Why Choose Cox Bay Beach for Your Tofino Elopement?

Tofino, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, is the most sought after location on any Vancouver Island itinerary. And for good reason! This tourist town is surrounded by multiple white sand beaches, lush rainforest, and the famous Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with pristine natural west coast landscapes. It is a surfers mecca, a moody storm watchers dream, and a perfect place to sit with your toes in the sand to watch the sunset.

Cox Bay Beach is located within the city of Tofino. It is a wide, sweeping, white sand crescent beach with rolling surf backed by evergreens where cozy beach front lodges and resorts are tucked away. It is flanked by a small hilltop on the south end with the glorious "Cox Bay Lookout" at the summit and a gnarly rocky headland on the north end where waves crash below you as you climb along the black rocks.

With so many beaches in Tofino to choose from, why choose Cox Bay? Here are my top reasons for choosing Cox Bay Beach for your Tofino elopement:

• It has excellent sunset views plus a variety of backdrops for your elopement ceremony and photos. Simply put, it's beautiful!
• It is close to all the amenities that Tofino has to offer including accommodations and restaurants.
• Since Cox Bay Beach is outside the national park reserve, no permit is required for your elopement ceremony.

Tips for Getting Married in Tofino

1. Plan early: The most important tip for planning your Tofino elopement is to plan ahead. Tofino is a very popular destination and as a result, accommodations fill up early. Some resorts book up as early as a year in advance! There are multiple beach front lodges and resorts as well as Airbnb and VRBO options available in town. In Cox Bay, you can say in luxury right along the shore at Pacific Sands Resort. You can also choose to camp in style at Surf Grove Campground which has quick and easy beach access.
2. Avoid the crowds: Choose a date and time outside of the peak tourist season. May, June and September are the best months to elope in Tofino as the weather is still reliably nice but avoids the summer crowds. If possible, plan for a weekday rather than the weekend to further avoid crowds. Booking in the shoulder or off season also helps save on accommodation costs as the prices are always at their highest in July and August.
3. Be prepared for the weather: If there is one thing that you can count on while visiting the west coast, it is a chance of rain! Rather than let the rain scare you away, embrace it and come prepared. Rain brings moody fog that swirls amidst the evergreens, low lying cloud that adds an ethereal feel to the shoreline and makes the greens of the rainforest extra vibrant. And let's face it...clear umbrellas are really, really cute in your photos!

How Roxanne and Wes Brought Their Tofino Elopement to Life

Roxanne and Wes wanted to plan a simple beach elopement that was still special and unique to who they are as a couple. They chose Cox Bay Beach for its rugged beauty and it's easy access to Tofino. To fully enjoy their experience they stayed at Pacific Sand Resort right behind the shoreline where they said their vows so that they could come and go from the beach easily.

They chose to have their ceremony right on the beach in front of the surf with just their parents there to witness their vows to each other. The rain miraculously paused briefly for their ceremony! Following the ceremony they explored the shoreline in the rain and eventually changed out of their wedding clothes and into the rain gear that felt most comfortable to them.

To end the evening, they made dinner reservations at The Pointe at Wickaninnish Inn for a gourmet dining experience with an oceanside view.

See full photos of their elopement below.

Thinking of Eloping on Vancouver Island?

You can check out my full How to Elope on Vancouver Island Guide that will give you all the info on what to consider when eloping on Vancouver Island. And, if you want to read about other fabulous beach elopement options on Vancouver Island, you can read my Top 5 Beach Elopement Locations of Vancouver Island blog post.