If you’re looking for a place to elope in Vancouver that combines urban and natural settings, mountain views and beach views, greenery and water – plus a venue that’s not overly crowded or hard to get to – we think we’ve found it all for you at Trout Lake Park!
A Trout Lake Park elopement in Vancouver is perfect for couples who want a bit of everything and who want to get married in the heart of the city. The park offers stunning backdrops to your wedding photos, easy access via car or transit, and a fun neighbourhood to celebrate your elopement after the fact!
Keep reading to hear why we love Trout Lake Park elopements!
All about Trout Lake Park in Vancouver
Trout Lake Park is located in East Vancouver and acts as a hub for the neighbourhood. It’s home to Trout Lake Beach, Trout Lake Community Centre, playgrounds, sports fields, nature paths, off-leash dog parks, and more.
In the summer, expect to find lots of people out enjoying Trout Lake Park. Besides the usual offerings, the park has a weekend farmers market and hosts outdoor concerts in the summer. Summer’s end is marked with a lantern procession with fun for the whole family.
Trout Lake Park is also known as John Hendry Park, named after the founder of BC Mills, a major lumber company that opened in 1875.
Real weddings in Trout Lake Park: Mason & Hana
As Vancouver wedding officiants, we’ve had the pleasure of marrying a number of couples at Trout Lake. One elopement story we’d love to share with you is Mason and Hana’s!
Mason and Hana came to Vancouver from Minnesota to elope with us. They knew they wanted to get married in Vancouver, but they weren’t sure where. We suggested Trout Lake Park and it ended up being the perfect destination.
Hana and Mason wanted to have a bit of nature and some urban surroundings for their wedding photos. Trout Lake Park is the perfect mix of both!
Vancouver Wedding Officiant Jane and Emily (of Emily Nicole Photos) were thrilled to meet Mason and Hana at Trout Lake in East Vancouver. Complete with a lake, mountain views, a beach, willow trees, maple trees and an awesome modern building (the Trout Lake Community Center), Mason and Hana had all the options for their Vancouver elopement.
This funky and fun couple had a blast tying the knot with us! We even found local park-goers to stand in as their witnesses.
Why we love Trout Lake Park for a Vancouver elopement
If you’ve thought about eloping in a park in Vancouver, you might be thinking of Stanley Park. And while we love Stanley Park elopements, Vancouver is home to many other beautiful parks perfect for an elopement.
We especially love Trout Lake because of the diverse backdrops available to you. Whether you want to tie the knot on the beach, under the trees, against a cool concrete building or with the mountains behind you, you have all the options available at Trout Lake Park.
We also love Trout Lake because it’s not as crowded as Stanley Park. You’ll have an easier time finding parking and it’s better suited to small children and furry friends, if you’re bringing kids or dogs along to your Vancouver elopement.
What you need to know to plan your Trout Lake Park elopement
As per the City of Vancouver website, to hold your wedding in a park, you will need a park wedding ceremony permit. However, because Trout Lake Park is not one of the city’s designated outdoor wedding sites (as of March 2024), they instead require you to obtain a special events permit.
You can learn more about park wedding permits, including the list of designated wedding sites and permit fees, here.
Note that permits are not required to take wedding photos, as long as you’re not setting up any equipment. It’s also worth noting that not all couples choose to obtain permits for quick elopements.
More of our favourite elopement locations in Vancouver
While we love a Trout Lake Park elopement, there are tons of other places you can get married in Vancouver. Check out some more of our favourite elopement locations in the posts below and don’t forget to book your Intimate Elopement + Photography package with us!
