Things to Do on Your Elopement Day: 13 Epic Ideas

Planning an adventure wedding gives you total freedom to design an itinerary packed with incredible things to do on your elopement day. In fact, trading a traditional timeline for an unforgettable experience is the whole point of eloping. Because your wedding day should reflect what you actually love doing together, there are zero rules holding you back.

As an adventure photographer, I help couples curate timelines that balance high-energy thrills with quiet, romantic moments. From high-alpine climbs to cozy culinary experiences, here are 13 unforgettable ideas for your celebration.

High-Adrenaline Mountain & Trail Activities

1. Hiking to a Remote Summit

• Adventure Level: Easy to Hard (fully customizable)
• Best Places: Dolomites (Italy), Swiss Alps, Patagonia, Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Huaraz (Peru)
• Good to Know: Pack your formal attire inside a sturdy backpack. Then, change into your dress or suit once you reach the summit to keep your clothing clean on the trail. Bring lots of layers for both the warm and cold, and don’t forget something waterproof just in case!

2. Via Ferrata Climbing

• Adventure Level: Moderate to Hard
• Best Places: Dolomites (Italy) and Mürren (Switzerland). These are just some of the best routes in the world.
• Good to Know: Because safety harnesses sit snugly against your waist, choose flexible clothing that allows full leg movement.

3. Rock Climbing

• Adventure Level: Moderate to Hard
• Best Places: Dolomites (Italy), Kalymnos (Greece), Verdon Gorge (France), Lofoten (Norway), Arco (Italy), Queenstown (New Zealand), Squamish (Canada), and the Calanques (France)
• Good to Know: Climbing shoes can pinch your feet quickly. Therefore, bring comfortable approach shoes to wear between climbing routes and photo sessions. Some of these places you might want to bring a towel to go for a swim after! As you can see I’ve put a lot of places here… I may have some experience in this 😉

Epic Scenic & Aerial Things to Do on Your Elopement Day

4. Helicopter Tour with a Mountain-Top Landing

• Adventure Level: Easy (high reward with minimal physical effort)
• Best Places: Switzerland, Iceland, Greenland, the Dolomites, Queenstown (NZ), Whistler (Canada)
• Good to Know: High-alpine winds and weather can delay flights without warning. As a result, you should always build a weather buffer day into your travel schedule.

5. 4×4 Off-Road Jeep Tour

• Adventure Level: Easy to Moderate
• Best Places: Icelandic Highlands, F-roads in Iceland, the Dolomites
• Good to Know: If you need it, pack some non-drowsy anti-nausea medicine and take in an hour before we leave.

Water & Coastal Things to Do on Your Elopement Day

6. Cruise Through Fjords or Icebergs

• Adventure Level: Easy
• Best Places: Disko Bay (Greenland), Lofoten Islands (Norway), Milford Sound (New Zealand)
• Good to Know: Coastal ocean spray is freezing cold. Plus, high winds are common near icebergs. Therefore, bring stylish windproof outerwear to layer over your wedding attire. Bring your non-drowsy anti-nausea pills if needed, and take them an hour before departing.

7. Pack Rafting Down Alpine Rivers

• Adventure Level: Moderate to Hard
• Best Places: Soča River (Slovenia), Central Highlands (Iceland), Patagonia (Chile)
• Good to Know: You will definitely get wet during this activity. Schedule your rafting session for the second half of the day after your formal ceremony is complete. Or pack a second outfit! I recommend a dress that you can easily swim in, if need be. We don’t want the current taking you away because of that heavy material.

8. Alpine Rowboating

• Adventure Level: Easy
• Best Places: Lago di Braies (Dolomites, Italy), Lake Hallstatt (Austria), Lake Bled (Slovenia), Seealpsee (Switzerland)
• Good to Know: For Braies, ranting the private boathouse time at sunrise is essential. Otherwise, hundreds of tourists will be in the background of your photos.

Road Trips, Food & Romantic Experiences

9. Vintage Vespa Trip Through Coastal Hills

• Adventure Level: Easy to Moderate
• Best Places: Tuscany (Italy), Amalfi Coast, Sardinia, Mallorca (Spain)
• Good to Know: Long dresses can catch in rear wheels. Meanwhile, suit jackets can flap in the wind. Secure excess fabric carefully before starting the engine.

10. Making Homemade Pizza Together

• Adventure Level: Easy
• Best Places: Private villa in Tuscany, cozy mountain chalet in the Dolomites
• Good to Know: Flour gets everywhere fast! However, wearing cute matching aprons keeps your formal clothing safe while making dinner.

11. Luxury Mountain Meadow Picnic

• Adventure Level: Easy
• Best Places: Swiss Alps, the Dolomites, pretty much anywhere with beautiful mountains!
• Good to Know: Hire a local planner or private chef to set up the spread. Consequently, you will not have to carry heavy gear up the trail.

12. Intimate Boudoir Session

• Adventure Level: Easy
• Best Places: Glass-roofed Arctic cabin, luxury alpine hotel suite, secluded mountain lodge
• Good to Know: This can happen any time of day, or on a second day of coverage. Just make sure to book a place that you’re absolutely in love with and that has a ton of natural window light! From the bedroom to the bathtub, we can make sure you never forget that place you booked 😉

13. Nighttime Stargazing & Astrophotography

• Adventure Level: Easy
• Best Places: Dolomites mountain passes, Atacama Desert (Chile), Icelandic countryside, Switzerland
• Good to Know: Astrophotography requires long exposures. Thus, you must hold completely still for 5 to 10 seconds while the camera shutter is open. It can also get very cold, so bring warm layers that you’re ok with having in photos!

How to Choose the Right Things to Do on Your Elopement Day

Selecting the right activities comes down to your personal energy levels and travel goals. For instance, you do not need to pack every hour with high-adrenaline sports. Instead, picking one or two core activities allows you to enjoy a slow, meaningful day. And if you want to do a little of everything, consider having a multi-day affair!

In the end, your celebration should feel like an effortless adventure rather than a forced performance. Therefore, choose activities that genuinely make you happy as a couple.

Ready to start building your dream itinerary? Let’s map out an experience that actually feels like you!

Want some activity-inspiring articles?

Packrafting Elopement in Slovenia

Rowboat + Picnic Elopement in the Dolomites

Helicopter + Vespa Elopement in the Dolomites