If you find the idea of an Island beach wedding idyllic, you are certainly not alone. People flock to Vancouver Island to get married, whether for a large affair or simply to elope.
It is the ideal setting – the pace is slower and the climate is the mildest year-round in the country.
Locations range from beaches to castles, from rural farms to city venues.
Victoria, the province’s capital, is also known as the “City of Gardens,” where flowers bloom year-round. It is also the oldest settlement in the Pacific Northwest lending it a historical feel, especially in the downtown sector. Picture horse-drawn carriages on waterfront cobbled streets with terraced old buildings in the background.
For a more rural wedding setting, the outskirts of the Capital Region offer countless opportunities for beachside and country-inspired wedding settings. Sooke, Mill Bay, Cobble Hill and Shawnigan are all within a short drive of Victoria, as is the small city of Duncan and the surrounding Cowichan Valley. Farms and wineries are in abundance in this region, as are the possibilities for wedding venues.
Nanaimo, located 100 kilometres north of Victoria, is the second largest city on the Island and a transportation and recreation hub. Boasting dozens of parks and an extensive waterfront area, the City of Nanaimo has all the facilities for a spectacular Island wedding.
The Long Beach-Tofino area is another popular wedding destination. With miles of sandy beaches and towering old growth forest, an ocean-side wedding takes on a whole new rugged meaning on the far west coast of the Island.
Getting married on Vancouver Island offers as much diversity as the couples that come here to tie the knot.
For more information about getting married in British Columbia, please visit http://www.vs.gov.bc.ca/marriage/howto.html