We will be getting married at Hardingasete on July 23rd, 2022. But why only have a day when we can have a weekend?!
We have booked the venue (a village of historical cabins) from Friday to Sunday and hope you'll join for the whole weekend.
The date: July 22 - 24th, 2022
The location: Tangavegen 131, 5620 Tørvikbygd, Norway
Our Registry: www.zola.com/registry/tomandxena
1 pM - arrive on site & find cabins
3 pM - sauna & jacuzzi
6 pM - dinner
7 PM - games
10 pM - dockside Sing along
10.30 pM - sunset
8 aM - breakfast begins
9 aM - yoga on the dock
11.30 aM - lunch
2 pM - ceremony on the dock
3.30 pM - Activities
5.00 pM - dinner
7.30 pM - party!
8 am - Breakfast Begins
Packing up and heading home or onto the next adventure!
Hardingasete is comprised of 20 buildings from the western region of Norway, dating from the 1600's to about 1870. The buildings are nestled in the woods along Hardangerfjord, which is said to be the Queen of the Norwegian fjords and one of the most picturesque places in Norway.
The lodging buildings generally have a kitchenette and living room area downstairs and beds upstairs. Please note, the stairs are quite steep! There is one large building with bedrooms on the first floor for those that do no wish to climb.
Despite being historical, all buildings have electricity and modern toilets. However, it's worth noting that the vibe is generally rustic, so if you need anything particular, best to bring it yourself.
All our guests have indicated that they would like to stay on site. We think this is great! But, if things change, please let us know as soon as possible. There are hotel options in the nearest town, about 20-30 minutes away.
Lodging fees: The accommodation package is US$225 / AU$315 per person.
This includes accommodation for Friday and Saturday, dinner on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday.
If you're the sort to need snacks between meals, you are welcome to bring your own or to purchase additional food from the venue.
We will send out a link with bank details once you have confirmed your RSVP :)
Please click here: https://forms.gle/WszsGCqk6wThh5wM6
Warning: Alcohol is very heavily taxed in Norway and is very expensive.
There are two bars on site which are open until late. Alcohol purchased from the bar can be taken anywhere around the venue, inside and out.
We are allowed to bring our own alcohol on site, but those drinks may only be consumed inside the cabins. As drinks will be a bit pricey, we recommend bringing some duty free alcohol with you! ; )
There will be a cheers after the ceremony, wine and beer at dinner, and then a drink at the reception. All other drinks will be self-purchased at the bar.
WHY ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED IN NORWAY?!
We love people from all over the world and in truth, there was never going to be an 'easy' place to have our wedding. So instead, we focused on finding a place where we could physically bring together the metaphorical villages that raised us.
We hope you'll embrace the adventure and join us in this amazing place!
WHEN AND WHERE SHOULD WE FLY?
There are a few options:
1) Fly in to Bergen. We recommend (if you have the time) to come on Thursday and spend a day enjoying the city before leaving for the venue Friday morning.
2) Alternatively, flights to Oslo tend to be cheaper so if you wanted to enjoy a few days in Oslo, you could do that and then take the train to Bergen. The train takes 7-8 hours but is rated as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world! If you’re doing this option, book your train ticket ahead as prices do increase in the days before leaving.
On Friday, you can either drive to the venue (there's parking on site) or take the Bus #930 from Bergen to Tøreikbygd. We will be able to help arrange transport for the last kilometer.
We would love it if you could arrive between 1-3 pm so as to be able to take advantage of our action-packed-relaxation-schedule!!
WHAT ABOUT COVID?
Norway has consistently been on top of Covid-19 management with very limited interruption to daily life, so we expect the wedding to go ahead *smoothly*! Of course, we will be taking safety precautions as necessary to make sure people feel safe (hand sanitizer, rapid tests on site).
As for entering the country, please refer to: https://www.fhi.no/en/op/novel-coronavirus-facts-advice/facts-and-general-advice/entry-quarantine-travel-covid19/
WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A HOLIDAY OF IT, WHAT CAN WE DO?
Awesome idea! Within Bergen there are lots a great things to do like: visiting the Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene, which used to house the northern most outpost for the German guild that ruled Europe with wealth from cod. On a similarly fishy note, there is the famous Fish Market and walks along the Brygge (water front). There are the KODE Art Museums, four museums with crafts, historical pieces, classical artworks and modern; all of which can be accessed under one ticket. Plus more!
By the venue, there are relaxed attractions including: an walk at see Skjervsfossen Waterfall, visiting the town of Dale (famous for their knitwear), or the steam engine museum. There are lots of stave churches - which are built only with wood and without any nails - from 1000 years ago that are worth a visit as you pass by.
For those looking to break a sweat, there are lots of hiking opportunities, including Trolltunga. We went to 2017 and had a great time.
See the picture below to see a glorious view and totally freaking out Xeni!
IS NORWAY REALLY AS EXPENSIVE AS THEY SAY IT IS?
Yes. There is no denying that Norway is expensive, but we have done our best to make this weekend as affordable as possible.
There’s a saying in Norway: Everything you need, you can afford. Everything you want, you cannot! Basically, all the fun stuff is very expensive. But hiking and enjoying the views is free!
WHILE IN NORWAY, HOW DO WE PAY FOR THINGS?
The easiest thing to do is to have a credit/debit card that you can use overseas. If you get charged for overseas transactions, consider using a travel card such as a Schwab card or global bank such as a Revolut (revolut.com).
DURING THE WEEKEND, WHAT SORTS OF THINGS CAN WE DO IN OUR DOWNTIME?
There are fishing rods and some kayaks on site, as well as some bicycles which can be used to explore the local area.
If you're looking to get out into nature, there are also lots of beautiful hikes that start from Hardingesete's doorstep. And of course, if you are brave enough, you can swim in the fjord!
For those looking for something more low-ley, there are also lots of beautiful places both outdoors and indoors around the venue to sit and relax.
WHAT ABOUT A WEDDING GIFT?
Coming to our wedding is your gift to us. We know it is a long way to come and we hope it will be a memorable experience that we will all cherish for years to come, but we also appreciate that there are costs involved, so if you can join us on our special day then that would be the best gift we could wish for.
If you prefer to give a gift, we have a few things picked out or would love a contribution to our honeymoon in Japan - more details on those to come!
