We’re at the Villa at Hester Creek Estate Winery in the Okanagan and as I step out onto the patio of “La Sirena” the Villa’s executive suite, I’m taken aback by the sweeping panorama before me. Below us and to the left is the estate’s wine shop and the valley beyond is carpeted by vineyards of the famous Golden Mile and Black Sage Roads, the fertile land that stretches between Oliver and Osoyoos. Beyond the vineyards, a ridge of hills encloses the valley and in the distance, I spy the upper point of Lake Osoyoos. Not even 10 minutes after our arrival and we open a bottle of wine and settle into our lounge chairs, breathing in the landscape before us.
From the get-go, my companion and I agree that the mediterrannean-style Villa, with its six guest suites, is an ideal spot for a relaxing and romantic BC honeymoon or destination wedding. Each suite has a private patio that overlooks the valley and the rest of the Estate. Inside our suite are cosy furnishings to sink into and cocoon. The luxurious bathroom boasts a soaker tub, heated floors, and a separate glassed-in shower. If, for some reason, we wanted to watch TV, suites have high-definition flat screens. There is also complimentary wireless internet.
Hester Creek is optimally situated in the heart of The Golden Mile. They planted their first grapes in the late 1960s and were one of the first properties in BC to experiment with European grapes. In 2006, Rob Summers took over the reigns as winemaker, creating inventive blends and coaxing luscious varietals.
The Estate is currently in an exciting phase of growth and evolution. The Villa was completed in 2007 and now the winery offers several options for wedding ceremonies and receptions as well. A stretch of grass beside the Villa would suit a small wedding ceremony and also highlight the expansive valley view. Larger ceremonies would work well in the grassy amphitheatre-style space by the Wine Shop. This Summer, the Winery hosted a concert series at the amphitheatre; the July 30th inaugral show featured Vancouver mainstays The Grapes of Wrath.
The Wine Shop itself is large and, with product racks removed, is amenable to private receptions. Doors along the front side open onto the large, 92 seat patio to create an indoor/outdoor space.
The space also contains an open, professional kitchen for the Estate’s Chef Series where Okanagan chefs host group cooking class in the stainless steel, state-of-the art space. The resulting meals can be enjoyed around the large granite-topped island or in the Barrel Room, a private room with a medieval-sized wooden dining/conference table. Indulge on your honeymoon and ask the Estate to set up a private cooking class or treat your wedding party to a gourmet meal in-house.
One cannot visit Oliver without visiting a few of the area’s abundance of wineries. Our first stop was a winery in Oliver proper, Quinta Ferriera. A small establishment owned and operated by the portugese Ferriera family, it was first developed as a fruit orchard. After 20 years, they decided to try their hand at grape growing and wine making. Many of their wines have received awards and the estate seems to have a touch for creating pleasing and unique blends.
Along the Black Sage Road and Golden Mile, we tasted wines from Hester Creek’s neighbours: Gehringer Brothers, Tinhorn Creek {top}, and further south, Road 13 {above}. One evening, we treated ourselves to a culinary delight, dinner at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery’s bistro, The Sonora Room {below}.
Breakfasts {below} are complimentary at Hester Creek’s Villa and by no means do they disappoint. When the weather is warm, breakfast is served in a communal breezeway that looks over the valley but during our stay, the weather was overcast so we enjoyed breakfast indoors. One morning’s fare consisted of fluffy mini frittatas, while on our last morning we were presented with generously-portioned “souffle” french toast topped with melting brie and homemade cranberry compote.
After our last sumptuous breakfast, we take one last longing look over the valley from our suite’s patio; we’ll miss that sweeping view and the peacefulness we experienced over our stay.
We were encouraged not to leave the area without stopping in at the Oliver Bakery for their famous gigantic apple fritters. Gigantic indeed, the fritters are about the size of my head and one could easily be shared between two people. A quick dash across the street for coffee and we’re ready to head back to Vancouver.
Our stay at Hester Creek’s Villa was pleasant and restful, and undoubtedly an option for a rejuvenating, stress-free, romantic experience for two or an intimate nuptial celebration with family and friends. Spend your days tasting a few wines from the many wineries along The Golden Mile and Black Sage Road and pick up your favourites to enjoy back at The Villa. Or, just stay at the Villa for your entire visit and enjoy peace and privacy.
Hester Creek Estate is located just a few minutes from Oliver, BC. For destination weddings and receptions, or for more information on booking the Villa, contact Kathy Mercier, kathy@hestercreek.com, visit www.hestercreek.com, or call 1 866 498-4435.
Recently, 
The Resort has several ceremony and reception venue options. Pictured above is the terrace area that is popular for outdoor ceremonies and offers a picturesque view of Semiahmoo Bay with White Rock in the distance.
Just off the main lobby and adjacent to the ceremony terrace is The Seaview Lobby. In this room, string trio Sunrise Strings serenaded guests while florist Kate Fadden of 
Efendi’s stationery was inventive and detailed. She designed the media invitations to the event (shown here) and we were especially impressed with her design that housed invitations inside hollowed-out old books about love. It seems her background in landscape architecture influences her three dimensional designs and allows her to push the boundaries of traditional wedding invitations.
The larger Victoria Room was decorated with pretty lavender tablescapes, a collaboration between Blaine florist Stacie Sutcliff of 
Sutcliff has a distinct style which is unstructured, natural, romantic and garden-like. Three different arrangements graced the tables resulting in a look that was cohesive but not uniform. This variety in centrepieces is a great way to create visual interest and rhythm to your overall wedding decor. The centrepieces sat amidst lavender and silver textiles, glass charger plates and gold coloured chiavari chairs for an overall look of graceful simplicity.
The Pierside Room showcased florals by Allison Miller of 
Another featured a jewel-toned palette of garden flora casually arranged in embellished mason jars.
His pretty, pink and peach victorian-inspired design incorporated romantic elements such as classical sheet music, vintage glass vases and bottles and tall floral centrepieces. There was also a candy bar with large glass vases full of colour coordinated candies set atop an old leather trunk. The reception area also had a dance floor and during the event, Chris Graves of 
The Loomis Mansion’s expansive reception area features dark wood and ironwork details and can be configured in various ways to suit the size and style of wedding. 
A few weekends ago, I hopped a bus to join other media and guests on an Okanagan Naramata Bench wine tour courtesy of 
Each suite at the 
The next morning, our group headed into Penticton for a quick wander through the bustling Penticton Farmers’ Market. Right in the centre of town, the market offers produce, crafts, baked goods and all the other odds and ends that you would typically find at a farmers’ market.
We tried several of their offerings: organic Bartlett Pear, Framboise, Cassis, and Crab Apple. My favourite was the Bartlett Pear, dry, refreshing, crisp, complex and not too sweet. I also would recommend the fortified Cassis for inclusion in a cocktail or on it’s own with dark chocolate. Owners Miranda and Del Halladay started Elephant Island nine years ago on the land that Miranda’s grandparents first acquired.
We paused for lunch at the Rock Oven Dining Room, the restaurant of the 
The Inn itself was built in 1908 by John Moore Robinson, a successful businessman and developer who is also credited with pioneering the Okanagan orchard industry. The estate went through several incarnations, as a hotel, a girls’ boarding school and as a private home for the Robinsons. In 2001, after three years of extensive renovations, the hotel reopened to serve the modern customer with 12 rooms, a restaurant and bar, and a full service Aveda Concept Spa.
After lunch, we visited 
Our next stop was 
Our last stop for the day was 
Our private tasting of Sumac Ridge’s fleet of six bubblies was led, in the cellar room, by the warm and welcoming Sally Sharpe, Manager of Hospitality Relations. Of the six, I was most intrigued by the Sparkling Gewurtzraminner, only available through the wine shop. The Stellar’s Jay and sparkling Rose were also nice, especially with the truffle popcorn Sally offered us.
The next day, we returned to Sumac Ridge with the rest of our tour group, then headed to the Kettle Valley Steam Railway for a BBQ lunch and a trip on the historic Kettle Valley Steam Train.
The 
We were also treated to a cast of saloon ladies, a double-crossing Marshall and the Garnett Valley Gang, his troupe of horse-riding, gun-wielding train robbers. The train robbers hopped onboard near the end of the trip to demand money and guests were invited to donate. According to the cast, the money goes to various local charities.
After the train ride, our group headed back to Vancouver with just a quick stop for dinner.
Earlier this week, our Publisher and Managing Editor attended a media and tourism event at 
Our evening began with an abundance of treats, from Quebec cheeses, to mini creme brulees, maple tartlets, and mini pots of creamy lobster catered by 
Pre-wedding activities are not complete without a stagette event with your besties. And since Vancouver is a world-class city with many natural and cultural delights to enjoy, why not treat yourselves right here in your own backyard? Or, if you have friends or guests coming from out-of-town for the big day, any of these destinations and activities are sure to please and impress. In December, our Managing Editor Angie Ishak, her gal pal Corrie, and several out-of-town women in media enjoyed three days of girl-getaway fun in and around our “City of Glass”. First stop, the Sutton Place Hotel.
The Sutton Place Hotel, with it’s warm yet grand and opulent ambience was a great start to our activities. The hotel is ideally located in the heart of downtown on Burrard Street, close to Robson Street for shopping and dining, and English Bay and Stanley Park for a seawall stroll with inspiring ocean and mountain views. The others wisely took in these local pleasures during their stay. After our bags were taken up to our rooms and we freshened up for the evening, we met up with the group and headed to CinCin for dinner. Our lively and chatty evening was fueled by amazing cuisine and local wine from Poplar Grove Winery on the Naramata Bench. Our out-of-town guests thoroughly enjoyed every minute.
The next morning, we headed off to Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa for another luxury stay and some pampering in their spa and hot springs. General Motors Canada supplied new, top-of-the-line 2010 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the scenic drive. Our 2010 Cadillac SRX SUV carried us comfortably along snow-covered lanes through Langley’s pastoral countryside along the Fraser River. The car’s fuel cell technology allowed us a road-trip sans guilt; it allows for lower carbon emissions than fossil fuel power. (Coincidently, Chevrolet is the officialy vehicle sponsor for our 2010 Winter Games.) With our Sirius XM radio tuned to 80s Hits, we made our way to Fort Langley for a coffee stop at Wendel’s Books and Cafe. Fort Langley’s small-town charm was a contrast to the city’s hustle and bustle and a fitting transition between Vancouver and Harrison.
It was truly a pleasure to meet the other girls: Jennifer Reynolds from Canadian Family, Montrealers Marie-Eve and Vicki from www.divine.ca, and the Wedding Chicks, Amy and Jocey. A huge thank you goes out to our hosts, the gracious and fun Adria MacKenzie from GM Canada, and Lisa Calvi and Gary Sowerby from Odyssey International.
