We got married!
👰🤵
Dan and I got engaged in December of last year. We always knew that when we got married it would be a small, low key day. We threw around a few ideas, small backyard wedding or a ceremony at our cottage... We already had a trip planned to British Columbia to attend one of Dan's friend's wedding in March so we decided that it would be a fun opportunity to get married while we were out there.
It's not a surprise that there is a lot of crazy stuff going on in the world right now. When we left for BC it was just the beginning of it. There were new Covid-19 updates every day of our trip and there was a lot of uncertainty. We lucked out in the end and only had minor changes to our wedding because of the coronavirus situation.
We really wanted our day to be memorable, carefree and fun so we did our best to focus on the day instead of everything that was going on in the world. Luckily we had chosen Tofino as our wedding destination. It is a gorgeous, small town on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It’s known as the surf capital of the world. The vibe is friendly, relaxed and down-to-earth.
Our wedding day started in our ocean front cabin at Middle Beach Lodge. We had the most amazing experience here. They have gorgeous, cozy cabins that are perfect for a relaxing holiday. The mornings were chilly and we had a real fireplace so we had a fire and drank coffee and enjoyed the ocean view.
We met our parents for breakfast in the Middle Beach Lodge main room. It is an amazing space with an oversized wood burning fireplace and large, comfortable couches. On a rainy day you could spend all day in there reading and playing board games.
After breakfast Dan and I hiked the Tonquin Trail- a beautiful rainforest hike along the ocean and the beach. It was a great way to start the day and calm any pre wedding nerves. We really lucked out with the weather all week in Tofino. Vancouver Island is known for its rainy, foggy weather which we were prepared for, but instead it was bright blue, sunny skies.
After our hike we went to the Wickaninnish Inn for brunch with our parents. Their dining room has 360° ocean views, it is amazing. The food and service was great too.
After brunch it was time to get ready! I had my hair and makeup done by a local company while Dan relaxed in our cabin. We had the most amazing wedding planner who helped bring our ideas for the day to life. She made sure everything went smoothly and that all the curve balls were handled with ease. If anyone gets married in or near Tofino, I highly recommend Sheila and Zoe from Rare Earth Weddings.
Once Dan and I were both ready our photographer had arrived. Another amazing local Tofino talent, Paul Levy, took us through the afternoon and captured the most amazing pictures for us. It's easy to see Paul really loves the work he does. He took so much care to make sure we got all the pictures we wanted, even with the limited time we had with him. He also makes it easy to feel comfortable in front of the camera- something Dan and I have no experience with.
 |
Dan and I, getting ready in our cabin. We hadn't seen each other at this point.I got ready upstairs and he got ready downstairs. |
 |
| The view of the ocean from our balcony.
Dan and I both did "first looks" with our parents. We wanted the day to be special for our parents who travelled across the country to celebrate with us. When we were imagining our day we could not imagine it without them.
|
 |
Dan's parents waiting for him on Mackenzie Beach.   |
 |
| Heading for first looks with my parents. |
I was looking forward to Dan and my first look the most! Dan hadn't seen my dress so I was excited to show him, and it really started to feel "real" once I saw him.
After our first look we walked together to Middle Beach where our parents were waiting for us.
We had the ceremony on Middle Beach, tucked into the rocks and the forest. The sun looked so beautiful peaking through the trees. The sound of the ocean waves was something that will always remind me of our wedding day. The ceremony was short and sweet and represented us well.
 |
| I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may seal your vows with a kiss! |
 |
| Signing our marriage license |
 |
| We had our moms as our witnesses |
After the formalities we wanted to celebrate by popping a bottle of sparkling wine. We enjoyed our wine as we listened to the ocean waves and took in our gorgeous surroundings.
 |
| Cheers! |
 |
| The wedding gang! My parents, Nancy & Steve, me, Dan, and Dan's parents Madeleine & Matthew |
 |
| The Gibbons |
 |
| The Holmans |
 |
| Mother of the Bride |
 |
| Father of the Bride |
 |
| Father of the Groom |
 |
| Mother of the Groom |
After our family pictures, our parents went back to the lodge to relax and we left for our photos! We hiked through the forest, where our photographer found the most beautiful places to have our pictures taken. Paul has an amazing eye for light, he would stop us on the trail when he noticed a cool place for a photo.
Once we were done with our photos in the forest we came back to the beach where the sun was setting. It was the most magical evening.
We thought it would be fun to dip our toes in the ocean, so we took off our shoes and walked in the (COLD) water. Despite my attempt to wear comfortable shoes for the wedding, the sand and the hiking had given me really bad blisters so I was happy for the opportunity to take off my shoes!
And then we sat on a piece of beach driftwood and watched the sun go down. It was the most magical, perfect day and we could not have imagined it any better.
We finished the day off at Middle Beach Lodge in a private oceanview dining room. Our initial plan was to have dinner in town at Shelter Restaurant but the morning of our wedding they closed and were doing takeout only because of corona concerns. Our amazing wedding planner decorated the private dining room, picked up the food from the restaurant and created an amazing evening for us.
It was unforgettable.
The next day, the Town of Tofino advised all tourists to leave and all the businesses in town started closing. We were heading back to Vancouver that day anyways, so our wedding was truly in the nick of time.
We are so grateful for how things worked out, and for every one who helped the day come together. We will definitely be back to Tofino, we didn't get the opportunity to surf and there are a ton of beautiful hikes to try. It is such a special place that I can see being a regular travel destination for us.
Dan and I got back to Ontario safe and sound and were isolated for 14 days before we could return to work. The first 2 weeks of our married life have been in isolation- which one day will be a great story. Until then, we are enjoying the warmer weather and looking forward to summer, and a little more normalcy, whenever that happens!
