A Colorful and Intimate Same-Sex Gardiner Museum Wedding, a Downtown Toronto Wedding Venue

Mitchell and Scott had been dreaming of a Gardiner Museum wedding when they reached out for wedding planning help in the fall of 2022, yet they were still open to exploring other venues just to make sure their decision was the right one. I sure am glad we made it back to hosting their wedding at Gardiner Museum because it truly is one of my favourite downtown Toronto wedding venues.

From there, we got to dive further into their wedding colour palette and we had so much fun! This was their second must-have - a colour palette that was broad and colourful, fun but classic, without being too literal with the Pride Rainbow. We leaned into green as our lead colour since it felt masculine but inviting. It also allowed us to use the fun, modern, pistachio coloured dining chairs the venue had on hand. The florals allowed us to expand the palette to include purples, blues, pinks and white sparingly just as a backdrop to let the other pieces pop.

The third must-have item on the list was to incorporate their dog, Chester, not only in their ceremony, but also throughout their wedding day stationery. They actually found me on Instagram from a post I had shared of Emilie and Leo’s wedding, where we featured their beautiful doggo, Maple, right through from their wedding invitations to their sweets table cookies! All That’s Lovely, a local Hamilton wedding invitation designer, embraced their vision and created a suite that felt elegant but fun using colour blocking as an economical design element to increase the overall richness using Racing Stripe Green invitation paper with white ink, a Pistachio envelope and a Powder Green details card.

Fable Floral Design, an incredible Toronto wedding florist, was given creative liberty to take our ideas and bring them to life. We dreamed up a unique wedding ceremony floral design using florals and candles on pedestals varying in height. Once the ceremony was complete, this piece was transitioned into a unique seating chart idea. While some florals were transitioned to guest centerpieces, others remained in place, simply replaced with four seating chart signs.

Having the opportunity to work with Daniel et Daniel, easily the best Toronto wedding caterer was a real treat. They handled all venue communication and food and beverage. Their food was incredible and we preset the first course of a watermelon salad which only added to the guest experience as guests entered the Gardiner Museum’s Terrace Room that was transitioned from wedding ceremony to wedding reception.

The full team who brought this downtown Toronto Gardiner Museum wedding venue to life includes Christine Lim Photography, Fable Floral Design, Daniel et Daniel, Element Events, All You Need is Love Weddings, All That’s Lovely Paper Co., ES Bridal, Castle and Cole, Evolved Entertainment and The Food Dudes.

A Spring Wedding at Graydon Hall Manor

Jamie and Aidan were married May 27, 2022 at Graydon Hall Manor in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in the gardens and a reception under the tent. Photographed by Alix Gould Photography and florals by Sweet Woodruff, it truly was a stunning garden vibe. Graydon Hall Manor is one of the finest wedding venues in Toronto with exceptional service, an incredible food and beverage experience, and impeccably maintained grounds. The venue is exclusive to the couple and options are endless in how couples choose to use the space. It truly feels like you’ve stepped into another world when really you’re a short trip from the heart of downtown Toronto.

Beauty by Jen Evoy and music from St. Royals.

The Best Toronto Area Wedding Venues with Epic Food, Service and Design Experiences

After almost a decade in the Toronto wedding scene, I’ve experienced my share of wedding venues and there are a few that easily stand out from the rest. My clients want venues that offer not only a beautiful backdrop but also a culinary experience and level of service to match. I’ve compiled my favourite Toronto area wedding venues that are the best at consistently offering all three favourite requirements.

1. THE UNIVERSITY CLUB OF TORONTO

   I’ve talked before about my love for The University Club of Toronto, so it should come as no surprise that it tops my list of favourite wedding venues in the Toronto area. This venue has everything. It’s centrally located at Queen and University and easily accessed by both public transit and car. While there are lots of hotels nearby, there are also hotel rooms available on the property. Osgoode Hall is right across the street and, bonus points, it doesn’t require a photography permit! With exclusive use of the property, there are so many options for event flow and the Presidential Suite on the main floor is perfect for getting ready on site. My favourite event flow is getting ready in that beautiful Presidential Suite, ceremony upstairs in the Library, cocktails in the Pine Lounge on the main floor, and back up to the second floor for dinner in the Ballroom and dancing back in the Library post-dinner!

   It’s also incredibly beautiful both inside and out with lots of character and architectural details and it plays really well into endless colour palettes. The food is AMAZING, the service is impeccable. Oh, and did I mention the butter is whipped and formed into swans?! Yes, swans.

   See more of Emilie and Leo’s amazing wedding at The University Club of Toronto here.

Will Reid Photography. Blush and Bloom.

2. THE ARLINGTON ESTATE

Located just North of Toronto, in Kleinburg, Arlington Estate offers not only a beautiful space but a top-notch client and guest experience. They also take good care of all vendors coming in, making it an especially lovely place to work and easily on the list of favourite Toronto area wedding venues. There’s a beautiful outdoor space for wedding ceremonies and the East and West Wing Ballrooms are the perfect base and opportunity to add your own style. Everything you could imagine has been taken care of in this space with stunning bridal suites, large terraces overlooking the gardens and even espresso machines in the lobby bar. Not only is the food is impeccable but its presentation is beyond. They’re flexible with drop off and pick up times for your personal items and it’s just all-around a wonderful space to be.

Blush and Bloom. Purple Tree Photography.

3. ELORA MILL

Perfect for an easy mini-destination wedding, The Elora Mill is an absolute gem. Elora is a gorgeous small town and incredibly quaint for the perfect weekend getaway just an hour and a half from the Toronto core. The Mill’s hotel has a spa on-site for some relaxation time and the Elora Gorge allows for some exploring and of course, epic photos. Everywhere you look, this town and property are nothing but beautiful. Both the outdoor ceremony space and the indoor rain backup of the Chapel are absolutely stunning so regardless of the weather, you simply cannot be disappointed with the backdrop. The reception spaces will take your breath away with their unique, very upscale, and elegant, yet rustic design. The whitewash oversized harvest tables pair perfectly with the linen-covered round tables to create some extra interest in the space. The culinary experience is perfect for the foodie and the service experience is unmatched. The only shortcoming is the lack of flexibility with the ceremony times, but that can be easily overlooked with the beauty of the space and when you realize how well they run their show and just how many design details come with this space.

See more of Suzanna and Kyle’s Elora Mill wedding here.

Scarlet O’Neill Photography. Hunt and Gather Floral.

4. THE PEARLE HOTEL

While The Pearle Hotel is a brand new hotel, there is no doubt in my mind that this will be a massive shakeup to the Toronto wedding scene. Based in downtown Burlington, Ontario, The Pearle Hotel is owned by Pearle Hospitality who also owns the aforementioned The Elora Mill. As with the rest of their properties, the aesthetics of this space are top-notch and the service will be second to none. There are hotel rooms on-site and a Hammam Spa perfect for relaxing and a weekend getaway for your guests! There are stunning views of Lake Ontario from both event spaces and also quick access to the waterfront and Spencer Smith Park which is free for wedding photos. Fitting for weddings of 150 to 400 guests, it’s definitely a space to watch and experience to have when it opens in the spring of 2021.

5. STRATUS VINEYARDS

Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, the heart of Niagara’s wine country, Stratus Vineyards offers a beautiful blend of modern contemporary and garden party vibes. It’s about an hour and a half from Toronto and perfect for a weekend getaway experience for couples and their guests. While there are no accommodations or spa on-site, there is an endless number of options nearby. The wine is obviously amazing and all beers offered are local, which is such a plus for those who love supporting local. They have a few preferred caterers, all of whom will blow your taste buds away, and they’ll also work with Stratus to pair wines with each course for the ultimate experience.

As for ceremony and reception options, the most popular is to have the ceremony outside facing the vineyard, cocktails on the terrace, reception in the Press Alley, and dancing in the retail space. So with exclusive use of the space, you’re really able to use all areas! If you’ve got extra in your budget, you can reverse things by putting a tent out on the grass for dinner and having your ceremony inside!

There are two things to note about hosting a Stratus Vineyards wedding. The first being the strict timing they have regarding wedding party, guest arrival, and ceremony start times, but it’s all done in an effort to ensure the experience of their retail customers is a positive one. Sound restrictions can also be a concern for some couples so if you wanted to dance the night away under the stars you’ll be disappointed as there are strict rules in the Niagara area about noise levels especially after 11p so you’ll have to move your party inside the retail space for dancing.

For more images from Jane and Jason’s tent wedding at Stratus Vineyards, click here.

Mango Studios. Simply Beautiful Decor. Premier Tents.

Arlington Estate Wedding | Toronto Wedding Venue

Jessica and David's Arlington Estate wedding took my breath away right from the moment we sat down to even start planning. I was so excited to be able to work at a new Toronto wedding venue, especially one as beautiful as The Arlington Estate. It's one thing to put things on paper, but to actually see them come to life is what makes it all worthwhile. This is true for both the wedding design, but also the venue itself! The team at The Arlington Estate were wonderful, courteous and professional and having been so new, it's clear they really value their role in the industry. In the four months they had been open, they had managed to be miles ahead (despite a few hiccups, which were to be expected!) of even some venues having been open for years.Jessica and David were planning from afar as they currently live in NYC. It's difficult to be planning from another city, so having someone on your side to help with the logistics certainly helps to ease the stress. She had a great team of family here at home, but knowing she wanted them to also enjoy the experience, she brought me on board to help her out! It was such a pleasure planning and designing this wedding from Jess' romantic, candlelit vision. Logistics of the day needed to be carefully planned as we started Jessica and David's day at her parents' house, then traveled downtown to St. Andrews Catholic Church for the ceremony. From there, we shuttled wedding party and extended family to Osgoode Hall for wedding photos, then on to The Arlington Estate for a few last photos and wedding reception. See all the gorgeous details captured by Tara McMullen, and the incredible smile the bride donned the whole day, below!

Photography  Tara McMullen Photography
Florals  Hunt and Gather
Stationery  Paper and Poste
Sweets Table  Cakelaine
Venue and Catering The Arlington Estate
Toronto Destination Wedding Planning and Design Laura Olsen Events.

Before the Wedding, Ontario Marriage Requirements

Wedding season is here! Before you run off to get married, you will need to make sure you have met the Ontario marriage requirements and obtained your marriage licence!

Before you can get married, you'll need a marriage license, which can be obtained from any town across Ontario. In other words, it doesn't matter whether it's obtained in Ottawa and the wedding is in Toronto, you can get it from anywhere! A marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date it was issued so you will need to wait until you are within 3 months of the wedding before you apply.

STEP 1

Download the Marriage Licence Application form (PDF)

STEP 2

Collect two pieces of valid government-issued identification for you and your wife or husband-to-be.One piece of identification must include your photo.

• birth certificate (including any change of name certificates);

• passport;

• record of immigrant landing; Canadian Citizenship Card;

• driver's licence;

• or Ontario Photo Card.

STEP 3

Find a local city hall, town hall or municipal office.

STEP 4

Bring the completed application form, identification and payment to your local city hall, town hall or municipal office. The price for the marriage license will vary in each city/municipality so be sure to check with your l before heading out.

STEP 5

Bring your marriage license and all paperwork with you to be passed off to your officiant or wedding planner.

STEP 6 

After the ceremony, be sure to place the remaining paperwork from your officiant in a safe, secure place.

Tips for Creating a Wedding Day Timeline

You’ve worked steadily for months carefully crafting every detail of your wedding. Now it’s important to make sure that the logistical pieces of the day are perfectly planned, too. Today I’m sharing the top three areas to watch when creating a wedding day timeline.

Heidi Lau Photography

Transportation and Travel Time

Be realistic with exactly how long it could take you to travel between locations and actually over schedule your travel time. Worst case scenario, you get there faster than you anticipated and actually have a few moments to breathe, have a drink or a snack, and reflect on the wedding day so far! It could even be the difference of making a quick pit stop at an unexpected photo location.

Do a test run on a busy Saturday and pick one where there are a lot of things happening in and around the city that could cause potential delays. Be in the know of planned construction that is en route to the event and plan out alternate routes.

Photography

Ensure you have left room for both setup and pack up time for your photographer and videographer before and after each set of photos in addition to the time required to travel. It may not seem like much, 5 minutes to unpack and do test shots, and another 5 minutes to pack up at the end of the session is ultimately taking 10 minutes out.

When you’ve scheduled enough time for your photos, you’ll immediately feel more relaxed and actually look better in your photos. You’ll have time to get just the right shot and maybe even a few you hadn’t expected, rather than just the ones on the list!

Family and extended family photos are always crazy. Especially during cocktail hour. Aunt Jane has gone to the washroom, Uncle John has gotten caught up with a relative he hasn’t seen in years and is nowhere to be found. Be sure to have a thorough list of what photos you want to accomplish during this time and assign responsible family members to assist with rounding these folks up. Let them know ahead of time where they need to be and when. Perhaps even have an announcement made by your officiant at the end of the ceremony as another reminder. Your planner and photographer have never met Aunt Jane and Uncle John, so your photographer and planner will thank you when you have someone who knows the family helping to round them up!

Heidi Lau Photography

Dinner Service / Speeches

One of the areas in which the schedule is most unpredictable is during dinner service. A typical plated dinner service is around 2 to 2.5 hrs depending on the number of speeches and courses served but it’s not unusual for it to be running 30 to 45 minutes behind. I’ll let you in on a little secret, though. It’s rare that the catering staff are the reason for it running behind. In fact, they’re watching closely and timing their courses to ensure you are getting your meal exactly how they want it (and you expect it) to be served - hot and tasty! No one wants over-cooked chicken or well-done beef, but unfortunately, it’s a possibility if your speeches are running too long.

Keep the speeches to a minimum and be very clear with those giving speeches that they stick to a strict time limit.

Ask your venue if they have any requirements as to where speeches should or should not be scheduled during dinner service. Maybe they have restrictions on any speeches between the appetizer and main course to ensure the entrees are served hot and exactly as intended. Maybe they have strict rules not to clear or serve during speeches as it’s inevitably noisy and distracting no matter how quiet they try to be. It’s also often deemed disrespectful. Being in the know of these things well ahead of setting your evening schedule is key to success.

Over the last couple of years, I have been encouraging my clients to include the majority of their speeches during their rehearsal dinner. At the very least, the bride and groom should say a few words at the wedding to thank guests for taking time out of their busy lives to celebrate with them and to do a small toast to each other and their new life together. It’s also lovely for the parents to say something, but I highly suggest speeches during the wedding dinner reception are limited to these.

Lastly, the fewer speeches you have, the less you have to worry about chasing down the people who need to be present! Maybe this time mom has made a quick trip to the washroom but as soon as she gets back, dad has popped out to enjoy a cigar. It’s a fine dance getting all of these people to be in the same place at the same time as they tend to get restless the longer they sit around while dinner service drags out. 

Heidi Lau

Now go on out there and get started creating a wedding day timeline that will actually work FOR you and not against you!

Geometric and Floral Wedding at Airship 37

It was such an honour designing Christina and Patrick's wedding at Airship 37 this November. One of my favourite things about this space is that the opportunities with hanging ceiling decor are endless. The Berkeley Events team is excited to hear unique ideas and willing to assist with installation, something so hard to find with wedding venues nowadays. Keep scrolling to see more of this airy and feminine geometric and floral wedding and learn more about the incredible team.

The Details

For Christina and Patrick, we wanted to keep it pretty, airy, timeless and intimate, without being overly girly. For stationery, we opted for a rose-gold foil wedding invitation suite and created a seating chart inspired to flow with the suite. As a cost saver, we used the in-house silver Chiavari chairs and expanded our design foundation from there. To gussy up the chairs, we added pink chair wraps for the first row of chairs during the ceremony which were repurposed for the head table during the reception. I then wanted to add texture and pattern but chose to do it in a monochromatic tone, one way to make a mixture of opposing styles work together fluidly. So I picked shades of silvers and ivories in a variety of patterns for the linens and opted for silver ring charger plates to add that little bit of tension with the square and round patterns. Blush and Bloom accented it with beautiful blush and white blooms. Finally, we added a ton of silver mercury glass and clear diamond cut glass votives and hurricanes to reflect the light and add even more texture.

Photography Heart and Sparrow
Florals Blush and Bloom
Venue and Catering Airship 37
Stationery Minted
Cake Sweet Regards by Daniela
DJ Enjoi DJ Outfit