FAQs
Question
What should I pack?
Answer
Terrain appropriate shoes (cowboy boots welcome) Rain jacket / umbrella just in case Cool clothing for the day (i.e., light colors, loose fitting, breathable material) Layers for the night Sunscreen (to prevent sunburn) Aloe (for the inevitable sunburn) Bug spray (to prevent bug bites) Bug balm (for the inevitable bug bites) Sunglasses Sun hat (cowboy hats welcome) Cocktail attire for the wedding and reception (bolo ties, cowboy boots and western wear welcome) An umbrella / parasol for the sun A hand fan if you have it One of those cute water mister battery-operated fan bottles if you have it A reusable water bottle (all water at our venue is potable) Painkillers (e.g., acetaminophen) for altitude sickness and/or a hangover A swimsuit If staying on-site at Hotel Luna Mystica... ...In one of their trailers : earplugs, eye mask, and a flashlight and/or headlamp ...In your own RV : earplugs, eye mask, a flashlight and/or headlamp, shower shoes for shared showers, your own towel, and your own toiletries (i.e., shampoo, conditioner, soap, and body wash) ...And car camping: earplugs, eye mask, a flashlight and/or headlamp, shower shoes for shared showers, your own towel, your own toiletries (i.e., shampoo, conditioner, soap, and body wash), a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad Active wear for optional hiking, etc. A sense of adventure
Question
How's phone reception out there?
Answer
Lolz... what reception?! Please DO download offline maps on your phone BEFORE leaving the nearest metropolitan area.
Question
Is there a dress code?
Answer
The dress code for our wedding is semi-formal/cocktail attire (e.g., a cocktail dress 👗 or a suit, tie, and jacket 👔). Bring shoes appropriate for the terrain. 🥾 It's hot 🥵 during the day and cool 🥶 at night, so bring layers.
Question
What will the weather be like this time of year?
Answer
In August, the highs in Taos range from 72-88°F, usually around 79-82°F. 🥵 Lows at night in the high desert average 53°F. 🥶
Question
Will the ceremony and reception be indoors or outdoors?
Answer
Our entire wedding will take place outdoors. Dress accordingly.
Question
What do I do if my rental car falls through?
Answer
Don't panic. We anticipated this and you have many options: (a) Ping the group on Slack to see if anyone can give you a ride. Many people are flying into Albuquerque and Santa Fe and have already offered to give rides. https://join.slack.com/t/hallcortnerwedding/shared_invite/zt-1zocl0eee-GVaTtZqfeNPeN2IIx2QwEA (b) If you're stuck in Albuquerque, take the train from Albuquerque to Santa Fe (https://www.riometro.org/167/Schedules) and see if you can rent a car in Santa Fe. (c) If you're stranded in Albuquerque or Santa Fe, catch the once/day or as-scheduled shuttle from Albuquerque through Santa Fe to Taos: taosrides.com. (d) Try out a different kind of "ental car, including Turo (turo.com), Zipcar (zipcar.com) or, screw it, a Uhaul (uhaul.com). (Michelle and Owen once rented a Uhaul pickup truck to get around Michigan for a wedding since regular rental cars were too expensive!) (e) Get an Uber, Lyft or taxi from the airport. No guarantees they'll take you all the way to Taos, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
Question
Will there be transportation available to and from the wedding venue?
Answer
No, we are not operating a shuttle bus or car to and from the wedding venue. Lyft/Uber/taxis are *very* limited and *highly* unreliable. We recommend you check out TripKarma if you need a ride. In the event you feel uncomfortable driving back from our reception, we will have a car available to drive you back to your hotel for free between 9pm-midnight on Sat Aug 5. Please call Charley Rael at 575-770-8759 or 575-776-4904.
Question
Photography?
Answer
Please do NOT take any photos during the ceremony. Please do take photos any other time and share them here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GvQW39MPZsqJFb4qnscsF9fm4KAL5McL?usp=sharing
Question
What National Parks are nearby?
Answer
Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Parks are all within a five hour drive of Taos, NM.
Question
What can we bring to the venue, Hotel Luna Mystica?
Answer
Anything you want! We've rented the whole place! So long as we aren't damaging their property or doing anything that is both highly conspicuous and illegal, we can do anything we want within reason! So you can bring alcohol, dogs, etc.
Question
What kind of gifts do y'all want?
Answer
We only request your presence at the celebration, but if you'd like to give us a gift please consider donating to our honeymoon fund or one of the charities we support. Please see the "registry" tab on our website.