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Weddings

About

The Vancouver Aquarium is quite possibly the most authentic and unique venue in the entire city of Vancouver. Imagine feasting and dancing with a natural backdrop of thousands of colourful, tropical fish and marvelous aquatic life. Weddings of all sizes are welcome as the Aquarium has the facilities and space to host large formal weddings or smaller, intimate weddings. Did you want impressive photos of your celebration too? Then look no further than this venue full of sea life.

Facilities and capacity

The whole venue has over 100,000 square feet of event space nestled amongst a stunning world full of marine life all around you. The facilities offered include the following spaces, all with plated dinner options upon request:

  • Entire Aquarium: This space has a capacity for up to 600 for a seated dinner and up to 2,000 for a cocktail reception.
  • Main Building Enhanced: This area has a capacity for up to 500 guests for a seated dinner and up to 1,300 for a cocktail reception.
  • Main Building: This area has a capacity for up to 300 guests for a seated dinner and up to 600 for a cocktail reception.
  • Full Top Floor: This floor can accommodate up to 250 guests for a seated dinner and up to 500 for a cocktail reception.
  • 3/4 Top Floor: This space has a capacity for up to 150 guests for a seated dinner and up to 350 for a cocktail reception.
  • Canaccord: This gallery has a capacity of 140 for a seated dinner and up to 200 guests for cocktail reception.
  • 1/2 Top Floor: This space has a capacity of 105 guests for seated dinner and up to 180 for a cocktail reception.
  • Steller's Bay: This space is also great for a small wedding of 100 guests for a seated dinner and 130 for a cocktail reception.
  • Courtyard: This outdoor space can be used for your ceremony or an outdoor reception of 225 guests for a seated dinner and 500 for a cocktail reception.
  • Upper Teck (Teck Connections): This gallery has a capacity for up to 100 guests for a seated dinner and 200 for a cocktail reception.
  • Lower Teck (Teck Engagement) Gallery: This space is ideal for a smaller wedding of up to 80 guests for a seated dinner and up to 175 for a cocktail reception.
  • Changing Tides (NEW SPACE!): Can seat up to 160 guests and 200 for a cocktail reception

Services offered

Vancouver Aquarium offers a number of services to make your event perfect. The services offered include:

  • Head table, cake table, signing & gift table, DJ station
  • Set up & Takedown
  • 60” round, high top & low bistro tables
  • White folding chairs
  • Black or White Linen
  • China & flatware
  • Oceanic centerpieces
  • Wi-Fi within the venue
  • Use of In-house Screens (within the Gallery you have rented, excluding 360-degree screens)
  • Table Number Frames
  • Tea Light Candles
  • Standard background music
  • Easel for seating chart
  • Unmanned Coat Check
  • Pipe/drape set-up x1
  • Complete Floor Plan
  • Staffing Labour Costs
  • Guided and non-guided site tour of the venue
  • Event Planner
  • Banquet Coordinator on-site for the duration of your event

Cuisine

The culinary team at the Vancouver Aquarium, led by renowned Executive Chef Ned Bell creates a wide range of delicious dishes full of West Coast flavour. Their aim is to offer a fine dining experience which is as amazing as the venue itself. All food is sustainably sourced whenever possible for their farm-to-table approach to deliciously served dishes.

Other services

As a stunning aquarium, this venue can also offer other activities that will enhance your special day. These include:

  • Educational Steller Sea Lion program
  • Otter Feed
  • Thrilling 4-D Experience Theatre
  • Hands-on Learning at the Wet Lab
  • Penguin meet and greet
  • Shark Talk
  • Jellyfish Feed
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Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

50

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

7

Describe your venue:

Banquet hall
Park/zoo

Describe the style of your venue:

Classic
Coastal
Eclectic
Glamorous
Modern
Nautical
Tropical

What kind of settings are available?

Covered outdoor
Indoor
Uncovered outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal shower
Engagement party
Rehearsal dinner

What event services do you offer?

Catering / bar
Event planning
Event rentals
Lighting / sound
Outside vendors
Set up

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail reception
Dessert
Family style
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash bar
Champagne toast
House beer
House wine
House liquor
Limited bar
Liquor license
Open bar
Premium liquor
Signature drink
Specialty wine

What event items are available?

Audio equipment
Centerpieces
Dance floor
Decor
Drapery
Lighting
Chairs
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair access

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$3,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$3,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$1,200

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$1,200

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Set up
Event planning
Chairs
Tables
Linens
China
Flatware
Glassware

What is the average catering price per person for plated service?

$65

What is the average catering price per person for buffet service?

$70

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$45

What is the average catering price per person for hors d'oeurves?

$35

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Server(s)

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$28

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Limited bar
Open bar
House beer
House wine
House liquor
Bartenders
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Any other questions?

Reviews for Vancouver Aquarium

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5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
1 review
100% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
Frederick
Frederick V. Sent on 19/07/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Made our "Little" Mermaid Wedding-theme possible!

As a recent immigrant, I only had a limited number of people who can join me and my (now) wife to celebrate our marriage, and given that we're both fans of The Little Mermaid, we really wanted to do it in the Vancouver Aquarium which we thought might be problematic for us given that we were only around 10 people and it's impractical to book the whole place. Fortunately, the events coordinator (Emma) allowed us to hold our wedding during their open hours so all we really needed was to buy the tickets. Emma was very accommodating to our questions and requests, even toured us around the aquarium during our ocular to see the best place to cordon off for our small ceremony and suggested the best day and time to do it on. On the day itself, Emma helped us throughout the ceremony by escorting us and helping create an intimate atmosphere despite other aquarium visitors being there. Overall, I would recommend the Vancouver Aquarium to couples who want to hold an intimate and magical wedding. It will be exposed to the public for sure if you go the same route as we did, but I'm personally proud to celebrate our love in front of everyone so it was never an issue. When the time comes to renew our vows, we're definitely considering doing it again in the Vancouver Aquarium.
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Cocktail Reception Menu
Buffet Dinner Menu
Plated Dinner Menu
Wine List

Map

845 Avison Way V6G 3E2 Vancouver (British Columbia)
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