FAQs

YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING …

How long is our flight and how high do we go?

We will fly in a six-passenger Bell 407 helicopter up to Mt Charles Stewart in 6-8 minutes, and the round trip between multiple flights is 15 minutes. We can make up to four trips to drop off 24 people. We have five possible landing sites in the upper basin of Mt Charles Stewart, between 1000 m and 1300 m above Canmore.
Flights to Marvel Pass are about 18 minutes, including exciting up close views of glaciers on the east face of Mt Assiniboine and Mt Gloria. After our one hour stop, our return flight is a more direct 12 minute flight. We have one landing site above Cabin Lake that is 900 m higher elevation than Canmore.

How long do we spend on the mountain?

We can fly each day from 8:40 to 4:40, but due to a permanent booking, we cannot book 9:40-12:40 on Wednesdays, Fridays, or Sundays (or holiday Mondays). You are welcome to book your preferred times within these hours, and please note you will have to arrive at the heliport an hour prior to your flight time. All helicopters must be back at base by 5 pm due to a Canmore noise bylaw. Most people want to go for 2.5-3 hours, or longer if they have a larger group, or wish to bring a big picnic, or go for a hike from a higher landing spot to a lower site for a pick up.

What happens if we have bad weather on our wedding day?

This seldom happens, but we always hope you will be flexible and wait until the next morning for your heli wedding, as the morning time periods are usually available. If this doesn’t work for you then we will refund the helicopter portion of your payment and hold your wedding at one of a number of stunning and secluded locations in Canmore.

What do we need to bring for our heli wedding?

We ask everyone to wear hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes, so we can walk around to viewpoints and sites with great photo opportunities. When you get out of the helicopter you will need to be wearing your boots. We ask that you do not bring dress shoes, and definitely no shoes or boots with heels!
Everyone should bring a securely-closing day pack with a rain jacket, a warm fleece or warm/windproof layer, a water bottle, and snacks if you wish. It is often 10 degrees Celsius colder on the mountain, more windy, and with unpredictable mountain weather. We will need to carry with us all items brought up to the mountain, as the abundant marmots will eat many surprising things, and we don’t want to attract bears.
If you want to bring a picnic, a small cooler is fine but limits how far we can walk around as we will need to carry it. Do not bring open shopping bags as the contents will spill in flight. Packs with contents on the inside, not in the external pockets are great. Duffel bags are also good.

Are there things we cannot bring?

Couples and their guests often ask about bringing champagne, pets, confetti or rose petals, and drones, but unfortunately we can NOT bring any of these items.
We can certainly bring de-alcoholized champagne for a fun toast to the newly married couple, and we have some little mason jars for glasses that Martha is happy to provide. We have restrictions on weight and volume, so if you want to bring any large items please ask Martha if they will work out ok. If you wish to wear a veil, please have it stowed in a bag for the flights, and be prepared to put it on once we are on the mountain, as we don’t want to risk a veil flying up into the helicopter rotor as you exit the helicopter.

Imagine yourself walking here when you choose your boots!

Are there chairs and washrooms up there?

Nope, there is nothing up there that suggests humans have ever been there, not even trails for the most part. Most people stand for our 10-15 minute wedding ceremony, but we have a few chairs that fold into a tube and fit well in the ski basket. Please ask if you will have guests that might need them. If you picture all your wedding guests sitting in chairs, a heli wedding is not for you.
We will remind you to use washrooms last thing prior to our flights, and we also carry nifty little brown bags containing TP and a little ziplock bag for your used TP, just in case.

Do you do heli weddings in the winter?

Yes, winter weddings are beautiful! …As long as you and your guests know how to dress for longer durations on exposed mountain sides in winter. We mostly hold heli weddings until the end of October and then resume in March. We can rent snowshoes and walk to some beautiful viewpoints too. In November to February, we recommend Marvel Pass as it is south-facing and sunnier, and the lovely larch and fir trees offer better shelter.

Mount Charles Stewart, April 17, 2021

What do we need to have before we can get married?

You will need to visit an Alberta Registry office together to get a marriage license, which is valid for three months. You will also need two witnesses who are 18 or over. Your photographer can be a witness, but our pilot cannot. We can help find witnesses to invite if you wish.

Is a photographer included in the heli wedding?

A photographer is not included but we highly recommend the photographers who are listed on this page, as they are comfortable and mobile in the mountain terrain, they have portable equipment and usually a shoulder harness for cameras, and they are all great at wedding portrait and landscape photography. Feel free to ask Martha more about these photographers.

What hotels do we recommend in Canmore?

If you’d like our recommendation for a great boutique hotel in Canmore, we suggest Paintbox Lodge as guests have been so thrilled with the lodge and especially the homemade-everything breakfast! Couples have also really raved about The Malcolm Hotel and Basecamp Resort.