by Lisa Matte

Think island romance, but swap palm trees for pine trees and a turquoise sea for an indigo bay and you could be describing Canada's Gulf Islands. Ranked number three in a Conde Nast Magazine listing of the world s top non-tropical island destinations, the Gulf Islands are generously sprinkled along a protected waterway between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island. Tucked just off the southeastern corner of Vancouver Island, a bit north of Washington state's Olympic Peninsula, Salt Spring Island is the largest in a series of six southern Gulf Islands.

Blessed with a year-round temperate climate, Salt Spring Island is a haven for artists and artisans, many of whom arrived on the island in search of inspiration and ended up making it their permanent home. From rocky inlets to sandy beaches and rolling meadows to its highest peak at Mount Maxwell, Salt Spring Island is chock-full of rustic charm. It's the kind of place that inspires romance. That's especially true at Hastings House, a country house hotel overlooking Ganges Harbour. Designed to resemble an 11th century Sussex-style manor house, Hastings House is a one-time private home dating to 1939. The 25-acre country estate boasts colorful gardens, rambling meadows, and verdant forests. A rolling lawn spreads from the flower-draped patio to the harbor where sailboats bob on tranquil water. Adirondack chairs, set in groups of two, dot the landscape. It's the ideal setting for a fairy tale wedding.

Think wedding by the bay. Cocktails on the flower-lined patio. Followed by dinner in the carriage house.

For more information on Salt Spring Island:

• call (250)537-5252
• visit www.saltspringisland.bc.ca

For more information about Hastings House:

• call (250)537-2362
• visit www.hastingshouse.com