoron and it can definitely feel that way. Venues with epic views are in high demand and so they continue to raise their rates and still book years in advance.

Therefore, if you’re looking for affordable mountain venues look for state or government run locations. Then, have the reception somewhere less expensive with lower demand or consider renting out a restaurant with the added benefit of feeding your guests delicious foods.

Private Homes for Rent for Weddings Colorado

Another fun way to think about your wedding is to find private homes for rent for weddings in Colorado. The home can serve as accommodations, getting ready location, rehearsal dinner, and reception venue. It can give a cozy yet elegant feel as compared to a more corporate venue.

Why We Love Wedding Venues with Mountain Views

It’s not just the incredible photos, venues with mountain views are also an amazing experience for your guests. Imagine flying across the country for a wedding and then finding yourself gazing at wildflowers and snow covered peaks while seeing a love story play out. Outdoor event spaces can have that impact! It’s why our motto is “love. adventurously.”

The mountains are the setting, the backdrop, the visceral and memorable sights sounds and smells that make your wedding day more than a day. After all, we’re kicking off your marriage. We’re celebrating your love with witnesses and community and friends and festivity.

The venue is the “where” of your wedding day and the views help us both live in the moment while planning and dreaming of the future ahead. It’s an important choice and one we hope we gave you some insight on finding outdoor event spaces that fit your vibe.

Finding the Perfect Fit

Whether you’re a local or planning a destination wedding there’s something for you and your loved ones whether it’s a mountain lodge or ski resort. My advice is to make a list of your priorities when you start planning: i.e. mountain view ceremony site, rich history, etc.

Then you know that if views of the mountains is your top priority you can focus on venues with spectacular views. Conversely, if a grand ballroom is your dream you can look for that. Your big day should shed natural light (photography pun intended) on what matters to you most.

Colorado Wedding Venues FAQ

Why are wedding venues so expensive?

As you start your wedding planning you’ll soon learn that the costs start to add up. Venues tend to be expensive especially in Colorado because of the combination of demand, costs of operating a business, and the wide range of what’s included in booking the venue.

Some venues have everything on site from food to catering staff while others allow you to hire outside vendors. A venue may just be a room rental or it may be an wedding weekend experience. Later in this post we’ll talk about finding more affordable venues as well as what compromises you can make.

What’s the average cost of a wedding in Colorado?

Colorado is one of the most expensive states to plan a wedding with the average cost of a wedding in Colorado exceeding $20,000-$30,000. And venues might be around 50% of that cost. However, don’t get discouraged because the average takes into account everything from luxury weddings in Vail or Telluride to more intimate affairs at a state park so it’s not the most reliable metric for you to count on.

Averages are good to know for your own information but after that it’s important to decide what your budget is and then build your wedding plans accordingly. This post is mostly talking about venues but there’s a range of costs for photography, catering, entertainment and more. You might spend well below average on some things and well above average on others, it all depends on your priorities.

How much does it cost to get married in the mountains in Colorado?

How much it costs to get married in the mountains in Colorado depends on what you have in mind and can range from just the $30 marriage license to a $100,000 luxury wedding. You can elope in a national forest off the grid or you can get a $300 permit to get married in Rocky Mountain National Park. Maybe you’ll book a venue or perhaps you’ll take your family out to dinner after a hike during which you exchange vows.

How much it costs to get married depends on your vendor and venue selections. It’s an important day so it’s worth making it special but there are ways to make sure you’re spending the money on things that are important to you. Since the venue is often 50% or more of the cost of the wedding day, it will have a huge impact of your overall wedding cost.

How to choose a venue in Colorado

When choosing a venue in Colorado you need to determine your budget, your guest count, and what you expect to be included with the venue. Some venues will be automatically taken off your list because they’re too expensive or they have guest count minimums or maximums that don’t align with your goals. You may want an all inclusive venue that includes accommodations and food or you may want one with the bare minimum so you can bring your favorite food truck.

I suggest starting with our wedding planning guide to get an idea of your priorities for the wedding day and designing the type of wedding you want. Then you can find the perfect venue to fit your priorities. For example, how far from the Denver airport are your guests going to travel?

Choosing the venue is one of the first decisions you have to make and it will influence most of the decisions you make after. Take a deep breath, don’t get discouraged, and remember why you’re planning this big party in the first place. Love.

Things to Consider When Choosing Your Colorado Wedding Venue

1. Location: How far is your venue from the airport? What kind of town is it in or near? How are the views? What are the challenges and advantages of the location choice?

2. Weather: What is the back-up plan for weather if it’s an outdoor wedding? Are you and your guests prepared for altitude and the challenges of Colorado’s weather?

3. Experience: What is the wedding experience you are looking for and will your venue provide that?

4. What’s included: Does your venue include food, staff, accommodations, tablecloths, bathrooms, etc? Seriously, don’t forget about the bathrooms.

5. Staff: How is the staff? Are they both professional and personable? Does the venue have high turnover or do people seem to love working there indicating it’s an awesome place to get married?

Colorado Wedding Venue Summary

In summary, Colorado venues are as diverse as the Brides choosing to get married in this beautiful state. The range can be seen in the price range, views, level of luxury, and more. If you use our wedding planning guide to help think through your priorities and vision for the big day, you’ll be able to find the best wedding packages and venues for you and your guests.

The good news is from a photography perspective, there’s always somewhere beautiful we can go nearby for wedding day or engagement portraits. There are countless backdrops and memories to be made to help you kick off your marriage.

My dream outdoor wedding venue would be an outdoor wedding ceremony site with stunning mountain views that show the natural beauty of the venue. There would be an indoor option for later in the night. The building would have floor-to-ceiling windows and luxurious accommodations on site.

Find more wedding planning tips for brides on our blog.    

Beyond Wedding Venues

Can’t find what you’re looking for above? Check out these helpful links for more on finding a wedding venue: Estes Park Wedding Association, Here Comes the Guide,Wedding Spot.

• what to know before choosing a destination wedding

• engagement photoshoot survival guide

• how long does wedding photography take? – timeline and turnaround time

• how to choose a wedding photographer (that doesn’t suck)

• understanding wedding photography styles | wedding photography tips

• good light for great wedding photos

• how to find wedding vendors that fit your style

• Less Common Tips for Your Destination Wedding in the Mountains

• Planning a Destination Wedding in Colorado.

• Mountain Top Wedding Ideas,

• Colorado wedding planning advice

• beautiful Colorado mountain wedding venues

We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in mountain wedding photography and other adventures.

Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help with your photography needs!

In the meantime, remember to…

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