How to Elope at an Airbnb 

I LOVE an Airbnb elopement. 

It’s like the equivalent of an all-inclusive wedding venue, but the perfect size for something intimate. You have everything you need all in one place, plus if you’re hosting friends and family, it feels like one big slumber party with your favorite people. 

If you and bae have been thinking of having your elopement at an Airbnb, whether out here in Colorado or somewhere else, you’re in the right place! There are some aspects of planning that you may not have thought about, so let me walk you through how to elope at an Airbnb. 

Pick your location 

The first thing you’ll need to do to elope at an Airbnb is figure out where you want to go! For my Colorado couples, think about what kind of vibes you want and the backdrop you want for your photos. Do you want our epic mountains in the background? Look in places like Keystone, Telluride, or Aspen. Or do you prefer to be surrounded by a forest and wildflowers? Search around Crested Butte, Grand Lake, and Gunnison. If you aren’t vibing with nature, that’s cool too! There are a lot of great Airbnb options in Denver if you want a city aesthetic or the mountain towns, like Breckenridge, are another popular choice.

Figure out your guest list 

Now that you know where you want to have your Airbnb elopement, you need to figure out how many other people will be there. Searching for a location for just you and bae will look a lot different than if you need space for 20 people! The worst thing you can do is book an Airbnb for more people than it lists as the capacity. If it’s just you and bae staying at the Airbnb but you plan to invite other people over during the day, you still need to book a location that either meets the capacity OR approves of events. Airbnb owners reserve the right to cancel your reservation without warning if they find out you’re expecting more people than the capacity. My advice? Always always get permission if you’re feeling unsure. Honesty is the best etiquette. Airbnb properties are literally people’s homes – don’t forget that! 

Look at your Airbnb or VRBO options 

With your location and guest list figured out, now you can start the fun part – looking through all your options! If you’re looking at VRBO, make sure you have the “Events allowed” filter checked. Airbnb doesn’t have a super easy way to search for properties that allow events, but you can try using the “Suitable for events” filter under the “House rules” section. If you find a spot that you love and allows events, remember my advice – always get permission from the owner! Two-person elopements are usually always a-okay with Airbnb owners, but it’s still best not to assume. 

When you’re looking for a property for your elopement, here are some things to look for: 

• Great photo spots. Does the backyard have an amazing view of the mountains? Are the bedrooms decorated nicely for getting ready photos? Does it look like the property gets good natural light?  

• Enough space for guests and celebrating. If you’ll be hosting 10-20 people, make sure the Airbnb has enough room for everyone. If the dining space is small or there’s only enough room for 2 cars to park, you may want to keep looking. 

• Badass features. Some Airbnbs and VRBOs have some SICK elements, like a hot tub overlooking the mountains, massive decks to host a celebration dinner, game rooms, spas (not joking) or their own private lake. If you want to ball out on a location, look for some of these things while you’re searching! 

Figure out what vendors you’ll need 

When you elope at an Airbnb, you can host everything in one spot. You and bae can have separate spaces to get ready, you’ll have the ceremony somewhere on the property, and then you’re ready to celebrate without having to go anywhere!  

With everything onsite, there are still some vendors you may want to consider bringing in. For rentals, I’ve seen people rent special chairs and tables to match the vibe they want, as well as special plates, linens, silverware, etc. Another fun option is to hire a private chef or caterer for an intimate dinner. Whether it’s just you two or a bigger crew, it’s always nice to be taken care of so you can just focus on soaking in the day. Pro tip: Make sure the chef or caterer brings their own cookware – we all have horror stories of some of the cookware Airbnbs provide.  

Hiring entertainment is also something to consider! You could bring in a musician, a tattoo artist (hell yeah!), or even someone to host a game night. I’ll never forget an Airbnb elopement I photographed where the couple hired a company to put on a Murder Mystery game night. It was such a fun and unique way for them to spend time with family! 

Start budgeting 

I personally think when you elope at an Airbnb you save a TON of money since it’s so many things in one. Your lodging, your getting ready space, your venue. You can cut costs on needing to eat out since you have the ability to cook for yourself. That said, you’ll still want to keep some things in mind as you’re budgeting. 

• Location: Especially in Colorado, certain towns are hella popular with tourists. Airbnbs and VRBOs in those places will cost WAY more than a super similar property in the next town over, so just keep that in mind as you’re searching. 

• Vendors: This list can be as long or as short as you want. At a minimum, I always recommend a photographer so you have memories to relive your day over and over. Couples who elope at an Airbnb also consider a caterer/private chef, a videographer, hair and makeup artist, and a florist. 

• Cleaning fees: We all know the cleaning fees can be insane for an Airbnb, so don’t be surprised if they’re even higher since you’re hosting an event. It can be totally worth it to save you the hassle of having to clean up, but consider yourself warned. 

• Transportation: Don’t forget to plan for getting to your Airbnb! Your best bet will be to rent a car to get to wherever you’re going. If you’re coming to Colorado, PLEASE don’t be a dummy and get a wimpy little sedan. At a minimum you’ll want to rent an SUV to keep you safe heading up into the mountains.  

Some Airbnb elopement inspiration.