I’ve photographed a handful of hot air balloon elopements and engagement sessions over the years, and it’s always some of the most epic experiences I’ve had. Because I now live five minutes from a hot air balloon launch site in Lafayette, right outside of Boulder, Colorado, I want to share tips and tricks on how these work—whether you’re a couple planning your own flight or a photographer wondering how to get good photos in the air.
While you can usually reserve spots in a shared hot air balloon, I highly recommend splurging on your own private ride if you want to do this for an elopement, engagement session, or proposal. Even the large baskets are pretty tight, and you don’t want to be pressed up against strangers while trying to get good photos. A private ride is of course a bit more expensive than individual tickets, but it’s still cheaper (and way more unique) than booking a wedding venue. Whether you have guests coming along, hire a photographer or officiant, or just plan to self-solemnize your elopement alone, privacy will make it more special.
Hot air balloon rides in Colorado almost always happen at sunrise, which means you have to be prepared for an early morning start. The balloon company will give you specific instructions about when to show up—make sure to follow these, and don’t arrive late as you’ll miss important information. I always recommend that we meet at least fifteen minutes before sunrise, so we can get some photos on the ground before the flight as well.
I love doing photos on the ground while the balloon is inflating, since we can get the balloon(s) in the background, and depending on the company you might even be able to walk around inside the balloon! And depending on the weather and launch site, we might also be able to get silhouette photos of you walking around the balloon.
Once the balloon is inflated, it’s time to board the basket. Some baskets have doors that open so you can step right in, but most require you to climb a step ladder to get in. Keep this in mind when you’re picking your outfit—it could be really tricky to get in the basket while wearing a big wedding dress! And I’d highly recommend that you avoid wearing high heels for a hot air balloon ride, because you’ll be walking around an uneven field before getting in.
If you’ve never been in a hot air balloon before, it’s hard to explain just how hot the burners are! Every time the pilot blasts heat to make the balloon rise, heat radiates down, and it gets very hot underneath. (The taller you are, the more you’ll notice it.)
I’ve gotten a lot of questions about how I got photos of the balloon from the outside, and one person even asked if I used a drone to get the photos above here. The answer is much simpler—there were lots of balloons in the air at the same time, so I just took photos of other hot air balloons from inside the basket of ours. You definitely can’t launch a drone from the basket.
There is not much space to move around inside a hot air balloon basket, so I am mostly stuck in one place with one angle for photos. Having a wide angle lens is really key to getting good photos, but I don’t like the effect of fisheye lenses either because it’s not particularly flattering on people. My 24-70mm lens is my go-to for hot air balloon elopements, because it gives me a wide range on a single camera without having to change lenses. The balloon is constantly rotating in the air, so there’s also no control over the direction of light. But all the limitations aside, photographing a hot air balloon elopement is by far one of the coolest things I’ve ever done!
Once the balloon has landed and the flight is over, the crew has to pack the balloon back up and drive us all back to the launch site. This process can take some time, so it’s another good spot where we can do a champagne pop or more photos on the ground.
The whole hot air balloon flight, from meeting at the takeoff lot before sunrise until arriving back to our cars after the landing and transportation back to the starting point, takes about four hours. What an epic way to spend a morning—and get married!
Want to elope (or propose) in a hot air balloon?
I live five minutes from the hot air balloon launch sites in Erie and Lafayette, and I’m always down for an excuse to get back up in the air. I offer a flat rate of $1,500 for elopements, engagements, and proposals with Aero-Cruise Balloon Adventures and Fair Winds Balloon Flights, which includes coverage from 45 minutes before the launch for portraits on the ground through arriving back at the launch site after the flight (usually around 3-4 hours).
There are many other hot air balloon companies across Colorado, and I’d love to photograph flights with Grand Adventure in Winter Park, Wild West Balloon Adventures in Steamboat Springs, and Above It All in Aspen/Snowmass. If you’re interested in one of these locations, please contact me for a custom quote!
