Family wedding in Canada

Veronica.B

My husband has been asked to be best man at his brother's weeding. His fiancee is from Canada and the wedding is being planned for next July, in Canada. We love them both dearly but with two young children the cost looks like it's going to be prohibitive, flights, accomodation, car hire, passports and that's before we get our outfits, hen/stagg doo etc. Does anyone have any tips on keeping the costs down? At the moment we would have to save around £500.00 a month. We are totally gutted at the thought of not being able to make it.

usignuolo

We went with Thos Cook charter for my son's wedding in Calgary. Make sure you get a Thos Cook flight not a Transat one, as they code share and Transat is rubbish (sorry Transat). If you can wait till nearer the date the prices come down.

blindman

Veronica.B wrote: »

My husband has been asked to be best man at his brother's weeding. His fiancee is from Canada and the wedding is being planned for next July, in Canada. We love them both dearly but with two young children the cost looks like it's going to be prohibitive, flights, accomodation, car hire, passports and that's before we get our outfits, hen/stagg doo etc. Does anyone have any tips on keeping the costs down? At the moment we would have to save around £500.00 a month. We are totally gutted at the thought of not being able to make it.

Which part of Canada?

Toronto will be cheaper than Vancouver :cool:

tips on keeping the costs down

1) Leave the kids with Grandma :eek: They may be too young to appreciate the journey.

2) If 1) is not feasible then Book a charter flight with Thos Cook\Canadian Affair or similar as soon as they come out (if you're going to a Popular destination-You've not said :cool:)

3) Passport cost only ever go up so get them when you can afford them for you two-valid for 10 years.
Kids ones validity\cost depends on their ages hence option 1) :cool:

4) Car hire-Don't need one in Toronto\Vancouver\Montreal. Obviously if you want to travel further you may need one.

More info needed to give more advice.

Veronica.B

Hi, thanks for the tips so far. If we can manage it we would be going for two weeks, too long for the kids to stay with an ageing grandparent, i'm afraid, and the other grandparents will be going to the wedding. They will be 6 & 7 by then so will be able to appreciate it. The wedding is on the outskirts of Halifax, Novia Scotia. Flights for the four of us have come out around £2,800.00, so far. That's flying from Gatwick in July next year. We live in Scotland so we still have to travel down but I've been told it's cheaper doing it that way.

Incapuppy

usignuolo wrote: »

If you can wait till nearer the date the prices come down.

Or they may go up!

Caz3121

There will be very little actually showing available to book for next July as the scheduled airlines normally release their fares 11 months out
You have some other options rather than Gatwick (remember you will need to factor in the cost of getting there too) when they become bookable

GLA - KEF- YHZ with Icelandair
GLA - PHL - YHZ with US Airways
GLA/EDI - EWR - YHZ with United

nickyhutch

If you really want to go (and if I were you) I'd go for just the wedding, just me and OH. It doesn't have to be 2 weeks, and the kids don't have to go. Sorry.

gem75

nickyhutch wrote: »

If you really want to go (and if I were you) I'd go for just the wedding, just me and OH. It doesn't have to be 2 weeks, and the kids don't have to go. Sorry.

I disagree. Your flights are going to be the biggest expense (and effort especially with 2 kids) whether you go for 2 days or 2 weeks. After spending so much to get there you may as well have a holiday at the same time. Have never understood the logic of people who cross the Atlantic for anything less than a week.

whitewing

I agree with going for a holiday with the children.

Could you get an int free loan off your husband's parents to help spread the cost?

I would make a list of what you will include, and also a list of nice to haves and finally a list of can do without. So, for example, you have to have flights, you may want a new outfit, and you could do without the stag and hen do's and a wedding gift.

Veronica.B

I have to agree with 'gem75'. We intend making a holiday out of it, it's a long way to go for just a week. If we could keep the costs down then that's a bonus. Finding decent affordable accomodation and car hire is a must. I think I have persuaded my husband that we should go but I need to convince him that we can do it without getting into any debt. Combining the wedding with a family holiday makes it way more worthwhile.

blindman

Veronica.B wrote: »

I have to agree with 'gem75'. We intend making a holiday out of it, it's a long way to go for just a week. If we could keep the costs down then that's a bonus. Finding decent affordable accomodation and car hire is a must. I think I have persuaded my husband that we should go but I need to convince him that we can do it without getting into any debt. Combining the wedding with a family holiday makes it way more worthwhile.

Fair enough:

But (i've never been to Halifax) what is there to do there?

Can't think you'd want to spend two weeks there :eek:

IMHO I'd fly into NYC\ Boston fly\hire a car\ (Possible problems with one way fees into Canada ) and drive to Halifax then fly home-or vice versa