Basically 101 Different Ways to Have the Best Day Ever

Tali      May 20th, 2022

Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life… and we think that means it should also be one of the biggest adventures of your life! Having an elopement or intimate wedding gives you a unique chance to break out of the mold of what a wedding “should” look like and make it look however YOU want it to. That means you don’t just have to stick to vows, dinner, and a quick dance. The sky is literally the limit (helicopter ride anyone?)!

You can choose something unique to the two of you… maybe something you did on your first date or a favorite hobby that you share. Or perhaps you want to go all out for the adventure and cross something off your bucket list together to add some extra punch to your elopement day. To help you build the perfect plan for your day, we compiled a list of 101 things you could do on your elopement day!

OVERVIEW

A groom helps his bride down from a palm tree during their tropical elopement so that she doesn't wreck her elopement dress

How to Use this Guide

We have organized this guide by different types of adventures. Pick a category that speaks to you or read through the whole thing for some quick inspiration. 

A Couple of Things to Remember

First off, there are a lot of things on this list!  While it is awesome to have a day filled with adventure and activities, when you are planning things to do on your elopement day, make sure not to over plan. You don’t want to be rushing from one thing to another all day without time to soak it in. If you can’t fit everything in one day… just add another day to your elopement. Hey, you make the rules here.

When it comes to capturing the memories and sweet moments of your elopement, there are some limitations to photography. Some adventures, such as skydiving, are going to be best suited to before and after images or images taken from the sidelines. Activities taking place in locations such as museums, zoos, and parks might have photography guidelines or permit requirements that will need to be followed.

Always follow local rules and regulations when planning your adventures (such as taking note of fire bans), leave no trace, stay safe, and have fun!

A bride hikes through the forest in her wedding dress with her new groom and dog by her side. The sunshine beams through the trees of the Bighorn National Forest as the couple enjoys their elopement.

101 THINGS TO DO DURING YOUR ELOPEMENT

For the Adventurous at Heart

  1. Hiking
  2. Camping
  3. Horseback Riding
  4. AVTing
  5. Dirt Biking
  6. Mountain Biking
  7. Fishing
  8. Cave Tour
  9. Jeep Tour
  10. Bouldering
  11. Rock Climbing
  12. Have a Camp Fire
  13. Ziplining
  14. Visit a Park
  15. Bungee Jumping
  16. Backpacking
A couple dances in a cave on the beach during their Big Sur Elopement in September.
The hands of a married couple with their wedding rings hold a fishing line with a trout on the end of it. In the background of the image you can see the wedding dress and tux of the couple. It's the first fish of the day during their fishing elopement in Bighorn National Forest.
A bride and groom fish together during their north shore fishing elopement.

Wet and Wild

       17. Kayaking
       18. Paddleboarding
       19. Canoeing
       20. Swimming
       21. Surfing
       22. Jet Skiing
       23. Snorkeling
       24. Whale Watching
       25. Take a Boat or Ferry Ride
       26. Have a Pool Party
       27. Soak in a Hot Spring
       28. Have a Squirt Gun Fight
       29. Take a Bubble Bath
       30. Relax in a Hot Tub
       31. Float Down a River
       32. Skinny Dipping

A bride and groom in their wedding clothes sit in a canoe during their elopement at Devil's Lake State Park. Canoeing is a fun and unique thing to do on your wedding day!

Did Someone Say Food?

       33. Have a Picnic
       34. Cook a Meal Together
       35. Go Out to Eat at a Fancy Restaurant
       36. Order Pizza and Eat it on the Beach
       37. Go to an Orchard, Pumpkin Patch, or Berry Garden
       38. Cook on an Open Fire
       39. Make S’mores
       40. Decorate Your Own Cake or Cupcakes
       41. Hire a Private Chef
       42. Do a Wine, Beer, or Cider Tasting
       43. Hit the Bars
       44. Build Your Own Charcuterie Board
       45. Start Your Day with Breakfast in Bed
       46. Go Foraging

Sky’s the Limit

       47. Helicopter Tour
       48. Sea Plan Tour
       49. Sky Diving
       50. Flying a Kite
       51. Hot Air Balloon Ride

On the Town

       52. Visit a Museum
       53. Visit a Garden
       54. Take a Segway Tour
       55. Go on a Food Tour
       56. Take a Horse Drawn Carriage Ride
       57. Go Window Shopping for the Perfect Suveniour
       58. Get Ice Cream and Walk Around Town
       59. Visit a Plant Nursery and Get a New Plant

A bride a groom smile at the camera in front of an adventure park before one of the epic things they decided to do during their elopement... ride a rollercoaster!

Let’s Stay Forever Young

       60. Go-Kart Racing
       61. Go to an Amusement Park
       62. Build a Sandcastle
       63. Blow Bubbles
       64. Play Yard Games
       65. Laser Tag
       66. Color the City with Chalk
       67. Go to an Arcade
       68. Visit a Fair or Carnival
       69. Play Mini Golf

Talk about cool things to do during your elopement... this bride is riding a rollercoaster in her wedding dress!

Cozy, Cuddly, and Casual

       70. Get a Couples Massage
       71. Give Each Other Massages
       72. Write a Poem Together
       73. Ready Letters from Friends/Family
       74. Facetime or Call Friends/Family
       75. Find a Cozy Spot and Watch the Stars Together
       76. Make up Your Own Constellation in the Stars 
       77. Take Your Dog for a Walk
       78. Go for a Drive
       79. Watch the Sunrise/Sunset
       80. Stay Somewhere Unique (Cabin, Bed and Breakfast, Yurt, etc.)
       81. Write a Song Together
       82. Write Each Other Love Letters to Read on Your 10th Aniversary
       83. Yoga
       84. Play Board Games
       85. Paint a Picture of Your Ceremony Location
       86. Watch a Movie Together
       87. Put Together a Puzzle
       88. Snuggle in a Hammock
       89. Slow Dance in Front of Your Car Headlights

Winter Wonderland

       90. Sledding
       91. Cross Country Skiing
       92. Downhill Skiing
       93. Ice Fishing
       94. Dog Sledding
       95. Build a Snowman
       96. Build a Snow Fort
       97. Have a Snowball Fight
       98. Take a Sleigh Ride
       99. Go Snowshoeing
       100. Ice Skating
       101. Make Signature Hot Cocoa Drinks

pssst… Our blog, 10 Tips for the Perfect Winter Elopement, has some great ideas for winter weddings and elopements!

A couple drinks hot chocolate together during their winter elopement at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.

pssst… Our blog, 10 Tips for the Perfect Winter Elopement, has some great ideas for winter weddings and elopements!

A couple kiss on the rocky Lake Superior shore during their north shore adventure elopement.

Hopefully, this list of 101 things to do during your elopement has helped inspire you to find some fun activities to help create a unique elopement experience for you and your partner. We love hearing about fun things that people are planning. If you have fun ideas or did something unique for your own wedding, we would love to hear about it in the comments!

If you are dreaming up the perfect beach photoshoot, elopement, or wedding and are looking for the perfect photographer to photograph those precious memories, we would love to tag along and capture your story. Get in touch and let’s get rolling!

8 thoughts on “101 Things To Do During Your Elopement”

  1. This list is fantastic! Can we just do all of these things?! I love what you say about making time for these activities but not to over plan so that things won’t feel rushed. I think that having multiple days/sessions would provide the best opportunity to really soak everything in 🙂 Thanks for all of these ideas and for compiling this list!

  2. Your list is so thorough ! truly well put together. I’m sure there are options for everyone and anyone, it’s so rich. hard to choose to be honest! Thank you for sharing :))

  3. Christina Whitver

    this list is so great! I love the young at heart section especially. we should totally do one from each section to create the most epic day!

  4. From “Wet and Wild” to “Sky’s the Limit” there are so many fun elopement ideas in this guide. So helpful for engaged couples planning their elopement!

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