WEDDING BLOG

Colleen and Alex’s Vancouver Island wedding combined breathtaking coastal vibes with airy textures and romantic details! Time stood still during the couple’s rugged beach ceremony: eagles soared overhead, the 29 guests warmed Colleen and Alex’s rings, and the couple lit a unity bonfire on the beach. We can’t get enough of Colleen and Alex’s reception décor at Black Rock Oceanfront Resort that included gauzy fabrics, hundreds of white candles, and nautical details to reflect their waterfront venue. Ryan Flynn Photography captured every moment of this Pacific Northwest wedding, including the couple’s spectacular sunset portraits on the water!

The Couple:

Colleen and Alex

The Wedding:

Brown’s Beach & Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Vancouver Island, Canada

Our intention was to share the weekend with friends and family, who directly influenced our success as a couple. In total, we had 29 guests. Using that goal as our north star, decision making became much easier throughout the process.

Being an active, outdoor couple, we knew we wanted the event to be outside. We really love the rugged beaches of the Pacific Northwest. We also knew that we wanted a venue that felt like a vacation for our guests. We chose the West Coast of Vancouver Island for the rugged beauty. From there, we spent Valentine’s weekend narrowing down our options. Black Rock Resort was the stand out for us with it’s modern vibe and proximity to the Wild Pacific Trail, where we had found the perfect cove for our ceremony.

Time stood still during our ceremony. It was a profoundly moving experience for us both. The day started with a cool, coastal mist. As I made my way down the aisle to the groom, the sun broke out of the clouds and shined down on us.

We wrote our own vows and decided not to share them prior to the ceremony. Hearing our vows out loud moved us both to tears. Eagles soared overhead.

We also did a warming of the rings and opted for lighting of a beach bonfire, instead of a unity candle.

Take your time and do what feels true to you as a couple. We enjoyed a two-year engagement, which meant we had time for thoughtful decision-making, a curated vision and not rushing any of the celebratory events our friends and family hosted for us. It also allowed us to stay out of debt and stay focused on each other during the process. We’d highly recommend a long engagement!

We took a chance and made the call to skip the first course of dinner (sorry guests!) to watch the sunset. The waves were crashing wildly below us and we were awarded with glowing golden light. We’re certain there has never been a happier moment in our relationship.

The overall design of the wedding was inspired by the rugged Pacific Northwest coast. We wanted the overall look and feel to exude modern, organic ocean vibes. We used raw edge slab tables, airy fabrics and a palette of muted, moody tones. The groom works in Architecture and Design and keeping the overall look true to a clean aesthetic was important.

Congrats to the newlyweds, Colleen and Alex, and a huge thanks to Junebug member Ryan Flynn Photography for sharing their day with us! Love this wedding’s outdoorsy Pacific Northwest vibes? Then you’ve got to see this cozy Vancouver Island cabin wedding at Dolphins Resort!