Audain Art Museum Wedding | Whistler Wedding Venues | Tara Lilly Photography
The Audain Art Museum wedding venue is located just steps from Whistler Village. A modern architectural masterpiece joining wood and metal aspects, surrounded by evergreen trees, the Audain Art Museum is one of the most stunning buildings in Whistler.
An Audain Art Museum wedding provides everything a couple could want for their day. To start, the building itself is gorgeous. A true marvel of architecture designed by internationally-acclaimed Patkau Architects on behalf of Vancouver home builder and philanthropist Michael Audain. Secondly, the Audain Art Museum holds the private British Columbia coastal art collection of Michael Audain and his wife Yoshiko Karasawa, allowing guests to browse the stunning collection as well as other temporary exhibitions. Most importantly, an Audain Art Museum wedding has four indoor room options with capacity from 22 people up to banquets for 130 and an outdoor space capable of serving dinner to 150 guests.
The Audain is built on a flood plain of the Fitzsimmons creek. Because of this, it had to be built a full one-story above ground level creating an amazing outdoor space located underneath the building. With the fun angles and melding of wood and metal building materials, the underside and outdoor areas create some of the most beautiful locations for wedding photos. Lots of space, protected from the elements with lots of layers, levels, and textures. It really is a photographer’s dream – especially if rain is a concern. The same architectural elements continue through the interior of the museum so that every square inch is picture-perfect.
Catering – The Audain has a list of preferred caterer’s that are all familiar with the Museum’s policies as a Category “A” institution. (There are some strict rules around art storage) These caterers are among the best in all of Whistler and can create a menu that suits anything you desire. Beverage service is also handled through your caterer of choice. Caterers include the Fairmont, Four Seasons, Bearfoot Bistro, Collective Kitchen and Whistler Cooks among others.
Wedding planner – A wedding and event planner is required to host a wedding at the Audain Art Museum. This is part of the Category “A” rules, as well as a local standard for many of the Whistler wedding venues. Having a wedding planner makes your wedding day stress-free. It takes the pressure off or co-ordinating multiple schedules with all of the different vendors, decorating (not really necessary at the Audain) and dealing with questions and concerns your guests might have.
Ceremony and Reception Room Options
The Upper Gallery is a beautiful fully indoor choice for a ceremony. The gallery has a vaulted ceiling with white angled walls, art gallery professional lighting and an entire wall of windows for natural light and forest views. This room won the BC Wedding Awards 2019 for Best Ceremony Space. Ceremony capacity 130. Banquet capacity 60-100.
Cressey Hall is the main lobby of the Audain Art Museum. It features a wood-clad room and windows that overlook a meadow and forest. The space feels very natural and serene, yet modern for hosting elegant events. Typically not used for ceremonies. Banquet capacity 130.
Karasawa Room has similar stylings to The Upper Gallery, but is designed for an intimate dinner with family and friends with views of the local mountains. Seated Capacity 22.
The Meadow is directly beside the Audain Art Museum and is a grassy area surrounded by trees on two sides, and the Audain on two sides. This location is great for summer ceremonies with a back-drop of mature trees located within Whistler Village. The underside of the building creates an amazing rain location with no need for a tent. Ceremony Capacity 200. Banquet Capacity 150.
We are lucky to have had the opportunity to photograph several couples at the Audain Art Museum. Whether it has been a full ceremony, an amazing rain back-up portrait location or just stopping by for some night portraits, check out some of our favourite images from Audain Art Museum weddings below.
Thank you to the vendors who made the above photos possible!
Erin Kincaid | Bliss Events
Liz Tiedeman | Brilliant Events
Lisa Vertefeuille | The Flour Pot
Pete Cronin | Coast Mountain DJ
Cassandra | Farfalla
A Fox in the Flowers
Joseph Troy | Whistler Classical Strings
Brenda Bakker