How to Plan a Wedding in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Why Should You Get Married in Jackson Hole?

The real question is, why wouldn’t you want to get married in Jackson Hole? Teton County is one of the most beautiful places in the lower 48 to exchange your vows with the love of your life. With countless wedding venues, world class restaurants, and incredible sights to be seen, there is so much to know when looking to plan your wedding in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

With this guide, I made sure to include all of the information you need to plan your wedding in Jackson Hole from how to apply for a marriage license, best venues and locations , and Jackson Hole wedding photography and videography packages.

When is the Best Time to Get Married in Jackson Hole?

June – August

Summer is one of the best times of year to get married in Jackson Hole. You can usually count on good weather, and everything is green with beautiful wildflowers! This is a peak tourist season, so keep that in mind when looking to book lodging. Summer is also the one of time year that almost all of the trails and roads around Grand Teton National Park are open, allowing you to explore the full park and enjoy your time in Jackson.

September – November

Fall is definitely our favorite month in Jackson Hole. The air is cooler, the crowds can be a bit better, and the colors are absolutely immaculate. Wildlife is at its prime, so it’s a great time of year to drive around and search for wildlife in and near Grand Teton National Park. In one day alone we have seen elk, bears, deer, antelope, and moose. September is the most popular month for weddings in the park, but in some years you can easily get away with having your wedding in October without running into bad weather or early snow. November can still have decent weather, but the temperatures can dip down and be pretty chilly. This is definitely the off season, and typically around the time of the first snow of the year.

December – March

In our opinion (and statistically), this is one of the coldest periods of time to get married in Jackson Hole. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort usually averages about 450 inches of snowfall every year, so you can only imagine how much would be on the ground in town. Many roads within Grand Teton National Park are closed this time of year, but there is plenty of access for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails. This makes the winter time a perfect time of year for couples who love the snow, and love to ski or snowboard. Elopement at the top of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort anyone?

April-May

This is the most variable season in Jackson. In Jackson Hole, we have either experienced this time of year to be on the warmer (high 60s) with limited precipitation or pretty chilly (35-60) with snow and rain constantly. Chances are if you choose to plan your wedding in Jackson Hole in the spring, you might run into some kind of weather, or excess snow on the ground.

How to Choose the Best Venue for Your Jackson Hole Wedding

Jackson Hole offers a variety of different venues and locations to get married at. The best part is that you can get as creative as you want with it!

Jackson Hole Wedding Venues

Because Grand Teton National Park only allows a small amount of people for wedding ceremonies, it is best to have larger wedding events at venues. Here are some of our favorite venues in Jackson Hole that you can check out!

DIAMOND CROSS RANCH

SPRING CREEK RANCH

MOOSE CREEK RANCH

SNAKE RIVER RANCH

THE BENTWOOD INN

JACKSON HOLE GOLF AND TENNIS CLUB

JACKSON HOLE MOUNTAIN RESORT

THE CLOUDVEIL

AMANGANI

MOOSE HEAD RANCH

SNOW KING RESORT

Grand Teton National Park Wedding Locations

In order to get married in Grand Teton National Park, you must apply for a permit through the NATIONAL PARK WEBSITE. This permit costs $200, and allows you to have a 2 hour time period to hold your ceremony. You must apply for your permit at least 30 days before you plan to get married, and there are some limitations based on location and group size. As of 2022, there are currently 6 reserved locations that are permitted for wedding ceremonies. Those include; SCHWABACHER LANDING, MORMON ROW, MOUNTAIN VIEW TURNOUT, GLACIER VIEW TURNOUT, SNAKE RIVER OVERLOOK, and COLTER BAY SWIM BEACH.

There are also small dispersed ceremony locations that can be anywhere in the park (as long as it is first accepted by the permit office, and must be for groups of under 12 people. They have this rule to help minimize environmental impact on the lands. This is our favorite option for couples who want to hike for their wedding/elopement. Some of our favorite spots for this are Delta Lake and Taggart Lake.

If you don’t want to worry about applying or paying for a permit, The Wedding Tree in the Bridger-Teton National Forest is a great ceremony location with a stunning view. You can get more information on this location HERE. As of 2024, you do not need a permit to take photos in the park, so many couples choose to do first looks or bridal portraits on their wedding day in the park.

How to get a Marriage License in Wyoming

The process of getting married in Wyoming is pretty easy, but we always recommend making a reservation for the county clerks office to get your license. One of our couples told us that the county clerk told them he signed 30 marriage licenses in one day, so it’s very clear the county clerks office is a hopping place when there are weddings going on in town. If you are getting married in Jackson Hole, you will need to set up your appointment with the Teton County Clerk’s office to obtain your marriage license.

1. Call ahead to the county clerk’s office that you plan to obtain your marriage license at. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead.
2. Plan to bring your driver’s license or passport, social security numbers, and 30$ in cash, and expect an extra charge if paying with credit card.
3. Fill out the MARRIAGE LICENSE QUESTIONNAIRE before heading into the office.
4. Both of you must be present when obtaining your license from the Recorder’s office
5. There is no waiting period in the State of Wyoming, so once you receive your license, you can get married! Your license expires one year after you apply for your license.
6. After your ceremony, return the signed license back to the County Clerks’s office you received it at by either mailing it in or dropping it off.

Do I need an officiant or witnesses to get married in Wyoming?

In order to elope or get married in Wyoming, you need an officiant and two witnesses to sign your license. If you are eloping, we’ve got you covered! I am a registered minister and can legally sign off as your officiant, while we find 2 other hikers who watched from afar to be your 2 witnesses! If you are looking for an officiant, the Teton County website has a list of active officiants in the area. You can find that list HERE.

How much does it cost to get married in Jackson Hole?

Honestly, it can cost you as much as you want it to cost! Because everyone has different budgets, here are a few different ideas of what you can do for your Jackson Hole wedding, with both options for eloping and big weddings with different budgets.

High-End Wedding

• Plane Tickets/ Travel ($800)
• Marriage License ($30)
• One Week of Lodging ($4,000-$10,000)
• Photographer ($8,000)
• Videographer ($4,500)
• Florals ($5,000-$10,000)
• Dress and extras ($5000)
• Hair and Makeup ($1500)
• Suit and extras ($2,000)
• Venue ($9,000-$15,000)
• Catering ($10,000-$20,000)
• Wedding Coordinator ($4,000)
• DJ or Band ($2,000-$5,000)
• Baker ($1,000-$5000)

Total: $65,000-$100,000

High-End Elopement

• Plane Tickets/ Travel ($800)
• Marriage License ($30)
• One Week of Lodging ($4,000)
• Photographer ($7,000)
• Videographer ($5,000)
• Florals ($500)
• Dress and extras ($3,000)
• Hair and Makeup ($800)
• Suit and extras ($1,000)
• Permit Fee ($200)
• Private Chef/Dinner for 15 ($1500)

Total: $23,830

Mid-End Wedding

• Plane Tickets/ Travel ($800)
• Marriage License ($30)
• 4 nights of Lodging ($2,000)
• Photographer ($6,000)
• Videographer ($3,000)
• Florals ($1,500-$3000)
• Dress and extras ($2000)
• Hair and Makeup ($800)
• Suit and extras ($800-$1500)
• Venue ($7,500-$12,000)
• Catering ($8,000)
• Wedding Coordinator ($2,000)
• DJ ($1,500)
• Baker ($700)

Total: $39,000-$45,000

Mid-End Elopement

• Plane Tickets/ Travel ($500)
• Marriage License ($30)
• 4 Nights of Lodging ($2,200)
• Photographer ($5,000)
• Videographer ($2,500)
• Florals ($300)
• Dress and extras ($2,000)
• Hair and Makeup ($500)
• Suit and extras ($600)
• Permit Fee ($200)
• Private Chef/Dinner for 10 ($1000)
• Horseback Riding Excursion ($500)

Total: $16,330

Low-End Wedding

• Plane Tickets/ Travel ($500)
• Marriage License ($30)
• 2 nights of Lodging ($1000)
• Photographer ($4,000)
• Videographer ($2,000)
• Florals ($500)
• Dress and extras ($800)
• Hair and Makeup ($300)
• Suit and extras ($300)
• Venue ($5,00)
• Catering ($5,000)
• Wedding Coordinator ($1,000)
• Baker ($400)
• Speaker Rental ($200)

Total : $21,330

Low-End Elopement

• Plane Tickets/ Travel ($500)
• Marriage License ($30)
• 2 Nights of Lodging ($600)
• Photographer ($3,500)
• Videographer ($1,500)
• Florals ($60)
• Dress and extras ($500)
• Hair and Makeup ($DIY)
• Suit and extras ($300)
• Permit Fee ($200)
• Dinner for 4 ($200)
• Jenny Lake Shuttle Boat Tickets for 4 ($80)

Total: $7,470

Keep in mind that these are just ideas of what your Jackson Hole Wedding costs can look like, depending on your budget. You could easily have a million dollar wedding here, and could also probably have a wedding for less than $1,000. Choose your top 3 priorities, and the rest will fall into place.

Jackson Hole Wedding Checklist

Book your photo/video team or wedding planner

Some venues in Jackson Hole require you to have a wedding planner before booking, so make sure you find a wedding planner if you are looking at a venue that requires this. If the venue you’re looking at does not require a planner, we recommend booking your photographer and videographer first!

There are not very many photographers in Jackson Hole that specialize in elopements and micro weddings specifically, so it’s important to find the ones that do. Most knowledgeable and professional elopement photographers are experts in their field. We know the best locations, how to capture our couples artfully and tastefully, and also just give an epic experience.

Your Jackson Hole elopement photographer should offer location scouting, vendor recommendations, planning assistance, and should make you feel like you are taken care of on your elopement day. In most cases your media team are the only other people there with you on your day, so you want to make sure they will do a great job. If you are planning a large wedding in Jackson Hole, it’s important to book your media team early, as dates book us quick especially in the summer and fall! Did we mention we’re a photo and video team based in Jackson Hole? We specialize in elopements and micro-weddings, but we love capturing big weddings throughout Jackson Hole too! Check us out HERE!

Choose a location or venue

Once you choose your media team, you should chat with them about the general locations and venues you are interested in. From there, they can give you the best recommendations on specific locations and what venues are the best. If you already know exactly where you want to elope or already have your venue booked, then let your vendors know right away!

Book your lodging, travel, other vendors, and activities

Once you have a confirmed date with your vendors, it’s time to start booking your lodging, travel, and more! Lodging is always a very important thing to book right away, as things can sell out very quickly, especially in small mountain towns. I recommend flying into Jackson Hole Airport for direct access to Jackson, but you can also fly into Idaho Falls Airport or Salt Lake City, but these airports both have about a 2-4 hour drive into town. Also make sure to reach out to all the different vendors you want apart of your day. Your photo + video team or wedding planner should give you their vendor recommendations for the best vendors in the area!

Apply for your marriage license

This is one of the most important pieces of planning. Without a marriage license, you technically can’t make your elopement day your legal wedding day, but some couples decide to do this and just have a commitment ceremony rather than a legal ceremony. Make sure you make your appointment early!

Get hitched in Jackson Hole!

Jackson Hole is such a special place to get married, whether you are having a destination wedding or a small elopement. Planning can be lots of work, but with the right group of vendors, it should make your experience easy and stress-free!

Curious about what your photographer coverage could look like on your wedding or elopement day? Here are a few examples!!

2 Hour Elopement Timeline

• 5:30 pm – Media team meets you at your hotel to capture finishing getting ready images
• 6:15 pm  – Ceremony at an overlook of the mountains begins
• 6:45 pm – Go paddle-boarding in your wedding attire at Jackson or Jenny Lake
• 7:15 pm – Have your first dance and take couples photos on the lake
• 7:30 – Photo coverage ends

6 Hour Elopement Timeline

• 5:00 am – Meet media team at trailhead and begin your trek to an alpine lake
• 7:00 am  – Finish getting into wedding attire and prepare for your first look and ceremony
• 8:00 am – Relax by the lake and read letters from family and friends
• 8:30 am – Have your first dance
• 8:45 am – Take a few structured bridal photos
• 9:00 am – Head back down the mountain 
• 10:45 am – Finish your coverage at mormon row for an epic full teton range view
• 11 am – Photo + Video coverage ends

8 Hour Wedding Timeline

• 1:00 pm – Media Team arrives to bridal suite for brides getting ready photos and details
• 2:00 pm – Media Team heads to grooms getting ready suite for finishing touch photos
• 2:45 pm – Bride and Groom have their first look together at Mormon Row
• 3:30 pm – Ceremony Begins at Venue
• 4:00 pm – Bridal Party and Family Photos while cocktail hour begins
• 5:00 pm – Dinner is Served
• 5:30 pm – Speeches
• 6:00 pm – Special Dances
• 6:30 pm – Sunset Bridals of the Couple
• 7:15 pm – Couple Dances the Night Away
• 8:45 pm – Prepare everyone for a sparker exit
• 8:50 pm – Couple has a final private last dance
• 8:55 pm – Sparkler Exit
• 9:00 pm – Photo + Video Coverage Ends

10 Hour Wedding Timeline

• 12:00 pm – Media Team arrives to bridal suite for brides getting ready photos and details
• 1:30 pm – Media Team heads to grooms getting ready suite for finishing touch photos
• 2:45 pm – Bride and Groom have their first look together at Mormon Row
• 3:30 pm – Ceremony Begins at Venue
• 4:00 pm – Bridal Party and Family Photos while cocktail hour begins
• 5:00 pm – Dinner is Served
• 5:30 pm – Speeches
• 6:00 pm – Special Dances
• 6:30 pm – Sunset Bridals of the Couple in the Park
• 8:00 pm – Couple and guests Dances the Night Away
• 9:50 pm – Couple has a final private last dance
• 9:55 pm – Fun Car Exit
• 10:00 pm – Photo + Video Coverage Ends

12 Hour Elopement Timeline

• 7:00am – Getting ready pictures in an Airbnb in town
• 8:00am – Drive to first location
• 8:30am – Begin your 2 mile hike to ceremony location
• 9:30am – Get dressed into wedding attire for your first look and ceremony
• 11:00am – Summit the mountain peak over the ceremony location
• 12:15pm – Take couples photos at the top and have a picnic enjoying the views
• 12:45pm – Start your hike down back to town 
• 4:15pm – Arrive back in town, head to the the hot springs to enjoy some wine and relax 
• 5:30pm – Head back to your cabin where dinner from a private chef is awaiting you
• 6:20pm – Head to the fire pit and make s’mores with your love and watch the sunset / take a few final couples photos together
• 7:00pm – Photo + Video coverage ends

Need some Jackson Hole Elopement or Activity Ideas? We’ve got you!

• Hike to an alpine lake located just below the Grand Teton
• Go on a plane ride to a backcountry airstrip in the mountains
• Whitewater rafting
• Go on a pontoon boat 
• Rent a paddle board or jetski
• Go in a 4×4 vehicle to beautiful overlooks 
• Summit a mountain peak 
• Fish in one of Teton County’s many lakes or rivers
• Stargazing
• Snowboarding or Skiing
• Snowshoeing and cross country skiing
• Snowmobiling
• Search for Wildlife
• Have a Picnic
• Take a trip to the GTNP Visitors Center
• Go Horseback Riding
• Head to the Cowboy Bar for an after party

Jackson Hole Wedding Photography and Videography Packages

Did we convince you to tie the knot in Jackson Hole yet? We sure hope so! Matt and I are a Jackson Hole photographer and videographer team who want to make all of your wedding and elopement hopes and dreams come true! We help couples plan elopements all over Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, and more! We would love to chat more about how we can best serve you, so feel free to check out our pricing HERE, and to reach out for more information HERE while planning your elopement!

FAQS

What is the best time of year to get married in Jackson Hole?

We truly believe any time of year is a the best time, but there are a few things to keep in mind. The summer months are long, the sunrises around 6AM, and doesn’t fully set until 9:30PM. This makes for harsher lighting throughout your day if it is sunny, but does allow for your guests to enjoy a nice late evening sunset. There is a 10PM curfew in Jackson, but you can always continue partying at the Cowboy Bar. The fall is our favorite time for weddings, the lighting is so dreamy and the colors of the trees are gorgeous! We recommend planning your wedding here in the summer or fall for a better chance at good weather, as late October the mountains start to see some snow on the ground, and it usually sticks around till early to mid-May.

We want to hike up to an alpine lake, do we have to hike all the way up in our wedding attire?

Absolutely not! For most hiking elopements, most of our couples choose to pack their wedding attire up and hike it up the mountain with them. This makes the process so much easier, and basically allows our couples some time to freshen up once we get to the location. Choosing lightweight and flowy fabrics for your wedding attire is our best recommendation for hiking elopements to help with natural unconstricted movement.

What is the best day of the week to elope?

Any day! For the most part, we strongly recommend weekdays. There are typically less people in most locations, and more of your must-have vendors will be available. Plus lodging and booking activities can be easier on weekdays too!