Summer Garden-Inspired Wedding at Elora Mill

This garden-inspired wedding at Elora Mill tops the list of our favourite weddings of all-time. We got to work on a fun, warm, colour palette that inspired us right from the beginning. From a warm terracotta to a soft romantic peach, paired with tiny hints of yellow and purple supported by a backdrop of green made everything feel so punchy and perfect for this late summer wedding.

Once our palette was set, we started the floral design with Forever Wildfield. Michelle wanted a lush garden-inspired wedding, but I knew that it could quickly fall into overload and feel overwhelming if we weren't smart about scaling the florals appropriately to the size of the room and available table dimensions. This meant creating some very cool winding floral arrangements down the guest tables that were taller than they were wide, using the available vertical space without interfering with conversation across the table. We then worked on creating focus around their sweetheart table so it didn’t feel small and out of place in a large room with 180 guests. We then worked on the tabletop pieces so that some elements seemingly blended away into the florals (ie. the tan-coloured glassware and terracotta and peach-coloured candles) and the charger plates, napkins and menus offered loads of texture layered on the tabletop, playing to both the sight and touch senses.

Now that all the big picture elements were lined up, we could start pulling details from them to give guests their first taste of what was to come through the invitations. Melissa from Statue Rue is one of my favourite Toronto wedding invitation designers. Having a love for paper, it’s no wonder her designs appeal to the sense of touch with hand-made cotton papers, natural hand-torn edges and printed with letterpress to reveal the impression of the text in the paper. It was fun to incorporate a delicate flower wreath around the invitation as a nod to the floral glory that was to come at the garden-inspired wedding reception.

The Elora Mill wedding team did an impeccable job ensuring Michelle’s dream came to life with their attention to detail on the day - from the wedding concierge to the catering team, we think they’re pretty important in making the days run so smoothly for our clients.

The team includes Jeff Shuh Photography, Forever Wildfield, Statue Rue, Simply Beautiful Decor, Allyssa Helm Beauty, Sweet Celebrations, 586 Event Group and Leith Quartet. Michelle’s dress is a Galia Lahav design.

Service: Full Planning and Design

THE FLOORPLAN

The Elora Mill Grand Room is an asymmetrical shape making it sometimes hard to imagine something new, especially if your guest count maxes out the room. We didn’t do too much here to change things from the norm, but we did find small ways to make it unique with a round sweetheart table and a division between two of the tables at the back of the room. We also changed around which green and white charger plates were used at each table to create a bit more of a difference between the tables.

You can see more of our Elora Mill weddings and their floorplans here.

A Colourful Summer Tent Wedding in Copetown, Ontario

By now you probably know that tent weddings are our jam and a challenge we embrace with open arms. There’s something about building a beautiful space where nothing exists that will never get old. And this particular wedding is a great example of a wedding that oozes class but with a casual edge. I think that also sums up so much of what we try to do with all of the weddings we plan so this feels like a great example of what we strive to build.

Not only that, this was something we fully planned in just four months. The family’s property is stunning, with the home being over 150 years old. It was standing in 1867 when the Dominion of Canada was created. How neat is that?!

Guests were greeted by a champagne table with the sounds of a New Orleans-style band playing, and it felt like a true celebration! The ceremony was set under a huge old tree, offering shade for guests and an incredible backdrop for the exchanging of vows and a reception following, catered by the incomparable Treadwell Catering and bartended by our favourite mobile bar truck, The Sway Bar. Guelph Tent Rentals pole tent was a showstopper with its Father of the Bride lighting, making a lovely glow all night long. Kendon Design Co. was tasked with the responsibility of filling the space with colourful florals including a round ceiling installation hanging above the head table, set directly in the middle of guests for a less formal feel. Simply Beautiful Decor’s fresh new line of Hampton Plaid linens and Florina Tan dinnerware helped to feed that casual chic design vibe. Once dinner was complete, The St. Royals, our favourite Toronto wedding band, kicked off the dance party with a short break that somehow so perfectly timed the launch of a firework show! It was all so serendipitous.

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention what is probably my favourite wedding cake that I think I’ve ever had for a client. A huge thank you to The Dessert Room for making this one just so perfect!

Kayla Potter Photography outdid herself capturing all of the details we all worked so tirelessly on for and we, and I am sure our clients, will be forever grateful! I still cannot get over the incredible flat lay she did of the invitation suite so carefully designed by Statue Rue, along with all of the other wedding stationery pieces.

We wanted this to feel fun, bright, joyful, and elegant and I think we accomplished just that. Enjoy scrolling through this beautiful colourful summer tent wedding in Copetown, Ontario. You’ll find the links to all of our wonderful vendors at the bottom of this post.

A Colourful, Private Estate Tent Wedding in Millgrove, Ontario

Kathryn and Evan’s colourful, pattern-filled wedding took place on her parent’s private estate in Millgrove, Ontario on October 2, 2022.

If you’ve followed along for a while, you know we love the challenges of planning tent weddings on private estates. The best part is that you can start from scratch with the design as there’s not much that controls the aesthetic like you would have in a traditional venue with its own style.

We started with a colour palette that pretty much included the rainbow and got started on the custom colour-blocked wedding invitations with Paper and Poste and a stunning lush floral design by Forever Wildfield. We then got the tent secured which was a gorgeous sailcloth tent from Guelph Tent Rentals. From there, we worked with Simply Beautiful Decor and Plate Occasions to select linens and tabletop pieces to carry through the navy and teals from our colour palette in a way that felt refined and elegant but still very in line with a more relaxed setting of home.

When it came time to food and beverage options, Kathryn had a specific vision in mind and there was no question that Saving Thyme Bistro would cater the event as Kathryn’s family has been long-time patrons of the restaurant. The cocktail experience was important to both Kathryn and Evan, and The Sway Bar knocked it out of the park preparing six speciality cocktails while also making sure everyone had their favourite wine and beer at the ready. To satisfy the sweet-tooth post-dinner, Sweet Celebrations created an epic cookie bar!

Additional lovely vendors include Radford Beauty, Signal Hill Band, 586 Event Group, and Wellington Music

Captured by Will Reid Photo.

Service: Full Planning and Design

THE FLOORPLAN

Tent wedding floorplan layouts can be tricky since you’re starting from scratch. Below is the floorplan we created in case it helps inspire your own tent wedding reception floorplan layout.

An Intimate Ancaster Mill Wedding

Like many of our clients, Liz and Dan are busy professionals who knew that the limited available time they had for wedding planning should be used carefully. It’s always a pleasure being entrusted with a couple’s wedding planning journey, but when the event is intimate it feels like an even more special honour to be included.

Already having settled on hosting their intimate wedding at the Ancaster Mill, we were able to spend the majority of our time focusing on the decor elements and it truly was fun to be able to work with a colourful palette of teal and fuschia. The Streamside Chapel created a lush setting for their wedding ceremony and the 1812 Room at the Ancaster Mill can host up to 70 guests seated. Through the use of texture and colour, we are so thrilled how this all came together.

Take your time scrolling through this one. It’s an impeccable one featuring an intimate Ancaster Mill wedding.

Photographed by Norr Studio, florals by Jodi Leigh Designs, stationery by Paper and Poste, beauty by Makeup Worx, tables from Special Event Rentals and tabletop rentals from Simply Beautiful Decor.

Service: Full Planning and Design

The Floorplan

We’ve also included the floorplan we designed for the 1812 Room as some inspiration for your own wedding layout at The Ancaster Mill.

Elegant Green, Black and Gold New Year's Eve Wedding at Langdon Hall

Jacquelyn and Christian are high school sweethearts. They both also have incredibly good taste and thoughtfulness and generosity are their love language so it’s no surprise that the day was filled with the sweetest details big and small.

I got pretty lucky when it came to my clients having Covid restrictions requiring them to make last-minute changes in the days before the wedding. We somehow managed to have weddings scheduled only at times when things were opening up so I definitely got a doozy when it came time for this New Year’s Eve wedding at Langdon Hall on December 31, 2021. By the time the day unfolded, we were pretty much on plan D, having been thrown every single curve ball you could imagine. The final day turned out to be an event split into multiple experiences with a small 50-person lunch followed by an outdoor ceremony and toasts for all 130 guests and with the first 50 guests departing post-ceremony, the celebration continued with the second set of 80 guests for dinner cocktails. It was still absolutely wonderful despite all the changes.

We’ve talked before about how difficult it can be to design for holiday-specific weddings, but this is another great example of how you can design with the holiday in mind without going overboard or too literal with the theme.

The elegant green, black, and gold can feel garish, but with colours in the middle to soften it all and with plenty of textures to create interest we came up with a design that felt refined and elegant but also festive and fun!

Captured by Elizabeth in Love for Simkova Studios, florals by Patchouli, stationery by Statue Rue, Rentals from Simply Beautiful Decor and Divine Furniture, videography by Your Day by Lucas. DJ’d by InTune Events, beauty by ES Bridal, designed and planned by Laura Olsen Events with support from Lindsay Plank Events.

Colourful Tented Wedding in Burlington, Ontario

This private estate tented wedding in Lowville was such a joy to design and plan. Julie, our bride, wanted flowers everywhere and she certainly wasn’t afraid of colour. Pulling together all the spring colours created a fun, upbeat, upscale, and romantic wedding aesthetic at their home. Food and guest experience were incredibly important to our couple, Julie and Tom, and they wanted to ensure guests had a choice for all courses. We were fortunate to work again with Gourmet Chef at Your Table who did an incredible job bringing that goal to life.

The available level ground was limited so we did a long narrow tent 15’ deep and 50’ long in addition to a canopy on the patio to connect the dining tent with the house. A huge thank you to Special Event Rentals for their assistance in creating an intimate setting for their 65 guests and a feeling of an extension of their home.

Their dog, Harper, was almost the star of the show with his own place setting at the head table including the beef tenderloin for dinner. Have a scroll through the photos to see him being a very good boy!

We were thrilled to assist Julie and Tom with their wedding planning. Tent weddings are tricky to plan as there are so many moving parts but with careful consideration, they can be a success and worth all the effort.

Photographed by Cleland Photographs, florals by Kendon Design Co., tent and rentals from Special Event Rentals, stationery by Statue Rue, catering by Gourmet Chef at Your Table, cake, and sweets from Sweet Celebrations, and beauty by ES Bridal.

Service: Full Planning and Design

How to Plan a Tent Wedding, Everything you Need to Know: Part 2

So, you’ve read How to Plan a Tent Wedding: Part 1 and you’re ready to dive deeper into planning a tent wedding in your backyard. We’ve already covered a lot of the basics: set up and tear down, event flow, permits, the more practical and logistical nature of the event, and electricity. Below, we will continue to explore areas of a tent wedding that are important to consider as you plan the details and offer an exceptional experience and night to remember! 

HOW TO PLAN A
TENT WEDDING: Part 2

Tent weddings aren’t an easy feat, but they sure are beautiful. There’s lots to consider before committing to hosting a wedding on a private estate. We’ve compiled some of the most helpful information we can think to share!

Image left provided by Will Reid Photo, florals by Forever Wildfield, and tent from Guelph Tents.

The OVERALL PROS AND CONS OF A TENTED WEDDING

There are a lot of unique elements and a lot of ‘pros’ that come with planning a tented wedding on private property, much of which has already been covered. For starters, you get the freedom to be as creative as you’d like, and to add as much personalization as you want. You’re open to options, within your budget, that suit your unique style and taste, which is not always possible at a regular venue. This also means control over every vendor and every detail - it is entirely your choice! 

A tent wedding is also in a unique, often sentimental, setting: a family farm, a home where you grew up, a place you used to visit every year with friends, etc. It also gives you the chance to have additional events, in the same space, like a welcome party or a farewell brunch. Having it on a property next to a family home also allows certain VIPs (immediate family, the couple, etc.) to have a built-in place to stay which helps to reduce who is traveling to and from the site. 

With every pro, comes a few cons to consider and to help decide if a tented wedding is right for you. To start, almost everything needs to be brought on-site and coordinated, which can be tricky when there is no venue coordinator to immediately take this on so this often lies with the property owner, the couple, and a hired planner. It is also important to consider any wear and tear on the property from deliveries, vehicles, and the movement of people and things over the course of a few days. This may also result in additional days taken off work to oversee the coordination of the site. 

You are also at the mercy of dear Mother Nature. Being out in the elements can sometimes be an issue if there is a bad storm, or if it gets cold at night in the spring or fall. Having plans in place for both of these is necessary to ensure a successful event. 

BUDGETING

Creating a budget for anything can be tricky, especially when you have the level of customization as a tented wedding. There are a few unknowns, and endless options, depending on the level of the event. From structure to comfort, there is a long list of things to be considered. Below are some tips on how to focus your budget, while making sure it is as realistic as possible.

  1. Have a good sense of your aesthetic. Source as many pictures as possible and organize them per section of the day (ceremony, cocktail, reception) to get a clear sense of what you like. This can be brought to a planner and designer to help price everything out and prioritize what’s important.

  2. Over portion your costs as you estimate spending. You are essentially building a venue from the ground up, so add 10-15% on each line item to ensure you’re covering what you need, with a bit of contingency, before you start signing on the dotted line.

  3. Prioritize elements of the event. What are the most important parts of your wedding? What are the least important? This helps to move line items around to be able to afford those things you can’t do without.

  4. Consider the size. How big does the tent need to be? How many guests? Does the caterer need their own tent or are they bringing their own? Are there washrooms on-site or do you need to rent them?

Start section by section and work your way through. Do your research! It doesn’t hurt to get as much information as possible.

TYPES OF TENTS

Frame Tents

Frame tents are one of the most popular tent styles available for weddings given that they create an open floor plan underneath. Without the need for supporting poles inside, there aren’t any structural elements to work around. This means tons of options for your layout. 

The frame tent structure is created by a metal frame, meaning it can be set up virtually anywhere —installed on grass, pavement, a deck, a patio area, or other level surfaces. Frame tents are staked, or “blocked”. Blocks or ballasts are large concrete weights used to anchor the tent when there is no soft ground to stake or peg into. It’s worth noting, while blocks are convenient for erecting a tent on hard surfaces —concrete, pavement, or decks— they’re an eyesore. Not to mention, an added cost.

The tents must be stabilized and held down for safety and battling wind. Some frame tents include the option of installing metal bars at the bottom of the sidewalls. This prevents walls from billowing in high winds. 

Transparent frame tents —aka “clear top” tents— use a frame tent base but are covered by a see-through material instead of opaque. The lovely effect makes it feel as though you’re outdoors, even under cover. While this look allows for natural light, the downfall is that it does not offer shade and creates a greenhouse effect. In the height of summer or warm weather climates, it’s not ideal. 

Pole Tents and Sailcloth Pole Tents

Pole tents, also called “tension top” pole tents, are tied with frame tents for popularity in the wedding industry. The elegant, curved roof line is created by the tension between the centre poles and the perimeter poles. This style of tent is also stabilized by supporting guy wires staked into the ground or into blocks.

While these tents tend to be a cost saver —they don’t require ceiling lining or draping to feel immediately elegant— they do come with a few drawbacks: they aren’t as flexible in size and the center poles can create floorplan and sightline challenges, with the number of support poles will vary depending on the size of the tent. Lastly, pole tents don’t come with the option of metal bars at the bottom of the sidewalls to prevent tent walls from billowing in high winds.

A Sailcloth Pole Tent is an upgraded version of the pole tent with modern designs and features. It has rounded ends which creates a circular look at its smallest size and adds soft corners on the extended versions. Sailcloth tents also use a  canvas-like fabric constructed of more natural elements, which is much lighter than the vinyl fabric typically used in pole tents. A sailcloth tent will let more light in and out of the tent because the fabric is not completely opaque. 

Marquee or High Peak Tents

The marquee tent is a blend of pole and frame tent styles. It takes the support system of the frame tent to create a peaked ceiling without needing a center pole. These can be set up on any terrain, so it offers flexibility in placement. Because of its use of the frame tent support system, its guy wires can also be anchored to the ground using concrete ballasts. 

This style also allows for an open interior making it flexible for layout and the high peak ceiling gives it an elegant look without the use of ceiling lining or draping. That said, because the roof is a one-piece top, marquee tents don’t lend themselves to larger events as they can’t be extended using additional panels like frame tents.


CAPACITIES

Number of Guests | Approximate Size of Tent or Square Footage

175 - 225 guests | 60’ x 70’ or up to 4500 sq ft

125 - 175 guests | 40’ x 90’ or up to 3500 sq ft

75 - 125 guests | 40’ x 70’ or up to 2600 sq ft

50 - 75 guests | 40’ x 50’ or up to 1750 sq ft

50 guests | 40’ x 30’ or up to 1000 sq ft

*Ensure to plan for a detailed meeting with a tenting professional to ensure your wedding or event has exactly what you need for the space!

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Food service can be one of the biggest challenges for a tented wedding. You have to create a temporary kitchen, in the right proximity to the tent, and bring in all of the rentals you’ll need to ensure service is smooth. Many off-site caterers will include necessary rentals in their quote, along with any requirements for their temporary kitchen setup.

The temporary kitchen will need to be set up close to the tent, sheltered from the elements, and include elements such as ovens, coolers, and space for plating, service, and clearing. They will also need sufficient lighting and power to plug everything in and ensure it doesn’t blow any fuses. It is never safe to assume a garage, barn or other existing structure is suitable for a caterer. It is highly recommended to have a site visit with your caterer well in advance of the day to review the layout, set up, and tear down as well as drop off and pick up of deliveries/materials. 

All of these added details only increase the budget and can come with unforeseen costs depending on the menu, service, and style. These are early-game conversations required before you start spending on prettier stuff!

For alcohol, a huge benefit of hosting this on private property is that you can purchase your own alcohol and have full control over the flavour, quality, and cost: you pick it all! However, it is important to consider how much you need to buy, where you will store it and cool it, and who/how it will be served. There are many calculators online for drinks per person but a simple rule of thumb is to assume 1.5 drinks per person, per hour, and split it between wine, beer a liquor. Consider hiring the right number of bartenders, a bartending company, or inquiring with your caterer if they can also provide these services. We always err on the side of more staff because it means someone can always float to wherever they are needed at the moment.

WEDDING WEEK 

When considering hosting a tented wedding, you also have to think about the days leading up to and after the event. As mentioned above, you have the ability to host additional events under the tent. These tents and rentals tend to come in the day before the event, and won’t get picked up until Monday, so it gives you a chance to use it in more than one way! You can host a welcome party for out-of-town guests, wedding party, or close family, or host a farewell brunch party the morning after for anyone staying on property or close by. Weddings can be a crazy day, and these events allow you to have more special moments with your guests. 

There is also the logistical side of the week to account for: multiple days of installation, vendors dropping things off, setting up, and then tearing it all down a few days later. This requires supervision, direction, and planning to ensure it is a coordinated effort. If your wedding is on a Saturday, your could see your wedding week following this general structure:

  • Wednesday: Final inspections of site (ie. for locates for tent pegs, confirmation of permits, etc.)

  • Thursday: Delivery of large items such as tent and flooring, washrooms, generator

  • Friday: Delivery of any rentals such as tables, chairs, linens, bars and bar carts, arbours, etc., and the time to set them all in place

  • Saturday: Final set up touches such as linens, place settings, stationery, signage

  • Sunday: Clean up! Garbage disposal, organizing rentals to be picked up

  • Monday: pick up of rentals such as tent, flooring, generator, etc. 

  • Tuesday: a survey of the property for any wear and tear and post-wedding maintenance

It becomes almost a full week of activities to ensure everything comes in and goes back out as smoothly as possible!

A PLANNER’S ROLE

The best investment you can make is hiring a professional wedding planner who has experience in tented weddings to help you navigate the complexities of your wedding day. However, there are a few things to keep in mind as you begin to meet with planners. 

There are additional vendors, and more responsibility, for the planner to source and manage and so this is reflected in their terms and services, as well as their compensation. An experienced planner will know the intricacies of a tented wedding and be able to speak to that as they learn more about your event. This speaks to the expectations you have as their client, they have of you, and the expectations and flexibility that the location can offer. A site visit as part of your discovery call with a planner is beneficial for all parties involved, to really understand the scope and requirements. 

They will also have to have their own plans for set up and tear down, where their role is most important, and how they will support you and the property owner throughout the process.  Clear communication and transparency of what they can and cannot offer are important for both you and them as you look to sign an agreement or contract. 

Your planner becomes a venue coordinator and so their expertise is instrumental in the success of the event - don’t underestimate that value!




Don’t forget that we have more details in part one! How to Plan a Tent Wedding: Part 1.

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