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Elopements

Vancouver Island Mountain Elopement in Courtenay, British Columbia

wood mountain lodge courtenay british columbia canada elopement wedding

“We got married 100% stress-free, full of love, and with only one very important person to please – each other. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

East Coasters Haile and Tiffany traveled all the way to Vancouver Island to make their elopement dreams come true! Although they initially planned for a formal wedding, the couple noticed they were enjoying the process less and less with time. Taking a step back allowed them to reevaluate and ultimately shift gears. They invested in a talented coordinator, who in turn referred them to an equally talented photographer, Paige Owen, and with that, their planning experience no longer felt like a chore. They set their sights on an adventurous elopement in British Columbia, and the rest was history.

“The day was intimate and full of love,” Paige recalls. “I’m a natural light photographer that focuses on capturing real and authentic moments… They wanted a journalistic approach, capturing the moments throughout the afternoon and evening, so we were a perfect match!” Following a romantic balcony dinner at Wood Mountain Lodge, the lovebirds boarded a helicopter and were whisked away to exchange vows on Mount Adrian. Their happiness was unflappable, even in the face of an unexpected complication. “What you don’t see in the photos are all of the mosquitos… We were being attacked and bitten by hundreds of giant bugs, all of us swatting ourselves,” Paige reveals. “Despite the bug bites, [however], Haile and Tiffany continued the ceremony without rushing and with smiles on their faces… To be somewhere so secluded, with the sound of silence and beautiful views surrounding us, was truly magical.”

All we see is beauty and pure bliss!

Photography by Paige Owen

CHOOSING AN ELOPEMENT:

“We initially planned to have a formal wedding in Virginia. We visited several venues, spoke to several vendors, and were almost to the point of narrowing down the dozens of options we researched, but at some point along the way, planning our wedding stopped being fun. The thought of one more phone call or one more venue visit felt more like a chore than a choice. Compounding our worry was also the real world stresses of family and finances, especially wedding costs. So we refocused our efforts on us, remembering that this was to be a celebration of our love [and] an experience for us to cherish for the rest of our lives, and decided to instead plan an adventure with an elopement mixed in. We also decided to keep it a secret, with exception of a few choice friends, so the only opinions that sounded the loudest were ours.”

[Tiffany, The Bride]

CHOOSING AN ELOPEMENT LOCATION:

“Since we were planning an adventure and both love the outdoors, especially the mountains, we were drawn to the the idea of a mountaintop wedding. We could have stayed within the US, but sticking with our desire for an epic adventure, we chose to explore a place neither of us had ever been – British Columbia.  With its abundance of beautiful, welcoming accommodations and the potential for wedding photos with other-worldly mountainscapes, we knew BC would be the perfect place to say ‘I do.’ We chose the Wood Mountain Lodge on Vancouver Island, because it was exactly what we were looking for – a beautiful, quiet oasis surrounded by nature where we could focus on having fun and connecting with one another.”

[Tiffany]

PLANNING AN ELOPEMENT:

“After we decided to elope in Canada, planning was much more fun! We still did a lot of research and comparisons, but it didn’t feel as daunting as it did before. We hired an amazing wedding planner, Sublime Celebrations, who was a huge help, [and trusted her] recommendations for several local vendors so it made planning very easy. Not only did our planner help alleviate stress, she saved our wedding! At the time, wildfires on the mainland were affecting helicopter flights into the mountains… When the helicopter company cancelled our flight the morning of, due to hazardous conditions, she called every few hours to check in, and her persistence paid off… Eloping in a foreign country takes a leap of faith, but hiring the right planner to help your special day run smoothly is worth every penny. With the amazing team of vendors we had, we’d get married all over again.”

[Tiffany]

Vendors:

Event Coordination | Sublime Celebrations
Florals | Bezaire Event & Floral Design
Hair Styling | Hairpins Boutique Salon
Makeup | Chloe Lorraine Makeup Artistry
Cake | Cakebread Artisan Bakery
Decor | All In One Party Shop
Reception Venue | Wood Mountain Lodge
Helicopter | Atleo River Air Service

Thank you to Paige Owen for sharing this session, and congratulations to Tiffany + Haile!

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