If you’ve been wondering how to pull off the ultimate wedding that feels incredible without overspending, this is exactly the place to start. And contrary to popular belief, beautiful weddings happen at every price point; the magic usually comes from intention, not the invoice.
To help you see what truly matters when shaping your version of an “ultimate wedding,” we spoke with Ryan Duffy, the director of Sales & Marketing at Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos, BC, who has watched countless celebrations prove just that.
“To have the ’ultimate wedding’ you need to start with a budget. Once a budget is established, we can help couples start planning their special day,” says Duffy.
While the budget might guide a wedding’s location or size, there’s no end to budget-friendly details that couples can incorporate into their special day, he adds, from flowers and decor to menu choice, music and beautiful backdrops for the photography.
One in five couples are now choosing to marry away from home, showing that destination weddings are growing in popularity. According to a Research and Markets Destinations Wedding Market Report 2025, revenue is expected to reach $100 billion by 2028. And, as a home-grown venue, Osoyoos offers the perfect location that feels far enough away to feel like a destination, but close enough to home to make wedding planning easy and hassle-free. And as an added bonus, it’s home to some of the warmest average temperatures in Canada, with more than 2,000 hours of sunshine each year.
“A consideration when selecting an ultimate wedding destination is how it will meet the couple’s requirements before and after the big day,” says Duffy, with location playing a big part. “For example, Watermark is located lakeside in downtown Osoyoos, surrounded by rolling vineyards. It’s a destination with everything in one location.” And, he adds, try to look for a location that also includes services that many venues might charge extra for or simply don’t have available.
At Watermark, beach barbecues, pet-friendly ceremonies, access to an on-site brewery and full-service condos that can sleep up to eight adults and more are at the ready.
“Small intimate weddings are just as exciting as large lavish affairs,” says Duffy. The size of the event should never matter – it’s about the couple and their vision. “We’ve had some spectacular weddings with just 20 to 30 people,” he notes. “Couples always have reasons for having small and intimate gatherings. Sometimes it does come down to budget, while other times it’s more personal.”
And what about couples who are more apt to live in the moment? Can an elopement qualify as an “ultimate wedding”? “Absolutely. Weddings can be all about the destination and all about the couple and their vision. Elopements can be exciting spur-of-the-moment events, or planned in great detail like any other wedding,” says Duffy.
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