One of the best reasons to elope is that you can create an authentic, memorable experience that fits your budget, and there are countless inexpensive places to elope. In this article, I’m sharing the best places to elope on a budget, with gorgeous scenery and fun activities.
I’ve joined many couples to help plan and photograph their budget-friendly elopement in picturesque locations. Whether you want to elope in the mountains, lakeside, or next to a waterfall, there are many incredible places to elope on a budget in the US.
The Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts
Overview: A park peaceful park with over 15,000 plants for a free elopement experience
Best time to elope: Year-round
Closest major airport: Logan International Airport
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is a free public park known as a museum of trees. Just minutes from downtown Boston, you’ll find this scenic park filled with gardens and trees. It’s the perfect place to explore and tie the knot with your love.
Aside from its peaceful setting, the best part about eloping at Arnold Arboretum is that it’s free for small elopement ceremonies and pictures as long as you inform the park of your event. Leashed pets are also allowed in the park.
Bozeman, Montana
Overview: An adventurous mountain town
Best time to elope: Year-round
Closest major airport: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport
There are many incredible, inexpensive places to elope in Montana, and Bozeman is one of my favorites. Bozeman is a lively mountain town with beautiful parks and adventurous hiking and rock climbing experiences.
One of the best elopement locations in Bozeman is Hyalite Canyon Reservoir, which sits at an elevation of almost 7,000 feet, is accessible year-round and has endless recreational activities.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Overview: A breathtaking park with diverse landscapes
Best time to elope: Fall
Closest major airport: Jackson Hole Airport or Salt Lake City International Airport
Grand Teton National Park is one of the best places to elope on a budget. There is endless to see and do, with lush valleys and forests and gorgeous lakes, rivers, and mountains.
If you want to have your elopement ceremony in Grand Teton National Park, you’ll need to get a permit and reserve your site. There are several ceremony locations, whether it’s a two-person elopement or you’re inviting a few loved ones for an intimate wedding.
Ouray, Colorado
Overview: a quaint mountain town in the San Juan Mountains
Best time to elope: Fall and summer
Closest major airport: Montrose Regional Airport
If you’re dreaming of a storybook elopement experience in a secluded town, Ouray is perfect. Ouray, located in Southwestern Colorado, is known as the Switzerland of America because of its scenic views and 13,000-foot mountain peaks.
If you have an Ouray elopement, you’ll enjoy a charming Downtown area and many outdoor and adventurous activities, including off-road Jeeping.
Crested Butte, Colorado
Overview: An off-the-beaten-path mountain town
Best time to elope: Year-round
Closest major airport: Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport
Crested Butte is the perfect place to elope if you want to escape the crowds and enjoy a slice of mountain paradise. It’s tucked in a high valley of the Colorado Rockies in Southwestern Colorado, with gorgeous scenery year-round.
During summer, vibrant wildflowers take over. Crested Butte is even known as the Wildflower Capital of Colorado. No matter what time of year you elope in Crested Butte, you’ll have a peaceful and fun experience with few tourists, many outdoor activities, and countless elopement locations.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Overview: Scenic park with high peaks, aspen trees, and many hiking trails
Best time to elope: Late spring or early summer
Closest major airport: Denver International Airport
Rocky Mountain National Park in Northern Colorado is easily one of my favorite elopement locations. The park spans over 400 square miles and has countless beautiful photo-ops.
There are over 300 miles of hiking trails in RMNP, taking you past lakes, waterfalls, and mountain scenery. There are formal ceremony locations throughout the park. You can also do the legalities in your home state, so you can explore the park and take photos with your love on a budget.
Brainard Lake, Colorado
Overview: An easily accessible mountain and lake elopement destination
Best time to elope: Summer or fall
Closest major airport: Denver International Airport
Eloping at Brainard Lake is an incredible alternative to a Rocky Mountain National Park elopement. It’s easily accessible, with 20 trails and ample parking. There are also many beautiful elopement backdrops.
The Brainard Lake Recreation Area is in a glacially carved valley surrounded by the Continental Divide with alpine trees and high peaks.
Lake Isabelle, Colorado
Overview: A perfect elopement location for nature lovers who enjoy hiking
Best time to elope: Summer or fall
Closest major airport: Denver International Airport
Lake Isabelle is a hiker’s paradise, close to other lakes and areas to explore for your elopement and honeymoon. If you elope at Lake Isabelle, you’ll have breathtaking rocky mountains and pine forest backdrops. Colorful wildflowers surround the area during late spring and early summer.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
Overview: An epic elopement location with the tallest sand dunes in North America
Best time to elope: Year-round
Closest major airport: Denver International Airport or Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
Check out Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado for an epic elopement experience. With the tallest dunes in North America, this is one of the most fascinating places to elope in Colorado.
You can exchange your vows with stunning sand dunes all around you and explore hiking trails that lead to wetlands, forests, and alpine lakes.
Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Overview: A unique park that’s entirely free
Best time to elope: Summer, fall, and spring
Closest major airport: Colorado Springs Airport
Not only is the Garden of the Gods one of the most unique elopement locations, but it’s also entirely free.
I absolutely love joining couples who elope at Garden of the Gods because its natural beauty, massive rock formations, and sweeping mountain scenery are unlike any other. It’s even been named as a National Natural Landmark.
The park has six main sites to explore and exchange your vows. You can also go hiking, rock climbing, and horseback riding.
Breckenridge, Colorado
Overview: An adventurous mountain town with ski resorts and many outdoor activities
Best time to elope: Year-round, especially in winter
Closest major airport: Denver International Airport
Breckenridge is one of the best places to elope on a budget if you’re dreaming of a winter wonderland elopement. It’s a mountain town in central Colorado where you can find world-class ski resorts, fun adventures, and stunning mountain scenery.
With hiking and biking trails, various ski mountains, and off-roading mountain passes, there are endless activities and locations for an adventurous elopement in Breckenridge. There are also lakes and rivers for water activities during late spring and summer.
Moab, Utah
Overview: A magical town with endless elopement locations and activities
Best time to elope: Spring or fall
Closest major airport: Canyonlands Field Airport or Salt Lake City International Airport
Not only is Moab one of the most amazing places to elope on a budget, but it’s my favorite! It’s one of the most stunning locations in Utah, with two famous national parks–Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
Moab is gorgeous, with breathtaking red rock formations, blue skies, and rivers. Not only are there many places to say “I do,” but there’s also so much to do, including rock climbing, river floating, and hiking.
The Downtown area is fun to explore, with shops, galleries, restaurants, and breweries. It gives a small-town feel for a romantic elopement experience.
Yosemite National Park, California
Overview: A massive, popular park with beautiful scenery and tons to explore
Best time to elope: Fall, spring, or summer
Closest major airport: Fresno International Airport
If you and your partner are adventurous, you’ll love eloping in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.
Although the park is known for its magical waterfalls, you can also find cliffs, rivers, lakes, and meadows. There’s a ton to explore and many gorgeous ceremony sites. Best of all, the permit application process is fairly easy.
Cypress Gardens, South Carolina
Overview: A romantic, scenic nature preserve
Best time to elope: Year-round
Closest major airport: Charleston International Airport
If you loved the romantic boat scene in The Notebook, you can recreate it at Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. Cypress Garden is where this scene was filmed, and the serene, picture-perfect setting is ideal for an elopement.
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre nature preserve with lush gardens and a swamp you can explore by boat and see unique wildlife. The gardens also have trails and many beautiful ceremony backdrops, perfect for a simple elopement or intimate wedding.
Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee
Overview: One of the largest and most popular state parks with diverse landscapes
Best time to elope: Year-round
Closest major airport: Chattanooga Airport
If you’re looking for the best places to elope on a budget with unmatched scenery, Fall Creek Falls State Park is an excellent option. With stunning gorges, cascades, and waterfalls, there’s so much to explore and many backdrops for your ceremony and elopement photos.
There are many secluded waterfalls, accessible trails, and activities, including paddling, swimming, and rock climbing. If you and your partner are planning a multi-day adventurous elopement, you can also camp lakeside at Fall Creek Falls State Park.
Best Places to Elope on a Budget: FAQs
I’ll answer common questions about eloping on a budget to help you make the most of your elopement and have a memorable experience.
What state is easiest to get married in?
Colorado is the easiest state to get married because you can marry yourselves without a witness, there are many free wedding locations, and you can apply for a marriage license even if you’re not a Colorado local.
Does eloping save money?
Eloping saves you money because elopements are usually more minimal, so you save on decor, food, and invites. If you want to elope and still include guests on a budget, you can have a small reception after your elopement and share pictures or a video of your ceremony with your loved ones.
What are the best ways to elope on a budget?
Aside from choosing an inexpensive elopement location, you can also save by planning ahead. Give yourself at least six months to plan and save for your elopement.
You can also hire an elopement photographer who not only captures your special day but also helps with budget-friendly planning.
Let’s Plan Your Budget-Friendly Elopement
As an elopement photographer who believes weddings should be stress-free and fun, I love working with couples to plan and photograph affordable elopements.
With my elopement packages, I can help you scout the best places to elope on a budget so you can find your dream location. I’ll also help you with the entire planning process, offer a 100-page elopement guide, and join you for your big day to photograph all your special moments.
kinsley + caden
“Brooke was the perfect choice for our wedding day! We had a micro wedding at Sapphire Point in August. I had never been to Sapphire Point and Brooke was so helpful suggesting vendors, picture locations, parking, marriage license info etc. She was so kind and helpful before and during the whole process and was a large part of why the day went so smooth. She does so much more than just show up and take pictures, Brooke will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect! The photos are gorgeous and I keep getting so many compliments! I truly cannot recommend her enough!”
"Brooke was a large part of why our day went so smooth and will truly go out of her way to make your wedding day perfect!"
We chose Brooke to capture our Colorado elopement and she did exactly that and more. She made it easy to plan our day out with locations and timelines so that we could focus on ourselves. We decided last minute to change our afternoon/evening elopement to a 6am sunrise one so beat the heat of the day. Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise. She was kind and understood what we wanted in terms of our elopement and we are so grateful to have her capture the day. Our photos turned out beautiful and truly helped us relive the day. I would recommend Brooke to anyone wanting their special day photographed.
"Brooke accommodated us without hesitation and even created a new timeline for us so that we knew where to be for the perfect sunrise."
erica + stacy
kirstie + colin
Brooke not only photographed our mountain elopement beautifully, but she put so much thought into the details and knew all of the answers the questions I didn’t even know to ask. She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had. She even helped pick the perfect spot for us and advised us on the logistical details like securing a reservation at the mountain lake where we wanted our ceremony. She is SO easy to work with and very friendly and chill. My husband and I are super awkward in front of a camera but she made it so natural and easy - and the shots came out better than we could have imagined.
"She really puts a lot of thought into each photo and brings her expertise while still remaining very open to what we wanted and ideas we had."
amanda + jace
Brooke is many things; talented, calm, flexible, experienced/ knowledgeable, patient, incredibly responsive, organized, resourceful in a pinch, supportive, creative, professional yet a blast to work with, and goes above & beyond w her clients. Our wedding was a spectacular dream and we couldn't be more grateful that she made that single day last forever. Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be. We couldn't recommend her more and we look forward to booking with her for all of our vow renewals, seasonal and family pictures for as long as she'll have us.
"Whether she's photographing nature or an intimate event, her pictures tell a story of peace, love, whatever your vision may be."
linden + brent
Working with Brooke was a dream come true! Before we even met, my husband Brent and I were impressed by her portfolio. After meeting, we were even more convinced that her photography skills and knowledge, and her fun and easygoing personality were exactly what we were looking for in an elopement photographer. Brooke was able to take our vision and facilitate everything so that it worked out beautifully, especially when it came to finding the perfect location (the incredible mountains surrounding Ouray). Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible, and made it clear that her goal was for us to be 100% happy. In the end, her creativity and our happiness totally shine through in every single photo.
"Throughout the entire planning process, she was honest and flexible."
lauren + branden
I can't begin to express my gratitude for the intimacy and beauty behind Brooke's photographs. In capturing our wedding day, she went above and beyond to document our story, our families, and the depths of our love in ways that I'll forever be grateful for. Brooke has an eye for not only capturing the adventure and magic of your love, but deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way. She is truly an artist and tells your story in an authentic and creative way for you to look back on for years to come. We are forever grateful to Brooke for spending the time to get to know us, our story, and capturing the memories that we'll relive for years to come.
"Brooke deeply connects with your personal story, understands your relationship, and then gives that back in the most incredible way."
heather + jedd
“If you're contemplating which photographer to go with, THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO CHOOSE BROOKE!!!! She is so so so talented and was able to capture our elopement exactly how I pictured and wanted! We eloped in Ridgway, CO this past September and she was so helpful figuring out picture locations, recommendations of timeline for the day, and just made the whole day feel so smooth. She schedules multiple check ins, phone calls, etc., leading up to the big day to ensure everything is as you want it. Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever after just the first time of meeting."
"Brooke has such a calming, down to earth presence and is one of those awesome people you feel like you've known forever."
christy + austin
Brooke is the absolute best. She truly went above and beyond for my fiancé and I to be able to get our engagement photos taken with the fall colors. Brooke is so sweet, fun, personable and incredibly talented. We could not be more in love with our engagement photos! Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever.
"Our engagement session with Brooke was such a special experience and a memory we will cherish forever."
