A Luxe Vancouver Island Wedding for Karly & Keaton

DreamGroup Weddings + Events loves supporting destination BC weddings and this one has to be one of our most favourites, especially for DreamGroup Planner Brynn Belisle.  So pour a glass of wine (or a cup of tea) and get cozy as Brynn shares highlights from this endearing love story that unfolded one beautiful summer day on Vancouver Island…  A Luxe Vancouver Island Wedding for Karly & Keaton as exquisitely captured by Meghan Hemstra Photography.

I loved so many things about this wedding that I hardly know where to begin.

To start, it was a destination wedding on Vancouver Island at the couple’s alma mater, Brentwood College School in Mill Bay. Not only was that incredibly meaningful for Keaton & Karly, but it was also special for me personally because I have family ties in Mill Bay. Being back in that area to plan their celebration made the entire experience feel extra close to my heart.

This wasn’t just a beautiful celebration in a stunning location – it was a full-circle moment in the very place where their story began.

A Love Story That Came Full Circle

Keaton & Karly both attended Brentwood College School in high school. After graduation, life took them across the country to Queen’s University, where their friendship deepened and, eventually, they fell in love.

In fact, Keaton was the only person Karly knew when she arrived at Queen’s. At first, he was simply a familiar face in a brand new city. Over time, that familiarity turned into a close friendship and then into a lifelong love.

On June 28, 2024, they got engaged. Shortly afterward, they reached out to Brentwood about hosting their wedding there. As luck (and a little magic) would have it, the only available Saturday left in 2025 happened to be June 28 – exactly one year from the day they got engaged. It felt like pure kismet.

Karly’s makeup and Classic Chignon by Artistry by Ksenia — with Bridal Party makeup supported by Kirsten Sorensen of Summer of George and hair by Kharma Salons.

Karly’s Ange Etoiles wedding gown from Luxx Nova Bridal Boutique.

The Vision: Upscale West Coast Garden Party

From the very beginning, Keaton & Karly had a clear vision: an upscale, elegant, modern, romantic West Coast garden party.

They love a classic, romantic look — think black and white, soft neutrals, pastels, and blush tones with subtle metallic accents. Every design decision, from florals to linens to lighting, was guided by this palette and aesthetic.

One of the standout elements of this wedding was the generosity of both sets of parents who encouraged us to fully lean into Karly and Keaton’s design dreams and create a truly luxe Vancouver Island wedding experience: beautiful flowers and décor, delicious food, incredible cocktails, and thoughtful guest touches at every turn.

Beyond the details, what made this day so special was the couple themselves. Keaton & Karly are so genuine, caring, thoughtful, and considerate. They were a joy to get to know and work with, and I will genuinely miss them.

Oceanside Ceremony with Lush White Florals

The ceremony took place on a waterfront landing down by the ocean, with curved built-in levels so that every guest had a perfect view. It was the ideal setting for Karly’s dream of a lush and abundant white floral ceremony.

We brought in Erica of Rook & Rose, who designed the most gorgeous, garden-style white floral story for this space. The design featured:

• Large white floral arrangements in classic urns
• Varying-height pillars with cascading florals
• A romantic mix of white roses, white delphiniums, giant white allium, and airy grasses
• Full floral arrangements lining the entire aisle, creating a garden pathway effect

As guests arrived and made their way down to the ceremony site, they were greeted with a glass of refreshing lemonade — a must-have detail from the bride and such a thoughtful touch on a warm summer day by the ocean.

One of my favourite moments was the couple’s practiced “dip” at the end of the aisle during their recessional. It made for incredible photos and such a joyful, cinematic moment. I loved it so much that I’ll definitely be recommending it to future couples.

Romantic Garden Cocktail Hour on the Lawn

Following the ceremony, guests moved up to the patio and surrounding lawn between the ceremony site and the main reception building for cocktail hour. Here, the look shifted into a soft romantic garden party aesthetic with layered textures and pastel touches.

We styled a soft, upscale, and inviting cocktail hour with:

• A white custom statement bar as the focal point from Boom Event Rentals
• Tall cocktail tables with sage-and-white garden-inspired linens and Fabric Louie Chairs from Trend Decor
• Low cocktail tables with the same print for cohesion

One of the standout details was the custom-built statement seating chart. We incorporated a sage-and-white garden wallpaper motif, flanked it with two lamps, and arranged the escort cards in a way that felt both graphic and romantic. It was a true statement piece guests loved interacting with.

As guests arrived at cocktail hour, servers greeted them with sparkling wine from Unsworth Vineyard, a local favourite, along with two signature cocktails: a spicy watermelon margarita and an aperitif spritz. Nimble Bar Co. from Victoria handled the bar program beautifully, and guests enjoyed a selection of West Coast canapés along with a fresh oyster and scallop bar — the perfect nod to the Vancouver Island setting.

Choosing Brentwood College School as Their Vancouver Island Wedding Venue

Before settling on Brentwood as their wedding venue, Keaton & Karly did their due diligence. They toured top wedding venues in Vancouver and wineries in the Okanagan. There were many beautiful options, but they just couldn’t shake the vision of saying “I do” back at Brentwood.

Ultimately, Brentwood College School checked every box:

• A beautiful, meaningful campus on Vancouver Island
• A spacious West Coast dining hall for their reception
• A built-in oceanside ceremony site
• Multiple access days for set-up and rehearsals
• And most importantly, the place where they first met in high school

This venue truly had it all.

For accommodations, they chose to keep things close and convenient. They rented two beautiful Airbnbs on Shawnigan Lake – one for the groomsmen and one for the bridesmaids – both only about a 15-minute drive to the venue.

For guests, they recommended two great options:

• Villa Eyrie Resort on the Malahat
• Ocean Front Suites in Cowichan Bay

We also had the option to use the student dorms for guests or vendors, but in the end, Keaton & Karly chose to encourage hotel stays and use the school’s buses to shuttle everyone to and from the venue. It created a relaxed, guest-focused destination wedding experience on Vancouver Island while still feeling comfortably local.

Completely Reimagining the High School Dining Hall

One of Keaton & Karly’s biggest concerns was making sure the reception didn’t feel like their old high school dining hall. Challenge accepted.

The incredible Barb Walker of French Kiss Events, based in Victoria, led the design process and came up with a thoughtful floor plan that anchored all the key moments of the night.

Highlights included:

• The head table
• Long guest tables for the family-style dinner
• The round statement bar with its two lounge areas
• The dance floor in the middle of it all
• Natural-toned linen tablecloths
• Sage linen napkins
• Neutral stoneware place settings and brushed pewter cutlery from Tabletop Curated Rentals
• Elevated glassware

Crooks Dining Hall is a large space, but the layout ensured that, no matter what time of night it was, everything felt intimate, connected, and full of energy.

To transform the architecture and soften the room, we:

• Draped the walls with neutral chiffon drapery
• Added soft uplighting
• Strung dark green smilax along the existing ceiling wires

Those simple but impactful changes made the space feel luxurious, romantic, and completely different from a typical school dining hall. The before-and-after was remarkable.

The couple also had a very specific bar vision: a large white round statement bar with a tree in the middle. Vancouver Island didn’t have a rental option quite like this so we had one custom made by Boom Event Rentals. It turned out beautifully. Not only did Keaton & Karly get exactly what they dreamed of, but now the Island has its own round statement bar for future weddings and events.

During dinner, we moved the lounge furniture from the lawn indoors to create two chic lounge areas beside the bar, giving guests a comfortable place to relax between courses and, later, between dance sets. We also styled a bit of lounge seating outside on the patio. The evening turned out perfectly with warm temperatures and a sky full of stars, and that outdoor space became a wonderful retreat as the dance floor heated up.

West Coast–Meets–Italian Family-Style Feast

Dinner was a four-course family-style service, a key element for the couple. They were inspired by a 100-year anniversary event Brentwood had hosted the year before, where they fell in love with the communal, convivial feel of family-style dining.

The menu theme was West Coast meets Italian, built around locally sourced ingredients and paired with carefully chosen Unsworth Vineyard wines for each course.

Dessert & Cocktails

Dessert was offered via two buffets, encouraging guests to move around, mingle, and indulge at their own pace. Later in the evening, the late-night bar was a major highlight, featuring four signature cocktails:

• Negroni
• Espresso Martini
• Spicy Watermelon Margarita
• Lavender Gin Sour

Alongside those, the bar also offered classic spirits like vodka, gin, rum, rye, and whiskey. The bartenders were busy all night long – exactly what Keaton & Karly had hoped for.

Cake by Ruth and Dean.

A First Dance They Actually Enjoyed

For their first dance as husband and wife, Keaton & Karly decided to take two dance lessons in advance. Their goal wasn’t a fully choreographed performance, but rather a comfortable, confident, and memorable moment that felt natural to them — and, of course, made for beautiful photos.

I’m a big fan of this approach. A little bit of guidance can transform what might otherwise feel like an awkward two minutes into a moment couples genuinely enjoy and remember fondly for the rest of their lives.

Black & White Portrait Studio for Guests

Keaton really wanted to give their guests something unique and special to remember the wedding by. To bring that vision to life, we brought in Four Frames Photobooth, one of Victoria’s best portraiture studios.

They set up a chic black-and-white portrait studio where guests could pop in throughout the evening. It was a huge hit. Guests loved the experience, and the resulting portraits felt stylish, personal, and timeless — a step up from traditional photo booth fun.

The Perfectly Chosen Last Song

For the dance party, Keaton & Karly wanted a DJ who would keep the floor packed from start to finish. I brought in DJ TDM (Michael) of About Town Entertainment, one of my all-time favourites. He did not disappoint. The dance floor was full all night, with no dull moments and an incredible energy that carried right through to the end of the reception.

To close out the evening, the couple chose “Country Roads” by John Denver as their final song. It turned into a heartfelt singalong moment with their families and friends — a sweet, nostalgic way to end the night and a memory they’ll carry forever. I’ll definitely be encouraging more couples to choose a specific end-of-night song (or two) for that same magic.

Karly’s gorgeous late night party dress was from Park & Fifth.

Why This Vancouver Island Wedding Will Stay With Me

In the end, I truly loved everything about this wedding and my favourite takeaways are:

• The couple (truly the heart of it all) – thank you Karly & Keaton for entrusting me with this very special moment!
• The meaningful venue at Brentwood College School
• The lush, elegant florals and décor thanks to French Kiss Events, Rook & Rose, and so many more!
• The thoughtful, elevated food and beverage experience by the Brentwood College Culinary Team
• The music, the dancing, and the joy on the dance floor, thanks to Cascadia Strings and Michael of About Town Entertainment
• The statement bar and lounges
• The portrait studio, stationery, and all the tiny details
• And, of course, that unforgettable oceanside view!

It was meaningful, beautiful, and luxuriously heartfelt — the very best kind of wedding to plan. I will always remember this journey.

XO ~ Brynn

The Vendor Team that brought A Luxe Vancouver Island Wedding for Karly & Keaton to life…

• Officiant: Melinda Orlowski, Young Hip & Married
• Ceremony Venue: Campbell Commons Wedding Site, Brentwood College School, Mill Bay on Vancouver Island
• Reception Venue: Crooks Dining Hall, Brentwood College School, Mill Bay on Vancouver Island
• Photographer: Meghan Hemstra
• Videographer: Slav, Northern Elk Films
• Bar Service: Nimble Bar Co.
• Flowers: Rook & Rose, Erica Smolders
• Design + Decor, Wedding Day Stationery: French Kiss Events ~ Barb Walker
• Makeup: Artistry by Ksenia and Kirsten Sorensen of Summer of George
• Hair: Kharma Salons
• Bride’s Attire: Luxx Nova Bridal Boutique, Ange Etoiles. Park & Fifth late night party dress
• Wedding Cake: Cakes by Ruth & Dean
• DJ: TDM, About Town Entertainment
• Live Music: Cascadia Strings Quartet
• Transportation: Canadian Craft Tours (wedding party bus), Brentwood School Buses x 2 for guest shuttle
• Stationery: Online wedding invitation (couple)
• Caterer: Brentwood College School
• Rentals: Trend Decor (Louie & Bentwood chairs, lounge furniture, sage & white floral table linens), Tabletop Curated Rentals (natural linen stoneware, brushed silver cutlery), Designer Weddings (champagne toile pipe & drape, pillars, uplighting), Decorate Victoria (tree for bar, urns), Black & White Rentals (dance floor), Boom Event Rentals (custom round bar, cocktail bar), Pedersens Rentals (glassware, stoneware, sage linen napkins), Perspective Events (natural linen ivory tablecloths)
• Photobooth: Four Frames Photo Booth

As planned with heart by DreamGroup planner Brynn Belisle

Planning Your Own Vancouver Island or Destination Wedding?

If you’re dreaming of a luxe West Coast wedding on Vancouver Island — whether at Brentwood College School, a winery, an oceanside estate, or a romantic garden venue — DreamGroup is excited to help you bring that vision to life. From venue selection and guest experience to design, logistics, and vendor team curation, our goal is always the same… to create weddings that feel personal, beautiful, and unforgettable for you and your guests.

Contact us at hello@dreamgroup.ca to start planning your own romantic West Coast celebration.

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LOVE IS IN THE AIR!