This Wedding Spot Gives “Cold Feet” New Meaning!

With the emphasis on “cold!” If you and your sweetie are frigid-weather fanatics—into skiing, snowmobiling and other winter outdoor activities—here’s where you’ll want to walk (or ice skate) down the aisle. I’m talking about an Ice Hotel. This is the Ice Hotel Glace in Quebec, Canada, but you can find these icy inns all over the world—Sweden, Iceland, Russia and other countries known for their frigid winters. And, yes, these hotels are made completely out of ice, which means they melt in the summer and are completely rebuilt, usually using a new architectural design, every winter. A wedding here will, literally, give you and your guests goosebumps, and not just from the cold!!

Open for winter season from about January 5th to April 1st, the Ice Hotel Glace is 500 tons of ice and 15,000 tons of snow covering 30,000 square feet. Inside are 36 rooms and theme suites, a spectacular ice chapel, exhibit rooms, the Ice Cafe, the N’Ice Club (an ABSOLUT ice bar!) and more. Artwork is everywhere in the form of carved walls and ice sculptures.

Okay. I know what you’re thinking. Bathroom breaks must be a real bummer. Not to worry. They have heated facilities that are easily accessed inside the hotel, so you’ll have a toasty tushy when you need it most.

Just how cold is it in the Ice Hotel? Well, like I said before—you’ll really need to be big fans of chilly weather. Before I give you the numbers, you should know that the hotel’s four-feet-thick walls serve as an “excellent” insulator and help maintain a constant temperature between 23 and 28 degrees—even when it’s 18 degrees outside. You WILL need to bring warm clothing! The hotel truly does everything to make your stay pleasant. Yes, the furniture at the hotel is made of snow and ice, including the beds, but the beds are equipped with a thick foam mattress, Hbc wool blanket or soft deer pelts and an extra-thick sleeping bag. We love the word “extra,” don’t we!

What else is there to do during your winter wedding weekend? How about cross-country skiing, ice skating, snow shoeing, dog sledding, ice fishing, and sliding. Not too sure about that last activity, but it does sound like fun! And pack your bathing suit, because Ice Hotel Quebec has two heated, outdoor hot tubs and a sauna.

Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? And when you walk down the aisle in that magnificent ice chapel, they play “Here Comes the Brrrrrrrrride!”

~ Susan