Melanie + Karen | Tofino, Vancouver Island Weddings

Yes…I finally got married!  After nearly 10 years with my partner, Karen, and 6 years of engagement with mutually no desire to plan a wedding, we decided that a beach elopement was so “us”!  Having fallen in love with Tofino on vacation a few years back, we knew that it was the perfect setting for us to say “I do”.  Already in British Columbia for my sister’s wedding in Whistler, we prolonged our stay and married just 6 days after her nuptials.  We rented an amazing beach house on Chesterman’s Beach in Tofino, which backed directly onto the sand with the ocean at our feet…the perfect location for a quaint ceremony.  Instead of a traditional white dress, I chose a flowy, beachy turquoise green dress that I absolutely loved from BCBG Max Azria. My hair and makeup was done by Jessica of “Salty Dolls” and the beautiful bouquet and accent flowers were created by the talented Heather of “Heathers The Flowershop” in Gastown, Vancouver, assisted by my sister, Ashleigh, who works and apprentices at the shop.  Our ceremony was short, sweet and perfect.  I walked out to meet Karen on the beach while our friends Elaine and Marife serenaded our small group of eleven with their ukuleles, which added to the ambiance and intimacy.  Following the ceremony, Karen and I hit the beach with Krista to take advantage of the breathless scenery surrounding us.  The sun peaked out just in time for our photos while the rest of the group relaxed and started preparations for our dinner. Here are some of the amazing highlights from our special day.  It was a day I will never forget.

An amazing BBQ dinner was cooked up by the guys while our photos were being taken on the beach.  The menu included grilled fresh salmon with mango chutney, filet mignon,  baked potatoes, and caesar salad.  The ladies pitched in to help create the beautiful beach inspired table setting with some DIY details I put together before the wedding. My sister Ashleigh surprised us with a little wedding cake, which she and her boyfriend Hayden sourced out from the Wickaninnish Inn down the road (they were kind enough to give her the top of a cake they had prepared for another wedding, happening the next day, knowing they had time to replace it.  Thank you Wickaninnish Inn!).  Extra flowers were used to adorn the chocolate mousse cake which helped tie it in with our other details.  Everything came together so beautifully and so perfectly, we couldn’t have planned it any better if we did it months ahead of time.  Then, just prior to dinner, Karen and I had a HUGE announcement to make…a secret we had been holding for three and a half months…

After dinner, we all changed into more comfortable clothes for a group outing on the beach.  We walked, we laughed, and we wrote messages in the sand.  Collectively we watched the sun set over the ocean as the tide rolled in on this most amazing wedding day.  To our wonderful family and friends who unfortunately were not present with us, we thank you for your continued love and support and we wish we could have shared this day with you all.

Another special thanks to all those who helped make this day so special.

Firstly, Krista, my Verve Photo Co. business partner and friend, for her amazing photography,  and for helping to make my vision a photographic reality!  Heather of Heather’s The Flower Shop for her beautiful artistic floral design, and for going above and beyond all expectation!  Jessica of Salty Dolls for making me feel beautiful with her hair and makeup services.  Our Wedding Officiant Gael Duchene for performing our beautiful beach wedding ceremony.Snippet and Ink: Daily Wedding Inspiration for featuring my wedding on their fabulous blog.  And lastly the Wickaninnish Inn for the most delicious wedding cake I have ever tasted!