A Vancouver Island wedding day took a tragic turn when the mother of the bride died in a surfing accident on the morning of the ceremony.

Ann Wittenberg, a 52-year-old government worker from Ottawa, travelled to Tofino, B.C. to see her daughter Victoria Emon get married in a ceremony on Sunday.

Wittenberg drowned near Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park that morning during a surf session with her other daughter Rachel. A group of people pulled her to shore, where she died.

Emon went ahead with her wedding on Sunday afternoon, saying that is what her mother would have wanted.

"I kept looking for her," she wrote in an emotional Facebook post. "And she was there. There was an eagle that flew the whole night with us, it was truly amazing."

Emon’s decision to press ahead with the wedding ceremony was met with some criticism on social media. She wrote on Facebook that the decision wasn’t made lightly.

“It was the hardest day of my life," she added in the post. “Just because I went ahead with it does not mean it was easy in any way. I loved her so much.”

Emon, who lives in Vernon, B.C., thanked everyone who rushed to her mother and sister’s aid on the beach.

“I am so grateful for everyone that helped her out of the water,” she said. “(And) for everyone that prayed for her, especially to the girls that took care of Rachel.”

The incident happened near Lovekin Rock, where another surfer died in February. The popular surf destination has faced safety concerns after a lifeguard tower was removed from the beach several years ago.

The RCMP released a statement on Tuesday warning of ocean dangers at Long Beach, including unpredictable waves and currents.

“While the ocean offers many wonderful recreational opportunities, it is incumbent on participants in ocean-based activities to educate themselves regarding the risks in order the mitigate them,” the Tofino detachment said in the statement.

Police said foul play is not suspected. The incident is being investigated by the BC Coroner's Service.

With files from CTV Vancouver and CTV Ottawa