I have just arrived at the Killington Grand Hotel, at the base of one of the Northeast's most popular ski mountains, for my schoolyard chum Heather's wedding. She e-mailed me just over a year ago to ask me what I thought about attending a wedding at a ski resort. We skied together as kids during neighborhood trips, so she knew I'd be down. But she was mainly inquiring if I felt other guests would not be excited.
As cold as it may be up here (currently 11 degrees), there's nothing quite like the weekend I'm about to have, barring any unforeseen jilting or horrific storms. Weather reports are forecasting a light dusting of snow tomorrow, which will add a perfect touch of powder to the area, and indeed set the backdrop for a (wait for it) white wedding. Hence, I can't see why anyone (skier or not, rider or not) would not be as enthused as I am for a weekend packed with treasured moments and one-of-a-kid scenery.
I have several friends who have attended destinations in more "exotic" locations such as the Caribbean or Mexico, and although I am sure they had fun, they couldn't help but complain about the price of their flight and the mild inconvenience of taking days off from work to travel as well as to prepare for and recuperate from said travel. As for me, my travel cost half a tank of gas to drive from New York up to Vermont (where the lower gas prices will probably make a final roundtrip price of under $100). On top of that, driving by snowy banks, crystal forests, and charming New England architecture in the comfort of my tiny Hyundai Acccent beats a window seat overlooking clouds and distant terrain. The best scene was the sun setting behind the mountain as we drove in, with touches of pink and orange hovering over the pure white snowcaps.
Regretfully, I was unable to take pictures of the sunset due to a dead battery but an overnight charging of the battery will serve for some beautiful shots of the mountain and wedding (bride's permission pending). In the meantime, I hope you find some beauty in this shot of small-town New England after a snow storm.
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During my first year thus far with Travel Agent, I haven't read or heard much about agents booking or couples planning destination weddings at ski mountains. I know there must be plenty out there, so someone speak out here, won't you?
The weekend begins tonight with a cocktail reception in the hotel's best lodge room, overlooking the mountain. Heather insisted I bring my skis, so I know it continues tomorrow with a day of tackling the slopes, followed by the best
après ski I could ask for— Heather and Omar's ceremony, followed by the reception.
I will fill you in as best I can as the weekend continues. In the meantime, if you've been a part of or planned a ski destination wedding, I'd enjoy hearing your thoughts in the comments area below.
Stay tuned for more about Killington Mountain, the Killington Grand Hotel, and this unique destination wedding.