Massachusetts
Elopement photography · Boston
In short
Elopement photography in Boston starts at $2,200: 4 hours on location with a photographer who works in Boston, and 200 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 3 weeks.
Why choose Elopement photography in Boston?
An elopement in Boston is a small wedding — the couple, an officiant and a handful of guests — photographed across four hours and priced from $2,200 for more than 200 retouched photographs. Boston works for it because the paperwork is short and the ceremony grounds are free. The City of Boston Registry Division issues the marriage license for $50, Massachusetts law then imposes a three-day wait, and the license stays usable until day 60. The Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain accepts small ceremonies of up to 40 people without a fee or a reservation, so the ceremony site itself needs no paperwork at all.
Worth knowing about Boston
The Arnold Arboretum welcomes small ceremonies, capped at 40 people, and does not reserve or schedule specific locations — so the spot is held by arriving early, not by a permit. Areas may not be roped off, no furniture or signs may be brought in, cars stay outside the gates, and confetti, rice, birdseed and petals are all banned. An Arboretum elopement is planned as a walk-in ceremony with a standing guest list and an exit shot that uses bubbles or nothing at all.
What does the session in Boston look like?
- The Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain
- A ceremony under the trees with no fee and no booking, then portraits along the Meadow Road with the collections behind.
- Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square
- Where the Registry Division issues the license — the brutalist building makes a sharp first frame of the day.
- Acorn Street and the Public Garden
- The classic Boston portraits after the vows, a short drive from Jamaica Plain.
What does elopement photography in Boston include?
- 200+ retouched photographs
- Four hours of coverage
- Guidance on which permit you need, where and when to apply
- Location and timing planned around sunrise or sunset
- Private online gallery within 3 weeks
- Print release for personal use
FAQ — Elopement photography in Boston
How long before a Boston elopement do we need a marriage license?
At least three days. The City of Boston Registry Division issues the marriage license for $50 at City Hall, and Massachusetts law makes it usable only from the third day after filing until day 60. A court can waive the three-day wait with a Marriage Without Delay waiver, which carries a $195 court fee.
Can we hold our elopement ceremony at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston?
Yes, if the group is 40 people or fewer. The Arnold Arboretum charges no fee for small ceremonies and does not reserve locations, so an elopement there is first-come on the day. Chairs, signs, roped-off areas and confetti are not allowed, and receptions with food or drink must be held somewhere else.