So there are a lot of reasons to love elopements, but one of my favorites is that you get to do whatever the heck you want. Seriously. Anything is possible, so today I wanted to round up 51 different things to do on your elopement day, whether you'd love an incredibly adventurous day, a relaxing one, or a little bit of both! My goal here is to show you that you really can throw the rules out the window and plan a day that includes every wedding tradition and activity you want, and nothing you don't.
If there's something you've been dying to do, or a place you've been wanting to explore forever, there's literally NO better day than your wedding day, y'know? The more incredible your day, the better the memory (and the better the photos ;) 1. Snowshoe in the mountains
2. Host an intimate picnic with your closest friends & families
3. Cliff dive in your wedding attire
4. Stay up late stargazing
5. Go rock climbing
6. Ski your favorite slopes
7. Kayak to someplace peaceful
8. Go sandboarding in some dunes
9. Sleep in and make your favorite breakfast together
10. Bring a hammock and take a nap in the middle of your wedding day
11. Take tubes down your favorite river
12. Rent a helicopter or small plane to change your perspective
13. Rent a 4WD Jeep to go someplace otherwise too difficult
14. Wake up early to hike to a great spot to watch the sunrise
15. Write each other letters to be opened on your 1st, 5th, or 10th anniversary
16. Make s'mores over a campfire
17. Shotgun your favorite craft beers together
18. Slackline across a canyon
19. Soak in some secluded hot springs
20. Summit a new mountain together
21. Hike to an alpine lake & go skinny dipping (Seriously! Do whatever you want!)
22. Rappel off an arch in the desert
23. Plant a tree together
24. Take polaroids of each other
25. Make sushi together
26. Go paddleboarding
27. Read letters that you family wrote for you before your elopement
28. Go horseback riding
29. Channel your inner Bob Ross & paint your ceremony location
30. Head to your favorite dive bar (or a cool local one) in your wedding attire
31. Drop in at the local skatepark
32. End your night at a concert
33. Go whitewater rafting
34. Go for a flight in a hot air ballon
35. Give each other stick 'n poke tattoos (or get matching ones from the pros ;)
36. Ride your favorite mountain bike trail together
37. Curate a new playlist together
38. Smoke a bowl together (if you elope in a legal state)
39. Hike through a slot canyon
40. Bake your wedding cake together
41. Show up to your ceremony location by dog sled
42. Know your plants well? Go foraging!
43. Watch the sunset & hike back down by headlamp
44. Turn your elopement into an overnight backpacking/bikepacking trip
45. Order your fave pizza to your AirBnB
47. Pop champagne and celebrate like there's no tomorrow
48. Zipline in your wedding attire
49. Have a first dance together out in the wilderness
50. Ice skate on a frozen lake or river
51. Whatever the hell you want.
By this point you're probably feeling pretty dang inspired to have your own incredible elopement, yeah? Let me help you plan the whole thing! I seriously love nothing more than helping couples craft an elopement experience that includes activities from this list, or something so totally unique to you and your relationship that it didn't even make the list! What are you waiting for? Let's get planning! 🌙
Kira McGrigg Photographer & Guide is based out of Utah and specializes in elopements that connect couples more deeply to the planet through sustainable practices and incredible experiences.