Past November Jelger and I visited Salt Spring Island to take a break after a super busy season. For the first time our busy season lasted until late fall and we were in dire need of a vacation.

On this mini road trip we intended to turn off our overly wired brains, enjoy nature and not be around too many people. I know I say this often, and I don’t mean it in any negative way. But as a wedding photographer, you’re often surrounded by plenty of guests to interact with. I love the thrill of a wedding day just as much as I love not seeing a single person for a few days. 😉

When thinking about possible vacation locations, we preferred to stay in British Columbia. One of the Gulf Islands seemed like a good idea. And Salt Spring Island stood out with its gorgeous nature and artsy vibe. But especially because of the amazing amazing coffee. 😉 We booked an Airbnb and off we went!

Although the island had a lot to offer, it left us feeling a bit mixed. On one hand the nature is absolutely gorgeous and because of the down season we had the parks to ourselves. But on the the other hand we were surprised about the huge amount of shoreline properties that severely restricted the beach access.  This meant we couldn’t just hop on the beach anywhere. But enough about what we didn’t like.

On one of our first days on Salt Spring Island we drove up the winding road to Mount Maxwell Provincial Park. The last stretch was unpaved and we felt brave when we took our trusty 4×4 off road. We used to be such chickens with our new car, even though we did buy it for this purpose. It was totally worth it, such an enchanting forest.

A few days later we decided to randomly cruise around the island and discovered some hidden gems. For instance a tiny floating house owned by a very kind gentleman and his dog.

All in all we had a good time of rest and relaxation and would love to visit the island again to photograph a wedding day!f

Salt Spring Island photos

If you’re loving the Island vibes, you might enjoy the photographs we took of a wedding we photographed at another amazing Island: Bowen Island!