Recently, a few of my fellow wedding planner friends and I were invited to attend a retreat at the swanky Rockwater Secret Cove Resort on the Sunshine Coast. I’ve been wanting to visit Rockwater for years, so needless to say my RSVP was swift and enthusiastic! I took Sabrina along with me for a bit of pampering. The last time we set sail together on Howe Sound, I worked her fingers to the bone at a wedding on Gambier Island, so it was nice to be able to take her on this amazing “glamping” trip as a belated reward! 
An excited bunch of planners set sail from Horseshoe Bay and about an hour and a half later, we walked into the lobby at Rockwater and were greeted by Rhian Williams, the venue’s wonderful onsite Wedding Specialist. (Side note: When you meet someone for the first time and they are pouring you a glass of bubbly, you know it’s going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.) After a delicious welcome reception, Rhian took us on a tour of the resort and there were many ooohs and aaahs as we collectively imagined the beauty of a wedding in this stunning waterfront venue. The fine folks from Gibsons Party Rental had set up a tent for us on the Green, so our imaginations didn’t have to do too much work. We loved their chandeliers!
Here are some handy facts for folks considering a wedding at Rockwater:
- Rockwater can serve up to 140 guests, with scrumptious food highlighting the best of West Coast cuisine and tailored to your preferences.
- In cozy cabins, lodge rooms, and luxury tenthouse suites, 109 lucky guests can spend the night at Rockwater (there are many excellent B&Bs nearby if your guest list exceeds this limit).
- You’ll pay a setup fee of $3.99 per guest; aside from this, there are no rental fees for the use of Rockwater’s ceremony and reception spaces, and tables, chairs, basic linens, and dinnerware are all included in this price.
- For weddings with more than 60 guests, you’ll need to rent a reception tent for the oceanside Green, as the Lodge can only accommodate smaller groups.
After getting the scoop on the wedding packages at Rockwater, it was time to check in to our rooms and enjoy the very Zen atmosphere of the resort. Sabrina and I walked with great anticipation along the forest boardwalk to Tenthouse 60, located right down at beach level, with waves gently lapping below the deck that gave us an unobstructed 180-degree panoramic view of the Malaspina Strait… right from our bed!
Since we had a bit of free time before dinner, there was really no other choice but to fill the tub with bubbles, turn on the jets, pour some wine, don our bathing suits, and commiserate about what a rough work day we were having. 😉 
After a few hours of sheer relaxation, we headed back to the Lodge for a delicious dinner and found a table adorably decked out in cheerful spring colours, with lovely floral arrangements made by Kathryn from Flower Lantern in Davis Bay. Velvety carrot soup followed by fresh, moist halibut, with creme brulee for dessert: why can’t I eat this way all the time!? While we enjoyed our dessert and chatted with new friends, Rhian got a little trivia competition going, based on all we had learned about Rockwater that day. My competitive self is happy to say that I took home a prize—as if the whole day hadn’t been reward enough!
As much as we were having a lovely time, Sabrina and I couldn’t resist turning in for the night rather early. Knowing that that cozy tenthouse—with its heated floors, fireplace, jet tub, and king-size bed with the softest linens—was waiting for us just a few steps away, we sneaked out, got in our PJ’s and had the calmest slumber party of all time.
In the morning, I was woken by the gentle sounds of the waves outside our tent. I got out of bed while Sabrina slept, made myself a cup of coffee, and headed out to the deck to breathe in the fresh ocean air. Packing our bags to check out that morning was so bittersweet! We wondered if they’d notice if we just didn’t leave at all… 😉 The blow was softened somewhat by the absolutely amazing Crabcake Eggs Benedict I enjoyed for brunch, and by the fact that the sun had decided to grace us all with its presence, and we knew it would be a lovely drive back down the coast to Vancouver.
There’s no question that we’ll be visiting Rockwater again, and we would LOVE to be able to plan some weddings there! If you’re interested in learning more about weddings at Rockwater, call Revel Events and we’ll be ecstatic to help you make your magnificent coastal nuptials happen!
Snapshots from Tenthouse 60!
