Colorado Elopement Activity Ideas – Best Elopement Ideas From My Couples

After 450+ elopements, I’ve got a pretty good idea of some rad elopement activities and ideas, and I’m here to share my favorites with you! Just know, you’re not bound by the cookie-cutter activities of a traditional wedding. That’s why I always tell couples a full-day elopement is where the good stuff happens, especially somewhere as damn beautiful as Colorado.

So, let your imagination run wild! Whether it’s hiking to a breathtaking mountaintop, having a picnic in the woods, stargazing, or riding bikes, this elopement activities guide will walk you through easy, fun, and memorable ways to make your big day extra special!

Are you ready to create a day that’s uniquely yours, where every moment is filled with new, fun memories? Because this isn’t just about simply saying, “I do”; it’s about creating memories that will last a lifetime and incorporating cool activities into your timeline. So, keep on reading and let’s plan out your elopement activities!

Sip, Savor, Celebrate: Food and Drink Ideas

Alright, friends, let’s kickstart this activities journey with easy wedding ideas. These activities are easy for everyone to include on their day and its as easy as choosing the one that speaks the most to you! A few of these ideas can seamlessly slot into your wedding day without much thought or extra purchases, while others might need advance purchases or planning. Read over some of the tips and feel free to reach out and I can help! Let’s dive into some easy food and drink elopement activities that you can include.

Plan a Picnic: A Relaxing Elopement Activity

Picnics are a really chill and popular elopement activity. Some couples might hire a local place to put together a charcuterie board, or put together their own. Or keep it simple with grapes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It’s up to you! But this is a great activity to chill out with, and you can even get a custom-made blanket or quilt to use on the ground!

Eat Yummy Smore’s: A Nature Tradition

S’more what? Okay, I had to get a Sandlot reference in there, but seriously, s’mores are a super fun and easy activity to include in your elopement, especially if you’re a camper. S’mores were such a big part of my childhood, and they bring back those fun childish memories whenever a couple makes some during their experience. The easiest way to make s’mores is to bring a Jetboil and cook the marshmallows over the flame. You could make a campfire, but a lot of places usually have fire bans or you have to be well-versed in properly extinguishing a fire before leaving.

Spray Champagne: An Iconic Photo Opportunity

Who doesn’t like those champagne photos? So iconic, so fun, and so easy. The only downside is you have to lug up the extra weight up the mountain, but at least it’s only one way! These are always a fun activity to cap off any elopement celebration, but just remember that corks like to pop early at altitude!

Brew Your Morning Coffee: A Sunrise Activity

The chances are, if you’re doing a sunrise hike, you’re going to be dragging at some point. What’s the best part of waking up? Coffee in your cup! Instant coffee has become easier as the backpacking community has evolved, or you can spice it up and add some personal touches with your own personalized mugs that are engraved with your names and dates!

Take A Shot or Shotgun a Beer

Let’s get wild! Because there’s nothing like shotgunning a beer at 12,000 feet, right? Couples love doing this together for an elopement activity, and why not? If you want to do a throwback to your college love story, then be my guest! I’ll even help you crack the cans.

Smoke a Joint: Light Up Your Elopement

You realize photograph Colorado elopements, right? The mecca for smoking joints, and this is a great elopement activity, especially for couples that live in the Bible Belt states where weed is somehow still illegal. Stop by a dispensary before your big day and let’s spark up a joint on your big day!

Cut Your Wedding Cake Together

Cutting a cake is a traditional wedding element and makes for a great elopement activity. Especially because we have a bunch of awesome local vendors that specialize in tasty but beautiful cakes. You can either hike up the mountain and cut at the top, do it back at your Airbnb, or even cut the cake at your car. This is an easy, yet traditional elopement activity that is timeless and fun.

Blend Whiskey: A Unity Of Fun

There are a lot of whiskey connoisseurs out there, and blending whiskeys in a casket is always cool because you can make it a yearly tradition to take a shot from the casket. I’ve seen couples do this on top of a mountain or back at their hotel room. I would say the easiest way to incorporate this activity into your elopement is to do it back at your hotel so you aren’t lugging around a bunch of extra liquids!

Celebrate At a Brewery

Ready to pop over to a local brewery for some celebratory beers? We are known for breweries in Colorado, and it makes for a chill way to celebrate the end of your day with a local IPA. And to be honest, a cold beer after a hiking elopement is always nice, but a cold beer after your hiking elopement is even better! I always suggest looking for a brewery with a rooftop so you can enjoy some views.

Celebrate With a Shotski

A shotski is one of those perfectly unhinged, joy-filled moments that breaks the ice (or melts the snow) and instantly turns nerves into laughter. Whether it’s just the two of you clinking tiny glasses on a mountaintop or sharing a synchronized shot with your closest friends after saying your vows, it creates a pause in the day that says: we’re here, we did it, let’s celebrate.

Indulge in a Private Chef

Hiring someone to come in and cook you up a meal after your elopement is one of the best activities out there. The last thing a lot of couples want to do after being up since 3 am is cook a meal or go out. Find an awesome Airbnb and bring in a local vendor to cook you up some awesome cuisine!

Adventure Activities for Nature Lovers

For couples who crave a little thrill, adventurous elopement activities might be the perfect way to celebrate. The idea is to balance excitement with enjoyment—no need to go to extremes, just choose activities that bring out your adventurous spirit. You could ask yourselves:

• What are your favorite outdoor activities like hiking or biking?
• Is there a new challenge you’d like to try together, such as rock climbing, paddle boarding, or a thrilling zipline ride?
• How about an adrenaline-filled activity that’s new to both of you, like paragliding or skydiving?

By creating a balance of fun and adventure, you can ensure an exciting yet meaningful experience.

After brainstorming these wedding ideas together, refer back to this blog to check which activities align with your elopement vision!

Hiking: A Scenic Elopement Activity

This is probably the elopement activity I do the most, and it’s because it’s the most popular. Hiking is such an adventurous activity to include in your elopement, and there’s nothing like hiking under the stars before getting married. Make sure to check out my hiking elopement guide for a rundown of how, where, and what to consider before setting out!

Backpacking

Backpacking is one of my favorite things in the world, and getting off the grid is so peaceful. But it’s even more fun for an elopement activity because of how you can split the day into two parts with a sunset and sunrise session of photos. Backpack in for your elopement activity and have two full days of awesome memories!

Rock Climbing Adventure for Two

This isn’t for every couple, but these are some of my favorite photo activities. Rock climbers are totally hardcore, and the photo opportunities are so different and unique. You’ve got the harnesses, chalk, shoes, rope, and awesome rocks. Via Ferrata’s and rock climbing are iconic activity to include in your experience!

Jeep Your Way Through Fun

Jeeping elopements near Telluride and Ouray have become so popular, and it’s because they’re so easy! I love doing this activity on elopement days, and it’s great for couples who aren’t into hiking or maybe have trouble with elevations. I always suggest hiring a driver so you can sit back and chill! Most of my favorite jeep routes are in the San Juan Mountains.

Reach for the Stars: Stargazing

Astro shots require patience, a clear night, and a good photographer, but when you get all three, you have one awesome night! This is such an activity to include because of how unique it is. I mean, how often do you see astro shots out there? Not very often! I would suggest working with your photographer to make sure the dates don’t line up with a full moon, amongst other things, before incorporating this activity into your elopement. Some of my favorite places to shoot astro shots are at Yosemite because it has less light pollution.

Fish & Cast a Line to Reel in Some Fun

Fishing activities require more skill than many of the other listed ones, but it’s a relaxing activity to include in your elopement, especially if it’s a significant part of your relationship. Fishing is also great to blend in with backpacking if you want to catch dinner for the night or lunch the next day. Side note: many of the lakes in Colorado are stocked, so you have a good chance of catching something!

Paddle Boarding

Paddle boarding is so big in areas with lakes and couples on their boards for their elopement look super rad. These can be pretty heavy to carry, so if you’re looking to include paddle boarding as an elopement activity, I would suggest doing it at a drive up water source.

Ride Bikes

Depending on where you go, riding bikes for an elopement activity is fun but can be challenging if you’re a bride. I would suggest bringing a big rubber band to wrap up your dress at the end, but otherwise, these are always fun and cool activities to capture and the cruiser look is always strong!

Elopement Activities: Unconventional Ideas

This section dives into activities that might not be traditional but bring unique touches to your elopement day. Think outside the box: What quirky or sentimental traditions, surprises, hobbies, or unique experiences reflect who you are as a couple? Consider activities that hold personal significance or bring a creative twist to your wedding.

Catch a Hot Air Balloon Ride

Eloping in a hot air balloon is seriously next-level—like, 4,000 feet above the world kind of next-level. It’s quiet, intimate, and wildly romantic with the two of you floating over golden hills or snow-capped peaks as the sun breaks the horizon. There’s no venue, no noise—just the wind, your vows, and some of the most epic views you’ll ever lay eyes on. It’s adventure meets meaning, and yeah, the photos? Absolutely unreal. If you’re looking to do something bold and unforgettable, this is it.

Stretch and Center: Practice Yoga Together

Namaste – climb up a mountain and get married – style. All joking aside, if you can pull off some awesome yoga moves and it’s part of your daily life and relationship, then be my guest. Yoga is a huge part of my life, and I’m all about that connection with my couples, so if this is a great activity you’re looking to include in your elopement, you’re in the right spot!

Fly a Kite

I love flying kites for an elopement activity because you can choose from so many different kites! You can get a squid, a turtle, or a dragon. Whatever you choose, you know it’s going to pop hard for your photos. And believe it or not, flying a kite is way harder as an adult, so these make for some funny photos when you realize you’ve forgotten how to fly a kite after 20 years!

Write Your Vows Together

Some couples wait until their elopement to write their vows and that’s rad! Choose an epic backdrop, a fun place to chill and get some beautiful photos of you writing your vows before your big day.

Take the Plunge: Jump into an Alpine Lake

This activity requires some serious courage and seasonality but is always fun! Stunning alpine lakes are often situated in stunning settings, surrounded by mountains. Taking a dip in one of these allows you to connect with nature and experience its beauty firsthand together for the first time!

Take a Gondola Ride: Soar to New Heights

“Okay, so maybe this isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, unless you’re afraid of heights, but gondolas are really cool and usually offer epic views. I always love capturing gondola photos for Telluride elopements because of how conveniently located and beautiful the ride is. You also get some one-on-one time with some beautiful views!

Take Stunning Courthouse Photos

If you’re in a local mountain town, you’re likely near a cool courthouse. Do all your legal stuff and take photos on the courthouse steps to cap off your day. This is an easy and relaxing activity after a big day of adventure, but it’s full of charm! If you’re in a local mountain town, you’re likely near a cool courthouse. Do all your legal stuff and take photos on the courthouse steps to cap off your day.

Surprise Proposal

I know this activity sounds weird and out there but I’ve really had couples propose on their elopements because they never had a chance to do it before. This is such a fun and unique activity to capture and really is a surprising moment for the other partner. If you are thinking of this, I would suggest letting me know beforehand so we can plan out the perfect moment!

Give a Thoughtful Gift

Giving a gift on your elopement is such a fun activity because you can usually personalize it around what the other person collects or loves. I’ve seen everything from whiskey to shoes, to watches, and earrings. Again, I would suggest letting me know if you are planning on surprising your partner with a gift so we can plan the perfect time to incorporate this activity into your day!

Elopement Ceremony Ideas: Rituals and Ways to Make Your Vows Feel Like You

The best elopement ceremony ideas work with your location, not against it. Skip anything that needs calm air, flat ground, or steady hands at altitude.

Everything above is the day around your ceremony. This is the ceremony itself, the few minutes that actually matter most. I’ve shot a lot of these rituals in real Colorado conditions, and some of what looks incredible on Pinterest falls apart the second you’re standing on a ridge in real wind.

My honest take: build your ceremony around something that doesn’t depend on the weather cooperating. Vows and handfasting hold up in literally any condition I’ve shot in, including a couple who got married mid-snow-squall and never missed a beat.

Ritual	Works outdoors?	Why
Handfasting	Yes	No flame, no wind risk, works on any exposed ridge
Reading personal vows	Yes	No gear, works at any elevation or weather
Ring warming with guests	Yes	Great if you’ve got a small crew along
Unity candle	No	Wind kills it above treeline almost every time
Sand ceremony	Depends	Fine in a calm meadow, bad call on a windy ridge
Tree planting	No	Not Leave No Trace compliant on most public land