A wedding venue that makes you feel like you're on the edge of the world
When Emma & Matt first reached out, they said "we have adventurous spirits and want to see every inch of the wild natural landscapes that Canada has to offer - so lucky to be right in our backyards!! We want our wedding to be a coming together of our family and friends, more like a family vacation than a reception." And Sunset Island provided that and so much more.
When you have your wedding at Sunset Island, you have your own private island on Sproat Lake. You can rent out the whole island, and that includes a Chalet, a lower chalet, a love shack, and private campsites and RV sites. There's a private dock, private beaches, a hot tub, a (semi-sketchy) diving board, and the most incredible views. The whole island is surrounded by the clearest, most pristine turquoise waters and we were swimming in it every second that we could.
Emma & Matt hired me for a full weekend of coverage. We arrived Thursday evening and set everything up, bringing groceries and wedding details into the main chalet, which acted as the main base for everybody. I was camping on one of the tent pads and I was about 50 metres away from the main chalet, which was so amazing.
It truly feels like your own private piece of paradise.
Dock Olympics
Friday was the annual Dock Olympics day! This was a family that was used to vacationing at Sproat Lake every year, and they have this incredible tradition of hosting a yearly Dock Olympics. It's a huge production with costumes, kegs, floaties, and a set up that includes obstacle courses, props, and giant water soakers.
Friday passed by in a haze of swims, soaking in the sun, Dock Olympics, and setting up for the wedding. The evening was supposed to be a family-style dinner and then an early bedtime to get ready for the wedding the next day.... but life has a way of changing plans....
The group was going for one last sunset jump on the diving board when disaster struck. Matt was about to jump off the diving board when one of the dogs spooked him, and he stumbled on the diving board, falling onto the rocks below. Thankfully, Matt's mom is a nurse and we were in very good hands. Some serious bruises and cuts later, it was decided that Matt and Emma needed to take a last-second trip to the Port Alberni ER. So they spent long hours there the night before their wedding, while the rest of us stayed up in the chalet, setting up for the wedding, steaming shirts, and sorting flowers.
What does a perfect wedding day involve?
Sun-dappled forests, ceremonies under the mountains, quiet portraits in the meadows, Taylor Swift-themed decor, a sunset first dance, a swimming reception, and a dance party under the stars.
I couldn't have imagined a more perfect wedding day. Emma and Matt truly achieved their goal of creating a day that celebrates their friends and family and felt more like a family vacation than a wedding. The day was full of intentional moments and pure joy. Something Emma, Matt, and I had talked a lot about was creating moments for the two of them to catch their breath and just be together. So we scheduled multiple photo moments and did short segments every time, instead of a giant shoot. And it was such a beautiful way of doing it. We stole away some time at a quiet meadow behind the chalet right after the ceremony and then returned back to see everyone. By that point, the August heat was reaching everyone, and the reception swims had begun! Emma and Matt did a first dance at sunset and then we stole away for a few more photos as the sun dipped below the mountains while everyone else was eating dinner.
The night ended with an epic party, the music echoing off the lake and the mountains. We danced for hours and hours under the stars and hot tubbed when we needed a break. Being able to stumble back into your bed in your tent or chalet room at the end of the night was the best way to end the night.
I'll forever be grateful for the weekend I got to spend on Sunset Island and how Emma and Matt truly made me feel like family. And I loved the venue so much that I would easily consider it for my own wedding one day...
