At its core, your elopement day is about exchanging vows and rings with your partner and making promises to each other. But it can be so much more than that! If you are eloping, especially far from home, you’ll have an entire day to fill with activities for you and your partner to celebrate the occasion. Choosing what activities to do can seem overwhelming, so I’ve created this guide to help my couples choose the perfect activities to fill up their elopement day!
Before you start choosing activities for your elopement day you should at least have a rough idea of where and when you would like to elope. This will really help you narrow down your options just based on logistics. If you’re eloping somewhere tropical, you can probably eliminate snowboarding as an option! If you need some help choosing the perfect elopement destination for you, check out the quiz I created here!
The timeline of your day is also important to keep in mind when planning your day. If you have your heart set on exchanging your vows at sunset, you’ll need to work backward from that time to figure out when you would need to start getting ready and therefore, how much time you’ll have in the morning for other activities.
Once you’ve narrowed down the logistics of your elopement day activities you can start to think about what would be the most meaningful activities for you and your partner. Is there something specific that drew you to this elopement location? Do you have a bucket list activity that you want to check off? Or maybe it’s as simple as doing your favorite date-night activity in a new place. This is a day that you’ll remember forever, so this isn’t the time to budget shop! Make sure you choose the activity that will make you happiest, not just one that’s affordable or easy.
One of the easiest ways to add a fun activity on your elopement day is to upgrade your transportation! Once you’ve chosen the spot where you want to elope, it’s time to talk about the coolest way to get there. Whether that means taking a 4×4 through the jungle, reaching a beach by sailboat, or helicoptering into a remote forest spot, there are so many fantastic options for transportation that are an activity in themselves!
Something I’ve noticed in my time as an elopement photographer is that many of my adventure elopement couples are major adrenaline seekers! If this is you, you absolutely should add something incredible to your elopement day! Some of my favorite ideas include sky diving, paragliding, and dog sledding, but there are so many more options! Your elopement day is the perfect time to knock off a bucket list item and get amazing photos while doing it!
If you want your elopement day to be laid-back and romantic, there are plenty of relaxing activities you can add to your schedule. Having a picnic at your elopement site is a super popular activity – and for a great reason! You could also schedule a wine tour and tasting for you and your partner after your elopement, or go for a dip in some hot springs or a lake!
Just because you’re eloping doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate traditional wedding activities into your day! If you’re including family and friends on your elopement day you may be interested in more traditional activities like a formal dinner after your elopement. And even if you don’t have any guests on your elopement day, heading out for a night of dinner and dancing is a great option for an elopement day activity! There’s truly no activity too big or small for an elopement day, as long as it feels authentic to you and your partner.
There is a lot that goes into planning an elopement day — sometimes, even more than planning a traditional wedding. But that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated! If you’re working with vendors that you trust and you focus on creating a day that is a true reflection of you and your partner, you’ll have a beautiful elopement day. No matter what activities you include in your elopement day, as long as you’re having a good time with your partner it’s going to turn out great.
How to Elope in Oregon
How to Elope in Big Sur, California
How to Elope in Washington
Join our email list and stay up to date on blog posts, events, and offers!!