Do you remember dreaming of a fairytale wedding when you were little, just like Cinderella?
Then a Hatley Castle Wedding is for you!
I was invited by Lance and Malissa to photograph their wedding in 2019. I was ecstatic to make the short trip to Vancouver Island, so I could experience this iconic castle for myself.
What an experience for a west coast wedding photographer!
The VIP Experience
If Hatley Castle looks familiar to you, that’s because it’s featured in an impressive list of movies and TV shows including Deadpool 2, Smallville and MacGyver.
Weddings are a prominent part of their tradition. The castle itself is a regal Edwardian estate sitting amidst 565 ocean front acres on southern Vancouver Island.
With beautiful stonework and intricately manicured gardens, Hatley Castle is a dream for wedding photos.
The Hatley Castle Grounds
Lance and Malissa’s ceremony was one of the most beautiful I have witnessed in my career. And the regal grounds provided so many options for photos that truly highlighted their love for one another.
The castle’s stone façade and lush gardens made a majestic setting. We shot most of their formal photos at the castle along with some shots in front of the parliament building in nearby downtown Victoria.
Lucky couples who book the venue for their wedding day will have access to plenty of beautiful spaces for their guests to enjoy, including the stunning ‘Neptune Stairs’ for your photos.
Hatley Castle provides a variety of wedding packages to choose from. A ceremony in the garden can accommodate up to 280 guests, with 150 white folding chairs provided.
Guests will have access to the entire first floor, terrace and terrace lawn, croquet garden and Italian garden. If it rains on the day of your heritage garden wedding, there are options for tents. Or, the ceremony can take place in the ‘Italian loggia’ – a covered formal outdoor area of the castle with arches and columns.
You could also choose an intimate indoor ceremony in the grand foyer or Drawing Room, available from October to May, on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 – 2:00.
There are reception options for the gardens or the Quarterdeck, a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 250 guests.
There’s also an elegant bridal room with a full length mirror and water service!
After they tied the knot, Lance and Malissa headed to Bear Mountain Resort, just 20 short minutes from the castle. Here, they treated their guests to a fantastic reception where they danced the night away.
Their Hatley Castle wedding was truly a celebration their loved ones will remember for a long time and the perfect beginning to their life together.
Lance and Malissa were a joy to work with. Being entrusted to document their fairy tale Hatley Castle wedding is a moment I’ll remember for a long time.
An Event Like No Other
With on-site event coordination staff, complimentary parking, audio visual equipment and catering options, your wedding day will be perfect with every single detail taken care of.
Rehearsals aren’t automatically included, however, couples can see if the gardens are available on weekdays after the venue is closed to the public.
Hatley Castle’s exclusive catering provider has a variety of menus to choose from depending on the type of reception you’d like to have: canapés, buffet, grazing menus, cocktails and wine, even festive options for a Christmas wedding.
You can even bring in your own wedding cake!
As a West Coast wedding photographer, I am lucky to be a short distance from some of the most impressive sights in British Columbia. I relish any opportunity to travel to the island and help couples capture their most precious moments.
If you love Vancouver Island weddings you have to check out this wedding in Tofino.
Or maybe you’re looking for the fairy tale English Garden Wedding experience in the Lower Mainland? Have a look at Langley’s Sinocan Winery, complete with Cinderella style carriage.
