Your Guide to Downtime Activities on an Elopement Day with Split Coverage
As a photographer, one of my favorite things in the world is photographing during sunrise AND sunset.
And when couples ask “whats the best time of day to elope?” - this is always my answer! Sunrise and sunset is when the lighting is the best, and it changes rapidly so even if you’re in the same location, it can feel vastly different from one minute to the next (giving such fun variety in your photos).
Summer days in Colorado can be 16 hours + of daylight so to keep you from the intimidating thought of having me third wheel with ya for an entire day, I offer split coverage for 8 hour elopements!
This means we can do 4 hours of coverage at sunrise, then 4 again at sunset. Or 6 at sunrise and 2 at sunset. Whatever way you want to split it - theres going to be some “downtime” in the middle of the day and you’re gonna wonder, what the heck do we do during that time!?
It’s your day, so let’s make that downtime just as epic (or laid back!) as the rest of the celebration. Here is a list of fun and stress free activities to make the in-between hours just as unforgettable as the rest of the day.
Treat Yourselves With a Picnic
Grab your favorite snacks (even that fancy cheese no one knows how to pronounce correctly), pop some champagne, and find a scenic spot with a killer view. Bonus points if you pack it in a cute wicker basket and pretend you’re in a rom com. Just kidding, you’re eloping in Colorado - you don’t have to pretend you’re in a rom com. You are in one.
Midday Snooze
If you’re not a morning person and the only thing that can get you out of bed at 3 am is the idea of taking a nap later, then a midday snooze might be the best fit for you. Use your downtime for a cozy power nap or a soak in your vacation rental hot tub (or a local hot spring!). Imagine emerging refreshed, glowing, and ready for round two! And don’t worry too much about your hair and makeup..who doesn’t like a little bed head in their wedding photos.
Write Love Notes and Other Mushy Stuff
Bust out the cute stationary, purchase postcards from the local gift shop, write in your diary that you typically hide under the mattress. Heck, grab a scrap of napkin - romantic vibes aren’t picky! And writ each other a love note. Or list every ridiculous reason you love each other. Or write letters to each other or your future selves one year, five years, ten years from now!
You can also write postcards or letters to friends and loved ones sharing fun details about your day that you can mail out!
stumble Upon the Local Treasures
If you’re near a quirky little town, now is the time to explore. Hit up the funky antique shops, grab coffee from that hole in the wall cafe, see if theres a random roadside attraction like the Sasquatch Outpost in Bailey, the penny arcade in Manitou Springs, the UFO watchtower outside of the Sand Dunes. The weirder, the better.
Play Games and Channel Your Inner Child
If you’re as competitive as me, this might not be the best idea on your wedding day BUT bust out the deck of cards, travel board games, the disc golf or frisbee, or head to a local arcade or dive bar to get your competition on. Make fun bets and awards, like first person to loose at darts has to buy the next round. Or first person to win at monopoly gets to pick where you go to dinner tomorrow.
Don’t have any games? Play 20 questions or “I Spy”.
And remember, there is no such thing as being too competitive.
Drive and Jam Like It’s Your First Road Trip
Crank up your favorite playlist, roll down the windows, and take a scenic drive. Luckily for you, Colorado has like 30+ scenic byways (and they are all listed in your location guide map that I send over!). There is no shortage of incredible drives.
Bonus points if you belt out every song off key. Double bonus points if you listen to only 90’s ballads like “Kissed by a Rose”, “Aint No Mountain High Enough”, “I Will Always Love You”, “My Heart Will Go On”. Triple bonus points if you just put Taylor Swift on repeat.
Try Something New
Maybe there’s a lake nearby where you can rent paddle boards or a canoe. Or a local cooking class that teaches you how to make a local dish that you can totally botch later! Trying something new together is the kind of chaos that makes memories stick.
DIY Spa Moment
If you packed face mask and essential oils and nail polish and lotions - congratulations, you’re a genius. That lotion is reallyyyyy gonna come in handy in the dry weather of Colorado. But also, give each other goofy massages, slap on some face masks, and laugh about how ridiculous you look. Throw on a movie, make a snack, convince your partner to let you give them the worst pedicure known to man. Besides, they won’t be in the photos later. Unless they are…
Snack and Sip at a Winery or Brewery
Colorado has no shortage of breweries and we’ve got quite a few wineries as well so find a local spot to kick back with a beer flight or some wine tastings to help kick any evening photo nerves! Cheers to being ridiculously in love, and thank the strangers for buying your rounds because I have never seen a couple in wedding clothes ever have to pay for a drink.
Find the Best ____!
Turn your downtime into a quest by finding and trying all of the local versions of your favorites! Obsessed with coffee? Go to a bunch of coffee shops, order a small, and compare! Hit up the donut shops, ice cream shops, cake shops, just overload yourselves on sugar so when the time comes to meet back up with your photographer, they can’t get you to sit still!
Polaroid adventures
Pack an instant camera and document your downtime in the quirkiest way possible. Think - “mid picnic cheese pull”, “awkward nap position”, “attempting to fit both faces in the frame”, “cute dog that walked past us”. Ask your photographer to photograph the polaroids when you meet back up so you can have digital copies in your wedding gallery too!
Cozy Up With a Book
If you’re a bookworm like me, find the best spot to cozy up with a good book. Whether thats in a hammock tied to some trees on a nearby trail, or in bed with your partner and dog. You can also read aloud to each other, or even journal about how epic the morning was.
Self Care Exercise
Schedule a midday (chill) yoga class together. Imagine the zen-ness of just flowing together. While I wouldn’t recommend hot yoga unless your hair and makeup artist are on call, restorative yoga (gentle slow pace that focuses on relaxation), yin yoga (meditative style that focuses on stretching and holding poses), or yoga nidra (guided meditation that combines mental imagery while in corpse pose aka lying down) can be tranquil.
Maybe your idea of a self care exercise is riding a giant inflatable swan in the middle of a lake. We listen and we do not judge…(yes that is me).
Make a Memory Playlist
Sit together and build a playlist that screams “us”. Add songs that remind you of today, your favorite memories together, and even that one guilty pleasure bop you can’t resist. This will be the soundtrack to your love story!
Bonus points, hit shuffle and find yourselves a song to have your “first dance” to when you meet back up with your photographer later!
Explore a Hidden Watering Hole
If theres a lake, river, or waterfall nearby, take a dip or just chill by the water. Go barefoot! Skip rocks! Lay out in the sun (goodness PLEASE DONT FORGET THE SUNSCREEN IN COLORADO)! Try to outdo each other in a rock stacking competition! The loser owes the winner a massage! Thems the rules!
(but seriously, make sure you wear sunscreen if you lay out so that it doesn’t turn into an “ouch that hurts so bad” aloe massage!).
Scenic Biking Adventure
If you’ve got access to bikes (or even e-bikes for easy, no effort riding), take a spin through town or down a winding road. Tandom bikes ARE the most entertaining thing in the world to try to coordinate together so I 10/10 recommend getting your first day of marriage off to a great start by trying to figure that one out.
Go Wildlife Watching
Bust out the binos and see who can spot the coolest critter. Elk? Mountain goats? That one squirrel that is obiviously up to no good? Natures entertainment is free and wildly unpredictable.
Not sure where to find the local wildlife? Ask the locals! Usually there are particular spots you can find herds of elk, or even the local town bears.
(P.S. you can find bears a lot of time around the local dump or transfer station (fancy word for landfill) because bears are just trash pandas).
Go on a Crazy Adventures
Colorado has no shortage of activities to do so find something you’ve always wanted to do, and go do it! You can find tours and groups for things like:
- rafting
- fishing
- snowmobiling
- kayaking
- 4x4’ing
- canoeing (then laugh as you lose balance and fall in).
DIY Charcuterie Board
Yeah were gonna talk about cheese again. Who doesn’t love a good midday charcuterie board. And if you’re not into the whole, meat, cheese, jam set up - create your own!
Always wanted to compare McDonald fries to In-n-Out fries to Wendy’s fries? What better time than now (let me know your verdict but also know that McDonalds fries will always reign supreme).
Hammock Hangout
Pack a portable hammock (I have a two person hammock you can borrow!), find some sturdy trees, and relax together while swaying in the breeze! Bonus points, it’s the perfect spot for a midday nap or quiet conversation. Just double check that you’re allowed to hang a hammock wherever you’re at (some state and National Parks don’t allow them)!
Local Art or History Tour
Most Colorado towns have some sort of unique museum or tour you can check out! Ouray has the Alchemist Museum, Ridgway has the Railroad Museum, Gateway has the automobile museum, Montrose has the Ute Indian Museum. Most mountain towns have a mining tour, mining museum, or a ghost town to explore!
Take a Train Ride
As a photographer, I so want to be there to photograph this because it’s literally the cutest, but if its just something you want to do in your downtime, thats okay! There are a few local train rides you can take in Colorado:
Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Royal Gorge Route
Georgetown Loop
Flower Picking and Pressing (WITH RULES!)
Picking wildflowers is ILLEGAL in Colorado! So do not go picking wildflowers unless you want some serious consequences and some even more serious side-eye from locals. However - you can pick flowers on private property, at local flower farms, etc. You can also take classes on flower pressing so you could do something fun after your wedding day like press your own wedding bouquet!
Call or Video Chat with Loved Ones
Take a moment to connect with the loved ones who may or may not be giving you grief for running off and eloping without them. Share the joy, show off your outfits, and soak in their love and excitement from afar!
Grab Lunch Together
Everything doesnt have to be a 3 course meal or a platter of 20 different types of cheese. Downtime is also a great opportunity to just grab some good food and eat. Whether that is checking out someplace local, or heading to the grocery to pick up ingredients to make something at home together - keep the hangrys at bay later in the day by stocking up on food now!
Get Your Fortunes Read
Ever wondered what lies ahead for you as a couple? Why not let a little mystical magic kick off your marriage! Whether it’s a fortune reading, palm analysis, or even a tarot card spread, sitting down with a modern-day mystic is equal parts fun, quirky, and maybe even a little enlightening. Imagine hearing that you’re destined for a lifetime of adventures, epic road trips, and cozy nights binge-watching your favorite shows…or being told you're "cosmic opposites" and laughing it off over drinks later.
Even if the predictions are wild or hilariously off the mark (Apparently, we’re moving to Antarctica to become penguin whisperers?), it’s a unique way to bond and create a memory you'll never forget.
Get Massages
Nothing says “we’re an old boring married couple” like a couples massage! You’ve just tied the knot, now it’s time to untie the knots! Trust me, after all the stress of getting ready (just kidding, that parts easy), and saying your vows (oh, that part is also easy when you’re in love)…a good massage will have you feeling like a brand new person.
Plus, what better way to bond than by laying side by side in matching robes, while one of you falls asleep and starts obnoxiously snoring.
Scenic Chair Lift Ride
Who needs a fancy limo when you can take a scenic chairlift ride together. Imagine this: gliding through the air! The cool mountain breeze in your hair! The only thing more breathtaking than the view is the realization that you’re not sure when the lift is going to stop! Lots of Colorado mountain towns have free or cheap lifts in the summer including:
Crested Butte ($)
Vail ($)
Winter Park ($)
A-Basin ($)
Keystone ($)
Purgatory ($)
Beaver Creek ($)
Aspen/Snowmass ($)
Copper Mountain ($)
Granby Ranch ($)
Powderhorn ($)
Steamboat ($)
Take your downtime up a notch to new heights - literally! (that was such an awful joke I’m so sorry).
Petting Zoo or Animal Encounter
You got married - now it’s time to meet the real stars of the show: the animals! Whether it’s a cute alpaca that looks like it’s judging you, or a goat that won’t stop trying to eat your hair, petting zoos are full of laughs. And maybe tears if you get as excited about petting animals as I do. There are also tons of zoos and local animal places that work with people to bring more awareness to conservation. So win/win!
Create a Mini Vision Board
I know you’re probably wondering, “Vision board? On my wedding day?” but trust me, this is such a cute fun way to manifest some dreams! Grab some magazines, scissors, and glue, and start dreaming up your future together. Will you travel the world? Have 5 dogs? Build an a-frame in the mountains?
Bonus points, if you haven’t mailed in your marriage license yet and you realize that you want 5 dogs but your partner only wants 1 (????), you can always call off the marriage! Just kidding :)
Channel Your Inner Bob Ross
Embrace your artsy side and pack a sketchbook, journal, colored pencils or some watercolor paints to capture the incredible scenery around you. You don’t have to be a professional artist to enjoy this, your stick figure trees will be a masterpiece in their own right.
Picture this: sit side by side with your partner sketching the same view, and see who can come up with the most "creative" interpretation. Bonus points if you give your artwork hilariously pretentious titles like “Mountains with Feelings” or “Tree That Knows My Secrets.” Not only will you end up with a memorable keepsake, but you'll also create a hilarious inside joke about who the real artist in the relationship is. (Spoiler alert: it’s both of you!)
Downtime doesn’t have to mean downtime, you know? Whether you’re snacking, napping, or discovering the third weirdest museum in Colorado, this is your chance to make the middle of the day just as memorable as the rest. So go ahead—lean into the adventure, laugh till your stomach hurts, and make this elopement day one for the books.
What’s your go-to activity for elopement day downtime? Let’s chat and make your day totally unforgettable!
