Weddings
There are few, if any, locations in Victoria with wedding facilities that match those of St. Ann's Academy.
Photo courtesy of Barbara Pedrick
Weddings are the most popular private use of the Academy today. The main entrance to the Academy and its grounds features an arched wrought-iron gateway opening onto a 100-meter oak-lined driveway leading to the grand staircase entrance to the historic Chapel. Together, the driveway and staircase offer excellent settings for dramatic wedding photographs.
Novitiate Garden wedding PCC staff photo
Outside, the Academy grounds feature a variety of garden settings for photographs and two areas ideally suited for outdoor ceremonies, receptions, or dinners. The Novitiate Garden is very secluded, making it an ideal location for an outdoor ceremony and smaller reception. Its manicured lawn, perimeter flowerbeds, and gazebo create a pleasing, cozy atmosphere. For an outdoor event on a larger scale, Academy Green is spacious and the perfect setting for a large outdoor wedding with dinner and dancing under grand canopies.
St. Ann’s ChapelInside, the Academy offers the Chapel, parlours, and a spacious foyer. The Chapel is the true jewel of the Academy. Father Joseph Michaud, a Quebec Cleric, who accompanied the first Sisters of St. Ann to Victoria, designed and built the Chapel beginning in 1858. Its gently flattened arches and hand carved and gilded ornamentation is reminiscent of the baroque inspired chapels common in Quebec. With golden sunlight cascading through its original art-glass windows, the Chapel lends an unequalled air of fantasy and romance to every wedding held within it. Though historically a Roman Catholic facility, the Chapel has been rededicated as a interfaith chapel and is open to use for both civil and religious ceremonies.
Chapel photo courtesy of Art Studio 21 Photography
Also inside, The Auditorium can accommodate up to 200 wedding guests in a theatre-like setting with art glass windows and two aisles and no religious symbolism.