Getting here
Travel & stay
We're getting married at Silvertip Resort in Canmore, a mountain town just outside Banff National Park. Here's how to get there without stress.
Getting there
Fly into Calgary (YYC)
Calgary International is the closest big airport. Canmore is about 75 minutes west on the Trans-Canada Highway (Banff is 20 minutes past it), and the drive is basically a screensaver.
Driving
Renting a car is the easiest way to explore. Canmore sits just outside Banff National Park, so you don't need a pass to get to the wedding. To stop anywhere in the park (Banff, Lake Louise, the Icefields Parkway) you'll need a Parks Canada pass: buy it online ahead of time or at the park gate. A few spots around Canmore, like Grassi Lakes, need Alberta's Kananaskis Conservation Pass instead.
No car? No problem
Airport shuttles run from YYC to Canmore and Banff several times a day. Roam Transit buses run between Canmore and Banff and around both towns. Silvertip is up the hill above town, so for the wedding itself, grab a taxi or share a ride.
Passports & visas
For most of you, Canada is a different country. Check your passport now, not the week before.
Coming from the US
To fly to Canada (and home again) you need a US passport book, valid for the whole trip. A passport card won't get you on a plane. Driving up from Seattle? At the land border a passport card, a NEXUS card or a Washington enhanced driver's licence works too.
No US passport yet?
Start now. The first time, you apply in person (lots of post offices and libraries take applications) with form DS-11, proof of citizenship like your birth certificate, a photo ID and a passport photo. Renewing is usually online. It's been taking about 4 to 6 weeks plus mailing time, and longer in spring and summer when everyone else remembers, so aim to have it by spring 2027. The quietest time to apply is October to December.
Chinese passport
You'll need a Canadian visitor visa. You apply online, then give your fingerprints and photo at a visa application centre (there are several in China; if you gave them for Canada in the last ten years, you can skip that). It usually takes a few weeks and longer in summer, so apply at least three months before you fly. Need an invitation letter for it? Just ask and we'll write you one.
Living in the US on a green card?
Good news: with a US green card you don't need a Canadian visa or an eTA, whatever passport you hold. Bring both your passport and your green card.
Everyone else
Flying in on a passport from the UK, Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea or most other countries that don't need a visa? Get an eTA online before you fly: it's $7 CAD and usually comes through in minutes. Only use Canada's own site; the lookalikes charge more. Not sure what you need? Canada's checker sorts it out in a minute.
Canadians
You're all set. Bring your ID for the flight and your appetite for the brunch.
Where to stay
Canmore and Banff in summer are very popular, and so are their hotels. Book early. We mean it. Book before you finish reading this sentence.
Hotel block #1 (TBD)
Where we'll be staying, in Canmore, a few minutes from Silvertip.
Hotel block #2 (TBD)
A little quieter, a little cheaper, still gorgeous.
While you're here
- Grassi Lakes. A short hike above Canmore to two impossibly clear little lakes. You'll need a Kananaskis Conservation Pass to park.
- Quarry Lake. Canmore's swimming hole, with Ha Ling Peak looming over it. Bring a towel and a brave attitude: it's glacier water.
- Lake Louise & Moraine Lake. The famous turquoise lakes. You can't drive your own car to Moraine Lake, so take the Parks Canada shuttle (book it ahead).
- Banff Gondola. Ride up Sulphur Mountain for the view without the leg day.
- Johnston Canyon. An easy hike past waterfalls. Go early to beat the crowds.
- Banff Upper Hot Springs. Soak in hot water while looking at snowy peaks. Highly recommended for the morning after.
- Icefields Parkway. One of the most beautiful drives in the world. Budget a full day and bring snacks.