Elegant North Vancouver Polygon Gallery Wedding

Wedding

Oct 28

The Polygon Gallery is definitely high on my list of the best North Vancouver wedding venues. It can be dressed up or kept super minimalistic, and it is stunning either way! It’s always fun to see what couples choose to do with the space, so I was beyond excited to photograph Megan and Cam’s August wedding, and wow, it turned out incredible!

It was also a special wedding for me as Megan and Cam found me through a word of mouth referral. I photographed a family friend’s wedding, Megan and Cam fell in love with the photos and got in contact with me shortly after.

Getting Ready and First Look at the Douglas Hotel

Megan and Cam’s wedding day started at the Douglas Hotel in Vancouver, BC. The elegant and modern atmosphere beautifully complemented the vibe of their wedding, making it the perfect spot for them to get ready. The Douglas Hotel is centrally located nearby The Parq Casino area of Vancouver, meaning easy access to many of Vancouver’s major landmarks, plus it’s very convenient for any guests coming from out of town.

After Megan’s Mom helped her get into her dress, she did a first look with her Dad. I absolutely loved capturing this moment; everyone in the room was in tears. Megan also did a first look with her best friend, which was so sweet and fun! I would highly recommend asking your wedding planner to work special moments like these into your timeline.

Megan and Cam’s first look took place in The Loft, one of the hotel’s gorgeous and well-appointed suites. The suite features a staircase in front of a massive window that allows in tons of natural light. A baby grand piano beneath the stairs adds a luxurious touch. Depending on the feel of your wedding, there are so many spots in the Douglas Hotel that would be amazing for a first look or portraits! The hotel even features an urban rooftop park on the sixth floor.

A Timeless Wedding Portrait Session in Downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park

Although we had some setbacks with the portrait location (Megan and Cam’s original choice was no longer available), we were able to pivot and capture some incredible shots! Their wedding planner, Brynn from Dreamgroup Weddings & Events, built a generous buffer into their timeline (seriously, a wedding planner is a MUST, and I have a list of the best wedding planners in Vancouver if you need recommendations), so we were able to capture a mix of both urban and outdoor portraits.

We first headed out into downtown Vancouver, where I captured some gorgeous and timeless shots of the couple in front of the arched windows and pillars of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and the Vancouver Art Gallery. We even managed to get the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery to ourselves for a few pictures!

En route to the North Shore, we ventured into Stanley Park. The park offers so many incredible locations for wedding pictures, and it’s absolutely massive, so you have to go in with a plan of where to shoot. Since Megan and Cam are from out of town, I took care of scouting the location the week before their wedding. We ended up shooting among the towering trees before moving to the Rose Garden, where the flowers were in full bloom.

Signature Details that Made this Polygon Wedding Incredibly Memorable

Both the ceremony and the reception were held at The Polygon Gallery in the Shipyards district on Vancouver’s North Shore. The Polygon is the largest photographic gallery in Western Canada and can accommodate up to 180 guests for seated dinners and up to 600 guests for stand-up receptions.

The Polygon offers fantastic views of Burrard Inlet and downtown Vancouver. It’s especially stunning at night with the lights of downtown sparkling from across the water. The Polygon has a modern atmosphere and features sleek, contemporary architecture, floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and an abundance of natural light. The venue rental includes several spaces that can be utilized for your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. My favourite spot for cocktail hour is on the Main Floor Gallery, where you can enjoy some of the current art exhibitions. During nice weather, your guests can mingle outside on the patio in the fresh ocean air.

In my opinion, the best thing about the Polygon is that it is a blank slate for couples to create their dream wedding. Megan and Cam chose to let the venue shine and prioritized a few signature elements, including an incredible statement floral piece. They skipped table flowers to make it happen, which added to the minimalist, modern vibe of their wedding. Their florist, Dushan Flowers, absolutely nailed the enormous greenery and floral installation, which doubled as a backdrop for the ceremony and reception. Of course, we took a ton of pictures in front of it too!

For the seating chart, Megan and Cam created a wall of handwritten cards. One for each of their guests! Their guests took these home in lieu of traditional wedding favours. I can’t imagine how long it must have taken the couple to write all of these, but it was well worth it. It was such a thoughtful and personal touch.

Megan and Cam’s Polygon wedding reception was exceptionally elegant, and everyone was dressed to the nines. But elegant doesn’t mean stuffy, everyone (including me) had SO MUCH FUN! The energy on the dance floor was incredible. For a late night snack, Megan and Cam brought in McDonalds with customized “McMarried” stickers on each of the burgers. I would recommend sitting down with your significant other and brainstorming some fun and unique ideas for your own wedding. The signature details are what everyone remembers and will make the day really feel like yours!

Kind Words from the Couple

After their wedding, Megan and Cam left me the sweetest review:

“Sara is an expert at capturing emotion behind the lens. Our wedding photos are spectacular - the album is beautiful, powerful, and you can truly feel the emotion in every photo. Sara’s laid-back approach to wedding photography helped calm our nerves on the big day and resulted in some of the most incredible wedding photos we have ever seen.”

Megan and Cam’s Polygon wedding was a highlight of my wedding season that year. I’m so glad I got to be a part of their celebration and capture all of their beautiful moments.

Four Insider Tips for Your Polygon Gallery Wedding

The Polygon is a blank space and couples can truly create their dream Vancouver wedding here. It always looks incredible whether you prefer to keep it minimal or totally transform the space.
You’ll need to bring in pretty much everything from rentals to decor at the Polygon, but that means you get to hand-pick every little detail! Your wedding planner should be able to provide a list of the best Vancouver wedding vendors for this venue.
If you have a lot of guests from out of town, they will most likely be staying downtown. Making sure everyone gets back over the bridge can be a bit of a logistical challenge. It’s a good idea to have a plan for the end of the night.
Since the Polygon is a public art gallery, your wedding will need to take place after opening hours. The venue recommends 5:45 as the earliest arrival time for your guests, which means you will get to catch the sunset and see the city lights sparkle across the water!