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destination.....TOFINO!

Hi everyone!

My fiance and I live in Langley and we're dreaming of a Tofino wedding in October. Does anyone out there have any great ideas? suggestions for a storm season wedding in beautiful Tofino? We're on a budget (hoping to spend around $5000), and love things that are a little out of the ordinary. My vision for the wedding is sort of old Hollywood retro inspired, but since we starting thinking tofino it's taken on some west coast elements, for example i'm thinking of having evergreens in the centerpieces or something like that to give a nod to our gorgeous surroundings.
OH and i'm also thinking that I want to do a cocktail reception rather than a dinner just to keep it light and fun
anyone have any ideas for a venue? (both reception & ceremony)
or just ideas in general? I'd love to hear them!!
 thanks,
Ren

Re: destination.....TOFINO!

  • edited December 2011
    Do you know much about Tofino?  There's the wickininish inn, which is beautiful but may be expensive for a reception.  There's a nice little resort called crystal cove resort that has nice little log cabins and fireplaces.  I'm not sure about the restaurants in the area, we hardly ever eat out when we're there.
  • edited December 2011
    How big are you looking to have your wedding?  We were looking to have ours there, but with approx 100 guests, it got very expensive very quickly. 

    Have you been to Tofino before?  It's a fair drive once you actually get off the ferry.  

    Tofino is very near and dear to our hearts (we go on multiple surf trips every year) so it was hard to give up, but there's other beautiful beaches on Van Island.  We are getting married in Parksville at the Beach Club Resort.  Not only is it much closer to the ferry, but it's a beautiful sandy beach.  

    Back to Tofino, we looked at a couple different resorts, but the cost was just too high.  Accommodation is too....October is low season though so it won't be super high.

    Sorry the whole focus of my post is money, but you said you only want to spend $5000.  It's totally feasible if you have a small guest list, or if you just do the cocktail reception you were talking about.  

    One more issue with Tofino: especially because you said you would like your wedding in October, you should consider weather.  Tofino's beaches are quite windy and get fairly cold in fall/winter.

    Hope I didn't discourage you!  Tofino is a gorgeous town, and would make a perfect setting for a beach wedding!
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  • edited December 2011
    Nope. that wasn't discouraging at all... i'm ready!
    We've been to Tofino. I know it's a very expensive town, and yes it is far. I think that was sort of the appeal for me (the distance, not the cost). It's almost a destination wedding and I am hoping that will keep the guest list down; I desperately wanted to elope, but he wants the wedding experience. This was the compromise.

    I know the weather is going to be an issue. It's the rainiest place in BC and we're going during storm season, :S so I'm ready for rain on my wedding day and kind of have my fingers crossed for one of Tofino's gorgeous lightning shows (cheaper than fireworks and twice as spectacular!)

    I've looked at the Wik and it's way out of our price range, but I'll check out Crystal Cove. Thank you!!

    the few venues i've been able to find will only hold 50, like the Long Beach Lodge. I've got 100 on the list, and expect maybe 80? I have no idea. (I'm going to have to look for a post about what to expect when you send invites for a destination wedding.)

    Parksville is great. They have beautiful beaches there. The sand sculpture contests are there, right?

    Thank you both for your replies & congrats!
  • edited December 2011
    oops just realized that i had used my name on here i hadn't meant to... problem solved, well the name problem. I still need help with tofino.
  • edited December 2011
    Tofino is a beautiful place, but yes, expensive if you are looking to have your wedding there. We are getting married at the Black Rock Resort which is basically Tofino but down the street. I've posted some pictures of the resort and some stuff about our wedding there on my blog (http://www.vancityallie.com/ scroll down a couple posts for photos of the resort) ... for us Tofino is very special and we go there about 15 weekends a year (for surfing and camping) so we are quite passionate about it.

    You may want to check out elopment packages... even the Wick has them... you can still have a couple people attend your wedding and keep it under $5,000. So it's not REALLY an elopment but still feels like one.

    I highly recommend Black Rock, the Wick, or Long Beach Lodge. All are beautiful venues. Black Rock is good for any size but can accommodate much larger sizes (100 ish).. the Wick maxes out at around 50 and Long Beach is best around 35 ish.

    Hope that helps... feel free to ask me any questions through here or our blog. We are VERY familiar with Tofino and are long time visitors.. and are planning our wedding there for next year ;)
  • edited December 2011
    Thanks so much for your help!! I kind of have my heart set on Long Beach Lodge at the moment, as it seems to be REALLY reasonable compared to the Wic, and the others i've looked at. And it includes everything right down to the wedding officiant. They hold 50 I think for a seated dinner and I'm just waiting to get an email back from them about getting rid of the seated dinner tables and doing a cocktail reception for a few more. The only hitch I think will be the food cost. I'd have to get it under the $45/head that they want for a seated dinner. A lot of places I've asked will charge the same for a seated 4 course dinner as they would for light appies. I can understand that they need to make money at their events, but I don't want a seated dinner, the thought of sitting down at a table and having everyone staring at me all night makes me break into a cold sweat, and it seems like such a waste to pay all that money for a few crab cakes. i'm going to look into Black Rock, but if all else fails, I may have to look for a hall or something and try to do a lot of it myself if i can. SIGH. Tofino is such a special place to us i'd hate to give in and do it here like everyone says i should.
  • jennyb2bejennyb2be member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I love Tofino!  We spend a week or two there every year, and have since I was three or four.

    Because it had such a personal meaning, it was where we were supposed to get married.  I had everything planned for my wedding there last October until things ended badly.... But I still have a lot of the info, vendor info, etc.  So feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

    A couple of recommendations to get you started:
    Working with the people at West Coast Weddings and Events .  Very easy to work with, and flexible with all aspects of budget, vision, coordination, etc.  They will also work with you with venues to book something that will work well with budget, guest list and reception type.

    I had booked Michael Farrow to do our photography - I personally love his style: carefree, intimate - not your typical posed wedding photos.



  • knitnorthknitnorth member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    hi there
    i'm getting married in tofino in October too - i live in the Yukon but i'm from tofino - yes born and raised.

    on the affordable side of the spectrum consider Weigh West - it isn't on the beach but is right on the the harbour -

    another option is tin wis which is on mackenzie beach or middle beach lodge (that is a  really beautiful space)

    we're having our wedding in my home church and then at the legion for the reception - very old school/local tofino

    i wouldn't trust holding the wedding outside - you might luck out weather wise .... but well it is october on the coast


  • edited December 2011
    What about taking over the Botanical Gardens for the weekend?  It is a lovely hostel with a beautiful, whimsical garden beside it.  Granted it is not beside the ocean, but you could have the ceremony at a beach and then all head back to the Gardens after.  Food-wise I suppose you'd have to have something catered in, or make your own.  Considering the size of the facility you probably couldn't have more than 50 guests... just a thought. : )

    I stayed there this past summer and really enjoyed it.
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