Wishes 2023

The ultimate guide to Sea to Sky weddings

Breathtaking Alpine Elopements WHISTLER, BC

Carbon Neutral tourism ights since 2018

Elope on the slopes 7

A gondola wedding worth the wait 16

All in the family 24 features :

How to infuse your big day with mountain adventure 12

From hiking to climbing or just lounging in the alpine, the Sea to Sky corridor has no shortage of options for weddings off the beaten path

Your guide to planning the perfect Whistler bachelor(ette) 20

Whether your bride- or groom-to-be wants to pop champagne on a mountaintop, spray it from a gun at après or sabre it with an axe, there is something for everyone

COVER PHOTO BY Gadbois Photography COUPLE: Izabella Pena and Kevin Mongeona’s wedding LOCATION: Whistler Mountain, Garbanzo Express Chairlift

Noel

Julie Gamache

Brandon Barrett

Dan Falloon

Brigitte Mah

Megan Lalonde

Cathie Greenlees

Susan Hutchinson

Georgia Butler

Tessa Sweeney

Emily Nicole Photos

Emily Nicole Photos

Nomad by NK Photography

wedding: Elope on the slopes

Planning an uncoventional elopement was the (lift) ticket to this couple’s big day

by:DAN FALLOON

With the dual delight of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, Whistler has established itself as one of the world’s top winter sports destinations.

And for skiers and snowboarders looking to say “I do” with their loved one on the slopes, the resort is more than ready.

Izabella Pena and Kevin Mongeon

can attest to that. After falling in love with skiing in the mountains of New England in 2020 while looking to stay active during COVID-19, the couple knew they wanted to elope in a way that incorporated their newfound passion.

“We started skiing in 2020. That’s when we really fell in love with the sport,” Izabella said.

“(Skiing helped) with the pandemic stress

of being alone and without our families. We just threw ourselves on skis and it was so beautiful.”

Enter the Whistler Elopement Company (WEC), whose service providers know the mountains not just as avid skiers and boarders, but as ski instructors and, in the case of photographer Pascale Gadbois, a former World Cup freestyle skier.

“They were really organized. It was

amazing,” Kevin said.

Izabella and Kevin are both scientists, first meeting while working at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute in Ottawa. Kevin was completing his graduate studies while Izabella was working on a visiting PhD.

It was apparent that winter sports would be central to their relationship from the very start, as their first date involved going for a skate on Ottawa’s famed Rideau Canal.

Izabella soon found work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, leading the pair to Boston. They had planned

pandemic changed everything, but the pair had a civil ceremony in Ottawa on skates in front of city hall shortly before heading south, in part to facilitate the immigration process.

However, with Izabella having secured a stunning dress and the desire to mark their love for and commitment to one another, they started looking around for elopement options that could reflect their passions and personalities.

The pandemic—especially given that their families are spread out across the Americas between Canada and Brazil— played a role in their decision to elope, as did

the fact that they were already married.

While they loved the New England mountains, Izabella and Kevin looked West, wanting to hold their celebration in Canada in a locale with admittedly more grandeur than their home runs.

With the Whistler Elopement Company offering an on-mountain package, things fell into place rather easily and allowed Izabella and Kevin to spend an incredible day together on March 21, 2022.

“It was actually super special because we could just enjoy the day, enjoy the mountain, enjoy our new favourite sport,” Izabella said. “It was liberating. It was free and wonderful.”

Izabella noted that her wedding dress was designed for a decidedly less active day, but she made the outfit work, large skirt and all.

“I thought, ‘I’m not going to be able to ski in this, this is ridiculous,’ but I actually managed,” she said. “I didn’t fall, and it looked pretty cool!”

Not only did she stay upright, Kevin also recalled overhearing a little girl ask her mother if Izabella was a princess. It was one of many memorable moments provided by the skiing and boarding public who hit the slopes that day.

“Everybody could see us, and everybody was cheering,” Izabella said. “People were so excited to see us. Some couples came up to us and said, ‘Oh my gosh, I wish I had done that!’”

“It was almost the celebrity treatment,” Kevin chuckled.

While poor conditions were a risk, the weather was cooperative, with no wind and temperatures above freezing. Nature even had a surprise in store to mark the occasion.

“At the beginning of the day, it was all clouds, and then by the end of it, it revealed Blackcomb from where we were,” Kevin said.

Those parting clouds provided some incredible opportunities for Gadbois,

photography:

Gadbois Photography

A Top Whistler Wedding Photographer for the past 12 years.

Pascale is the eye,the smile and the joie de vivre as the owner of Gadbois Photography.

the Whistler Elopement Company’s ace photographer, who is equally adept at skiing backwards down the hill to snap shots of the descending couple.

“I never actually thought that this would turn out (being helpful) for this profession,” she said of her freestyle ski background. “It definitely comes in handy because I’m comfortable on my skis and I know the mountain pretty well.”

The core of the WEC team also includes company owner Rachael Lythe, a longtime host for Whistler Blackcomb, and officiant Linda McGaw, a veteran ski instructor.

Gadbois said it’s a gratifying experience to be invited to capture an event as intimate as an elopement, recalling the FaceTime call Izabella shared with her family back home prior to the ceremony.

“As a photographer, you are put into this very privileged position rapidly,” she said. “You owe it to yourself and to the couple to be in that sacred space with them.”

Izabella and Kevin are preparing to move back to Ottawa this summer, and still often reflect on their “super crazy” dream elopement in Whistler that was so efficiently turned into a reality.

Said Izabella: “It was probably the best experience of our lives.”

“I am a lover of life but more importantly a lover of love. I capture every kind of love because what I know to be true is that LOVE is LOVE.

I believe that life flies by and my SUPERPOWER is my ability to help you freeze a moment in time forever. I am a STORYTELLER”.

gadboisphotography . ca

vendors:

Planning & Design

Rachael Lythe, The Whistler Elopement Company

Videographer

Matt Sylvestre – Matt Sylvestre Video Wedding

Officiant

Linda McGaw – Whistler Wedding Celebrant

Hair and Makeup

Lidia Baker – Dolly Makeup

Floral Design

Senka Florist – Senka Florist Whistler

Drinks Après-ski

The Den Restaurant

Accommodation

Nita Lake Lodge

Calling Mountain Productions / Cedar and Sand / Eilley Alexis Photography

feature:

How to infuse your big day with mountain adventure

FROM HIKING TO CLIMBING OR JUST LOUNGING IN THE ALPINE, THE SEA TO SKY CORRIDOR HAS NO SHORTAGE OF OPTIONS FOR WEDDINGS OFF THE BEATEN PATH

by :BRIGITTE MAH

Every couple is different, and sometimes a pair doesn’t want to get married in front of a large crowd. Some would prefer to have a wedding that echoes their love for the alpine, urge to be off the beaten track, and passion for the sweet scent of summer pines.

Luckily, there’s no shortage of options in the Sea to Sky corridor for couples seeking to add a dose of adventure to their big day.

The Ultimate Backcountry Wedding

For those who yearn for that harmonic blend of the rugged outdoors and boutique intimacy, Whitecap Alpine has opened their backcountry lodge doors to offer a three-

day wedding getaway for adventure lovers and their guests. For the price of what some pay for a one-day wedding event, Whitecap Alpine offers three days of adventuring with the couple and their close family and friends.

“It’s more than just a wedding,” said marketing manager Jen Girardi. “It’s three or four days spent together in the alpine

PHOTO BY GADBOIS PHOTOGRAPHY

in this really private setting. Weddings are about bringing together your nearest and dearest and what better gift than to give them time spent together?”

Couples get full access to the remote Mcgillivray Pass Lodge, which is nestled at the base of craggy peaks, surrounded by meadows teeming with vibrant wildflowers.

The exclusive multi-day reservation comes complete with a chef and two ACMG-certified hiking guides to lead the couple and their guests on daytime adventures, which can vary from a full 20-kilometre, 1,400-metre scrambling ascent to bag a peak, or a mellow meadow meander to nap in the wildflowers or dabble in plein air painting.

Along the way, hearty adventurers can encounter anything from moose, mountain goats, mule deer, and grizzly bears to golden eagles, peregrine falcons, or Cooper’s hawks.

And although the backcountry lodge is remote, there is nothing backwards about the meals served.

“Any meal in the mountains is extra special, especially after a day of hiking,” said Girardi. “It always tastes a little bit better.”

PHOTO: TOP BY INK PHOTO BC - A couple walks hand in hand through the meadow located in front of the Whitecap Alpine lodge MIDDLE LEFT BY JUSTIN BRUNS - Take the plunge in an alpine lake during your visit to Whitecap Alpine MIDDLE RIGHT BY TYLER RAVELLE - Access to Whitecap Alpine is by a short helicopter transfer from Pemberton BOTTOM BY JUSTIN BRUNS - Once the helicopter drops you off at Whitecap Alpine you are in a private mountain sanctuary.

Breakfasts range from egg sandwiches and breakfast burritos to full pancakes and bacon. Lunches are packed for the day’s adventure and dinners can consist of endive boats with buttermilk blue cheese crumble, candied pecans and pear, complemented by wild salmon baked in brown sugar and lime zest and served on wild rice risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes and mint. Après is served with appetizers outside on the covered deck and Adirondack chairs as the sun illuminates the sky before it sets into the valley.

The wedding day can be as casual or elaborate as the couple envisions. Lodge capacity is capped at 20 guests, but the booking includes bringing in 500 pounds of wedding supplies, with everything from extra decor to flowers, liquor, and special props.

For an extra fee Whitecap Alpine can even fly in a couple’s photographer, videographer, musician, hair dresser and makeup artist on the day of the wedding.

“The sky’s the limit, but even then we’re not limited because we have helicopters,”

said Girardi.

The lodge has a speaker on site and a wooden platform for open sky dancing under the stars that isn’t bound by noise restrictions of neighbours, except perhaps the wildlife.

“Our weddings are about slowing down the pace and enjoying that time and experience together,” said Girardi.

The Ultimate Adrenaline Wedding

For the weekend warriors who crave the adrenaline rush, there are myriad extreme wedding options in the Sea to Sky corridor. In 2014, Jamie Alperin and David Lamb made headlines when they literally tied a (figure eight) knot and rock climbed up the Squamish Chief via the 5.9 Calculus Crack and 5.10c The Squamish Buttress routes in full wedding attire to have an intimate ceremony officiated by professional skier Pep Fujas.

Several years later, Australia couple Chris Monaghan and Sirja Salminen roped up and climbed the Blackcomb Buttress, along with their photographer and pastor, to

get married at the summit overlooking the surrounding glaciers, lakes and jagged peaks.

Couples have also hiked up the Chief with their wedding dress and suit in their backpacks to either elope or get married at the top, with panoramic views of Howe Sound around them.

Those who want a fast descent to get their newly knotted hearts pumping can be married on the Whistler Bungee bridge and then take a tandem 50-metre leap of faith over the rushing glacial-fed Cheakamus River, and share a kiss at the bottom.

For a slower, but higher descent, couples can also get married on the MacKenzie Basin Launch in Pemberton and then sport wings and tandem fly 2,000 metres above the valley floor with Sea to Sky Paragliding. There’s no shortage of wedding adventure choices in the corridor.

Whether your ideal heart-thumping experience is the moment you say “I do,” the ascent beforehand, or the leap afterwards, the hardest part of getting married in the corridor is choosing which adventure you want for your big day.

Honestly, one of the most fun experiences I’ve had. My sisters had planned this event for my bachelorette weekend and it went without a hitch. Forged Axe was so welcoming and fun. They went above and beyond my expectations.

AND MUCH MORE!

We have a bar with refreshments, snacks, alcoholic beverages, shot skis, and you can even sabre a bottle of champagne! We are partnered with PICNIC, add on a charcuterie box for your group to snack on while throwing! You can also add on a prize hat for extra competition.

wedding: A gondola wedding worth the wait

After three long years, one couple recounts their perfect day

by: BRIGITTE MAH

If there was one lesson that came from the pandemic, it’s that good things are worth waiting for.

In Tina Cheung and Adnan Polidario’s case, it was a decade-long wait with the sweetest of endings.

The pair met in 2010 in Chicago while

Cheung was in grad school. Hailing from New York, she was new to the area and decided to attend the Asian American Association’s welcome back barbecue event. It was there she met Polidario, and he offered to show her around town.

“I was really new and he was really nice,” said Cheung. “I was really attracted

to him.”

What started as a milkshake-and-burger hangout turned into nine years of dating, travelling, adventuring, and exploring before Polidario proposed in Geiranger, Norway in 2019 at a viewpoint overlooking the majestic peaks, waterfalls, and stunning fjord that served as the inspiration for Disney’s Frozen.

Choosing their wedding location was a challenge, since Polidario’s family lives in Chicago and Cheung’s family is in New York. They decided on a destination wedding, and began the quest for the right spot.

“We were looking for a place with amazing scenery,” said Cheung.

Both Cheung and Polidario had visited Toronto, but only Cheung had been to Vancouver, so they began looking in the Vancouver area for their perfect location. Once they realized Squamish is the outdoor recreation capital of Canada, they were

sold, and it didn’t take long for them to choose the lookout on the Sea to Sky Gondola as the spot for their wedding.

“It was the perfect spot,” said Cheung. “It’s so different. It’s outdoors, you have to take a gondola up to top and walk across the [suspension] bridge, and the view is incredible.

“You can see mountains, the sky, and the water, and you get a beautiful sunset.”

Excited to have chosen the location and date, the couple sent out their Save The Dates, but then the pandemic hit.

“We weren’t sure how long we were

going to have to postpone it,” said Cheung, who was frustrated at having to put it off. “You finally have your dream wedding and then they put in all the restrictions and it’s not your dream anymore.”

For over two years Cheung and Polidario coordinated with their wedding planner, choosing many of the vendors and details for their wedding from the other side of the continent.

“I’m an anxious person and because it’s a destination wedding, I had a hard time knowing how it would all turn out,” said Cheung.

She would send photos of flowers and cakes she liked, along with details for their menu printing and welcome board, and all she could do was hope that eventually it would come together.

And it did.

Because all good things are worth waiting for, after nine years of dating, and three years of wedding planning and waiting, Cheung and Polidario were married on a beautiful sunny day at the dramatic lookout of the Sea to Sky Gondola on Sept. 20, 2022.

But even after having restrictions lifted so that their 100 guests could attend, flying back and forth between Chicago and New York to find the right wedding dress, and corresponding with multiple vendors, not everything went according to plan. Cheung’s wedding cake vendor cancelled at the last minute.

“I was freaking out that we wouldn’t have a wedding cake,” she said.

Fortunately, she was able to find another vendor who made a stunning cake that saved the day.

And despite the cake snafu, the rest of the day went beautifully, from Cheung’s emotional first look with her father, to the moment she saw Polidario in his suit outside the Executive Suites, to the tender moment of Polidario’s vows, to the bronzed sunset that shone through the glass windows at dinner, to the crepuscular alpine glow that softly lit the sky as they crossed the gently swaying suspension bridge again—this time as husband and wife.

“Ultimately you have to just trust the process,” said Cheung. “All the years of planning and it turned out so beautiful. There were so many good parts. I couldn’t pick just one favourite moment.”

photography:

Gadbois Photography

gadboisphotography ca

vendors: Planner

Sea to Sky Celebrations

Videography Calling Mountains

Celebrant Tracy Kerr

Cake Lula Darquier

Hair and Makeup

Dawna Boot Makeup

Accommodation Executive Suite Hotels

Venue Sea to Sky Gondola

Florals Senka DJ Trax Mobile DJ Richard

feature: Your guide to planning the perfect Whistler bachelor(ette) party

WHETHER YOUR BRIDE- OR GROOM-TO-BE WANTS TO POP CHAMPAGNE ON A MOUNTAINTOP, SPRAY IT FROM A GUN AT APRÈS OR SABRE IT WITH AN AXE, THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

by BY MEGAN LALONDE

O

ver the course of her more than 15 years in Whistler, local Julie-Anne Roy noticed a trend—one usually made obvious by white tulle veils, matching T-shirts and the occasional phallic-shaped straw.

“You can just see all of the hundreds of bachelorette/bachelor parties all summer

long,” she explained. “Whistler is one of the most popular destinations in North America for this.”

With that in mind, Roy founded her company, Best Bachelorette Whistler, in 2019 to create “unique and memorable events” for groups travelling to the resort for prewedding festivities. She launched a spinoff operation for the bros, Stag Party Whistler,

in 2021.

Roy offers planning and organizing services for any aspect of celebrations these groups need help with, from stocking fridges and bars to setting up décor and games; from booking a single activity to dinner reservations to an entire four-day itinerary complete with accommodation.

“Whistler has an extensive selection of

PHOTO COURTESY OF GIBBONS HOSPITALITY GROUP Whistler offers plenty of stagette options for brides that want a little pampering.

things to do, places to stay, places to eat and drinks and party venues,” she explained. “This makes it the perfect destination for a bachelorette/bachelor party as there really is something for anyone’s personal style and budget.”

That said, we thought we’d break the experts’ suggestions into categories based on what your bride- or groom-to-be considers a good time. But we don’t like to put people in boxes (unless we’re talking about the cages at Buffalo Bills), so feel free to mix and match away.

For the adventure seeker

Whistler is an adrenaline junkie’s paradise. Depending on the season, carve out time to ski, snowboard, or mountain bike down some of the gnarliest terrain on the West Coast, or push it to another level with skydiving, bungee jumping, or ziplining.

Whistler’s Gibbons Hospitality Group might be best known for its bars, pubs and clubs, but the company has beefed up its adventure offerings with its acquisition of The Adventure Group (TAG). Fly side-byside with Superfly Ziplines, or hop into a raging, glacier-fed river with Wedge Rafting. Head to TAG’s Cougar Mountain tenure for thrilling RZR tours during the warmer months, or sign up for a snowmobile tour in the winter.

Canadian Wilderness Adventures also offers everything from snowmobile to snow shoe and dog sled tours in the winter to ATV,

off-road buggy, canoe, Jeep and ebike tours in the summer.

For the boujee

We warned you there might be some overlap. If high-end adventure is the name of the game, “There is always the option to go heli skiing for the avid skiers,” advised Roy.

Once the snow melts, hit up Blackcomb Helicopters for heli-biking, or for glacier picnics and paddleboarding if you prefer your adventures on the mellow side.

To relax before the big day, head to Whistler’s Scandinave Spa for a truly unmatched experience in the Nordic baths. Circulate through the hot tubs, saunas, cold plunges and chilling by the fire while treating your bride or groom to a massage.

There are also plenty of local spas— many located in Whistler’s most luxurious hotels—to pamper your group with mani/ pedis, facials and the like.

Make a dinner reservation at any one of Whistler’s fine-dining establishments—Wild Blue, Araxi, Rim Rock, Il Caminetto, and Bearfoot Bistro, where you can visit the Ketel One Vodka Ice Room or sabre a bottle of champagne with a sword, are great options— before ending the night with a cocktail at the Raven Room or the Firerock Lounge.

Or, “If the goal is to spend time together with friends, I always recommend dinner with a private chef at their location,” Roy added.

There is, however, nothing boujier than a

butler. Whistler has a highly attractive roster of Butlers in the Buff who, according to a company spokesperson, “bring a cheeky and fun yet sophisticated vibe to make all the guests feel like queens, and help to make sure that even the host won’t have to lift a finger.”

The apron-wearing party butlers can assist in party games and activities, like making drinks, serving food, DJing, or even posing for paint parties.

For the certified chiller

Grab a charcuterie board from Picnic Whistler and head to the lake; brewery hop before grabbing pizza in Function Junction; head out for a round of golf (or disc golf); hire an instructor for a private yoga class, or hit the trails for a hike—options for laid-back celebrations in Whistler are endless. While you’re in Function sampling local craft brews, get the competitive juices flowing at Forged Axe Throwing, where, if Bearfoot isn’t your speed, the guest of honour can sabre champagne with an axe.

“Our hosts will teach everyone how to throw, then play some team vs. team games,” explained Forged’s operations manager Jackie Stanton. “Losers buy winners a shotski?! We also teach some trick shots.”

Stanton recommends booking in your group at least a week in advance to secure time slots.

End the day at Vallea Lumina, a mind-blowing nighttime walk through an enchanted forest.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FORGED AXE THROWING

For the life of the party

In Whistler, parties usually start early. Head to the Longhorn Saloon for their legendary après, complete with DJs, smoke machines and even champagne guns, or nearby Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub for Guinness and live music.

For dinner, Sushi Village and Harajuku are always good ideas. Both have a raucous atmosphere and private tatami-style booths perfect for larger groups—make a reservation, then let the sake margs flow!

For groups looking to head underground (that’s Whistler slang for nightclubs), Gibbons’ Bar Hop experience is a solid option. In addition to experiencing multiple venues, “You get to meet new people, skip the lines, and your ticket is your cover,” explained Gibbons strategic director Brittia Thompson. Tickets also include vouchers for drinks and a slice from Avalanche Pizza.

“In Whistler, there often are famous DJs,

live concerts or special events going on,” added Roy. “I always make sure that my clients are treated well with guest lists and table reservations.”

Gibbons also launched IV therapy service at the spa at Whistler recently, in case you need some help recovering the next morning.

Bonus tips

Looking to package up a few of these experiences into a fully-customized day or weekend of fun? Reach out to Roy, or to Gibbons’ concierge services for help planning an itinerary or booking multiple experiences in one go.

“We can also work on customizing the experience to make the bride or groom feel special,” Thompson added. “For Gibbons Life accommodation for example we can work with Whistler Wine Guy to put together a wine or champagne package for in the room upon arrival.”

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BUTLERS IN THE BUFF

Photo: Leah Kathryn Photography. Décor: Pocket l Prod ctions

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Photography: Emily Serrell Photography

wedding: All in the family

A Maritime couple ditch the formalities for their perfect wedding day at scenic North Arm Farm

by: BRANDON BARRETT

Mike and Jaime McKenzieGray want to get one thing clear right off the bat: “We’re Maritimers. We’re not a fancy people,” Jaime said with a laugh.

It’s this simple fact that served as the foundation upon which the high-school

sweethearts built their ideal wedding day last September at Pemberton’s breathtaking North Arm Farm.

While other couples may fret over every last detail of their big day, the McKenzieGrays purposefully designed it so they wouldn’t have to sweat the small stuff.

“I’ve seen other people get married and their various states of comfort and feeling

busy and things like that on the day,” Mike said. “We wanted to make sure we had time to connect with people. When I’m relaxing, I don’t really want to be on a timeline. I wanted that flexibility. I didn’t want to feel like I was running around all night.”

That meant eschewing some of the more performative matrimonial traditions to leave more time for connecting with

family and friends. There was no MC, no musical entrances, and no bouquet toss. Even Mike and Jaime’s first dance spoke to their emphasis on community.

“We did our first dance, but we made all of our family and wedding parties and their partners, which was like 20 people, start that first dance with us. It worked really well,” Jaime said.

The family theme carried on at the wedding’s longtable dinner, catered by North Arm Farm and held en plein air, with the majestic Mount Currie serving as backdrop.

“We did the big longtable in the field, all family-style, which I think is true to that Maritime kitchen-party atmosphere and approach,” Jaime said.

Before the first course, the McKenzieGrays also made sure to keep up a longstanding family tradition they brought with them from New Brunswick. On Jaime’s side of the family, for years now, before every dinner, instead of saying grace, someone would crack open a book called A Grateful Heart, flip to a random passage, and read it aloud. Featuring expressions of gratitude from Buddha to The Beatles, the McKenzieGrays’ parents bought a new copy of the 1994 book expressly for the wedding, and Jaime had her maid of honour read a random selection from it.

“I feel like the passage fit the day, but I don’t remember what it was,” Mike laughed.

Part of the reason the McKenzie-Grays

could focus so much on their guests was the flexibility afforded by North Arm Farm and their other vendors. The popular Pemberton wedding venue is increasingly taking a hands-off approach, allowing the soon-to-bebetrothed to bring in their own vendors.

“Other than catering, we had to bring everything on, which was more work, but it allowed us to make it exactly how we wanted,” Jaime said. “That was a huge selling point. Other traditional wedding venues felt a bit formal for us.”

While the couple was committed to crafting the perfect, relaxed wedding day, there was at least one design element they fussed over more than they expected to: the custom napkins embroidered with an image of Mike and Jaime’s beloved four-year-old doodle mix, Georgia (who, also, it should be noted, served as both flower girl and “Best Dog” at the ceremony).

“Those were part of the design details that we had so much time to spend on, which relieved some of the stress but also meant

I spent an hour looking at cocktail napkins online, which I don’t think I’ll ever do again in my life,” Jaime said.

Photographer Darby Magill was also instrumental in lending the wedding its laidback feel, and was actually the first vendor the McKenzie-Grays hired—before they had even secured a date or a venue. Portraits were shot in 15-minute chunks to give the couple more time with their 50 wedding guests, and most of the group shots were captured candidly during cocktail hour.

“I find on a wedding day, there is so much going on and so much emotion and build-up that, as much as there are the normal formalities, there are a lot of beautiful in-between moments as well,” Magill said. “Specifically with this wedding, I have to admit it seemed very family-oriented even though you could tell there were a lot of friends there. There was real closeness when everyone was gathering. You could tell everyone was happy they were getting married.”

photography:

Darby Magill

Darby Magill approaches weddings with a focus on the connection and emotional moments that make a celebration personal. The community of your loved ones share in this experience and she believes that documenting those in-between moments is just as important as the main events. She offers a more candid and natural feeling in her portraits and strives to make all of her couples relaxed and live in the moment. Darby has photographed over 250 weddings along the Sea to Sky corridor and loves to travel wherever her camera may lead her!

darbymagill . com

vendors:

Planner

Blue Violet Events

Florist

Blossom & Vine Floral Co.

Hair/Makeup

Natacha Trottier

Rentals

Bespoke Décor

Larger Rental Pieces

Spark Events

Caterer/Venue

North Arm Farm

DJ

Man About Town Entertainment

Officiant

Family friend

feature:

WISHES’ wedding gift guide

Customized Whistler mountain scene wedding bands

Designed by Keir Fine Jewellery, these wedding bands complete a perfect Whistler Wedding. Made with certified Canadian gold and available in rose and white gold, yellow and white gold and white gold. Available instore or at keirfinejewellery.com

Handmade leather-bound journals

A great gift for journalers or a place to leave notes in reminder of the celebration. The unlined paper allows you to create in a freeform way - unrestricted by lines you can write, plan, sketch, even paint on the pages, or create lines to suit your own needs. Many different styles available at oraclewhistler.com

Sophie Conran bowl

The signature lines of this bowl will add interest to any table and is delightfully versatile. whistler-kitchen-works. business.site/

Transforming Eagle Salad Servers

These elegant stainless-steel salad servers feature the artwork of ‘Namgis artist Ryan Cranmer. shop.audainartmuseum.com

Traditional Serving Tray

This Handcrafted wood carving was created by James Yelton (Squamish Nation). James incorporates Indigenous animals in his work which have specific meanings and symbolisms within the Squamish Nation culture. Available at Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre and slcc.ca/shop.

Black Tusk Pillow

This decorative throw pillow features an iconic mountain view in Whistler, photographed and designed by Heather Johnson. shop.audainartmuseum.com

Singing bowls

Beautiful singing bowls are available in the colours of the chakra system. Each colour and sound is associated and designed to connect with one of the chakras. This green singing bowl is adorned with the symbol for the heart chakra which is related to love, compassion, and transformation. Available at oraclewhistler.com

Permanent Jewelry

Add some sparkle to your life while connecting to loved ones at the same time. Sterling silver, 14k gold-filled, or 14k gold chains carefully welded for a perfectly custom fit. A great group activity for friends and family, new and old.

lazymaisiecreates.com/permanent-jewelry/

ACTIVITIES

Forged Axe Throwing 778.770.2240

forgedaxe.ca

COMMISSIONERS

Tracy Ann Kerr 604.966.8855

weddinginwhistler.com

FLORISTS

Billies House 604.892.9232 billieshouse.com

GIFTS

Whistler Oracle 604.905.0084 oraclewhistler.com

HAIR STYLING

Elevation Hair Studio 604.932.5722

elevationhairstudio.com

TRANSPORT

Blackcomb Helicopters 1.800.330-HELI(4354) blackcombhelicopters.com

VENUES

Anderson Lake Resort 604.902.2600 andersonlakeretreat.com

Nita Lake Lodge 604.966.5700

nitalakelodge.com

Sea to Sky Gondola 604.892.2551 seatoskygondola.com

Audain Art Museum 604.962.0413 audainartmuseum.com

Canadian Wilderness Adventures 604.938.1616

canadianwilderness.com

Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre 604.964.0990 slcc.ca

VENUES

Sunstone Golf Club 604.894.6197

sunstonegolfclub.com

The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler 604.935.4307

westinwhistler.com

Wedge Mountain Lodge & Spa 778.655.1825

wedgemountainlodge.com

White Cap Alpine 604.907.7937

whitecapalpine.ca

WEDDING PLANNERS

Pocketful Productions 604.938.3800

pocketfulproductions.com

Whistler Wedding Planners 604.938.2564

whistlerweddingplanners.com

Darby Magill Photography