Vancouver Island Wedding Venues
From ceremonies in an evergreen forest to first looks on a remote island – I have had the absolute privilege of capturing love stories in one of the most beautiful places on this planet. Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands offer the most beautiful backdrops for wedding photos! I have been a Vancouver Island wedding photographer for years and these are my absolute favourite venues. Let’s dive in!
Sea Cider
Central Saanich, BC
Quick features:
- Whimsical, forested ceremony area
- Beautiful, white-washed reception building (backup covered area for ceremony)
- Active apple orchard + cidery
- 5 min drive to Island View Beach
- Plenty of parking
About the property: Live out your Twilight wedding fantasy at a location that is both magical and practical. You have everything you need all on one beautiful property! There are so many photo opportunities right on the property from the forested ceremony area, to the beautiful reception building and apple orchard. Island View Beach is also a short, 5-minute drive from the venue and is a perfect location for a different backdrop for a first look, personal vows and/or formal portraits.
Key considerations: Apples are usually in season from late-August to early October however the photos below show an August wedding vs a November wedding at Sea Cider and how it was equally as beautiful in both seasons for different reasons.
August
November
Sea Breeze Lodge
Hornby Island, BC
Quick features:
- Book out the cabins for you and your guests
- Ceremony area on the lawn overlooking the ocean / mountains
- Beautiful lodge-style reception building
- Plenty of parking
About the property: Why not make it a wedding weekend? Book out the cabins on the property to host your guests for the ultimate destination wedding option from Vancouver Island. With more in-between moments built into your wedding itinerary, it’s the perfect opportunity to spend even more quality time with your guests and getaway as an almost-newly-wedded couple at the same time. The property has quaint cabins that you can book, a grassy ceremony area that overlooks the ocean, and a beautiful covered lodge reception building for the festivities.
Key considerations: It takes 2.5 hours to drive from Victoria to Buckley Bay ferry terminal and then you have to take not one but two (very short) cable ferries. One to Denman Island, then drive across Denman Island to catch the ferry to Hornby Island. It’s definitely one of those places where the saying, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey,” comes from! Once you get there, it’s a slice of sweet, island paradise.
May
September
Deep Cove Winery
North Saanich, BC
Quick features:
- Ceremony area is a covered open-air barn looking onto the vineyard
- Simple reception building
- Tuscan feeling in the vineyard
- 5-minute drive to Moses Point Beach
- Dog-friendly venue!
About the property: The beautiful covered barn-style structure covers the ceremony area giving the perfect protection from the sun or other weather. The slender Italian Cypress that line the vineyard creates a romantic, Tuscan aesthetic for the photos. Even though it’s close to Chalet Beach, I would recommend the short drive to Moses Point for a better beach if you are thinking you would like to have a first look, private vows or formal portraits on the beach!
Key considerations: The sun can be quite bright at this venue, so plan to take pictures at golden hour after the sun is lower in the sky!
Patio Gardens
Central Saanich, BC
Quick features:
- Ceremony area is an evergreen-lined lawn next to a pond
- Reception area is in a beautiful greenhouse / farmhouse
- Pear orchard with a few Italian Cypress trees
- Wide open grassy fields for photos at golden hour
- Plenty of parking
About the property: For the ultimate farmhouse vibe, Patio Gardens offers many different areas on the property to host the country wedding of your dreams. From the tall tree lined ceremony lawn to the grassy field behind the pond perfect for golden hour portraits to the beautiful farm-style greenhouse reception area, you and your guests will feel right at home.
Key considerations: It’s a fairly big property, so if there are mobility considerations for your guests, keep this in mind when getting down to the ceremony area and back up to the reception area. The greenhouse also gets very warm in the heat of the summertime since it’s actually a greenhouse. Arrange to put florals out at the last-minute and delay arriving to the reception area until the last minute as well on hot days.
North Saanich Yacht Club
North Saanich, BC
Quick features:
- Ceremony area on the lawn overlooking the bay
- Nantucket-style Yacht Club building for the reception area
- Dog-friendly venue!
- Plenty of parking
About the property: Host your wedding at a gorgeous well-maintained Yacht Club on the island that feels like it belongs on the East Coast in the Hamptons or on Nantucket. The ceremony-area is partially shaded but still overlooks the ocean. Walk up the picture-perfect porch steps to the beautiful reception area. Live out your classy Yacht Club wedding dreams!
Key considerations: If you have a boater in the family, consider mooring the boat at the marina for formal pictures before or after the ceremony for the ultimate Yacht Club experience. The photos at the end are from a boat ride to Portland Island for their first look, personal vows and formal portraits.
Choosing Your Perfect Vancouver Island Wedding Venue
Whether you are searching for an island getaway for a close-by destination wedding location, or want to stay on Vancouver Island, there are so many amazing venues to consider. I hope this guide of my top 5 favourite venues helped outline the key features and considerations for each. Every wedding is different because every couple is unique and capturing the magic of the day as it unfolds is my absolute favourite part. No matter where you decide to say, “I do!” – what matters most at the end of the day is that your love story is celebrated with the people that you love most in life. Let’s make sure it’s captured in the best light!
The Best Wedding Venues on Vancouver Island and The Gulf Islands
February 9, 2026
