There’s this sort of unspoken assumption that weddings are split into adventure elopements or traditional venues. Even within those two options, there’s a ton of diversity. But beyond that, we’ve got all sorts of non-traditional options. I’ve worked with couples in art museums, cafes, circus schools (true story), and backyards. Weddings can happen anywhere. The only requirement is that it feels right for you.

Over the last 10 years as a Colorado wedding photographer, I’ve documented backyard weddings across the state: from Denver suburbs to Boulder foothills to mountain properties in the high country. Some were intimate 20-person gatherings, others had 100+ guests. Every single one was uniquely theirs.

Here’s what I’ve learned: Colorado backyard weddings offer something traditional venues can’t – complete flexibility, genuine intimacy, and the ability to make the day entirely yours. But they also require real planning and honest budgets. This guide covers everything you need to know.

Why Have a Backyard Wedding in Colorado?

There are several reasons why you might consider a backyard wedding. Why and where you choose to elope or get married varies. For some, it’s simply because of the love for their home. Others are looking for an outdoor space with little to no restrictions.

Still, here are some of the main reasons why you might have a wedding in your backyard.

Personal Reasons

Whatever the reason may be, it’s always a personal choice. A special day like a wedding tends to have thoughtful details in everything, including the location.

It could be the backyard where you had your first kiss, or property your grandparents owned. Maybe it’s where you host Sunday dinners with friends, or where your dog runs around every morning. That personal connection to the space shows up in the photos and in the feeling of the day.

Wedding Budget

Let’s be honest: backyard weddings aren’t automatically cheaper – they’re almost never less expensive than an elopement. Sometimes they cost about the same as booking a venue. Sometimes they cost more.

The difference is where the money goes. With a traditional venue, you’re paying for the space and their staff. With a backyard wedding, you’re “building” the venue—renting tents, tables, chairs, lighting, bathrooms, and generators.

Realistic cost breakdown for a 75-person Colorado backyard wedding:

• Tent rental: $800-$3,000+
• Tables, chairs, and linens: $600-$2,000
• Lighting: $300-$1,500
• Portable bathrooms: $200-$1,200
• Catering: $3,750-$11,250
• Bar service: $1,500-$4,000
• Photography: $3,000-$8,000
• Coordination: $1,500-$5,000

Total realistic range: $15,000-$35,000

But you get control. You can skip things that don’t matter to you. You can bring in your own alcohol. You can have a taco truck instead of plated dinners. The flexibility is real—just don’t assume it’ll be half the cost.

Flexibility & Timeline Freedom

Most Colorado venues have strict timelines: ceremony at 4pm, cocktail hour until 5:30, dinner at 6, dancing until 10, everyone out by 10:30. If your hair and makeup runs late? Too bad.

With a backyard wedding, you set the pace. Start getting ready at noon if you want. Have a long cocktail hour. Run away at sunset for portraits. Let dinner conversation flow naturally. This is where my full-day coverage shines – I don’t watch the clock either.

While hosting a wedding on your own turf might feel like the ultimate freedom fest, it’s not exactly a free-for-all.

Even in the heart of your own haven, rules exist. There may be noise curfews set by local ordinances, responsibilities that come with sharing those bubbly spirits, and vendors aren’t all night owls. Plus, there are other etiquettes and guidelines to keep in mind. Hosting at home is charming, no doubt, but let’s tread with respect and awareness, alright?

Intimacy

An intimate wedding doesn’t have to be a grand elopement in Colorado. For the record, an intimate wedding doesn’t even mean a wedding with a small guest list.

Intimacy is another word for “closeness.” If you have 100 people at your wedding, but they’re all close to you, then it can still be considered an intimate wedding. Backyard weddings create a different energy than large venue weddings. Something about the scale and setting encourages genuine connection. People actually talk to each other. Kids can run around. Your dog can be part of the day. There’s breathing room.

How to Plan a Backyard Wedding in Colorado

Create Your Guest List

Your guest count determines everything else. You need to know how many people before you can figure out if the space works, what size tent you need, and what your budget looks like.

Do the math on space requirements:

• Ceremony: 1.5-2 sq ft per person
• Cocktail hour: 6-8 sq ft per person
• Dinner: 10-12 sq ft per person
• Dance floor: 2-3 sq ft per person

A 50-person wedding needs roughly 500-700 sq ft. A 100-person wedding needs 1,000-1,400 sq ft minimum.

Walk the property. Measure it. Be honest about whether your guest list fits comfortably.

Understand Regulations and Permits

Different areas have different rules:

Denver metro:

• Noise ordinances (quiet hours 10pm weekdays, 11pm weekends)
• Parking restrictions
• HOA rules
• Special event permits for large gatherings

Boulder:

• City noise ordinances (strictly enforced)
• Parking plan required
• Notify neighbors 2-4 weeks minimum
• Consider currying favor with your neighbors by sending over dessert

Mountain communities:

• Fire restrictions (May-September)
• Wildlife considerations
• Road access
• Altitude effects on guests

Statewide:

• Colorado allows self-solemnization (no officiant needed!)
• Marriage license from any county, returned to same county

Plan Your Weather Backup

Colorado weather is unpredictable. You need a solid plan.

Option 1: Tent (most common for 40+ people)

• Provides cover regardless of weather
• Can be heated or cooled
• Gives you complete flexibility

Option 2: Indoor Backup

• Does the house have space for everyone? Is there some other structure on the property?
• Can you move ceremony inside on short notice?

I’m shooting your wedding whether it’s sunny or pouring. Some of my favorite images happen in unexpected weather.

Create Your Timeline

Although you are having a wedding in your backyard, it’s still important to keep things running smoothly.

It’s one of those situations where setting rules actually allow you to be more free – kind of like setting guard rails along the edges of a cliff.

To get really in the details of planning a wedding timeline, I recommend reading this article here. But for the sake of you not jumping page to page, here’s the rundown.

Give Yourself Time to Get Ready

The last thing you want is to be stressed on your wedding day. My motto is “this is going to be easy.” Let’s not make things more complicated than they need to be.

Drink that mimosa right before you put on your wedding dress. Watch the baker bring in the wedding cake. Just give yourself breathing room.

Give Some Buffer Room

Don’t plan things back-to-back. If it’s going to take 2 hours to get your hair and makeup done, build in 3 hours. If your first look location is a 10 minute walk, then give yourself 15 minutes to get there.

Again – breathing room.

It’s one of those situations where setting rules actually allows you to be more free – kind of like guard rails along a cliff.

Key principles:

• Give yourself breathing room
• If it takes 2 hours, build in 3
• Have a designated coordinator handle logistics day-of
• You shouldn’t be directing vendors on your wedding day

Colorado-Specific Considerations

Sun and UV Protection

Colorado sun is no joke:

• Provide shade (tents, umbrellas)
• Sunscreen station
• Schedule ceremony for late afternoon

Wildlife

Depending on location:

• Bears (manage trash carefully)
• Rattlesnakes (in foothills)
• Mosquitoes (near water)

Hire professional trash management. Consider citronella candles.

Altitude Effects (Above 6,000 feet)

Guests from lower elevations may struggle with:

• Alcohol tolerance (drinks hit harder)
• Physical exertion (walking feels harder)
• Sun exposure (UV is stronger)
• Physical exertion (walking feels harder)
• Sun exposure (UV is stronger)
• Have water stations everywhere. Warn out-of-state guests in invitations.

Hire Vendors

From florists to photographers (wink wink) hire professionals who are down with this vibe. I can’t stress enough the importance of a solid wedding planner. Just because it’s a backyard wedding doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy to plan – or coordinate on the day of! People make that their entire job for a reason.

Boulder Backyard Weddings: What’s Different

Boulder is more regulated than most Colorado cities. The city takes noise, parking, and neighborhood impact seriously.

Boulder-specific requirements:

• Check City regulations early
• Noise ordinances strictly enforced
• Solid parking plan (neighborhoods are dense)
• Notify neighbors well in advance

The upside: Boulder backyards often have incredible Flatirons views. The light hitting the mountains during golden hour is unmatched. Plus, Boulder has amazing local farm-to-table catering and brewery options.

For more Boulder guidance, check my Boulder wedding venues guide and how to elope in Boulder.

Real Colorado Backyard Wedding: Christina + Max

I photographed Christina and Max’s Colorado backyard wedding, and it’s a perfect example of understanding what matters.

They chose a backyard because the property had meaning – family land. They kept their guest list manageable so the space worked comfortably.

What made it work:

• Embraced casual intimacy instead of formal venue aesthetic
• Invested in what mattered (great food, relaxed timeline)
• Skipped what didn’t
• Had a solid weather plan
• Let the day unfold naturally

The result? A wedding that felt like them. Real laughter, genuine moments, people relaxing and connecting.

Is a Colorado Backyard Wedding Right for You?

Backyard weddings in Colorado offer incredible intimacy, flexibility, and the chance to make the day entirely yours—with the state’s natural beauty as your backdrop. But they require thoughtful planning and realistic budgets.

You’ll love a backyard wedding if:

• The space has personal meaning
• You’re comfortable managing details (or hiring a coordinator)
• You want complete timeline control
• You have adequate space for your guest count

Consider a traditional venue if:

• You’re inviting a large amount of people without significant property
• Logistics feel overwhelming
• You want less hands-on coordination
• Weather backup is a major concern

There’s no wrong answer – only what works for you.

Vendors For Your Backyard Wedding

Let’s Capture Your Colorado Backyard Wedding

I’ve photographed Colorado backyard weddings from Denver to Boulder to mountain properties. In sunshine, rain, snow, and everything between.

My full-day coverage means I don’t watch the clock. You’re not on a venue’s timeline, and you shouldn’t be on your photographer’s timeline either.

I’m here to document the real moments. Your grandma tearing up during vows. Golden hour portraits with Colorado’s mountains behind you. Your friends dancing as the sun sets. All of it.

Only part of what I do is actually photographing weddings. So much is spent daydreaming with you and creating a plan to make your day easy. I’ve photographed enough Colorado backyard weddings to know what works and what creates chaos.

If you’re planning a Colorado backyard wedding – whether in Boulder, Denver, the mountains, or anywhere in between – let’s talk.

Backyard weddings in Colorado aren’t just events – they’re experiences, tales that are told for years. And if you’re going down this path, trust me, you’re onto something unforgettable.

Don’t look back at blurry photographs of your backyard wedding in 20 years!