Where Can You Have a Helicopter Wedding in BC?

where Can You have a helicopter wedding in bc?

If you’ve decided you want to get married by helicopter in British Columbia, the next question is usually: okay, but where can we actually go?

Hi, I’m Jude, an ex-Tour Director turned elopement planner who has gotten helicopters in a few countries.. Here in Canada, I’ve flown around BC and Alberta. There are helicopter elopement locations throughout BC, but I work primarily in the Sea to Sky, between Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton. I’m a Sea to Sky girlie through and through, so I’m going to tell you about the Squamish and Whistler options - because, mountains!

No shade whatsoever to the city-based helicopter companies. There are beautiful places to fly from Vancouver and the Fraser Valley too. But if what you’re picturing is endless mountains, glaciers, turquoise alpine lakes and that properly wild BC feeling, I love flying in the Coastal Mountains out of the Sea to Sky.

The five main location options I recommend are:

● Tantalus Range - flying from Squamish

● Marriage Lake - flying from Whistler (and aptly named)

● Beverley Lake- flying from Whistler

● Ispoot Glacier- flying from Whistler

● Rainbow Mountain- flying from Whistler

And yes, there are other possibilities too. I’ve been as far as the Elaho Ice Caves, and some helicopter operators who allow you to submit the GPS coordinates, as long as they’re out of the park boundaries.

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TANTALUS RANGE

Best for: huge rugged mountains, glaciers and that classic “we just landed in the middle of nowhere” feeling.

Where is it: The range rises directly west of Squamish and is packed with sharp granite peaks, snowfields and glaciers. The Jim Haberl Hut sits high in the range on the Serratus-Dione Col at approximately 6,600 feet, surrounded by serious alpine terrain.

Hows it feel: So back to the view. This one feels rugged: You have dramatic rocky terrain, glacier views, enormous peaks and cinematic.

Note: there is a possibility of seeing hikers here. Actually, the first time I landed here, I got off the helicopter just to find my neighbor hanging out after walking up there for 14 hours. (I obviously said “how are your legs, it only took me 15 minutes to get here”) Despite the fact there may be hikers in the vicinity, they’re very respectful, and are too busy taking in the view of their summit and want to give you privacy.

MARRIAGE LAKE

Best for: turquoise water, reflections, and a tranquil alpine lake feeling.

Where is it: Located in the Pemberton area, on the north face of Mt Curie. You fly out of the Whistler heliport, and if the conditions allow, you fly over Wedgemount Lake.

How it feels: This is probably my personal favourite. Marriage Lake has such a lovely turquoise color to the water and gives you a completely different look from some of the rockier glacier locations. There is a little pond-like section of water near the landing area where you can get beautiful reflections of the two of you and the surrounding mountains in the water. As proven by the photo of my bride doing the worm, because she IS THAT FREAKING COOL.

Note: Each year’s conditions will dictate exactly what location we can land in, and when - it can depend on snow melt and such. So, this spot is generally best from July into the fall. I’ve also jumped in the lake with one of my couples and it was surprisingly warm. HIGHLY encourage my couples to jump in the lake, if they feel like it - it was so memorable and made it one of my all time favorite elopements ever.

BEVERLY LAKE

Best for: an alpine lake with trees, mountains and a little more variety in the landscape.

Where is it: Beverley Lake sits on the north side of Rainbow Mountain, in the Callaghan area near Whistler. You fly out of the Whistler heliport.

How’s it feel: This one feels a little softer and greener than some of the more rugged glacier locations. You still get that remote alpine feeling, but instead of being surrounded by nothing but rock and ice, you have a beautiful blue lake, forested edges and mountain views in every direction. It’s a lovely option if you want your photos to have a bit more variety, with water, trees, rock and peaks all in one place. Also, the reflection in the little ponds here are beautiful!

Note: Beverley Lake is generally available from June through September, although it can still look very wintry in June and the lake may not fully thaw until July. The landing area is also larger than some of the other options, which can make it a good choice if you’re planning a multi-flight wedding with guests. I had a couple who were torn between this and marriage lake. They ultimately decided to go for Beverley, but extend their time by 30 minutes (at an additional cost) and it was so lovely! They had time to get to some extra viewpoints.

ISPOOT GLACIER

Best for: wild, rugged, dramatic glacier scenery and a landscape that feels seriously remote.

Where is it: Ispoot is north of Whistler and is the furthest of these established landing locations. The lake sits between a sprawling glacier and a hanging glacier, so the entire setting feels very glacial and alpine.

How’s it feel: Rugged, barren and properly wild. This is probably the location I’d steer you toward if your vision is less “pretty alpine lake” and more “how on earth did we get here?” You’ve got exposed rock, turquoise water and that huge hanging glacier sitting above the lake. It has that dramatic, almost otherworldly feel.

Note: Ispoot is generally available from June into October. Early in the season, the lake may still be partially frozen and the landscape can look quite wintry, while fresh snow is possible again by October.

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RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

Best for: snow, glaciers and huge mountain views in every direction.

Where is it: Rainbow Mountain is west of Whistler, with helicopter departures from the Whistler heliport. It’s one of the best options if you want that classic Coast Mountains look, with snowy ridgelines and peaks stretching out around you.

How’s it feel: This is the one for couples who want to step out of the helicopter and feel completely surrounded by mountains. Rather than having one lake or glacier as the main feature, the appeal is the full 360-degree alpine panorama. In winter especially, it can feel incredibly dramatic, with snow underfoot and mountains in every direction.

Note: Rainbow Mountain relies on suitable snowpack for landing, so it’s very seasonal. It’s generally considered a winter-to-summer location, but hot summers can cause the glacier and snowpack to recede significantly, which is why the exact landing spot and availability can change from year to year. I’ve been up in May, as the snow is melting, and each step we took saw us sink to our mid-calf, haha, so we did the ceremony on some of the rocky spots. When you inquire, we will talk about weather!

CAN WE CHOOSE OUR OWN HELICOPTER LANDING LOCATION?

Potentially, yes! The five locations above are established options, which makes planning considerably easier because the pilots know the terrain and operators already understand the landing requirements. But they are definitely not the only mountains out there.

Some helicopter companies will allow us to submit GPS coordinates for a location we’d like them to consider. Any custom location needs to be assessed by the helicopter company and pilot, and access can depend on park boundaries and permits, terrain, restrictions, landing conditions and the season.

I’ve also flown to locations farther afield, including the Elaho Ice Caves, and there are plenty of incredible alpine areas throughout the Sea to Sky that aren't standard wedding landing sites. So there you go, a summary of the most common spots!

FAQ’s

I get asked about Lake Lovely Water often - and I completely understand why, I’ve done a ceremony here before and it was stunning. (Also, the lake was pretty warm to swim in!) It sits high in the Tantalus Range above Squamish and is spectacularly beautiful.
There is a catch for elopements. Lake Lovely Water isn't one of the standard quick fly-in, get-married, fly-home locations I normally use for a same-day helicopter elopement, as there is a regulation that means you must stay overnight, rather than have a same day drop off/ pick up. So it can potentially become more of an overnight elopement adventure rather than a traditional 45-60 minute heli landing.
If Lake Lovely Water is the location that made you fall in love with the idea of getting married in Squamish, email me, and I’ll talk you through it.
This is probably the most important question to ask when planning a helicopter elopement. Every helicopter elopement package I plan has a Plan B built in from the beginning. Realistically, with helicopters, I usually have a Plan C and D floating around too.
Weather is one reason a helicopter may not be able to fly. Visibility, cloud, wind and conditions at the landing location all matter, and ultimately the pilot makes the safety call. There is another possibility, and that would be due to wildfires.
Many of the helicopters operating in the Sea to Sky are also working aircraft and may be placed on standby or called in to assist with wildfire efforts further afar, even if it doesn’t look smokey locally. That means we could theoretically have a beautiful sunny day with perfectly decent visibility and still discover that our aircraft isn't available.
This is why I don't wait until your wedding morning to start thinking about alternatives. If conditions are clear but the helicopter isn't available, I have other ways of getting you to places with those huge BC mountain views. And if the weather itself is the problem, we switch gears completely. AND THEN, another possibility - the helicopter can still fly, but if they’re unable to land up top on the mountain, there is a beautiful valley landing location where you can see the mountains behind you. See photo to the left by Chelsea Abram, and this video!
Rain doesn't mean we're getting married in a hotel room (although, we once did use it as an excuse to get very vibey hotel photos at the Fairmont - the couple jumping on the bed with their dog, and kissing in the elevator were SO fun!)
I keep a collection of sheltered outdoor options throughout the Sea to Sky specifically for days like this: cute covered huts, beautiful forest locations and other outdoor spots where you can still have a genuinely gorgeous wedding without standing completely exposed in pouring rain. Your Plan B should still feel like somewhere you would actually be excited to get married. I’ve also been able to pivot the date, if couples were local or had a window of a few days. Once, we shifted it by one day… Another time, we shifted it by two weeks. We can discuss this when you inquire.
It depends enormously on the location. There isn't one universal “helicopter elopement season.” I’ve seen gorgeous sunny days in January and atmospheric rivers in August, so while summer months are typically safer than winter months, anything can happen at any time, with this PNW weather!
Rainbow Mountain requires suitable snowpack. Marriage Lake needs enough time to thaw. Beverley can still look very snowy in June. Ispoot can shift from snow and ice into much more exposed rock and wildflowers as the summer progresses.
That's why I normally recommend choosing the landscape you want first, then choosing the month that gives us the best chance of finding it. Seasonal conditions change every year, so I’m going to keep my answer a little vague here and encourage you to email me :)
Yes, depending on conditions and the landing location. Rainbow Mountain and Ispoot are two of the options I would look at if glacial scenery is a major part of your vision. The exact landing site is always determined by the helicopter operator and pilot based on current conditions.
Absolutely. If turquoise water is high on your wish list, I would start with Marriage Lake, Beverley Lake or Ispoot.
Yes. The number depends on the helicopter and operator, and larger groups can be transported using multiple flights. I’ve had two helicopters fly and land side by side before, but I most often see the same machine go back and forth to shuttle guests in.
A standard wedding landing is commonly around 45 minutes, although additional landing time can often be added. If you have budget for the extra time, I highly recommend it!
45 minutes is enough time for a thoughtfully planned ceremony and portraits, especially when your photographer and officiant are used to helicopter weddings. If you want personal vows, champagne, lots of wandering around for photos or simply don't want to watch the clock quite as closely, extending the landing can be worthwhile.
My 2027 pricing is below- but note there is a variance. This is due to what landing location you select, and which vendors you go with. Let’s jump on a video call and I can give you a break down.
Inclusions: Expert planning, wedding officiant, ceremony + legals, professional photography, florals, hair + make up, and the helicopter flight.
The average spend is $5,750 - 8,500 + gst
Option to add video, extended landing time, or change the inclusions to suit you.
Choosing the helicopter is actually the easy part. My all-inclusive helicopter elopement packages can include planning, your helicopter flight, photography, officiating, florals, hair + make up, and all of the behind-the-scenes logistics, with backup plans already figured out long before we know what the mountains are going to throw at us.
If you're dreaming about getting married somewhere in the Coast Mountains, tell me what you want it to feel like. I'll help you figure out where to fly.

LET’S DO THIS THING!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hi, I’m Jude! 👋 I’m the founder of ELOPE Squamish, a local wedding officiant and elopement planner specialising in intimate weddings and adventure elopements throughout Squamish, Whistler and the Sea to Sky.

I started guiding people as a Tour Director through 30 or so countries. In 2021, I started work as an elopement planner - I’ve flown in helicopters around the world, but the Coast Mountains have a special place in my heart. I’ve explored many of BC’s helicopter landing locations firsthand, married couples on glaciers and beside alpine lakes, and even jumped into Marriage Lake with one of my couples!

These days, I help couples find their dream mountain wedding location, connect with brilliant local vendors, and navigate all the logistics, from helicopter flights and landing times to those all-important weather backup plans. Think of me as your local mountain-loving friend who knows a thing or two about getting you married somewhere spectacular.