To ask for help with a ski wedding

[Bodear]

Just posting here for traffic.

My boyfriend and I are getting married and really like the idea of a ski wedding. There will be both skiers and non-skiers on the guest list and I wondered if the collective wisdom of mn could give me any advice or tips.

Thanks in advance :-)

The ones I've been to haven't been a week but more like a long weekend with some flying in just for weekend itself. People tend to rent big chalets together who want to stay for an extended time. Choose somewhere with good cheap flights and you're on a winner. Of course some people won't come but I'd go for what you want. I presume she wouldn't be considering it if those nearest and dearest wouldn't be able to come.

Chilly Powder chalet in Morzine do weddings.

We wouldn't go to a wedding at a ski resort unless it was immediate family because of the cost and the amount of annual leave needed.

I think part of the trouble is that journeys to ski resorts often involve long journeys with a couple of transfers. So going for a weekend isn't quite what it seems when you allow for travelling time, and of course time for skiing.

Difficult with school age children too - won't get time off for a skiing holiday, even with a wedding thrown in, and half terms are hideously expensive/crowded.

But if you can find somewhere with an easy journey, a range of accommodation (including budget options) and things for non-skiers (including very small children) to do, then it might work.

Do send a save the date a year in advance so people can plan/budget. It will give you some idea of how feasible it is for your group as well. Then send the proper invite 6 months out.

Seems like a lot of faff for me (both as the bride and as a guest). I'd not go unless it was close family or a dear friend.

Hi All, thanks for all the comments. Should have known I'd get flamed for suggesting a wedding abroad ;-)
Most of our friends ski but family don't, although a couple of them want to try.
We would love to go to Banf/ the Rockies but recognise that would be way too expensive and way too far for people. So we're looking at the Alps I think as the flights are pretty reasonable. If we stay in a town then there will be things for the non skiers to do too. We know some people won't come and we respect that but I think close friends and family will.

We won't pay for travel or passes but will cover one or two nights accommodation/ food/ drink.
We absolutely won't expect wedding presents at all. Perhaps I should write a poem ;-)
Tuiles, we've stayed at chilly powder and loved it but I'm conscious that it's not ideal for non skiers. I think we'd have to sacrifice ski in ski out for their sake and stay in a town.
For those that have had a separate legal ceremony and then a later celebration or blessing, did it make it less special?

Id love a ski wedding

But it depends entirely on your guests, their likes, and their financial situation.

Sorry, should also have said, there aren't many kids in the group and we're restricted to school holidays anyway. It'll be one short flight and maybe a 30 minute drive.

I love the idea of a ski wedding, but I'm a skier. It sounds very expensive tbh.

I guess if you could go somewhere like Chamonix, so only an hour from Geneva airport, maybe in March so not in the most expensive part of the ski season then it'd be doable.

I probably wouldn't go, the thought of going skiing terrifies me especially if many of the others going actually know how to ski. I'd feel like I was just embarrassing myself.

You can get married in Zell am See in Austria - if you go through the hotel directly they will help you with all aspects of the wedding (the heitzmann and Romantic are both good). You need to get married in the registry office in Zell (the rathaus is a lovely building), but you can have photos out in the snow afterwards (again the hotels will go through the packages with you). Zell is also good for non skiers, but most large tour operators will only do week holidays due to hotel and airline contracts. Most guests tend to pay for their own travel, but you could always look for a good group rate (but avoid peak time if you have no teachers/school age children as the price skyrockets). Canada is also a great place, and the paperwork you need to do beforehsnd compared to Austria is nothing. You can also get married on the slopes over there, but you need all skiers really for mountain weddings.

research and pick your village well.
sun peaks in Kamloops has lots to do if your a non skier. snowshoe cross country spa's, horse drawn carriage...., inner tube slide, trampoline...
so I could see non skiing seniors and people with tiny children still faring well in that type of environment.

You sound very well off OP, If the important people you want to invite are rich enough it's fine, if they have to miss out on other holidays or home improvements etc to go then I wouldn't.

www.skiweddings.com

This company are a really well run small company in Italy for ski holidays and I think they have organised weddings as well

I wouldn't go unless it was close family and even then only for the actual wedding. I have no interest in skiing and wouldn't want the expense or using annual leave to go somewhere I have no interest in.

I knew you lot would be full of good info! Thanks all. I'm checking out all of the suggestions now.
NerrSnerr, not at all but we love skiing. I wouldn't expect anyone to sacrifice a family holiday or home improvements. It's definately an invitation and not a summons.
I'm so excited though!!

What will you do if there's no snow?

It might be worth asking Skiweekends if they have any wedding suitable packages. They do very good value short breaks and have some largish catered chalets that are at the budget but comfortable end of the scale which might help keep costs down. We had a great holiday in Les Gourmets right in the middle of Morzine which was fabulous value for the price.

Are skiweekends the people that do the coach, Tuiles ? If so I'll have to contradict you - we did it years ago when I was being silly about not spending money and honestly it's not worth the saving to go on the coach and to stay in the hovel hotel they offered. Yuck. Much better to fly - easyjet covers lots of the alps in the ski season - and spend less time travelling/more time sleeping and stay somewhere half decent.

OP I truly hope I know you in RL. I'd love to go to a ski wedding!

Be very careful about the concept of what you do in a ski resort if you don't ski. Many people don't like shopping or spas, and if there.is anything else it will eat money even faster. Yes, lovely scenery if you get the weather but walking is not going to be easy.

One of my friends goes skiing every year. She says the hassle of getting there and back (various different resorts) makes it not worth going for less than a week.

Nickname I ski and it really depends on which resort you pick. DH and I spent a long weekend in Chamonix recently and it was definitely wort it. You need to pick a resort with a short transfer. Chamonix is 1 hour from Geneva airport.

If I was spending a fortune to go to a ski wedding, I would want to have as much time on the slopes as possible. Ceremony at crack of dawn, day on the slopes then celebratory dinner in the evening, maybe? I definitely wouldn't be up for a normal wedding style long lunch.

Sweary Skiweekends do the coach thing, but also fly. They aren't top range by any means but some of the chalets are pretty decent for the money. It was a suggestion for keeping costs down - perhaps that's misplaced when people expect top range for a wedding?