Rocky Mountain National Park is easily one of Colorado’s best places to get married. It’s gorgeous year-round, budget-friendly, and has many sites to choose from. I’ve joined several couples to capture their stunning Rocky Mountain National Park wedding, and I’ll share the best locations and tips below.
Whether you’re an adventurous couple wanting to explore the park on your wedding day or invite your loved ones and want an easily accessible experience, this guide has you covered. In this article, I’ll discuss everything you need to know about costs, legalities, locations, and planning your dream day.
Rocky Mountain National Park Wedding Tips
It’s easy to have a dreamy wedding at Rocky Mountain National Park, no matter your budget or the experience you’re looking for. Below, I’ll share helpful tips for planning an unforgettable wedding at RMNP.
Understand Rules and Regulations
There are various rules and regulations regarding ceremony sites and getting your Rocky Mountain National Park wedding permit.
Here are some to keep in mind when planning your wedding:
- There are specific ceremony sites throughout the park, which you’ll need a Special Use Permit for. You can apply for the permit, which costs $300, up to a year in advance.
- You can self-solemnize in Colorado, meaning you don’t need an officiant or any witness for your wedding.
- Most wedding sites are available year-round, but the park only schedules up to six weddings per day and two at a specific venue.
- Ceremonies must be two hours or less. You and your love can explore the park longer to take photos and enjoy your wedding day.
- All Rocky Mountain National Park wedding venues are open to the public, so no sites are private. However, there are some more tucked-away sites, which I’ll share below.
- Getting a Colorado marriage license is relatively easy. You’ll need to complete an online application, make an appointment with a local county clerk’s office, and get your marriage license. You can get married as soon as you get your license and need to hold your ceremony within 35 days.
- You don’t need the Special Use Permit if you want to skip a formal ceremony and have a simple RMNP elopement and photos instead. With this, you’ll only need a $50 photo permit, which I take care of for couples I work with.
Hire a Wedding Photographer
Planning a wedding is a lot of work! Have a stress-free experience by hiring a photographer who also helps with planning.
As a Colorado wedding and elopement photographer, I help couples plan their dream wedding day. I’m there every step of the way as you choose the perfect location, plan the logistics, and enjoy your magical day.
Choose a Suitable Location
Rocky Mountain National Park covers 415 square miles, so it’s huge. There are many places throughout the park to explore and have your ceremony. That said, a shuttle is available to park visitors, including wedding couples and guests.
Here are some things to keep in mind when planning your wedding:
- Where you’re staying – Estes Park, east of RMNP, is the main town where people stay. That said, there are other accommodations surrounding the park. If you have a specific location you want to stay, plan your wedding nearby. Or you can choose your wedding location, then your accommodation.
- Your guest count – Most Rocky Mountain National Park wedding venues are suitable for 10 to 30 guests, depending on the specific site. Keep your guest count in mind when choosing your location. You’ll also want to make sure the site is accessible to all your guests.
- Desired scenery and experience – Because the park is so large, various sites offer different scenery and experiences. For example, you can have a mountainside elopement or wedding, a larger, more secluded ceremony, or a hiking adventure.
- Time of year – Some locations are better during specific times of year. For example, Upper Beaver Meadows usually has road closures during winter, or you may like Hidden Valley during summer when wildflowers are blooming.
Plan Your Travel & Accommodations
If you’re flying into Colorado, there are several airports near RMNP, including Denver International Airport. The park is about an hour and a half drive from Denver and an hour from Boulder.
As for accommodations, most people stay in Estes Park, which is a beautiful mountain getaway a short drive from the park. Estes Park has many hotels and vacation rentals, perfect for a romantic wedding and honeymoon.
Best Rocky Mountain National Park Wedding Venues
Whether you want to get married surrounded by aspen trees next to a lake or exchange your vows at an amphitheater with seating perfect for loved ones to join you, each RMNP wedding site is unique and beautiful. Explore various Rocky Mountain National Park wedding locations below.
Bear Lake Nature Trail
Max guests: 20
Accessibility: Easy
Bear Lake Nature Trail is another popular site, and it’s only available for a wedding between Columbus Day and Memorial Day. The entire area is stunning, with breathtaking mountain scenery and aspen trees.
3M Curve
Max guests: 15
Accessibility: Moderate
The 3M Curve is a large rock overlook accessible by a short hike. You can have your wedding surrounded by mountain scenery and meadows. There’s also standing room at the site, ideal for inviting your closest family and friends.
Alluvial Fan Bridge
Max guests: 20
Accessibility: Easy
Say “I do” at Alluvial Fan Bridge, one of RMNP’s most popular locations. It’s especially incredible during summer, with a large river, flowing waterfall, and beautiful aspen trees. There’s also a wooden footbridge and picture-perfect views of the Mummy Range, Horseshoe Falls, and Endovalley, ideal for endless photo ops.
Copeland Lake
Max guests: 30
Accessibility: Easy
If you want to plan a Rocky Mountain National Park wedding that’s suitable for guests, Copeland Lake is one of the best options. A nearby parking lot is easily accessible and close to the beautiful site. Have your ceremony in a large meadow surrounded by gorgeous mountain scenery.
Harbison Meadow Picnic Area
Max guests: 30
Accessibility: Easy
Harbison Meadow Picnic Area is another excellent location for guests. With four picnic tables, it’s also ideal for a small reception after your ceremony in front of a stunning mountain backdrop.
Hidden Valley
Max guests: 30
Accessibility: Easy and wheelchair accessible
Take advantage of one of RMNP’s few hidden locations at Hidden Valley. It’s more tucked away than popular locations while still easily accessible. Aspen and pine trees surround the area, and the meadow is covered in beautiful wildflowers during summer.
Lily Lake Dock
Max guests: 10
Accessibility: Easy and wheelchair accessible
Lily Lake Dock is one of the best locations for an intimate wedding. It offers 360° mountain views with a dock over the lake to say, “I do.” There’s also a nearby walking trail, which makes for a beautiful place to explore and take photos.
Lily Lake Trail
Max guests: 20
Accessibility: Moderately easy
Have your Rocky Mountain National Park wedding in a grassy area by the lake at Lily Lake Trail. It’s a short walk from the parking lot and a bit off the trail, so you’ll be out of the way of hikers to enjoy your ceremony and beautiful mountain and lake scenery.
Lily Lake Southside Picnic Area
Max guests: 30
Accessibility: Moderately easy
I love Lily Lake Southside Picnic Area for a more private ceremony. It’s tucked away by the lake and surrounded by aspen trees. There are also picnic tables perfect for celebrating with loved ones after your ceremony.
Moraine Park Discovery Center Amphitheater
Max guests: 30
Accessibility: Easy
Moraine Park Discovery Center Amphitheater is the best option if you want to plan a more traditional wedding with decor and guests. The site is easily accessible, and you can decorate the area. There are also wooden benches for seating, which is rare for a RMNP wedding.
Sprague Lake
Max guests: 15 in summer and 30 in winter
Accessibility: Easy and wheelchair accessible
Exchange your vows next to Sprague Lake for some of the park’s best mountain views. There’s a wooden footbridge for a fun photo op, and there’s an easily accessible trail to the lake.
Upper Beaver Meadows
Max guests: 30
Accessibility: Moderately easy
Upper Beaver Meadows is one of the best ceremony sites for privacy, and it’s available from mid-May to mid-October. Although the area is public, it’s somewhat hidden, and there are multiple options for your ceremony. Say, “I do,” in an open meadow surrounded by rocky hills or with stunning views of the Continental Divide.
Timber Creek Campground Amphitheater
Max guests: 20
Accessibility: Easy and wheelchair accessible
If you’re looking for a convenient spot for your ceremony that comfortably seats your guests, Timber Creek Campground Amphitheater is ideal. There’s nice bench seating, and the trail is easily accessible. With the convenience of this site, you do miss some of the scenery as the ceremony stage blocks a lot of the views. That said, there are many nearby areas for beautiful pictures.
Rocky Mountain National Park Wedding FAQs
Plan your dream wedding with answers to common questions about getting married at Rocky Mountain National Park.
How much is it to elope in Rocky Mountain National Park?
It costs $300 to have a formal wedding ceremony at a dedicated site or $50 to elope and take photos at the park. The $300 fee covers the Special Use Permit required to reserve your site, whereas the $50 fee covers a photo permit. When I work with couples eloping at RMNP, I cover the cost of the photo permit.
When is the best time to get married at Rocky Mountain National Park?
The best time to get married at Rocky Mountain National Park is late May or June. During this time, you can enjoy beautiful weather, fewer crowds, and lush green mountains.
That said, a RMNP wedding is incredible year-round. Whether you’re hoping for a winter wonderland, spring wildflower, or colorful fall wedding, all seasons offer a unique experience.
I also recommend getting married on a weekday as the park is often very crowded on weekends. Sunrise and sunset are also gorgeous and less crowded.
Can our dog join us for our wedding?
Dogs are welcome in some places at Rocky Mountain National Park, but the options are limited. If you want to have a dog-friendly wedding, dogs are only allowed at Moraine Park Discovery Center Amphitheater and Timber Creek Campground Amphitheater–both beautiful sites. Keep in mind that dogs aren’t permitted at any other ceremony site or on the trails.
Let’s Plan Your Rocky Mountain National Park Wedding
I hope you found this guide incredibly helpful and are excited to start planning your wedding at Rocky Mountain National Park.
I love working with adventurous couples to plan their dream day! Not only can I capture your Rocky Mountain National Park wedding photos, but I can also help with location scouting, timeline planning, and vendor recommendations. My wedding packages also include a 100-page planning guide.
Let’s plan your perfect wedding day experience!
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."
