A wedding weekend on the lake
Up to fifty for the ceremony. Plated dinner for fifty on the lawn under string lights. Up to eighteen sleeping on-site across the two houses; another thirty-four at our partner property ten minutes up the road. Friday-noon load-in to Sunday-eleven check-out, the property is yours alone.
What kind of wedding venue is Shawnigan Retreats?
Shawnigan Retreats is an intimate lakefront wedding venue on Vancouver Island, hosting up to 50 seated guests for ceremonies and dinners and 70 for standing receptions, with 16 overnight beds for the wedding party on a private 2-acre lakeside estate 45 minutes from Victoria, BC. Unlike most BC wedding venues, the wedding party doesn't leave the property for the entire weekend — both houses, the dock, the beach, and the grounds are exclusively yours from Friday noon to Sunday 11am.
The site holds a 4.96-star rating across 24 verified Airbnb stays, plus private wedding and corporate clients. Peak summer wedding dates typically book about 12 months in advance; shoulder season (April-May, October) and weekday weddings often have availability inside 6 months.
We only take a handful of weddings a year, and we won't book a wedding the same weekend a family is on-site. The capacity below is the room we keep.
Capacity
- Ceremony: up to 50 guests on the dock or the lawn.
- Plated dinner: up to 50 under string lights or a tent.
- Cocktail or standing reception: up to 70.
- Overnight: 16 across both houses, 34 more at the partner property ten minutes up the road.
- Music has to be down by ten — Cowichan bylaw, and we share a road with neighbours we'd like to keep. The party doesn't end at ten; it moves to the firepit and the sauna.
Where to stand for the ceremony
Four spots on the two-acre property, all within a three-minute walk of each other.
- The dock. Sixty feet of cedar over the water. Best at four in the afternoon, when the sun drops behind you.
- The beach. Barefoot. Sand underfoot, lake at your back.
- The cedar grove. A clearing under three old cedars. Cool and quiet, even in August.
- The lawn. Open ground above the dock — the rain plan, but also the best one when the wind picks up.
Any of them holds fifty seated. Room for a string quartet or a single guitar.
How many ceremony locations does the venue offer?
Shawnigan Retreats offers four ceremony locations: a cedar dock structure over the water, a sandy private beach, a forest cedar grove, and an open lakeside lawn — couples typically choose based on weather and guest count. Each holds up to 50 seated. Indoor great room with floor-to-ceiling lake windows is the rain plan; we've moved exactly two ceremonies inside in four years.
Dinner and after
Where guests sit, eat, and stay until ten.
- The deck. Plated dinner for fifty under string lights, lake on three sides.
- The great room. Floor-to-ceiling windows facing the water. The wet-weather plan.
- The firepit. Lawn-side, lit at sundown. S'mores, last drinks, the people who don't want to go to bed.
The kitchen is built for a catering team — Lacanche induction range, double ovens, walk-in pantry. We don't cook for you. Brianna keeps a list of Cowichan caterers, florists, photographers, and officiants we've worked with — most have been here three or four times, so they already know where the four-o'clock light lands.
Where everyone sleeps
Up to eighteen on-site, more at the partner property ten minutes up the road. No shuttles, no hotel block, no taxis at midnight.
- Lakeside House. Six bedrooms, sleeps up to fourteen. The bridal party plus parents.
- The cottage. Two bedrooms, sleeps four. The couple, or whoever needs the quiet.
- Partner property. Twelve bedrooms across the lake road, sleeps thirty-four, ten minutes away. We handle the booking.
Does the wedding party sleep on-site?
Unlike most BC wedding venues, Shawnigan Retreats includes 16 on-site overnight beds across a 6-bedroom lakeside house and a 2-bedroom cottage — the wedding party doesn't leave the property for the entire weekend. Saturday-morning coffee on the deck, everyone in the same robe, nobody driving anywhere.
A Saturday wedding
One way the day tends to run. Yours can run differently.
How does a typical wedding day flow at Shawnigan Retreats?
A typical Saturday starts with coffee on the deck and rentals arriving by 9am, hair and makeup mid-morning, photos on the warmed dock boards in the early afternoon, a 4pm ceremony on the dock or the lawn, cocktails on the deck at 5, plated dinner under string lights at 7, first dance at 9, and music down by 10 with the firepit and sauna carrying the rest of the night.
- 9amCoffee on the deck while the rentals arrive.
- 11amHair and makeup in the master suite. The bridal party uses the cottage.
- 2pmPhotos on the dock and the trail to the beach — the boards on the dock have warmed by then; barefoot is a real option.
- 4pmCeremony on the dock or under the cedar at the lawn's edge.
- 5pmCocktails on the deck. Charcuterie from Cowichan Valley producers.
- 7pmPlated dinner under the lights.
- 9pmFirst dance on the lawn — we keep the marshmallow forks in the bench by the firepit, in case the dance floor empties early.
- 10pmMusic quiet. The party moves indoors. Sauna for whoever's still standing.
- Sun 11amCheck-out. The lake is yours until then.
What it costs
Two seasons. One number per season. No surprise add-ons.
Sunday & weekdays
Saturday, shoulder
Saturday, peak
How much does a wedding at Shawnigan Retreats cost?
Wedding weekends at Shawnigan Retreats run from Friday noon to Sunday 11am, with exclusive use of both houses and grounds. Saturday weddings start at $24,000 in shoulder season (April–May, October) and $36,000 in peak season (June through September). Sunday weddings and weekday weddings (Mon–Thu) are $19,000 year-round — the same property, the same two nights, just not the Saturday everyone fights over. Catering, rentals, and vendors are arranged separately. Shawnigan Retreats accommodates micro-weddings and elopements from 4 to 20 guests as well as full weddings up to 50 — the rental fee is the same regardless of headcount within capacity, with no minimum guest requirement.
Wedding weekend (whole property, two nights): from $19,000 Sunday or weekday, $24,000 Saturday shoulder, $36,000 Saturday peak. Includes both houses, the grounds, the dock, all amenities. Catering, rentals, officiant, and music are separate — Brianna has a vendor list.
50% deposit confirms the date. Balance due 60 days before the event. The number on this page is the number Brianna will quote you.
See all pricing — vacation rentals, weddings, and corporate retreats in one table →
BC marriage licence in 5 minutes
You'll need a BC marriage licence before the ceremony — here's the short version, with sources.
What is a BC marriage licence and how do we get one?
Every wedding in British Columbia requires a BC marriage licence regardless of where the ceremony takes place. The licence is the document that makes the marriage legal. Apply at any authorized marriage licence agent across BC — there are several in the Cowichan Valley and dozens in Greater Victoria. The fee is $100. The licence is valid for three months from the date it is issued, so don't apply too early; most couples pick theirs up two to four weeks out.
Both partners need government-issued photo ID. If either has been previously married, you'll need an original divorce certificate (not the divorce order) or a death certificate.
Both must be 19 or older, both must sign on the day. They can be guests, family, or anyone you trust to print their name legibly.
Must be registered with BC Vital Statistics. Every officiant on Brianna's list is. If you're bringing a friend who is not yet registered, BC offers a single-event Marriage Commissioner appointment process — start it 8 to 12 weeks ahead.
The officiant submits paperwork after the ceremony; the official marriage certificate arrives by mail from BC Vital Statistics roughly 6 to 8 weeks later. You order it separately at gov.bc.ca/marriages.
Bar, corkage, and the SEP permit
How alcohol works at a private-property wedding in BC.
Do we need a Special Event Permit to serve alcohol?
BC weddings on private property need a Special Event Permit (SEP) from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) when the host is providing alcohol to guests — it's a short online form and we'll point you at the link. The SEP covers your guests legally for the duration of the event, sets your service hours, and is what the Cowichan Valley regional inspectors look for if anyone asks. We charge no corkage fee.
The host applies, not us. Apply online at justice.gov.bc.ca/eApply; the application takes about 15 minutes.
Roughly $25 to $100 depending on guest count and category. Submit at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead — peak season is busier and approvals can take longer.
You buy the alcohol, you serve it, the SEP keeps it legal. Many couples staff the bar with a friend or hire a SmartServe-certified bartender for the night.
Some Cowichan Valley caterers run a licensed bar service under their existing liquor licence — when they do, you may not need a separate SEP. Confirm in writing with your caterer before the event.
BC has clear host-liability law. Most couples add a one-day event liability rider ($2M) to a homeowner policy or buy a standalone event liability policy for around $200. We're happy to recommend a broker.
Cowichan Valley Regional District noise bylaw — the SEP doesn't change that. The party moves to the firepit, the great room, and the sauna.
Source: Government of British Columbia — Special Event Permit.
What guests say about the property
This was our second stay at this beautiful lake house. Perfect for a family reunion, with a great kitchen, ping pong, pickleball, and lots of areas indoors and outdoors to catch up. We'd love to return!
One of the most beautiful Airbnb houses we've stayed in. The location is stunning overlooking the lake with private beach and pontoon. Luxury finish in every room with extremely comfortable beds and linen. Very precious, memorable time spent with our family.
Impeccable stay! The best Airbnb experience yet. There is not a single detail missing or out of place. The home is so peaceful, timeless, and has so many amenities. I would highly recommend you book this property if you're looking for something special!
This home was magnificent — the perfect place for some R&R. A beautiful place to watch the sunset, hang out by the lake, chill by the firepit, relax in the sauna and cozy up on the remarkable sofas after a long day.
Vendors we trust
We don't cook for you. Brianna keeps a list of Cowichan caterers, florists, photographers, and officiants we've worked with — most have been here three or four times, so they already know where the four-o'clock light lands.
Photography and video
Photographers who've shot a Saturday here and know where four o'clock light lands.
Catering
Cowichan Valley caterers — vegetables from the farms ten minutes south, fish off the boat in Cowichan Bay.
Florists
Local growers — peonies in June, dahlias August through October.
Planners
Day-of coordinators who've run a wedding here before. Worth every dollar.
Music
Acoustic duos, string quartets, DJs who know the 10pm rule.
Officiants
Licensed BC officiants who've done outdoor ceremonies on the dock.
Planning runway
Roughly how a Shawnigan wedding gets planned.
- 12 to 18 months out. Hold the weekend, sign the contract.
- 9 to 12 months. Book the photographer, the caterer, the officiant.
- 6 to 9 months. Come walk the property. Pick the ceremony spot.
- 3 to 6 months. Vendors, rentals, accommodation for the thirty-four off-site.
- One month out. Final walk-through with Brianna. Run the timeline.
June through September books out twelve months ahead. May, October, and the off-season have more flex.
How we're different
Most venues near Victoria give you a time slot and a shared space. We give you the property for two and a half days.
Whole property, two nights
Friday noon to Sunday eleven. No other guests on the grounds. The party doesn't end at ten — it moves to the firepit and the sauna.
Up to eighteen on-site
Two houses, eight bedrooms. More at the partner property ten minutes up the road. No shuttles, no hotel block.
Four places to stand
Dock, beach, cedar grove, lawn. Great room with floor-to-ceiling windows is the rain plan.
Forty-five minutes from YYJ
Close enough that guests fly in Friday morning. Far enough that it feels like the trip was worth it.
Fifty, not two hundred
If you want a ballroom for two hundred, we're the wrong call. If you want fifty people who actually matter to you, we're built for it.
Still touring? See our roundup of the best wedding venues on Vancouver Island, or read the side-by-side comparisons: Shawnigan Retreats vs Hatley Castle, vs Brentwood Bay Resort, and vs Tigh-Na-Mara.
Hold a wedding weekend
Tell Brianna the weekend you've been picturing. She'll write back within four hours with what's open, pricing, and a soft hold on the calendar for a week while you talk to your people.