Elopement Activity Ideas
This is Part 2 of my elopement planning series: the ultimate list of Elopement activity ideas. This is one of the most common questions I get asked! And I think that’s normal when you throw out the whole “wedding” basket. If you strip away the venue, the wedding party, the reception, and the guests… what are you left with? A blank slate! This is like having writer’s block, but for planning. What do we DO!? Don’t worry, there are TONS of amazing experiences in your future. I’m here to help you figure out the right elopement activity ideas for you. So remember, it all depends on what YOU love doing! This is the day you will remember on every anniversary, so do at least one thing you’ll never forget.
How to plan your Elopement Activities
If you planned the perfect honeymoon, you’d be 90% of the way to planning your perfect elopement too! Where would you be? What kind of place would you wake up in? What would you eat, see and do? When you’re faced with that blank page, try to get away from the mindset that your elopement is an event. Instead, think of it as a day of sharing all the best things in life. Planning what to do is as easy as combining two things:
1. What you would normally do together, like making pancakes or going for an evening walk
2. What extraordinary things you would reserve for a special occasion or a splurge on a honeymoon
So write down 5 things things you often do and 5 things you’ve always wanted to do. Figure out which of them will be possible in your elopement location. Planning your elopement activities should be as simple as doing everything you want to do, and nothing you don’t!
Adventurous Elopement Activity Ideas
Go for a morning bike ride or a run. In the winter, try snowshoeing, a sleigh ride, or dogsledding. Take a scenic train ride. Dance barefoot on the beach.
Go flightseeing
For the ultimate adventure, take a helicopter tour over the unforgettable landscape you picked. It will be unforgettable! This isn’t as expensive as you might think, with prices starting around $300 per person. Some of the best places for helicopter tours are:
- New Zealand
- Alaska
- Kauai
- Grand Canyon
Horseback Riding Elopement Activity
This is my new favorite activity to recommend. It’s exciting, memorable and scenic, without the toll of hiking. Keep rides to about an hour so you’ll be able to walk the next day. Best Locations for trail riding elopements:
Charter a Boat Cruise
Unique and different, this elopement activity idea is sure to make your day. You could include a scenic whale watch, a sailboat in the bahamas, or a tour of Kauai’s coastline. Lake Tahoe and Lake Dillon have boat cruises too.
Go Offroading / 4×4 Elopements
This activity has the added benefit of giving you the ability to reach areas that are otherwise inaccessible, so you can get more privacy. The best offroading elopement locations are:
Hiking Elopements
A classic way to avoid crowds and find a spot you can make truly your own. Even a 1 mile flat hike can get you out in nature and away from the stress of every day life. Best locations for hiking elopements:
Tour a Cave
I’m dying to shoot an elopement in a cave – any takers? Caves are freaking neat, and touring a cave is one of the must unique elopement activity ideas you’ll find. Cave tour locations:
- Glenwood Caverns, Colorado
- Great Basin National Park, Nevada
- Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
- Sequoia National Park
Ride a Gondola
Another great way to access incredible views is to ride a scenic gondola in any ski town! Mammoth Lakes, Aspen, and Keystone have good ones.
Go swimming, snorkeling & diving
On a hot summer day, what’s better than jumping into a lake? If your elopement is tropical, consider a snorkel adventure or go diving! Try these destinations:
Elopement Activity Ideas for introverts
I’m brimming with elopement activity ideas for introverts and homebodies, too! Go apple picking. Play music together, draw each other (or your pets!), or lay outside and make shapes out of clouds. Exchange gifts. Go birdwatching, or visit a cat cafe.
Walk your dogs
There’s something about settling into a routine that makes this a great way to feel connected to each other.
Go on a scenic drive
Enjoy a scenic drive in your chosen location. Many national parks, like Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, the Everglades, and Yosemite, give you wildlife safari feels. And you won’t have to interact with other people. 🙂
Do Acro Yoga
Looking for elopement activity ideas that still allow you to be active, without going anywhere? Practice your acro / paired yoga.
Read Together
You can read your favorite books together- or to each other! Combine with a cozy blanket at sunrise or an after-dinner fireplace.
Play a board game, puzzle or assemble a giant lego set
Getting ready with your besties? Play that game you enjoy together. If it’s just the two of you, make it competitive. Loser has to give the winner a massage later.
Watch the sunrise or watch the sunset
Think of the peaceful, lovey feeling washing over you as you watch the sun rise or set together. Bonus: This males a fabulous anniversary tradition.
Soak in a hot spring or hot tub
Ahhhhh. That’s relaxation. But you’re going to want to shower after, so put this activity at the end of your day.
Go Stargazing
The ultimate end to an amazing elopement is to watch the stars come out. The more remote your elopement location is, the better views you’ll have! Some of the best dark sky areas for stargazing elopements are:
Elopement Food Activity Ideas
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be hangry! The best day ever definitely includes a lot of food. Add champagne, root beer, apple cider, or hot chocolate depending on the season. If you’ve invited guests, challenge them to a chili cookout in a campsite- make it competitive. There are limitless possibilities.
Cook together as an elopement activity
Just making your morning coffees and sitting on the deck in the morning sunshine will have you two feeling connected and bring a normalcy to your elopement day. Or you can make dinner together just like you do at home.
Get Takeout
Keep it casual and get takeout. To elevate this experience, set up a table with your own brand of decor.
Pop the champagne or cider
A classic way to kick off your elopement celebration is with some bubbly! Bring an extra bottle to spray and enjoy licking it off your partner’s nose afterwards.
Make a prix fix reservation
In the words of Donna and Tom: Treat yo self! Any five star dining establishment probably has a corner table for just the two of you. More restuarant ideas:
- Go out for hibachi (especially if you are fans of the Office)
- Have Korean BBQ
- Local steakhouse
- Tapaz
Have a picnic at your elopement
Whether you pack it in yourselves with a baguette and cold cuts, put together a fishing-box style Snackle Box, or have a professional picnic vendor set up a dream spread for you, having a picnic is a great way to personalize your eats.
Do a tasting
Whether you’re after a winery tasting, cheese tasting, make your own chocolate experience or any other sort of sampling – this elopement activity idea is a favorite! Best locations for foodies:
- Costa Rica – chocolate tasting
- New Zealand – cheese & wine tasting
Elopement activity ideas: Hire a Private Chef
This unforgettable plan allows you to eat alone in your accommodation and still have a 5 star dining experience.
Eat dessert for dinner.. or breakfast
Eat your wedding cake right out of the box with forks instead of bothering with plates. Or go out for ice cream or donuts or cinnamon rolls instead of cake.
Roast Marshmallows at your elopement
You + Your person + Smores.
Leave time to do nothing
One of the biggest benefits of eloping is the opportunity for spontaneity! So, let yourself relax. Let yourself be, and enjoy the amazing day you have, without rushing from one thing to the next. Leave extra time in between activities or waypoints. You can enjoy a roadside ice cream stand.. allow time to let the entire elk herd cross the road. Watch the sun set. Explore. You’ll never be late if you don’t have a firm start time anyway. Leaving down-time or unplanned time is a key way to enjoy your elopement. And you will be less stressed, I promise!
What NOT to do during your elopement
Okay, so NO venue. No bridesmaids. No bouquet toss. So, what’s left?! Let me show you the way! Elopements can be a n y t h i n g you want them to be. Okay, that’s still intangible! So start with what you two like doing together. What was the best date you ever had together? What activities make you feel connected to each other? Because you’re not aiming to entertain guests, you don’t have to think about whether YOUR activities are worthwhile to anyone else. Your elopement isn’t for any judgey strangers on the internet, either. It’s for you.
But Elopements are short..
But elopements are short, right? Wrong. I mean, they could be. But! I want you to know, that your elopement can and should be the best dang day of your lives. And let me tell you, that doesn’t last just 2 or 3 hours. Most of the folks who inquire with me say they want 1-3 hours of photography. But after chatting about all the amazing possibilities for what to do during your elopement, a full day or more is really what they need.
Ready to start planning your elopement with me? Get in touch!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide and are starting to imagine all the incredible experiences you can have! These ideas are just a starting point. Every single one of my clients brings something new and unique to their elopement, and that’s pretty freaking awesome. Want a custom blueprint of what your elopement could include? Get in touch!
More elopement planning guides
1. – How to plan an elopement
2. – Elopement activity ideas – You are here!
3. – How to plan an elopement ceremony
4. – Here’s how to write elopement vows
5. – What to wear to your elopement
6. – Including Family in your elopement
7. – How to include your cat in your elopement
8. – How to save money on your elopement