A wedding at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden feels like stepping into another world, with lantern light on a jade green pond, carved lattice windows and quiet courtyards in the heart of Vancouver's Chinatown.
The garden was the first full scale classical Chinese garden in the Ming dynasty style built outside of China. Local architects worked with the Suzhou Garden Administration on the design, and 53 master craftsmen from Suzhou lived in Vancouver for the 13 months of construction, bringing handmade tiles, pebbles and precious woods with them.
Today it is a registered museum and a Vancouver Heritage Foundation Place That Matters. National Geographic named it the World's Top City Garden in 2011, and it was voted Canadian Garden of the Year in 2012.
Every element is arranged for harmony, and covered walkways, pavilions and courtyards make both indoor and outdoor weddings possible in any season. Couples can rent a single hall or the whole garden, and the setting suits traditional and non traditional ceremonies alike.
For the smallest weddings and elopements, little courtyards are tucked throughout the garden. The Jade Water Pavilion, a covered open air pavilion perched over the pond, holds up to 20, and the Scholar's Study and its courtyard, a secret garden within the garden, welcomes up to 50.
Larger celebrations gather in China Maple Hall and the Main Courtyard, overlooking the pond and the Ting Pavilion, for up to 200 guests. The 1,300 square foot Hall of One Hundred Rivers, home to the garden's rotating art exhibitions, has its own private courtyard and a separate accessible entrance.
The garden is also a lovely backdrop for wedding and engagement photos, and the gift shop offers handmade keepsakes that make memorable wedding favours.
For couples who picture saying their vows beside still water under glowing lanterns, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden offers a wedding rich in history, symbolism and calm beauty.
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