100 Activity Ideas for your European Elopement

The cool thing about eloping is you get to break the wedding mold and do whatever you want! If you need activity ideas for your elopement, here’s 110 examples for 10 types of couples.

Elopement Activity Ideas For Everybody

Get an ice cream or gelato in your wedding attire
Have a picnic somewhere scenic
Pop two bottles of champagne – a cheap one for the effect, and a fancy one for drinking 😉
Take turns with an instax or disposable film camera
Have a first dance, or a dance off
Book a helicopter tour
Sightseeing local architecture or parks
Rent a paddle boat
Sit with photos of your favorite memories, and reflect on all you’ve been through
Throw some organic confetti made of dried flowers
Read handwritten letters from friends and family after your vows
Build a snowman

YOU’LL LOVE: Planning a helicopter elopement

For the Outdoorsy

Hike, hike and more hiking!
Camp overnight
Go for a swim
Watch the stars at night
Have a bonfire and roast your favorite snacks
Find some boulders to climb on for an epic shot
Chase some waterfalls
Watch sunrise
Go bird watching
Jeep tour to a remote location
Fly fishing on a pristine mountain river
Canoeing on a quiet lake
Explore an ice cave or glacier
ATV ride through desert dunes or forest roads

Recommended blog: 2 Day Dolomites Hiking Elopement

For those who love water

Kayaking in tandem
Sailing a small boat together
Jumping into a mountain lake in wedding clothes
Floating in a canoe with fairy lights at twilight
Skimming stones across the water
Sharing champagne on a dock or boat
Running into the ocean or a lake together
Surfing, swimming, canyoning, paddle boarding
Rope swing into a lake
Steamy makeout session in the surf

For those with Kids

Play red light green light! It makes very fun photos.
Have them make flower crowns
Draw your family in the sand or dirt
Have a pool or beach day together
Collect treasure – bugs, plants, pretty rocks
Have a contest for finding the prettiest rock
Fly kites
Make breakfast together
First look with mom and dad
Kids create “just married” sign for you while you get ready
Champagne toast, milk and cookies for the kids
Family dance party
Bake a wedding cake or cupcakes together
Decorate your own wedding cake together

For those with Guests

Attend a wine or olive oil tasting
Have each person bless the rings before the exchange
Sparkler tunnel, blowing bubbles
Hire a catered brunch
Treat them to a Michelin star dining experience
Lawn games at chalet or airbnb
Evening bonfire with music and s’more bar

Elopement Activity Ideas For the Bold & Alternative

Get a tattoo together
Put on your favorite band tees and strike some fun poses
Incorporate moody elements, like smoke bombs and twilight photos into your session
Do a boudoir getting ready session
End the day in a dive bar drinking your favorite whiskey

For the Super Chill

Light one up and feel the vibes
Play some music together
Dance to your favorite beats
Drink your favorite cheap beer together
Rent a paddle boat
Hire a speed boat or water taxi
Relax in some hot springs

For the Sporty

Sunrise summit hike
Overnight trekking in a tent or mountain hut
A bike tour, mountain biking
Skiing or snowboarding
Snowmobiling
A tennis match
Go swimming
Volleyball match
Rollarblading
Skateboarding
Surfing
Ice Skating
Sledding or tobogganing
Jump on a trampoline

Elopement Activity Ideas For Animal & Pet Lovers

Bird watching for puffins
Horseback riding tours
Alpaca walk or petting zoo
Bring your dogs on your elopement, with a flower collar
Bring along a memento of your pet who can’t come
Attach a stuffed animal to your pack that looks like your pet so they can “come with”
Dog sledding
Breakfast with llamas
Feeding deer at a deer park
Cuddling your cats in a cozy cabin
Camel ride through the desert

For those who love the city life

Rooftop vows overlooking the skyline
Neon city street portraits
Riding bikes through cobblestone streets
Dance in a subway station
Holding hands in front of street art
Coffee shop cuddles at your favorite café
Dancing in the middle of a crosswalk
Whiskey tumblers at your favorite dive bar
Taxi cab or classic car ride

Elopement Activity Ideas For Introverts

A private Michelin star dinner with close friends or family
Vows in a secluded and quiet place
A cozy cuddle session back at your private chalet
Starting a roaring fire and sipping hot drinks
Rent a cabin in the woods with large windows and watch nature
Play cards or your favorite board game together
Hand writing your vows together
Slow dancing in your cabin, or in the rain

Elopement Activity Ideas For Adrenaline Junkies

Paragliding
Rock climbing
Helicopter tour
Via Ferrata
Sky Diving
Cliff jumping
Mountain biking
Hot air balloon ride

YOU’LL ALSO LOVE: Planning a helicopter elopement

Elopement Activity Ideas For the Foodies

Mix your favorite cocktail together
Go to your favorite dive restaurant
Grab some street food
Go to a market and grab as many new things to try as possible
Hit up your favorite burger joint
Create an epic charcuterie spread for a picnic
Drink a bottle of really good wine
Do a blind taste test of new local snacks
Take a cooking class together
Visit a local brewery or distillery together
Have a cheese tower instead of a wedding cake

Elopement Activity Ideas For the Creative

Get in the water! Hot tub, lake, ocean, waterfall, whatever!
Bring some props, or separate outfits to change into
Plan a more styled editorial portion of your day
Paint portraits of each other — the worse you are the better
Trash the dress
Play the guitar and serenade your lover
Take a ceramic course, and make your own ring dish
Decorate your own wedding cake together

HIRING A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOUR ELOPEMENT

I’m Mariah, an adventure elopement photographer based in Innsbruck, Austria. I moved from the United States to Germany/Austria in 2018 to chase my love of mountains, photography and a German guy who stole my heart.

I quickly learned I wasn’t the only one dreaming of a better way to get married…so I combined all those things.

I’m now a full time adventure elopement photographer. I help other travel and outdoor obsessed couples embrace a “just us” wedding day surrounded by nature.

Join me?

WANNA KNOW MORE?