Cecil Green Park House

Cecil Green Park House feels like Vancouver has hidden an old-world mansion at the edge of the sea.

On the UBC peninsula, the Tudor-style heritage house looks across the Strait of Georgia toward the mountains of Howe Sound, surrounded by private gardens, terraces and winding pathways.

It is the kind of place where the wedding begins before anyone reaches the ceremony.

Guests arrive through the grounds.

The mansion appears between the trees.

And suddenly the city feels much farther away than it really is.

Only one event is scheduled at a time, giving couples exclusive use of the main floor, terraces, garden and surrounding grounds. Outdoor receptions can welcome around 110 guests, while summer indoor receptions can accommodate up to around 140.

The weather does not have to decide the romance either.

A covered terrace and indoor rooms provide beautiful alternatives if rain reaches Vancouver at exactly the wrong moment.

Inside, hardwood floors, detailed plasterwork and a marble-wrapped fireplace carry the history of the house into the celebration.

Then evening settles over the water.

The gardens grow quieter.

Dinner becomes speeches.

And a mansion that felt almost stately during the afternoon fills with music and people dancing.

For a Vancouver wedding, Cecil Green offers something rare.

Old-world romance.

West Coast scenery.

And one house entirely yours for the day.