Micro & Small Wedding Ideas on Vancouver Island

Copy updated February, 2026

The really great thing about the microweddings I’ve created with my couples on Vancouver Island is they can be pulled together easily in a fairly short time. What matters most is that you are together with the people you love the most, celebrating the love you have for each other and the love among you. And the magical things that unfold when everyone is right there with you and for you in a moment that will not pass by again.

While you can have a mini-version of your big event complete with all the fixin’s, you can also do something that is adventurous (but safe) and budget-friendly (words that are refreshingly welcome during pandemics, inflationary times, and recessions…:)

Check out some of these stories for inspiration.

Make a Day of It – Micro Weddings on Vancouver Island

C&D came from Ontario and made their wedding a family fun day. Starting in the morning with a little hike in to our version of Niagara Falls near Victoria (!) where as well as getting married, their sons got to officially “adopt” each other. It was relaxed and real and awesomely captured by Laura at Coastline Living Photography. Then out for lunch and off for an afternoon of whale watching. All wearing “just married” shirts. ALL of them. They had a blast of a day.

The forest doesn’t cancel your wedding out on you…:)

After their wedding venue cancelled a few months before their wedding, M&F decided to do something totally different. They pared down the guest list and invited their closest people to run away to the Island with them. At a sunset ceremony in Cathedral Grove, amid trees with much history, they added one more layer…everyone helped to marry them: moms, dads and grandmas in partnership. After: a private dinner at Tigh-Na-Mara in Parksville, BC

So much love in that space. Image by Rick and Cheryl from Love You Me Pictures.

Go to Your Happy Place

J+V were supposed to have the big Indian wedding, but Co-vid stepped in, and so did a baby! They could’t take 350 people to their happy place, J’s grandmother’s cabin on the water, but they sure could take the people who mattered the most for a little Island getaway.

beautifully captured by Meghan Hemstra Photography

Short Notice Weddings with Kids

So much can happen in 60 days (as we’ve seen in the past few years). But it’s quite amazing what you can pull together on short notice, once you get clear on what matters most. P&P, after a long-term long-distance relationship, were ready to marry. And the chance when they and their kids would all be together was coming up shortly. So we gathered in the forest at Lazo Marsh in Comox and with a handful of the people they love, cemented their commitment to one another, their children and each other’s. Just as they are, it was open-hearted, genuine, caring and inclusive. An honour for everyone there to be part of. image by McKinnon Photography

Weekend Wedding Getaway on Vancouver Island (+18)

C&N’s West Coast getaway every September is their most special-est weekend. When we were brainstorming, we asked “Why not invite the folks (and dogs) they love the most along on their favourite weekend? Share all their fav west coast rituals? Make it a relaxed getaway for everyone? And have a nice casual wedding ceremony in the middle of it all?” After the ceremony, an early dinner at Wolf in the Fog in Tofino. Finally, bonfire on the beach as the sun went down. With s’mores and plaid shirts..:)

Tofino Wee Wedding with brides, guests and dogs on the beach

Image(and more images) by Kaitlin Shea Photography.

Surprise! Surprise Weddings!

I LOVE surprise weddings! They are so much fun to plan, and you don’t have to worry about seating arrangements, charger plates, invitations, and all the stuff that can cost a bundle. And the bonus is that everyone will remember your day, that being hoodwinked was actually pretty cool. Very cool, in fact.

Upon discovering that they are not here to attend the groom’s 30th birthday event…:)

The Nickersons

Head to the Vow Cabin

Kyle Joinson Photography

The Vow Cabin is the choice of adventurous couples who want to get married in a relaxed and comfortable way…in nature. Packages include extra options, but the venue, on the south coast of Vancouver Island in Jordan River, won’t disappoint. Nor will all the other goodies included. If you don’t have time to plan, check out the options here.

Adventure Wedding

V+C wanted to get married at a waterfall. So they travelled all over the Island, searching for the perfect place…an adventure in itself. They found it at Sombrio Beach near Port Renfrew. We created their ceremony to be an adventure too…starting at the base and marrying them in steps as we climbed (or scrambled) toward the top. And it turned out to be one of the most remarkable experiences ever for all of us (pretty sure I can say that for everyone.) Afterward: a picnic celebration on the beach.

Wonderful images by the ever nimble Chelsea Dawn Photography.

“Barbara supported us in creating the ceremony we weren’t able to find anywhere else. We spent a couple of years looking for what we wanted until we found Barbara. Her amazing open-mindedness, acceptance, and support really helped us along this whole process of figuring out what we truly wanted for each other and those included. She got our small group of people involved and made sure everyone felt important and that they weren’t just watching our marriage happen, they were truly a part of it.” —- Viennamay and Caleb

If you’re dreaming about your own small or micro wedding on Vancouver Island and would like some help bringing it to life, feel free to get in touch here.

Modern Metaphysical Minister, Celebrant and Wedding Officiant, Vancouver Island. Including Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Courtenay, Comox Valley, and Campbell River.

Barbara Densmore Celebrant

123 Google reviews

Write a review

Deavon Douglas

2026-09-18

If you're looking to have fun while getting married, Barbara is your girl! She was absolutely incredible to work with from start to finish. As a lesbian couple, we knew we wanted a ceremony that was somewhat non-traditional, but had no idea what that actually looked like. Barbara's knowledge and experience shined from our first meeting, where she brought so many incredible suggestions. She brought everything together with a ceremony we never knew was possible and felt just like us. We were very impressed by how she weaved our story into the ceremony, and gave us a beautiful keepsake of the ceremony script as well. The ceremony was serious but light, full of laughter and happy tears, and many of our guests commented on how it was the most fun they'd ever had at a ceremony! I cannot recommend her enough! Thank you for getting us married!

jason poitras

2026-09-17

Barbara was absolutely remarkable from start to finish. She made our wedding ceremony feel so incredibly personal, meaningful, and managed to capture the little details that made our relationship and story so special. You could truly feel how much care and thought she put into every part of the ceremony. She made us feel comfortable, supported, and completely present in such an emotional and unforgettable moment. Our ceremony was everything we could have hoped for and Barbara played such a huge part in making our day so special. We are incredibly grateful to her and would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for an officiant who genuinely cares about making your wedding feel uniquely yours. Thank you, Barbara, for helping make one of the most important days of our lives so beautiful and personal. ❤️

Beverly Parker

2026-09-09

An absolutely wonderful wedding officiant — we highly recommend Barbara Densmore! Working with Barbara was, without a doubt, one of our favourite parts of our wedding experience. Over several meetings, she took the time to really get to know us and thoughtfully crafted a ceremony that was completely unique to us. She captured our values, our relationship, and our story in a way that felt authentic, meaningful, and deeply personal. Barbara is incredibly thoughtful and professional, with a warm, calm, and quietly engaging manner. She helped us plan not only the content of our ceremony, but also the flow of the day. On the wedding day itself, she was early, organized, and completely reliable. She even acted as a welcoming host as our guests arrived, helping everyone feel comfortable and settled. She brought a small microphone and speaker so that our guests could hear every word clearly, which was such a thoughtful practical touch. Barbara’s services are not the least expensive option—and in our opinion, they shouldn’t be. If you’re looking for a standard wedding script and the ceremony is simply something to get through on the way to the party, there are probably less expensive options that will suit you perfectly. But if the commitment you are making and the meaning behind it are the heart of your wedding, look no further. Barbara puts real time, care, and thought into creating a ceremony that reflects the two people standing in front of her. We are so grateful that Barbara was part of our wedding. She helped make the most important part of the day feel every bit as special as it deserved to be. If you want a ceremony that is truly about you, book Barbara. You will be so glad you did!

Alyssa Balmer

2026-09-02

Barbara is absolutely amazing! She truly understood the vision for our wedding ceremony and set the tone for the rest of the evening. We felt grounded and in the moment during our ceremony and her words captured all our emotions. Barbara was so professional with great communication and understanding throughout the whole process. Thank you for everything 🤍

Karen Calvan

2026-09-02

Barbara came highly recommended to us, and from the moment we met her, my husband and I knew she was exactly who we were looking for. She has a wonderful way of making you feel comfortable, understood, and genuinely cared for. One of my favorite parts of the process was the questionnaire she sent to each of us separately. It not only helped her get to know us as individuals and as a couple, but it also became a meaningful keepsake that we can revisit from time to time. Barbara's approach is thoughtful, intentional, grounded, and engaging. She brought such warmth, lightness, and fun to the entire experience, making every interaction enjoyable. We are so grateful to have had her as our celebrant and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for someone truly special!

Gheorghita Lung

2026-08-31

Amazing work, the attention to detail was flawless and the delivery was amazing

Robert Nugent

2026-08-28

Barbara knocked it out of the park for us. We had a rough vibe we were going for our ceremony and she ran with it perfectly. It was light, fun, meaningful. She put in the effort to incorporate specific details with family and friends which made everyone part of the ceremony. We had many comments from our guest mentioning how wonderful the ceremony was. Barbara was easy to work with and it was obvious that she loves her job. The whole process was a pleasure.

Rebecca Ruiter

2026-08-22

Barbara captured not only the essence of our relationship perfectly, but also celebrated the absolute chaos of our ceremony with our one and two year old’s interruptions and need of the spotlight ;) Thank you Barbara!

Charlene & Justis

2026-04-16

We were extremely lucky to have Barbara as our celebrant at our wedding this past March and the ceremony could not have been more perfect! She was so well organized, professional, warm, and friendly. She fit into our ceremony like she had known us for years, you would have never known that we had only just officially met her shortly before our ceremony that day. She worked hard to put together a detailed questionnaire for each of us to fill out so that she could get an idea of our relationship and then put together the most touching customized ceremony that even included vows to our son and community vows to all of our family and friends that were present. I would recommend Barbara over and over again without hesitation!!

Paula Baker

2026-01-13

We were lucky enough to have Barbara orchestrate our wedding ceremony in December. We couldn't have asked for a more heartfelt, sincere and personal experience. It was an honour to work with Barbara. Her thoughtful questions and wonderful insights helped us create the best day of our lives. Our wedding guests could not stop raving about how amazing the ceremony was! Truly one of a kind. Thank you, thank you, thank you Barbara for the most magical day!