The best places to Elope in Vancouver
Vancouver is a great place for an elopement, with each season offering a variety of styles, moods and vibes. The problem is, where do you even begin to look? With such an abundance of locations, it can be overwhelming. Especially if you either do not attend a lot of elopements or know the area. Don’t worry, that’s where we come in. We are going to give you some of the best spots in and around Vancouver so you can avoid what you don’t want, and get what you do want for your wedding day. This is the best places to elope in Vancouver.
Before we get to the specific locations, we are going to go through a couple of points that apply to eloping in Vancouver in general. Which would be the same points for each of these locations. If you’re looking for more information on eloping in British Columbia in general. We have a resource on this!
What time of year should you elope in Vancouver?
Vancouver gets some of the mildest weather in all of Canada, but we do experience all four seasons, they are just a little less pronounced than other areas in the province. We do get a lot of rain on the coast, but from personal experience, we get most of the downpour from the end of Autumn into Spring. With the summer being generally safe from having a wet wedding. If you’re really concerned about rain on your wedding day, you should check out the Okanagan and Canadas only desert, you can read our guide on eloping in Kelowna here.
Summer
Pro’s
- Hot weather
- Lots of boating and sporting activities
- Really long days
- Dramatic sunsets
Con’s
- Expensive flights and accomodations
- More competition for vendor availability
- A lot more tourists
Winter
Pro’s
- Mild to cold weather
- Winter landscapes near by
- Winter activities
- Cheaper flights and accommodation
- Less vendor competition
- Less tourists
Con’s
- Chances of rain
- Some activities closed for the winter season
- Unpredictable temperatures
- Cloudy weather
Autumn / Fall
Pro’s
- Mild to cold weather
- Chance of snow on the mountains
- Most aesthetic season
- Dramatic sunsets
- Less tourists
- Most seasonal activities
- Cheaper flights and accommodation
- Less vendor competition
- Less tourists
Con’s
- Chances of rain
- Some activities closed for the off season
- Unpredictable temperatures
Spring
Pro’s
- Cherry Blossoms
- Mild Weather
- Snow on the mountain caps
- Less tourists
- Cheaper vendors & transportation / accomodation
Con’s
- Shorter days
- Less sporting activities open
- Chance of rain
The best Elopement locations in and around Vancouver
So in this list, we are going to go through two different types of locations, the first is going to be actual spots for your ceremony, due to some city restrictions. It can be a little tricky to actually do the legal part of the ceremony in say, Granville Island. But the second part will be our couples shoot locations, where you can head off for some awesome elopement activities and take some great photos!
Locarno Beach
If you’re looking at one of Vancouver’s amazing beaches for your elopement but want to avoid the crowds. This is the place to be. Kitselano is really nice, but often packed with lots of tourists year round. Locarno is right next to Spanish Banks.
- Amazing views of the sea and mountains
- Best in the summer
- Lots of restaurants and activities
- Very easily accessible
- Particularly good for sunsets
Golden Ears Provincial Park
Amazing waterfalls, not too far from downtown Vancouver and some of the best rainforest scenery in all of Metro Vancouver to elope. Golden ears has an abundance of every kind of scenery that Vancouver has to offer. We particularly like shooting here in Autumn / Fall. The park is known to shut down in the winter, the times they shut down usually change each year. Check here for current park info.
- Amazing views of Alouette Lake
- Massive park to find non-crowded spots for your ceremony
- Lots of coastline along the lake for lake and mountain views
- Lots of activities on the lake in the summer
- Plenty of trails and viewpoints to trek to
- Best time of year is Autumn or Summer
Jug Island Beach
This option is great for folks who want seclusion, but also want some amenities close by. The hike is moderate difficulty, the best views are at the end of the trail by the beach. The hike is around 5.6 km with an incline of 226 m. You won’t find a lot of other people here, but you are also really close to Belcarra, which means lots of cute coffee shops, dining options and boating activities.
- Amazing views of the sea and mountains
- Best in the summer
- Lots of restaurants and activities
- Very easily accessible
- Particularly good for sunsets
- Boating options
- Paddle Boarding
- Less crowded
Holmden Creek Falls
This is a much lesser known waterfall in the lower mainland, but that means less people around, this is a great option for your waterfall elopement ceremony. The hike is really easy, you don’t have a mountain view from the falls, but the beach is right outside for some couples shots.
- Rainforest vibes
- Really easy hike
- Amazing waterfall views
- Not that crowded
- Great in Autumn
- Very close to North Vancouver
Iona Beach
Iona Beach is one the best places to elope in Vancouver, if you get it on a clear day, you’ll get an entire view of the North Shore Mountains, and in the other direction views of Mt Baker in the USA. Plus the beach itself is really well maintained. The hike is really flat and easy. Some things to note, in the summer this spot can be very busy. Other times of the year you should be fine, the wind can be brutal out here at times so be sure to have a coat option.
- Easy hike
- Spectacular ocean and mountain views
- Easy to get to downtown Vancouver from
- Watch out for plane noises
Lions Bay
You’ll need to drive a little for this one, but trust us. Its absolutely worth it. This one is really easy, no hiking required! There are so many beaches here to choose from with amazing lookouts, for the best views we’d recommend coming between October – May. As the snow will still be on the mountains, it looks good still without. But the view is best with the white peaks.
- Snow capped mountains
- Amazing beaches
- Wildlife
- Easily accessible
Downtown Vancouver
So there’s a few amazing spots in and around Vancouver itself that you can choose from. Ill list a couple below, all of them have amazing mountain views, sea views and amenities. Be warned, all of them will be full of people, thats just the nature of eloping in one of Canada’s biggest cities. But if you’re into that, what better place to choose.
- Granville Island
- English Bay
- Coal Harbour
- Gastown
- Stanley Park
- Nelson Park
Deep Cove
Deep cove is a great mix of nature and city vibes. The main street has quite a few nice restaurants, donut parlours and cool coffee shops. With some of the most dramatic scenery right in the background. There are also options for paddle boarding if you want to be a little more adventurous for your elopement.
- Seaside vibes
- Less busy than the city
- Lots of activities for your elopement
Queen Elizabeth Park
This park is absolutely beautiful. The flowers and nature is kept perfectly by the staff. There are options for outdoor and indoor ceremonies and plenty of quiet spots to get away from the crowds. On a good day you can see the city of Vancouver and the North Shore Mountains.
- Easily accessible
- Beautiful flowers and scenery
- Plenty of activities and amenities
Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake is hands down one of my favourite places to shoot elopements, no matter what time of year. You are always guaranteed a tourist free view of the lakes and the mountains. When the snow hits the mountains usually between October – May, this is a stunning place to get married. The walk around is absolutely massive.
- Easy hike
- Spectacular ocean and mountain views
- Easy to get to downtown Vancouver from
- Lots of space for elopements
- Boating activities
Vancouver Elopement Packages
We help couples in Vancouver, Canada and the rest of the world come to our beautiful city to have the wedding of their dreams. To do things their way and to be celebrated the way they deserve. We help our couples with every aspect of planning their elopement, from choosing the right vendors, location scouting and creating timelines. You can find our photo & video elopement packages here.
