Venues for All!

If a beachfront destination wedding is your dream, good on you. But if you’re ready to declare your love locally, options abound. Whatever vibe you’re hunting for—gone-country cool, vintage glamour or modern romance—you don’t need to look too far.

by Kaitlyn Funk

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP IT COUNTRY...

Bird’s Eye Cove Farm

LOCATION: Duncan

MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 140

PRICE: From $400

Bird’s Eye Cove, a heritage farm nestled within 300 acres of land in the Cowichan Valley, is the destination for those on the hunt for a country-style wedding. 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 farmto-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. Arrive here in style on a seaplane that lands in Maple Bay, or take a ferry from the mainland. birdseyecovefarm.com

IF YOU WANT RUSTIC CHARM…

Minnekhada Lodge

LOCATION: Coquitlam

MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 50

PRICE: $143 per hour

If you often search for “rustic wedding ideas” on Pinterest but don’t want to exchange vows in a barn, look no further than Minnekhada Lodge. This idyllic property, originally built as a hunting retreat for Lieutenant Governor Eric Hamber in 1934, is just a 45-minute drive from Vancouver— and o ff ers both indoor and outdoor spaces. Most couples choose to say

“I do” on the covered patio before transitioning into the banquet hall for dinner and dancing. minnekhada.ca

IF YOU WANT HERITAGE GLAM... The Permanent

LOCATION: Vancouver

MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 250 standing;

130 seated

PRICE: From $4,000

Once home to the Bank of Canada, this landmark building in the heart of downtown Vancouver is filled with glam heritage details: think ornate crown moulding, bronze chandeliers and tile mosaics. Couples can tie the knot underneath a jaw-dropping stained glass atrium and dance the night away in front of a vault door—a feature that looks particularly incredible when adorned with flowers and greenery. thepermanent.ca

ROOM FOR LOVE

(Clockwise from top) Bird’s Eye Cove Farm on Vancouver Island brings the country charm; the Permanent is the Art Deco venue of a design-lover’s dreams; Minnekhada Lodge is just a short drive from Vancouver but feels like a world away.

Real Weddings 2023

IF YOU WANT A WINTRY FAIRYTALE... Nita Lake Lodge

LOCATION: Whistler

MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 200 standing; 160 seated

PRICE: From $350 to $8,000

Nita Lake Lodge, located 4.5 kilometres from 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 porte-cochère—an outdoor train-carriage structure made from Douglas fir and western red cedar—to the Aura patio, ballroom, train station or library. nitalakelodge.com

IF YOU WANT SUMMER-CAMP VIBES... Bodega Ridge

LOCATION: Galiano Island

MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 150

PRICE: From $5,000 to $25,000

Secluded and rustic, Bodega Ridge is a beautiful spot for an island wedding. Enjoy the natural beauty of the meadows, arbutus trees, fruit trees and wildflowers on this Southern Gulf Island, along with an armful of amenities (couples have exclusive use of their 22-acre property and guest accommodation). Have your ceremony on a bluffoverlooking 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 can set up activities for you and your guests, including yoga, kayaking and whale watching. bodegaridge.com

IF YOU WANT MODERNIST CHIC... The Polygon Gallery

LOCATION: North Vancouver

MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 500 standing; 180 seated

PRICE: From $6,250

If you’ve dreamed of saying “I do” in a minimalist, contemporary venue, look no further than the Polygon Gallery. Its rental package, available for the 2023 wedding season, will give you exclusive use of the 24,000-squarefoot facility—including the Main Floor Gallery, Seaspan Pavilion, TD Bank Group Gallery and Freybe Family Gallery. Artwork and wall colour is subject to change depending on current exhibitions, so every wedding is pretty much guaranteed to have a di ff erent look and feel. thepolygon.ca

IF YOU WANT INTIMATE WHIMSY...

The Greenhouse

LOCATION: Abbotsford

MAXIMUM CAPACITY: 24

PRICE: From $2,000

This whimsical greenhouse provides the perfect blank slate for couples who want to design a one-of-a-kind ceremony. Owned by the team behind Woodpecker Rentals, the venue o ff ers a deluxe package that gives you access to a stunning collection of wood tables, chairs and benches to help pull your vision together. Plus, it can accommodate weddings in any season: the greenhouse has windows to let in cool air during the summer months and is equipped with a wood-burning stove to ensure winter weddings are as cozy as they are romantic. woodpeckertables.com

LOVE SHACKS (Clockwise from top) Nita Lake Lodge is a mountainside paradise; the Polygon Gallery o ff ers downtown views for days; the Greenhouse brings the cozy intimacy; Bodega Ridge on Galiano Island is perfect for a close-to-home getaway.