Shared experiences bring friends, family and happy couple together
Tofino and Long Beach Lodge Resort are the ties the bind for newlyweds
A fun chronology of a friendship that blossomed into a romance and marriage was recently shared by Helen Pratt and Jeff Hope in the Vancouver Sun.From college classmates to a chance job interview, employment and a shared love for Tofino culminating in a wedding at Long Beach Lodge Resort.
Enjoy!
All about love, location
Couple opt for ‘magical’ Tofino to tie the knot because it’s their ‘favourite place to relax’
By Jane Mundy
Special to The Sun
January 14, 2016
When Helen and Jeff, both 49, decided to get married, they knew exactly where to have their wedding. “As soon as Jeff proposed to me, we thought about having a spring wedding in Tofino,” says Helen, who first met Jeff in college. They then worked together for several years before getting romantically involved. So it wasn’t “love at first sight” but Jeff fell in love with Tofino at first sight.
Jeff
Helen showed up for a job interview in 2004 but I didn’t know who she was until after she was hired and showed me her college photo. Her hair was different. We worked together in Vancouver until I moved back to Toronto in 2008. When I came to Vancouver occasionally on business we would get together for a glass of wine. We were both divorced by then. I told Helen how I had recently gone to Italy alone but it would have been great to go with someone. “How about we give it a shot, next time we meet I’ll take you out for dinner?” I asked. I thought Helen was the cat’s meow, but I didn’t think the feeling was mutual — yet.
Helen
I was surprised when Jeff asked me out for dinner — I thought we were just friends. It took me a few days to answer his text; I had to get my head wrapped around the idea that this could be more than a friendship. We booked two rooms at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and agreed it was so much fun that we had to do it again.
Jeff
I jumped for joy when Helen said yes to dinner. It was 1:30 a.m. in Toronto and my dog fell off the bed. We had separate rooms in Whistler because I didn’t want to wreck a good friendship. By the time we met four weeks later in San Francisco, I was in love.
Helen
After San Francisco we went to Tofino for Christmas.
It has become our favourite place to relax and we both agree it’s a magical place.
We drove to Coombs and I introduced Jeff to the goats on the roof. We walked Tofino’s beaches and drank wine with wonderful dinners. The fire was lit, and not only in our room.
Jeff
We called Helen’s kids (aged 18 and 20) from Tofino and asked if we could stay one more night.
It is so laid back. We would sit and read while listening to and watching the surf — I’ve since taken up surfing. There are some great restaurants, such as Wolf in the Fog. And the journey is fun: I like the ferry ride and lunch at the Cuckoo in Coombs.
Helen
After our 18-month long distance relationship, Jeff moved to Vancouver and proposed to me in September 2014. We decided to have a destination wedding on Dec. 29, when everyone had time to rest after Christmas and it was only one day of travel to Tofino.
Because this wasn’t our first marriage, we wanted to keep it simple and our 13 guests, including my 82-year-old dad, stayed at Long Beach Lodge Resort.
Our party bus was waiting outside the Duke Point ferry terminal and I had my playlist ready — woohoo! Jeff and the dog went ahead in the car and we met, as usual, for a long lunch in Coombs. Everyone crawled back on the bus and we pulled into the Lodge around 4 p.m.
The Lodge’s wedding planners arranged everything, from the Justice of the Peace to my bouquet to table decor. And chef Ian Riddick created a wonderful menu.
We spent five days in the spectacular penthouse along with Beau, our five-month-old puppy.
Next day there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. While my girlfriends and I sipped champagne, I had my hair and makeup done. Just before the 1 p.m. ceremony, the photographer set up the ‘first look,’ where the groom first sees his bride. I walked down the staircase and we frolicked on the beach with my heels on. The bottom of my dress was wet and muddy and I didn’t care.
Dad walked me down the aisle and everyone was teary-eyed.
Next Christmas we’ll celebrate our first anniversary in Tofino.
By Jane Mundy
Special to The Sun
January 14, 2016
When Helen and Jeff, both 49, decided to get married, they knew exactly where to have their wedding. “As soon as Jeff proposed to me, we thought about having a spring wedding in Tofino,” says Helen, who first met Jeff in college. They then worked together for several years before getting romantically involved. So it wasn’t “love at first sight” but Jeff fell in love with Tofino at first sight.
Jeff
Helen showed up for a job interview in 2004 but I didn’t know who she was until after she was hired and showed me her college photo. Her hair was different. We worked together in Vancouver until I moved back to Toronto in 2008. When I came to Vancouver occasionally on business we would get together for a glass of wine. We were both divorced by then. I told Helen how I had recently gone to Italy alone but it would have been great to go with someone. “How about we give it a shot, next time we meet I’ll take you out for dinner?” I asked. I thought Helen was the cat’s meow, but I didn’t think the feeling was mutual — yet.
Helen
I was surprised when Jeff asked me out for dinner — I thought we were just friends. It took me a few days to answer his text; I had to get my head wrapped around the idea that this could be more than a friendship. We booked two rooms at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and agreed it was so much fun that we had to do it again.
Jeff
I jumped for joy when Helen said yes to dinner. It was 1:30 a.m. in Toronto and my dog fell off the bed. We had separate rooms in Whistler because I didn’t want to wreck a good friendship. By the time we met four weeks later in San Francisco, I was in love.
Helen
After San Francisco we went to Tofino for Christmas.
It has become our favourite place to relax and we both agree it’s a magical place.
We drove to Coombs and I introduced Jeff to the goats on the roof. We walked Tofino’s beaches and drank wine with wonderful dinners. The fire was lit, and not only in our room.
Jeff
We called Helen’s kids (aged 18 and 20) from Tofino and asked if we could stay one more night.
It is so laid back. We would sit and read while listening to and watching the surf — I’ve since taken up surfing. There are some great restaurants, such as Wolf in the Fog. And the journey is fun: I like the ferry ride and lunch at the Cuckoo in Coombs.
Helen
After our 18-month long distance relationship, Jeff moved to Vancouver and proposed to me in September 2014. We decided to have a destination wedding on Dec. 29, when everyone had time to rest after Christmas and it was only one day of travel to Tofino.
Because this wasn’t our first marriage, we wanted to keep it simple and our 13 guests, including my 82-year-old dad, stayed at Long Beach Lodge Resort.
Our party bus was waiting outside the Duke Point ferry terminal and I had my playlist ready — woohoo! Jeff and the dog went ahead in the car and we met, as usual, for a long lunch in Coombs. Everyone crawled back on the bus and we pulled into the Lodge around 4 p.m.
The Lodge’s wedding planners arranged everything, from the Justice of the Peace to my bouquet to table decor. And chef Ian Riddick created a wonderful menu.
We spent five days in the spectacular penthouse along with Beau, our five-month-old puppy.
Next day there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. While my girlfriends and I sipped champagne, I had my hair and makeup done. Just before the 1 p.m. ceremony, the photographer set up the ‘first look,’ where the groom first sees his bride. I walked down the staircase and we frolicked on the beach with my heels on. The bottom of my dress was wet and muddy and I didn’t care.
Dad walked me down the aisle and everyone was teary-eyed.
Next Christmas we’ll celebrate our first anniversary in Tofino.
