A wedding at Dalvay by the Sea unfolds in a red sandstone Victorian summer house on the north shore of Prince Edward Island, with Dalvay Lake in view and the sea a short walk away.
The house was built in 1895 by Alexander MacDonald, who named it after his boyhood home in Scotland. Island sandstone forms its lower walls and its huge fireplaces, and the family filled the rooms with oak and mahogany furniture gathered on their travels. Today it is a National Historic Site inside Prince Edward Island National Park, and it has a long tradition of hospitality that began with summer parties for the local community.
The inn has welcomed some famous guests over the years. It appeared as the White Sands Hotel in the 1990s screen adaptations of the Anne stories, and in 2011 Prince William and Catherine held an outdoor reception here during their royal honeymoon tour of the Island.
For weddings, the resort offers a private library, a grand foyer and a formal dining room, and it can host up to 80 guests for a destination celebration. An on-site planning team helps couples shape the day.
The curved dining room, added in keeping with the heritage of the original house, has pine panelling, maple floors and views of Dalvay Lake from every table. The kitchen focuses on fresh, local Island ingredients, and guests can also linger over a drink on the veranda.
Guests can stay in the main lodge or in one of eight three-bedroom cottages, four beside the inn and four along the lake. Between celebrations there is biking, canoeing, kayaking and paddle boating on the lake, hiking, beachcombing, tennis, golf and lawn bowling. The resort is open seasonally from May to October and is about 20 minutes from the Charlottetown Airport.
For couples who picture a small gathering in a storied seaside house, with lake views at dinner and a walk to the beach the next morning, Dalvay by the Sea offers a wedding that feels like a classic Island summer.
We never use a venue’s photos without permission.
