‘Tis the season of marriage: The best wedding spots in Vancouver

From celebrity engagements, secret and not-so-secret weddings, to old high school classmates popping the big question at 22 — we are living in the year of love! 

We haven’t had a lust for marriage like this since the 2000s — back when “I do” was said all throughout pop culture. From TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, the Bollywood film adaptation, Bride and Prejudice, of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, both of Brad Pitt’s infamous engagements, and the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton — the wedding fever was real.

But we have changed since then. We don’t rip one another’s hair out to win our dream venues for free anymore.

Gone are the days of celebrity-influenced marriages and over-the-top parties. We value weddings as a grand celebration of love, not an elaborate rager.

We’ve also developed a distinct sense of pride here in B.C. in recent years, so why not combine the two?

Here I am, a civil Surrey native, and your new wedding planner. Dive into my carefully curated list of the best wedding spots for soon-to-be-hitched lovebirds, interested in fun without the hassle of arenas and shutting down the streets of New York City.

Grouse Mountain

For a more woodland or enchanted forest aesthetic, take a hike up the Grouse Grind on your big day!

Not only will your guests experience a scenic view from the top of beautiful North Vancouver, but granola girlies and gym rats get a free workout as part of the experience.

Tell your guests to find a pair of hiking boots or Salomon’s to match their slacks and skirts!

Breka (Robson Street)

For true Vancouverites, nothing screams Vancouver more than waiting in an absurdly long queue for a seven dollar coffee at midnight.

Decorate the stairs to the left of Breka — that place we all huddle when the cafe is full — with a beautiful arch for you to stand beneath with your betrothed. Happy tears can be heard alongside the bustling traffic on Robson Street, and photos can be taken as you cross the widened pedestrian crossing — think of it as your own Abbey Road, sadly, without The Beatles. And what beats that in-house catering? 

Metrotown Station

Just a hop, skip, and train ride to Burnaby’s downtown, you, your future spouse, and all your friends and family can gather together at the famous Metrotown Station.

For you foodies out there, meet for reception in the Metropolis food court with a selection of diverse cuisine. The ceremony can take place at the newly-constructed bootleg Shibuya pedestrian crossing. You’ll be serenaded by live music from buskers (and street preachers).

As for the wedding party, rather than walk, take the illustrious Metrotown Station escalators down the aisle.

King George Hub

In the middle of the roundabout near the entrance of the underground parking lots, you and your future spouse stand surrounded by an intimate circle of your closest friends and family as you read your vows.

For musical ambience, have your best friend — or a seriously well-tipped Uber driver — blast a carefully-made wedding playlist on their CarPlay as they circle around the ceremony for that perfect surround sound.

Like Metrotown Station, you have lots of food choices at your disposal, and it’s a perfect venue for you city girls on a budget. It’s not downtown Vancouver, but a more lowkey, growing city centre.