So there are a lot of reasons to love elopements, but one of my favorites is that you get to do whatever the hell you want. 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. Ready to plan the best adventure yet?

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 <3

By this point you're probably feeling inspired to have your own incredible elopement, yeah? Let's co-create the best adventure of your relationship so far. 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 Photo is based in Bellingham, Washington, and specializes in inclusive outdoor elopements and couples photography.