It depends.

I know we all hate that answer when we ask about anything. But it’s true! How much an elopement costs depends on many factors, including how many vendors you want, how many guests you have, the location, etc. So let’s breakdown some of those details here!

Cost of Vendors for an Adventure Elopement

Of course, every vendor has their own pricing, client experience, expertise, etc. This is a general list based on my experience working with vendors, as an elopement photographer in Alberta.

First, here is a list of the typical vendors and their average pricing, that most couples would have for their elopement day:

1. Officiant – $600 – $1000
2. Photographer – $2500 – $12,000
3. Florist (bouquet) – $200 – $600
4. Wedding dress – $1000 – $5,000
5. Suit – $500 – $1000
6. Wedding bands – $700
7. Accommodation – $800 – $3000

Here is a list of additional vendors and their pricing, that a couple may include in their elopement, depending on their vision:

1. Videographer – $5000 – $12,000
2. Cake/dessert – $300 – $600
3. Arch or additional florals – $1000 – $4000
4. Vow books – $150 – $300
5. Hair and makeup – $250 – $500
6. Helicopter – $1600 – $3000
7. Planner – $1500

The AVERAGE TOTAL COST of an adventure elopement ranges from $5000 – $20,000 CAD.

In addition to those elopement vendors, you may choose to do other activities that would add additional cost. For example, maybe you want to hire a sled dog team, a hot air balloon, or a private plane to fly to a remote location. These are all personal choices, and so the price of your elopement will vary to someone else’s.

Before we move on, I want to clarify one thing. Just because you are eloping, that doesn’t mean the specific vendors you have will be cheaper. Yes, you will have LESS vendors than a traditional large wedding. However, if you choose to hire quality vendors, the cost of the vendors will still be the same as for any other wedding. Where you are saving the money is on the TOTAL OVERALL COST of your elopement day. This is due mainly to the fact that you will have fewer vendors for an elopement.

We’ll discuss location next!

How Location Affects the Cost of an Elopement

Let’s use an example. Say you live in Arizona. Awesome! You recently got engaged, and have been eyeing up the Canadian Rockies for an ideal elopement location. Extra awesome! (I might be bias, but you know.. ). Of course, you will have travel costs associated with your elopement right off the bat. If you’re traveling from another country to elope in Canada, specifically Alberta, it will cost you. Whether you drive and pay for gas/accommodation along the way, or book plane tickets.

Here is another example of how location will affect the cost of your elopement. We’ll say you live in Southern British Columbia. You want to do a helicopter elopement in Revelstoke, but your absolute must-have photographer lives in Calgary. That’s approximately a 5 hour drive for the photographer to travel. Now, that may not seem that far. But here’s the thing – your photographer wants to make sure they are able to show up on time for your elopement. Things can happen while driving. Delays, flat tire, accidents, etc. Your photographer will want to come the day prior to your elopement, and will likely need to stay the night of as well before traveling home. The cost? Two nights accommodation (approximately $200 to $400). If your elopement is far enough away from your photographer, they may charge travel fees or even book a flight instead of driving. So those are things to take into account when hiring any vendor who doesn’t live in the location you want to elope.

Lastly, if you’re wanting to do a multi day elopement, you will need to consider the cost of campgrounds, huts etc in the backcountry, as well as additional gear and transportation (eg. helicopter) required to get there. The photographer will also charge more for this of course, as it is multiple days of their time versus just one day.

So how much does the photographer cost?

How Much Does an Elopement Photographer Cost?

You can expect to pay anywhere from $2000 to $12,000+ on a photographer for your elopement. As mentioned above, this depends largely on the experience your photographer provides, rather than solely showing up as a photographer the day of. For example, if you were to hire a photographer who had just started their business, you’d likely pay significantly less than someone who has been in the industry for several years. While this may be a benefit for some, the downside to this is that it often comes with a lack of client experience and expertise.

Should you choose to hire an elopement photographer who has been around for awhile, chances of getting a top notch client experience, incredible images, and a wealth of knowledge during the planning process, are much higher. For hiking and helicopter elopements in Alberta and BC, photography packages with Lena Jenise Photography range from $3000 to $12,000. I help couples with planning locations, time of year, accommodations, and choosing other vendors. The more I know and am involved in your planning, the better! This makes everything more streamlined and makes it easier to coordinate with other vendors involved. It also helps me get to know you as a couple, which makes us both comfortable during the elopement day. The price depends on the length of time needed, the location, and whether or not an album is included.

Custom Elopement Albums

An album is the finishing touch to a perfect adventure elopement day! These are a must have in my opinion. From the soft leather cover, to the thick, luxury pages full of your love story, and the custom deboss on the cover that’s designed with you in mind, you won’t stop looking at it for the rest of your life ;). They are an additional cost to the basic 4 hour package. But, with Lena Jenise Photography, a custom album is included in all packages with the exception of the basic package. I genuinely want every single one of my clients to have one of these albums. Album prices range from $1200 to $2500, depending on how many spreads you choose, and the size/number of font debossing. These albums are guaranteed to last over 100 years. If that doesn’t speak enough to the quality, then I don’t know what does.

I’m not here to convince everyone to elope. I’m here to help couples who want to elope, have the absolute best experience while you’re at it. Here’s to doing something you love doing together, and getting married while you’re doing it. As always, click here to inquire through my contact form. See you at the summit!