frequently asked questions

Fun right!?! The Calgary Zoo opened in 1929 and is run by the Wilder Institute, a leading international authority in wildlife conservation. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Calgary Zoo is a charitable organization focused on protecting habitats and promoting sustainable living.

It’s a venue that’s very us, we hope you enjoy it! Zoo admission is free for our guests on the day, so if you’d like to come early to check things out, feel free — just note there are no in and out privileges.

Please search for your name in our RSVP platform and fill out the accompanying details. The RSVP deadline is June 14, 2026.

Calgary International Airport (YYC) is a major hub with direct flights available from the UK and most major US cities scheduled regularly throughout the day. For those flying into Canada, Oliver’s put together some tips and tricks for you here.

The Zoo is just east of the downtown core where there are many hotel options with varying price points and are less than 20 minutes away from the venue. For those looking for a locally-owned option, we recommend Hotel Arts.

If you’re looking to make a lil vacay out of your trip, Emily’s compiled a little guide for you here.

If you expect to stay in the city, lots of downtown Calgary is walkable and well-connected to the train and buses. The Zoo has its own train stop, but is also accessible by taxi/Uber. If you’d like to explore the wider city and surrounding areas, like Banff, you will likely need to rent a vehicle. More details are in Oliver’s out of town guide.

If you’re renting a car, Oliver has a discount code, so get in touch with him for more details!

The name of each invited guest is individually listed on your invitation and in the RSVP platform. Additional guests cannot be accommodated.

We are having an adults-only celebration, so please make our wedding a parents date night! We can’t wait to celebrate with you.

Our dress code is formal, but not black tie (think long-sleeved buttoned shirts, dress pants, longer dresses — no need for a tux!). Beyond this, we just ask that dress wearers choose something other than white.

To help you decide on what to wear, note that the ceremony will be outside and the reception will be held indoors in a climate controlled space. At this time of year, we expect the weather to be sunny and warm (likely between 12-20°C during the day), however, in true Calgary fashion, we can guarantee that it will get cool at night.

We do!

We will have both the ceremony and reception at the Enmax Conservatory (the butterfly conservatory), at the centre of the Zoo between ‘Destination Africa’ and ‘Exploration Asia’ — #17 on the virtual map.

Our ceremony will be hosted outside and the reception indoors. Both areas are directly adjacent to each other.

There are several Zoo entrances and which one the Zoo permits you to use will depend on your mode of transport. We will add a “day of” information page to this site closer to the date, where all these questions will be answered — stay tuned!

The Zoo is accessible by car, taxi/Uber, train, and bus. If you’re staying downtown, we’d recommend the train, but if you’re outside of the core we’d recommend a taxi/Uber dropoff and pickup.

If you’re planning to drive and have a bevvy or two, parking is $14 and you can park overnight. Trains run until ~1:30 am.

The ceremony starts at 3 pm SHARP, with cocktails, mingling, and hors d'oeuvres to follow. A three-course dinner will be served at the reception, which will start at approximately 6 pm. Last call will be just before midnight, though a poutine bar will appear around 10:30 pm to keep everyone going! Celebrations will wrap up by 1 am.

Ceremony will start at 3 pm, so please arrive with enough time to get to the proper entrance and settle into your seat. With this, we recommend coming to the venue for 2:30 pm. A “day of” information page will be added closer to the date for you to refer to for directions and transportation.

We’ll be treating everyone to some celebratory drinks. In addition, the bar will be serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the event and accepts cash and card.

After the ceremony, hors d'oeuvres will be served during cocktail hour followed by a multi-course plated dinner. Oliver is most excited to announce that there will also be a late night snack with a Canadian delicacy — poutine.

If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know in your RSVP.

Please enter your restrictions into the RSVP platform and we will work with the venue. If there are any issues, we’ll reach out to you.

For any questions before the big day, please send a message to either of us two. On the big day, please refer to this site as it will have all the information you need and is being updated regularly.