7 Unique Elopement Activity Ideas
When planning an elopement, there’s really no set schedule of events like with a traditional wedding. Instead, you have the ability to create your perfect day. I tell all my couples to dream up their elopement day as if there were no rules. Where would you be? What activities might you be doing?
I love helping my couples plan an all-day elopement because it leaves so much time to do the things they love together. Your wedding day could include adrenaline-pumping activities like skiing, skydiving, off-road driving, mountain biking, or climbing. Or if you prefer a more relaxed day, we could pack a picnic, lay on the beach, take a horse-drawn sleigh ride! The sky is truly the limit, and I help you dream up activities for your day from start to finish. Here are just a few elopement day activities that I love!
Take a Hike
While an elopement doesn’t have to just be the two of you, many couples who choose to elope tend to favor at least part of the day being for just them. It’s a special time to celebrate love, and most couples don’t want to celebrate with a bunch of strangers or tourists mulling around. This is why I sometimes suggest a more adventurous approach: hiking to your ceremony. There are so many hidden gems in Colorado that it’s fairly easy to find that solitude in a stunning landscape if you look hard enough. And I’ve spent my last 10 years in Colorado doing just that. So let’s lace up those hiking boots and do this!
Pack a Picnic
Your elopement day can go by in a flash, that’s why I always encourage my couples to slow down and enjoy the moment. A stunning Pinterest-worthy picnic is a great way to slow things down and enjoy being a newly married couple while sharing a snack and drinks. This is also a great time to read letters from friends and family, exchange gifts, or reminisce on your love story. I can help you plan the ultimate picnic or recommend a vendor who specializes in romantic catered picnics!
Take an Off-Road Adventure
In Colorado, we love to take the road less traveled…which often means high-clearance 4x4 roads! Taking a Jeep tour with a guide or renting your own off-road capable vehicle allows you to get to less-trafficked alpine lakes or sweeping mountaintop vistas. If you don’t have a vehicle capable of making these drives, renting a Jeep or an ATV is a great way to get off the beaten path a bit and hold your ceremony somewhere jaw-dropping.
Paddle on an Alpine Lake
Colorado has so many incredible lakes to choose from for water activities. I, for one, love paddle boarding or canoeing for elopements. Not only is it fun, but it also makes for awesome photos, especially when you can find a gorgeous alpine lake to do it at! I love suggesting out-of-the-box activities for your elopement or engagement photos because it produces amazing images that aren’t ordinary or mundane. It also allows the couple to do something fun together and not focus so much on the photos and the “posing.”
Chase a Waterfall
Waterfalls make for stunning photos—and we have a ton of incredible ones in Colorado. Having photos shot right below a waterfall makes for an ethereal, misty look. Something straight out of a fairytale book! Whether you want to hike or drive to a waterfall, we can find something that suits your needs. Rifle Falls State Park, Bridal Veil falls in Telluride and South Mineral Creek Falls near Durango are some of my favorites.
Take a Sleigh Ride
Winter is one of the best times for an elopement. Why? Because there are so many fun things to do in the snow—including taking a cozy horse-drawn sleigh to exchange your vows! Picture it now: you’re riding through snow-covered trees covered in a cozy blanket drinking spiked hot chocolate with the love of your life—talk about a magical day! There are a few different places in Colorado that offer private sleigh ride adventures for something different on your elopement day.
Go Skiing!
Skiing or snowboarding on your elopement day is one of the coolest ways to exchange your vows. I’ve been snowboarding for a long time and can absolutely create an incredible elopement for you at your favorite Colorado ski resort! Some of my favorite engagement and elopement shoots have been during a blizzard. There’s something so quietly magical about freshly fallen snow in your photos. You can even integrate a snow sport you love like skiing or snowboarding into your day!
Your elopement doesn’t have to feel rushed or seem like “just another day.” You have the ability to create your dream day and do any fun activities you want! Let me help you plan en epic elopement day! Ready to dream it? Contact me today!