FAQs
Question
Important information on US Customs in Calgary.
Answer
There is a high likelihood that you will be clearing United States Customs at the Calgary airport on your way back home. Please keep this in mind as you book your tickets and plan your trip. Banff is located 90 minutes from the airport, and we recommend you factor in approximately 45 extra minutes to clear customs in Calgary before your departure flight.
Question
Where to Stay?
Answer
We will be staying at The Moose Hotel in Banff, which has free parking, a spa, and a fabulous rooftop hot tub. We recommend you stay in Banff on the night of our wedding. Short term rentals are largely prohibited in Banff - Airbnb and Vrbo will show listings in Banff, but these may not be legal and could be cancelled with no recourse. Most hotels will have great hot tub/pool facilities, so pack your suit! Below are a few other recommended places to stay: For an upscale experience: the Fairmont Banff Springs is beautiful. For budget-friendly options: Banff Ptarmigan Inn is right next to the Moose Hotel and has free breakfast and parking. The Red Carpet Inn is also centrally located with free parking. Banff Lodging Co. https://www.banfflodgingco.com/hotels/ operates numerous hotels in the area and if you enter the code WEDDING26 you will receive a 15% discount. However, we have found that third party sites (Kayak, Expedia, etc.) have prices considerably lower than the discount code or room blocks we explored.
Question
How to Get to Banff?
Answer
Banff is located 90 minutes from Calgary, Alberta. The airport in Calgary is very easy to navigate and has good restaurants and bars once you clear customs if you are coordinating transportation with others. Banff is located within Banff national park and you will be required to pay a fee upon entering the park if you decide to rent a car. Shuttles are available from Calgary airport to Banff. The shuttles will likely double the trip time, but if you plan on staying in Banff on your trip the town is very easy to navigate once you arrive. https://banffairporter.com/ https://banff.com/banff-airport-shuttle/
Question
What will the weather be like?
Answer
Expect anything. It could snow or it could be warm and sunny. Please check the weather in the days leading up to your departure date.
Question
What should I wear?
Answer
We won't know the weather in Banff until a few days before the wedding, and it could be anything. We are embracing the chaos of a mountain wedding, we hope you do too! Need inspo? See our Mountain Chic Lookbook page (in the top navigation).
Question
How do I get to the Fairmont for Welcome Drinks?
Answer
The Fairmont Banff Springs is located 5-10 minutes from downtown Banff. Taxis are readily available from town and public transit (Bus #2) is $2 CAD and will take approximately 20-25 minutes depending on your location. https://roamtransit.com/schedules-routes/ If you would like to take the bus there will be a station near your hotel where you can either pay at a kiosk or download the Roam app and pay via the app. Cell service in Banff is excellent but quickly deteriorates as you travel in the mountains.
Question
What is the schedule for the wedding day?
Answer
Our ceremony will start at 4:30 pm. The ceremony will take place on the outdoor roof of Sky Bistro with a cocktail hour immediately to follow at Sky Bistro. We will start to download to Dusty Boot in Banff at 9:15 pm with last call at Sky Bistro at 9:30 pm. Shuttles will bring you to Dusty Boot after the reception. Feel free to grab your car in the morning. You can easily call a cab as well.
Question
How do I get to the wedding?
Answer
The ceremony and reception will take place at the Sky Bistro atop Mt. Sulfur via the Banff Gondola. The base station is located 10-15 minutes from Banff but climbs nearly 3000 ft above the town. The ride up the gondola is about 12 minutes. The ceremony will start promptly at 4:30 pm with two dedicated gondola onboarding times for our wedding guests at 2:30 pm and 3:45 pm. You can take a ride up anytime during the day, but the dedicated access times will allow you to skip any lines. Just let them them know your name and you can head up and enjoy the 360 degree views of the Canadian Rockies. The base of the gondola is about 10-15 minutes from Banff. You can drive and leave your car in the parking lot overnight, take a cab, or take the #1 bus. There are no ride shares in Banff. Although the ceremony will start at 4:30 pm, please take into consideration the logistics of line times and the time it will take to get up the mountain as you plan your day. There are numerous walking paths and interactive exhibits at the top of the mountain. We encourage you to arrive early to check out the views. https://www.banffjaspercollection.com/attractions/banff-gondola/
Question
What Activities do you Recommend?
Answer
Hike - Almost anywhere. We often use AllTrails as an app to find hikes for time and technicality and highly recommend you obtain bear spray if you decide to hit the trials. For a quick scenic drive/walk we recommend Lake Minnewannka. Bike – Bikes and E-bikes are available around town. We had a great time circling the golf course near the Fairmont and seeing the Elk as they came down to their winter grounds (they stay at the Fairmont for winter). Drive – The drive from Banff to Jasper is one of the most beautiful in the world. 35 minutes Northwest of Banff is Lake Louise which offers many hiking and scenic options. Continue on to Jasper on the Ice Fields Parkway to see snowfields and glaciers surrounding stunning mountain views. This can be a 15-minute drive while you drink coffee and head back to Banff or a multi-day exploration through Jasper to Vancouver. Just make sure to send us pictures. Swim – We are hoping to explore the Banff hot springs on Saturday October 17, 2026, around mid-day. They do not accept reservations or groups but given the time of year we expect those of you who want to join will be able to do so. They rent historical swimwear at the hot springs (we will be bringing our own historical swimwear). Take that historical swimwear information for what it is worth.
Question
Anything else?
Answer
You will need a passport to get into Canada. Our lovely neighbors to the north take crime very seriously (as we all should), so if you had a whoopsie over the last ten years make sure you are eligible to enter the country!