Introduction
Vancouver Island is in our opinion, one of the best places in the world to elope. There’s a ton of reasons why. We will go into a lot of detail why this is, and give you our picks for the best places to elope on Vancouver Island.
We are a photo / film husband and wife team, we’ve shot hundreds of elopements and weddings across the world. We’ve got the knowledge not only in shooting weddings, but planning them for our couples as well, with that being said. Let’s get into our top picks.
How to elope on Vancouver Island
We have a full, detailed guide on eloping in British Columbia in general, but to summarise. These are the key points:
- Get an officiant to legally marry in BC, you can search for one in your area here. There’s some more information on marriage commissioners here. They will either need to be provincially appointed for civil ceremonies or registered with the Vital Statistics Agency for religious ceremonies.
- You’ll need a marriage licence. Both individuals will need to be present to apply. You’ll need some sort of government issued identification (e.g, passport, drivers licence). The fee at the moment is $100, though this can change, be sure to apply for this well in advance, id say at least three months prior to the wedding to ensure you have it.
- In BC, legally you’ll need two witnesses present at the ceremony aged 18 or older, you can bring your own, ask your officiant. We as a photography and videography team often act as witnesses for our couples, we don’t mind signing documents at the ceremony.
- Find out if you need a permit. Some places will require permits, such as public parks, provincial parks and national parks. For example, Banff National Park in Alberta is notoriously difficult to apply for permits for elopements. This is something we help our couples out with.
Best places to Elope on Vancouver Island
Victoria
Victoria is actually the capital of the whole of British Columbia. Downtown Victoria is literally like being in Europe, the architecture is stunning and makes for an amazing city style elopement. Whilst also having the mountains so close. Victoria is especially good for elopement activities that you’d need to do in downtown. Crazy golf, boating, axe throwing and fine dining are all right in the city.
Tofino
Not only is Tofino (in our opinion) the best beach in all of Canada, but arguably, the world. The black sands and dramatic backgrounds Tofino has to offer are simply unmatched. Tofino doesn’t just have the beaches to offer eloping couples, but it also offers so many restaurants and things to do in the small town. If you’re looking for amazing nature and a small town vibe for your elopement. Tofino is the place to be. Did we mention how awesome the rainforest is?
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Pacific Rim National Park is a lot like Tofino, but its a lot closer to the ferry terminals to Vancouver and is closer to Victoria. So you’ll have an easier time getting here over Tofino. The coast line is just as impressive, with sprawling beaches, jagged coastlines and stunning misty rainforests. You can elope here anytime of year, as the weather is quite mild compared to the rest of Canada.
We’d recommend heading out here in the summer for the best mix of scenery and activities, you’ll want to plan things related to the water for this one. We’ve created a guide on some activities for your BC elopement you can read here.
Cathedral Grove
Situated to the west of Nanaimo, Cathedral Grove is great for couples wanting a sunlit rainforest elopement, with stunning waterfalls and lush greenery all around. You’ve also got Cameron lake all around as well. We absolutely love shooting as Angel Rock, the trees in Cathedral Grove are absolutely massive, and provide an especially dramatic backdrop for couples eloping here. You’ll want to plan for a summer elopement here either at dawn or dusk, to get those dramatic light beams shooting through the forest.
Hatley Castle
Hatley Castle is a spot that you could easily drop into southern England. The grounds are immaculately kept and offer some seriously stunning views. Whether you want the gardens with all their wild flowers and neat hedges, or the georgian architecture of the castle itself. Autumn is particularly beautiful here as all the leaves turn burnt orange.
Sooke
Sooke is south west of Victoria, has lush rainforest vibes and a rugged coastline, you come here for the rocky cliffs and really dramatic look. If you want something close to a Norwegian Fjord but in Canada. This is where you come. We’d recommend to head to East Sooke Park and Sandcut beach, which has an amazing waterfalls that flows right into the ocean.
Mount Washington
Mount Washington, Vancouver Island. Is absolutely amazing for eloping couples looking for alpine views, snow capped mountains and really dramatic sunsets. The winter’s up here can be very cold. But we’d recommend heading here for an awesome winter elopement, its a little far out. So you’ll need a car. But its totally worth the drive. You’ll generally see a lot less tourists and people the further north on the island you head.
When should you elope on Vancouver Island (Seasons)
Vancouver island does experience all four seasons, but being an island, being surrounded by the ocean and the sea, the seasons are a lot less pronounced than the rest of the provence and Canada. This is generally the case that the further north you head on the island, the colder things will get. The summers are pleasant and mild, the winters are wet, windy and snowy on the peaks and in the north. There are two main factors to consider when eloping on Vancouver Island, tourists and rain. Generally the rainiest months will be November – January. For tourists you’re looking at late June to the end of August. For the best of both worlds, we’d recommend late september, for some awesome colours on the leaves, really nice temperatures and less tourists. Or on the other end May can be amazing as well.
Vancouver Island Elopement Activity Ideas
- Stargazing
- Paddle Boarding
- Hire a private Chef
- Awesome Airbnb with hot tub and mountain views
- Ziplining
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Whale Watching
- Visit a winery
- Hiking
- Boating
- Off roading
- Surfing
- Helicopter ride
You can find some more ideas in a lot more detail here.
Vancouver Island Elopement Packages
Considering an elopement on the island? We are here to help. We help couples from across Canada and the world come to Vancouver Island to have their dream elopement. It’s one thing reading guides and finding information, its another having guides to show you how its done and show you how to achieve your vision. We help couples plan their elopement here and across the world. So we get it, the logistics, the stress and worry of getting it right. You don’t have to tackle it alone. Below are a couple of services that come with our packages.
- General elopement planning
- Access to our elopement resources
- Customised timelines for your day
- Location scouting
- Vendor recommendations / vetting
- Photography coverage
- Videography coverage
- Custom location and ideas recommendations
Ready to get started or just want to ask a question? Fill in the form below.
