Thanks for the great feedback regarding my last post – the best Vancouver ceremony locations! I hope to be able to update it with each wedding season and provide even more information for brides planning their day. Next, we naturally have to move onto reception venues. I was unsure of how to organize this, as there are so many great venues stretching from West Vancouver to Agassiz and back! However, I’ve chosen to start with “miscellaneous” and move onto restaurants, golf courses, halls/community centres & finally, hotels! As an added bonus, there are my favourite mini-destination wedding locations at the end. (All British Columbia venues.)
Let’s start off with my favourite wedding venue, my own wedding venue (in 50 days!) Fraser River Lodge in Agassiz, BC. This out of the way, country, rustic-y venue is world-class. The food is amazing (best wedding food… ever), the staff uber-helpful (I know this, I’m planning my own wedding there, so I see all the ins and outs of meetings and emails!), the location can’t be beat. On one quarter of the reception hall is floor to ceiling windows with a view of Mount Cheam. Half of the year the tops are snow-covered and it’s breathtaking. The property has roaming bison nearby, adding to the country, relaxed, miles-away-from-the-city feel. Next door is a gorgeous orchard with rows and rows of neatly lined trees which is awesome for summer photos when the leaves are full. This venue is worth every penny. You can hold your ceremony inside or outside on the grass. There’s also a tent right by the Fraser River for “in case of rain” emergencies. Added bonus – they have white chairs and round tables or long tables all on site. No rental fees! (Tip: Book low-season, November to April, for a price break!) To see more photos of Fraser River Lodge weddings check out Rebecca & Adam’s wedding or Veronica & Henry or Jenna & Cory!)
The Vancouver Club lends itself well to formal, classy, city-affair! I’ll never forget Lesley & Adam’s wedding at the Club – elegant long tables, and beautiful feather decor. The food is wonderful and an added-bonus is Vancouver Club having all their own tables and chairs for you to use. There’s also a gorgeous side room often used for cocktail hour – super elegant. To see an inside ceremony at The Vancouver Club, check out Kelly & Zac’s wedding.
Grouse Mountain is called the Peak of Vancouver for a reason. The views from the top of the mountain are crazy-cool. If you have a lot of guests traveling to celebrate with you, a Grouse Mountain wedding is a great way to give guests an experience. A gondola pass is included for your guest list to reach the mountain’s peak after a five minute ride (hopefully nobody is afraid of heights!) There are two different areas available for receptions in the main lodge – one on the first floor and one on the second. To see photos, Erin & Maclean’s wedding was held on the main floor, Magdalena & Austen’s wedding on the second.
Cecil Green Park House at UBC is a venue I photographed at quite a bit a few years ago… but it’s been a while now! It’s underrated, in my humble opinion! The views from Cecil Green are stunning and summer sunsets there seem to last foreverrrr (I’ve included a photo here so you believe me!) Rental and catering rates are very reasonable too! To see more Cecil Green photos check out Sarah & Nick’s wedding or Kim & Shawn’s wedding!
I love the UBC Boathouse for it’s modern feel. There’s a ton of light, a water view, cleanly designed architecture. Jasmine & Vince’s wedding is a great example of how to use the space for your ceremony and reception – even a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, too! To see even more photos check out Amanda & James’ wedding.
Performance Works on Granville Island has a “warehouse” feel that I absolutely love. It can be a little dark, which is tricky – but with string lights, and added “up-lights” around the room, it creates a really fun effect. Long tables naturally lend themselves to this space – and I love the look. For more, check out Carly & Theo’s wedding or Laura & Darren’s wedding. P.S. If you’re looking for an outdoor ceremony location for your Performance Works wedding, look no further than Ron Basford Park next door. (Scroll halfway down this post.)
Vancouver Rowing Club is a great space for a two-in-one venue, if you’re hoping to have a ceremony and reception in the same spot! (Which, just for the record, I highly recommend. A smoother, calmer, wedding day. Win win win.) It’s right on the water, with a sweet view of the Vancouver behind. Check out the wedding of Kandace & Alex for more images!
For weddings under 60 guests, Stanley Park Tea House is a winner. There are two rooms available for receptions, off to the left when you enter the restaurant is for smaller parties and the conservatory to the right is for larger ones! Both spaces have great light, a view of the water across the road and both offer the same amazing food. The presentation is awesome. To see more, check out the wedding of Katie & Chris, Victoria & Ross, Domenic & Brian or Gloria & Roy! P.S. Getting married at the Teahouse and thinking about a ceremony venue? Right across the street at Ferguson Point is a natural choice. To see photos, check out my ceremony locations blog post.
Brock House Restaurant still stands in my “#1 most photographed venue” and for good reason. They are good at weddings. Brock House pumps out close to 300 weddings a year. They have an upper room for smaller groups (I haven’t photographed up there, but have been downstairs and heard upstairs weddings!) but most are held in the back tent. It’s a gorgeous tent with chandlers and heaters to keep warm. Their ceremony spot is iconic – a view of Jericho Beach, the mountains, the ocean, under a ginormous picturesque tree. To see more, visit the weddings of Catherine & Erik, Sandi & David, Olivia & Howard, Natalie & Jamie, Laura & Iain,
I love discovering new and different venues. It’s always a treat. Cristi & Chris’ wedding Monday afternoon wedding at V Lounge Restaurant in Yaletown a few years ago was a blast. They were married at Brix Restaurant with a reception right around the corner at V Lounge. The lounge is located on the upper floor of Earl’s restaurant – who knew?! The exposed brick is to die-for and the long booth on one side of the restaurant gives your reception a really unique feel.
Shaughnessy Restaurant is located right next to Van Dusen Botanical Gardens. But don’t be mistaken, it’s not the same! And not even related! However, you have a decent view of some of the garden from the restaurant and the space is modern and fun. The food is also A+! (Lots more photos on Christine & Peter’s wedding blog post.)
Hart House Restaurant is my favourite outdoor tented reception space. Their tent is huge! And in a really great location in Burnaby: Deer Lake Park. I really enjoy the staff there – and it’s a great place for an outdoor ceremony, too. (To see more, visit Kellie & Ken’s wedding, Lisa & Chris’ wedding and Jenny & Allister’s wedding.)
Bridges Restaurant is at the very edge of Granville Island, right across the parking lot from the Public Market. I appreciate weddings on “The Island.” I think they have a fun feel and there are no end to photo spots! Bridges, like sooo many Vancouver venues, has a great view of the water. (Check out Ashley & Jon’s wedding.)
Alrighty! Moving onto golf courses! Golf courses are a great way to plan a relatively stress-free wedding. They usually have restaurants/their own caterer, have all of your tables and chairs and have spaces for your ceremony and reception. Mayfair Lakes Golf Course in Richmond has been a popular one as of late! To see more pictures than what’s below, check out Maritza & Steven’s wedding and Juliana & Keith’s wedding.
Redwood Golf Course is right in my neck of the woods, the Walnut Grove area of Langley. As mentioned in my ceremony locations blog post, they have an underrated outdoor ceremony space! Very rustic feeling. Their outdoor tent holds up to 150-200 people I believe, and you can check out more photos from Jaclyn and Matt’s Wedding.
Gleneagles Golf Course and I have only met once for Michelle & Keegan’s wedding years ago. But I was very impressed! Look how cool this room is! I love the wood beams and ceiling it almost gives it a “cabin” feel. Nestled in West Vancouver, not too far from Horseshoe Bay.
I think more people should book this venue. ;)
Tsawwassen Beach Grove Golf Club has a great space for receptions and may be a good fit for you! Check out the wedding of Claire & Wes for more ideas!
Swan-E-Set Golf & Country Club is the closest thing you’ll get to a castle wedding in the Vancouver area. The ballroom is one of the biggest around, accommodating upwards of 250 guests. (A hard thing to find!) You can hold your ceremony on the back lawn as well – and the Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge area has lots of cool farm roads for photo spots. (To see more weddings, click through to the weddings of Marisa & Anson, Laura & Ryan or Sara & Jared.)
Shaughnessy Golf Club has such a regal entrance, similar feeling to Swan-E-Set. Iron gates, long driveway, in the Fall, beautiful leaves turning colour! I’ve photographed two weddings at Shaughnessy: Katrien & Steve and Emily & Adam and both have had outdoor tented ceremonies.
If you’re a brave bride and going the Do-It-Yourself route, community halls or community centres can be a great venue option for you. The cons to renting a hall is more rentals - chairs, tables, linens – but the bonus? A really unique space you can make your own. Here are some of my favourites: Creekside Community Recreation Centre is located in Olympic Village (one of my favourite out-of-the-way Vancouver neighbourhoods) and has a cool view of the harbour and bonus, Science World! ;) See more photos from Shandelle & Britton’s wedding.
Fort Langley Community Hall is in the small, quaint area of Langley called Fort Langley. (Didn’t see that coming did ya?) Fort Langley is a really neat area (if you’re a Vancouverite and unfamiliar with the suburbs!) and a cool place for your guests to hang out in between events. For more, see Becca & Austin’s wedding or Damara & Goetz’s wedding.
False Creek Community Centre is on Granville Island and definitely an under-utilized wedding space! Sophia & Jamie’s Wedding was my first and only reception thus far at the centre and my favourite part is the ceiling. Look at the photos below! So pretty!
Roundhouse Community Centre was absolutely transformed for Emma & Aaron’s wedding. I know they have limited availability for weddings as they do give priority to arts and cultural events – but if you can snag it, the concrete floors and wood beams are really neat design elements!
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - A timeless wedding venue. My parents were married here in 1988 and it’s retained all it’s charm. (Or so they say, after looking at these photos. I wasn’t alive.) A great venue for regal ball gowns and dancing the night away. The ballroom would fit 200 easily, but makes an equally elegant space for 50 people.
Rosewood Hotel Georgia – A stunning venue I’ve only had the pleasure of photographing at once! Kathy & Joseph had their wedding ceremony and reception at the newly renovated Rosewood and I fell in love with the soft colours and the architectural features in the ballroom. You can’t have too much white at a wedding. So pretty.
Pinnacle at the Pier Hotel came onto the venue scene only about 5 years ago, I believe. It’s quickly become my favourite ballroom venue. If you’re looking for a dramatic space but with a view (one quarter of the ballroom is windows with a waterview!) and neutral colours, this is your best bet. A lot ballrooms will have colours that are harder to work with – but at Pinnacle the gray is modern, easy to coordinate and classic. They have two rooms they use for weddings – the main, larger ballroom and a smaller side room. To see more examples, check out Tess & Adam’s wedding, Alvina & Jonathan’s wedding or Diana & Joris’ wedding
P.S. You can also hold your ceremony at Pinnacle!
This is cheating, because none of the following are Vancouver reception locations – but it’s my blog, so I can cheat all I like. Over the last six years in business I’ve had the opportunity to photograph at the coolest venues for mini-destination weddings. I classic mini-destination weddings as a wedding I don’t have to fly to. Driving or a ferry only! So, if you’re a Vancouver couple looking for a wedding that feels far, far away but is only a few hours away… LOOK NO FURTHER. :)
Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino // Ahhh, it doesn’t get any better. Tofino is magical. Truly. There’s something about this place that really feels like the “edge of the world.” If you can handle a little rain, a little wind, the experience and “feel” of tying the knot in Tofino is worth it. I’ve photographed at Middle Beach Lodge twice and everything always goes off without a hitch. Really appreciate the team of staff there. Both Joanna & Alex’s wedding and Rebecca & Nick’s wedding were a dream. The first had an indoor ceremony (rain!) but the second lucked out and had the beach ceremony they were hoping for.
Bird’s Eye Cove Farm in Cowichan Bay (on Vancouver Island) // I was introduced to Bird’s Eye Cove for the first time through Erika & Malcolm’s wedding. Erika’s friend’s family owns the property and at that time, I think it was the first wedding they had ever hosted? The property is stunning and I wasn’t surprised when the family soon started a business hosting weddings! You will not be disappointed with this set-up. The barn, ohhh the barn. I wish we had more of these venues closer to Vancouver! Check out Part One + Part Two of the wedding I shot there a few years back.
Bonniebrook Lodge in Gibsons (on the Sunshine Coast) // Alison & Ryan’s wedding still stays in my mind years later! Their ceremony took place at her grandparent’s cottage, so that’s not open to public obviously but the reception was at a great restaurant sea-side! Loved all of their details. Sunshine Coast is a short, inexpensive ferry ride from Vancouver and another great experience for guests.
God’s Mountain Estate in Penticton // I am so thankful for every opportunity I’ve had to photograph at this venue. I’m heading back there this summer (August 2014) for my third wedding at God’s Mountain and I am thrilled. It’s worth the drive, every time. Ashley & Grant had a stunning wedding there in Summer 2013 and I can’t get enough. You feel like you’re in… Greece or something. Just look, look at these photos! And consider a Penticton summer destination wedding. ;)
And… last but not least, Spirit Ridge Resort in Osoyoos // One of my high school friends Vanessa & Craig got married in Osoyoos a few years back and I loved this desert venue! Be prepared for hot hot hot weather if you choose a summer date. ;)
OKAY, that about wraps it upppp! Hope this post has helped! Feel free to share it wherever, whenever! I want this to be a growing resource for brides planning weddings anywhere in the Lower Mainland. :) Happy Thursday!