Vancouver Magazine
Breaking: Via Tevere Is Opening Up a Second Location on Main Street
Reviews: Magari by Oca Continues to Shape Perfect Pasta on the Drive
Where to Find The Best Brunch in Kits
The Best Value B.C. Wines on Shelves Right Now
The Go Drink Me Campaign: Finding the Loire in the Okanagan
Maude Sips Offers a Joyful Entry Point to a New Generation of Wine Nerds
Lightening Round With New Format Studios’ Henry Norris
5 Things to Do in Vancouver This Week (April 15-21)
Survey: Help Us Make the Ultimate Vancouver Summer Bucket List
Tofino Travel Guide: Where to Eat, Stay and Spa in Tofino, B.C.
The Sisterhood of Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country
The 2024 Spring Road Trip Destination You Won’t Want To Miss
6 of the Best Wide-Leg Pants You Can Buy Here in Vancouver
7 Small, Independent Vancouver Brands to Shop Instead of the Shein Pop-Up
What’s in the Background of Vancouver YouTuber J.J. McCullough’s Videos?
Start planning for a summer wedding now—when both weather and COVID restrictions are bound to be better.
There’s a reason it’s called “Beautiful B.C.” With mountains, lakes, valleys, beaches and an ocean, our province is home to some of the best spots to host a destination wedding.
This Vancouver Island beachfront resort has it all: ocean views, sandy beaches and 22 acres of forest. The resort’s rustic ambience will be sure to charm your guests and can comfortably accommodate them with 192 log guest rooms and cabins. For weddings, the resort offers the award-winning Grotto Spa to pamper your bridal party, a seaside gazebo or a rooftop patio for the ceremony, and more than 10,000 square feet of banquet space that can accommodate up to 250 guests. Stone fireplaces, earth-toned decor and exposed wood, make this resort feel like a cozy escape.
If you’re looking for a country-style wedding, Bird’s Eye Cove, a heritage farm nestled within 300 acres of land in the Cowichan Valley, is the destination for you. Here, you can host your wedding in a traditional timber frame barn with rolling hills and ocean views as your backdrop. Catering for the reception is farm-to-table (of course!) with dishes sourced from the venue and other local farms and businesses. Couples have various wedding packages to choose from—some of which include up to three meetings with the Blue Lily Events team or the option to stay in a romantic 900-square-foot couple’s suite—and can accommodate up to 140 guests. Arrive here in style on a seaplane that lands in Maple Bay, or take a ferry from the mainland.
Described as having ‘Gatsby-esque glamour,’ Rowena’s Inn is an English-style manor overlooking Harrison River in the Fraser Valley. Your visit to the venue will feel like a step back in time with the inn’s elegantly restored English decor. It’s conveniently located just 45 minutes north of Abbotsford and sits on a manicured lawn between mountains and forests. The venue provides all catering and can accommodate small, intimate guest lists (up to 150). Ceremonies may be held on the lawn by the riverbank, followed by a reception inside (for up to 20 guests) or under an outdoor tent. The couple and their guests also have the option of staying in a luxury cottage or in one of the inn’s rooms.
This resort offers seven acres of spectacular views on the Sunshine Coast. The natural setting provides the perfect backdrop for an outdoor ceremony, followed by an oceanfront wedding reception catered by the resort’s in-house team. To help the bride and groom relax before the big day, they (and their wedding parties!) can choose from a variety of spa treatments—manicures, pedicures, facials. The resort also has private tenthouse suites, accessed via forest boardwalk, for guests to stay in.
READ MORE 12 Incredible Wedding Venues in Vancouver
Nita Lake Lodge, located 4.5 kilometres outside Whistler Village (away from the hubbub), is a picturesque resort surrounded by mountains and overlooking the glacier-fed Nita Lake. Though summer weddings are beautiful here, it’s the ultimate spot for a romantic, snowflake laden winter ceremony. Couples can choose from a variety of on-site ceremony and reception spots from the port-cochère, an outdoor train-carriage structure made from Douglas fir and Western red cedar, to the Aura patio, ballroom, train station or library.
Secluded and rustic, Bodega Ridge is a beautiful spot for an island wedding. Enjoy the natural beauty of this Southern Gulf Island’s meadows, arbutus trees, fruit trees and wildflowers—and a handul of amenities (couple have exclusive use of their 22-acre property and guest accommodation). Have your ceremony on a bluff overlooking the Trincomali Channel, followed by a marquee reception catered with local organic farm ingredients. And if you want to extend your stay past the wedding day, Bodega Ridge offers to set up activities for you and your guests including yoga, kayaking and whale watching.
Up, up and away! Say “I do” amongst the Purcell Mountains (7,700 feet above sea level!)—guests will be whisked to the top via the Golden Eagle Express Gondola to a ceremony on a terrace overlooking the Rocky Mountains. For your reception, head to the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer 360 degree views; the restaurant can seat approximately 116 guests for a candle-lit dinner and has a full service bar. A second option is the timber frame Whitetooth Bistro, which can accommodate up to 180 guests for a seated meal. Wedding couples can stay overnight at the top of the mountain in one of the Eagle’s Eye Suites ($500/night) or at one of the many hotels and chalets at the base of the mountain.
Take a trip to wine country, and have your wedding at an Okanagan vineyard. Summerhill Pyramid Winery has a great view of the lake from its spot up on a hillside. Couples can have their ceremony on the lawn among the grape vines, before heading into the ballroom, or namesake Summerhill Pyramid for their reception. Candles and wine barrels scattered throughout the halls create a romantic atmosphere, and the winery’s wedding specialists can add personal touches for you. Couples can choose from a variety of menu options ranging from a plated wine-paired winemaker’s dinner for 15 people, to a large buffet for 250.
Originally published August 2017
