What Is It Like Getting Married at Villa Eyrie? A Real Wedding Film From Victoria BC

Getting married at Villa Eyrie means an entire private villa for you and your guests, ocean and mountain views over Saanich Inlet, and one of the most talked-about sunsets on Vancouver Island. If you’re considering it as your wedding venue, here’s what one real wedding day looked like, along with the practical questions couples ask most before booking.

Sanaz and Alex got married at Villa Eyrie this year, and it remains one of the most beautiful, high-energy weddings I’ve filmed. Below is their full wedding film, along with everything I wish every couple knew before saying yes to this venue.

Why do couples choose Villa Eyrie for their wedding?

Villa Eyrie is one of the most unique wedding venues in British Columbia because it gives couples something almost no other venue on Vancouver Island can: the ability to rent out an entire private villa, so every guest stays together in one place for the whole weekend.

Perched above the Malahat with a Tuscan, European feel, Villa Eyrie looks out over Saanich Inlet with mountains on both sides. The sunsets here are consistently some of the most colorful I’ve ever filmed. The on-site restaurant is considered one of the best in the Victoria area, so guests get dinner with a view and breakfast with a view. Several of the guest rooms even have soaker tubs positioned right at the window to take in the scenery.

Villa Eyrie has also hosted enough weddings that they’ve genuinely got it down to a science. The staff service stands out, guests arriving by cab are personally driven up to their villa, and the venue has strong working relationships with vendors across the Island, which keeps the whole day running smoothly.

How many guests can Villa Eyrie hold?

Sanaz and Alex’s wedding had upwards of 80 guests. Villa Eyrie hosts both outdoor ceremonies and outdoor receptions, with large tents available as a rain backup for the reception. Indoor ceremony space exists but is limited to smaller groups. If you’re planning a larger wedding, you’ll want to confirm exact capacity directly with the venue, since it can vary depending on how the space is configured for your day.

Does Villa Eyrie have accommodations for the couple and guests?

Yes. Villa Eyrie has plenty of on-site accommodation, which is one of its biggest advantages as a wedding venue. My honest advice: book as early as possible so your entire guest list can stay on-site together. That’s a big part of what makes a Villa Eyrie wedding feel the way it does, everyone in one place, no one driving home at the end of the night.

When is the best time of year to get married at Villa Eyrie?

Late June through August, and into early September, tend to offer the best light and clearest views. One thing worth knowing: BC’s wildfire season can occasionally bring smoke into the area, which softens the view. Many couples aim for June or early July specifically to get ahead of it. If smoke does roll in, it’s not all bad news for video and photo, it tends to make for even more dramatic, colorful sunsets.

What should couples know before booking Villa Eyrie?

The biggest thing to plan around is the Malahat highway itself. It’s a beautiful drive, but it’s also prone to the occasional accident during busy summer months, and when that happens, it can back up traffic for hours.

At Sanaz and Alex’s wedding, we left almost two hours early as a precaution. There was a crash on the Malahat that day, and we made it just in time after two hours in traffic. The officiant wasn’t as lucky, they were delayed roughly three hours, so the couple had to sign their marriage papers later that evening rather than right after the ceremony.

My advice for any couple booking Villa Eyrie: build in extra time for your vendors and out-of-town guests, and let your guests know to leave earlier than they think they need to. It doesn’t happen on every wedding day, but when it happens, it happens fast.

Weather is the other consideration. Outdoor ceremonies are gorgeous here, but the backup options for rain are limited, so leaning on an experienced planner to have a solid contingency plan matters more at this venue than at most.

How much does a wedding at Villa Eyrie cost?

Wedding costs at Villa Eyrie vary significantly depending on guest count, catering, and accommodations, since the venue includes an on-site restaurant and hotel rooms as part of the experience. Based on the weddings I’ve filmed here, total wedding budgets have ranged widely, with many landing well into six figures once venue, catering, and accommodations are factored in. For an accurate quote, I’d recommend reaching out to Villa Eyrie directly, as pricing depends on your specific day, guest count, and season.

Given how in-demand this venue has become, I’d recommend booking at least two years in advance if you have your heart set on a specific date, especially a weekend.

Is Villa Eyrie a good venue for wedding videography?

Genuinely one of the best I’ve filmed at. The drone shots here are incredible, the natural light is beautiful throughout the day, and there’s enough open space that we’re never fighting a cramped or dimly lit reception room. Between the water, the mountains, and the sunset, this venue does a lot of the work for us.

How far in advance should I book my wedding videographer?

For a wedding at a venue like Villa Eyrie, I’d recommend booking within the year, especially for weekend dates, which tend to fill up one to two years out. Weekday weddings tend to have more availability closer to the date.

I only take on a limited number of weddings each year, roughly twelve, so that every couple gets a fully custom film rather than a cookie-cutter edit, and so I can guarantee delivery within six weeks, every time, without exception.

What’s included in a wedding film package?

For Sanaz and Alex’s wedding, their package included a sneak peek delivered within 72 hours, a wedding trailer, a full wedding film, a documentary-style ceremony video, and a full wedding speeches video, along with a personalized gift sent in the mail at delivery. I also worked closely with their planner ahead of time on timeline, mic’d up key moments throughout the day, and coordinated directly with their DJ.

How long does it take to receive a wedding video?

Six weeks, every time. It’s something I hold myself to strictly, since so much of the value in a wedding film comes from a thoughtful, custom edit rather than a rushed one, but couples shouldn’t have to wait months to relive their day.

Sanaz and Alex’s Wedding Day

This wedding was upbeat, high-energy, classy, and genuinely one of the most fun days I’ve filmed. Sanaz and Alex chose not to do a first look, so their first glimpse of each other happened right at the ceremony, and that emotion carried through the rest of the day. The reception was full of joyful traditions, including a lively cake-cutting moment and a money dance that had the entire room on their feet. Speeches were heartfelt, the dance floor never emptied, and the view from the villa, mountains on one side, water on the other, framed the whole evening in golden light.

Here’s what Sanaz and Alex had to say after they received their sneak peek clip:

“Thank you so much for sending this amazing sneak peek! We had an amazing time. And I wanted to thank you for looking after me on the wedding day as well, when everyone else was caught in the pre-ceremony craziness.”

The Team Behind This Wedding

Planner: Rock Paper Square

Venue: Villa Eyrie

Rentals: Kay & Tee Boutique Rentals

Stationery: Love Letters

Drapery: Designer Weddings

Photography: Georgia Johnston Photography

Videography: Hayley Zumkeller Photography & Videography

Hair: Willow Hairstyles

Makeup: Makeup by Squish

Florals: Folklore Floral

DJ: Ali Fard

Cake: July’s Girl Cake Co.

Tent: Global Tents

Planning Your Own Villa Eyrie Wedding?

If you’re considering Villa Eyrie, or another luxury venue on Vancouver Island, I’d love to help you capture it. You can browse more real weddings on my Wedding Video Page, or Contact Me Here to check availability for your date.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Villa Eyrie a good wedding venue? Yes. It’s one of the most unique wedding venues on Vancouver Island, offering private villa rentals, ocean and mountain views, on-site accommodation for the full guest list, and an award-winning restaurant on-site.

How much does a wedding at Villa Eyrie cost? Costs vary widely based on guest count, catering, and accommodations. Couples should contact Villa Eyrie directly for an accurate quote based on their date and guest list.

How far in advance should I book Villa Eyrie? Given its popularity, booking at least two years in advance is recommended, especially for weekend dates.

Is Villa Eyrie good for wedding photography and videography? Yes. The venue offers sweeping mountain and ocean views, excellent natural light, and spacious indoor and outdoor areas, making it a strong choice for both photo and film.

What should I know before booking Villa Eyrie? Plan extra travel time for guests and vendors, since the Malahat highway can occasionally see delays from accidents during peak summer months. Also plan a solid rain contingency with your planner, since outdoor ceremony backup space is limited.