Since eloping doesn’t have the same structure as a traditional wedding, you can plan a dreamy day celebrating however you want. And if you’re at the initial planning stages and dreaming up ideas, you might be asking yourself, “What do couples do on their elopement day?” So I’ve created this in-depth guide sharing some of my favorite unique elopement ideas to help inspire you.
- Pre-Ceremony Activities: Start with morning rituals like yoga or making coffee/breakfast together.
- Ceremony Activities: Start new traditions or activities you can do for anniversaries or vow renewals.
- Traditional Activities: Feel free to include any traditional wedding activities that get you excited.
- Non-Traditional Activities: Unique ideas to help you make more memories on your day and celebrate in a way that’s unique to you.
What elopement activities should you include?
Your elopement should feel like you’re planning the best date imaginable with your partner on an amazing vacation or weekend getaway. What activities would you do? Where would you go? What are some of your best memories together as a couple? These are questions that will hopefully spark ideas and activities that are unique to your relationship.
Remember there are no rules to elopements. It means you can truly plan an amazing date with your partner celebrating in the mountains. With that being said, I know most couples are curious how other couples celebrate and what activities to include.
Other Questions to Guide You:
- Do you want to start any traditions as a couple on your wedding day? What can you do every year on your anniversary to celebrate?
- Are there any traditional activities like a first look/cake cutting that get you excited? Even if it is traditional?
- Do you have any hobbies or things you do together that you could incorporate into your day?
My Top Tips for Elopement Activities
Keep Things Simple
It can be tempting to include tons of different elopement ideas. But I strongly recommend adding 1-3 ideas to your elopement day and keeping plans simple. If you end up having a lot of different ideas, decor, etc.–you won’t give yourself time to connect with each other and explore nature. Couples often overestimate how much they can do in one day–and underestimate how much time they need to get ready, hike on the trail, put things together, etc. You could end up bouncing from one idea to the other (like a traditional wedding) and feel rushed. The key to a stress-free elopement is keeping plans simple from start to finish: focus on a few special things that get you excited and stick with it.
You can ask for my advice on elopement ideas
I’m an elopement and wedding expert here to help my couples have an unforgettable experience. So don’t hesitate to ask my advice in the planning process. I might have a better way of including it in your timeline, advice specific to your location, or other tips to help you have a better elopement experience. You’ll get my full elopement planning guide after you book your date with me (which will be incredibly useful). But I encourage couples to communicate with me in the planning process so I can help.
Give me time to capture authentic moments
I recommend planning about two hours of your elopement coverage to let me work my magic. Time that helps you slow down, connect with each other, and allow me to capture those authentic, candid moments. While I definitely recommend couples include fun activities in their day, just make sure you’re still leaving enough time for me to guide you through my process.
Pre-Ceremony Activities
I recommend calming activities or things you already do for your morning routine. Being fully present and relaxed to start your elopement day goes a long way in setting the mood. You might have hectic schedules, constant email notifications, and a busy life back home. Try to slow down, separate from your busy work schedule, and be present for your elopement.
Grab Brunch or Coffee: I’ve had some couples who met at coffee shops, spend time with family getting brunch every weekend, etc. There are tons of cute coffee shops and brunch/breakfast places if that’s how you’d like to start your day.
Yoga: If you practice yoga or any other mindfulness practice together (or separately), it might be worth busting out your yoga mats on the porch of your Airbnb.
Make Coffee On Trail: Whether you always have coffee, tea, or anything else when you wake up—make time for that on your elopement day. Even with a morning hike, you can bring a Jetboil and make a good cup of coffee after taking photos.
Ceremony Activities
Vows & Rings: Exchange rings and vows. If you’re working with me, I’ll send you my Writing Vows: Intention Guide to help you write your vows.
Play or Sing Music to Each Other: If you’re musically inclined (or even if not), you can bring instruments or anything else you’d need to serenade each other.
Read Letters from Family or Friends: This is another great way to get your friends and family involved if they’re not coming to your wedding day. I can document you reading elopement letters to each other and you can share those photos with family and friends later on.
Reading from a Favorite Book, Poem, or Letter: Did you write letters to each other long-distance? Have a favorite poem or book that means a lot to your relationship? Bring those along and make a reading part of your ceremony.
Check out my blog post for how to plan a ceremony with more ceremony activities and advice.
Traditional Activities
While not necessarily unique ideas, these are the most popular “traditional” activities couples tend to include. So I wanted to put these together so you’d see what other activities you might include.
First Look: Seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day is a pretty emotional moment. Planning a first look can be an intentional way to celebrate that moment. It can also be a really fun surprise for your partner to see you in your wedding attire for the first time on your day. On the other hand, you can also help each other get dressed. Which can also be a really romantic way to get ready on your day.
First Dance: You can bring a portable speaker to have a special first dance out in the mountains. You can also choose more than just one song. Feel free to make a small playlist of a few songs if you can’t pick just one. Lastly, be sure to download your songs offline so they can play without phone reception. And it helps to go ahead and get your speaker connected to your phone before your first dance so you’re not trying to figure it out right before your dance.
Cake Cutting: You absolutely still can enjoy delicious cake or dessert on your elopement day. Most couples opt for a smaller sized custom cake or bring their favorite dessert to celebrate. Cakes are usually easiest at your cabin, while smaller desserts can be brought anywhere with us.
Celebratory Drink: Pop sparkling water (read tip below), bring beers from your hometown, or bring a bottle of champagne. Bring whatever drink you prefer to celebrate!
Leave No Trace Tip: Sparkling water is a better alternative for getting those classic “popping champagne” photos. The photos will look the exact same but it’s much less harmful to the environment. Save your expensive champagne for drinking. And bring an empty water bottle to pour leftovers into for hiking back to the trailhead.
Non-Traditional Activities
You can include just about anything imaginable on your elopement day. So if you’re looking for some non-traditional elopement ideas, here are some of the ideas I’ve seen:
Gift Exchange (or surprise gifts): If you enjoy giving gifts, your elopement day is the perfect opportunity. I’ve had many couples give “surprise gifts” during a first look, the ceremony, or even during a picnic. This can be a custom album of your favorite memories, a meaningful gift unique to your partner, a surprise honeymoon trip, or anything else you can imagine. If you’re bringing loved ones, you could also surprise them with a gift on your day to share a special moment with them.
Elopement Picnic: This is by far one of the more popular things couples are planning. It’s easy to put together, adds a cute and celebratory detail to your day, and of course, gives you something to eat while exploring these remote mountain landscapes. Be sure to check out my elopement picnics guide with even more tips and inpsiration.
Play Board Games: If you really enjoy playing a certain board game or card game together, you can include it on your elopement day. I’ve seen so many couples over the years do this and it’s a lot of fun. It also works really well if you want to plan a picnic too.
Kayaking/Canoeing/SUP: Explore a beautiful lake with crystal clear blue water on your day. You can bring your SUP boards or kayaks and get out on the lake. This is a great activity for late morning or late afternoon.
Stargazing: These elopement destinations have some of the lowest light pollution in the country. So stargazing can be an amazing experience if you haven’t seen a crystal clear night sky before. I absolutely love taking a moment to stop with my couples before sunrise or after sunset to just look up at the stars through the trees and enjoy the night sky. It’s such an incredible experience.
Fly Fishing: This is easily one of the best places in the country for fly fishing. Whether you want to fish a local river or go up to an alpine lake, there’s tons of fishing opportunities. It’s also a great way to really slow down and relax on your day doing something you love.
Horseback Riding: Eloping out West means doing Western things. We have old cowboy saloons, stunning ranches, and of course, amazing opportunities for horseback riding. And yes, I’ve taken photos on horseback. So I’m happy to document your horseback riding adventure.
Jeep/Offroading Tour: Ready to hit the road and get into some super unique places? Whether you’re bringing your own Jeep (which would be awesome), or want to book an offroading adventure—this is a great way to get to secluded places and explore the landscape.
Final Thoughts
I hope this blog post got your creativity flowing and helped you discover some exciting and unique elopement ideas. My final suggestion is to make sure everything you plan brings you joy—and that while you might add some fun creative ideas—don’t go overboard with planning. The beauty of eloping is keeping things simple, but that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate your favorite hobbies or cute ideas into your day.
