Destination Wedding: Whistler, Canada
Destination wedding, eh?
Thoughts of planning a destination wedding always leaves you day dreaming of toes in the sand, squeezing a lime into a Corona, blah blah blah, or standing atop a 35,000 foot high arbor in front of 400 eyes preparing to lay your vows on the line. A destination wedding to Whistler Canada isn’t your typical destination wedding, but from my eyes it provides an elegant and awe inspiring backdrop for your wedding. I know what you’re thinking who wants to get married in Canada where all you will find is the best maple syrup and moose blocking the road ways? I would!
As a Florida native I never saw myself venturing to such a cold part of North America, but rumor had it on Whistler Mountain the ski slopes melt in the summer and open up for mountain biking, and believe it or not you can actually wear a t-shirt at the base of a ski resort and feel quite comfortable.
While on vaca to Whistler I did the normal tourist thing and visited all the attractions, aka as a planner hunted down all the possible venues and find AMAZING locations for future brides. My first stop was a quick gondola ride up from Whistler’s town square to the top of Blackcomb Mountain, also known as Roundhouse Lodge (picture rationalizes how high this lodge was).
About the Roundhouse Lodge: (located at the top of Blackcomb Mountain)
Pro’s: It has multiple locations for a ceremony and reception locations with absolutely breathtaking views.
-There are no other mountaintop views comparable so there are plenty of great photo opportunities.
-You can host both your ceremony and reception at the top of the mountain.
Con’s: You may run into tourists depending on the time of your wedding.
-Your guests do have to ride the gondola to get up to your ceremony. There is no other route.
The photo below is what it looks like when you get to the top of the gondola. You can also access Peak2Peak from here.
Here is a photo of one ceremony location. In order to get to this location you go in to the lodge from the gondola.
This is one shot of me with the amazing view at the top of the mountain in the background!
Another stunning view of the mountain.
If the altitude from Roundhouse Lodge doesn't settle well you can always check out the local hotels that are at lower altitudes for your reception.
About Dusty’s:
Pro’s: It is located right at the base of the gondola so if you have your wedding at the top of the mountain your guests will easily be able to get right off and walk inside.
-They have hosted many weddings before and know what they are doing for out of town guests.
-Menu options will be a lot cheaper than that at the hotels.
Con’s: Dusty’s is casual bar restaurant during the day so it is a more relaxed/rustic environment in comparison to the hotels in the area.
My Top 2 Other Reception Locations Include The Westin and Hilton.
Pros’s: These are located at the base of the mountain in the heart of Whistler Village. About a 5 minute walk from the gondola.
-Hotels include just about everything in terms of service and wait staff making it easy to plan a reception.
Con’s: Wedding receptions at hotels can be a bit pricey especially when it comes to the menu.
If you decide to plan a destination wedding to Whistler, make sure you bring a photographer you trust. You don’t want to come all this way and climb that high to scroll through wedding photos and realize your photographer didn't capture exactly what you wanted! And if you are really wise you bring me along to help you plan it too.
Whistler Travel Tips:
-Rent a car from the airport if you want to be able to get around town and not just stay in one Village.
-If you are from the States your cell phone will not work J. There is WIFI in plenty of spots so you can utilize Facebook messenger or Imessage.
-Plan your clothing accordingly! Even in September it is still pretty chilly especially on top of the mountain!
-Go for a hike and enjoy the scenery!
Love, Karen