Choosing a Toronto wedding reception venue is no easy task, here’s what you need to know
When you’re getting married, in my opinion, 3 things have the biggest influences for a successful night. In no particular order, I believe the wedding reception venue you choose, the food you serve and the entertainment you select will ultimately have the biggest impact on your guests. By this I mean, this is what your guests will be talking about as they leave and the days to follow.
With many years’ experience working with various Toronto wedding vendors, you really get to know the ins and outs of each trade, which is why I’ve kept a secret notepad of the best tips to include for my own wedding ;). But let’s not think that far into the future. I’ve come up with 6 key points you definitely want to consider when you go venue shopping.
This advice, of course, is a biased opinion coming from a wedding DJ in Toronto. Consider this advice only if the entertainment of your wedding night is important to you. 🙂
7 Key Considerations Before Choosing Your Wedding Venue
The following are 7 killer things (in no particular order) you need to check before choosing your wedding venue.
7. Overtime charges
Many venues will turn the lights and ask the Toronto party DJ to call the night to an end, the second your contracted time is up. The last thing you want is to force people to leave right when the party is at its peak. Ask about their overtime policies and if they have any charges.
6. Allowing outside Toronto party DJs
Some venues have a strict policy when it comes to allowing anyone except their resident DJs to perform. This may be because of liability or other rules that are intact that only the resident DJs are familiar with. This may be a problem if you have a particular Toronto wedding DJ you want or if your wedding has a certain type of music that the resident DJs at the venue do not offer.
5. Bar inside wedding hall
If your wedding has drinking, make sure the bar is located inside the hall and not outside. This keeps your guests from separating themselves from where the action is.
4. Size of dance floor
Choose a wedding venue that has a dance floor size proportional to the number of guests. Having too small of a dance floor may have your guests feeling congested. Conversely, too big of a dance floor and everyone will feel isolated. This will impact your pictures as well.
3. Service and scenery
You want somewhere nice! Somewhere that, once you step foot, you go WOW. Scenery has a lot to do with the wedding location, as well as, how well you decorate your wedding reception hall. This not only has an instant effect, but it will enhance your photos drastically.
You also want a place that will not have any surprise charges. The staff and management should be friendly from the get go. I had one Toronto wedding venue charge the bride and groom, last-minute, for power, otherwise the wedding could not begin. That’s right, for power, something you would assume is included.
2. Do they allow outside food caterers?
We’ve all been to reception venues whose food you could have sworn was purchased from the frozen foods section at the local grocery store. Test their food and make sure it will appeal to your guests. If not, make sure they allow outside caterers in.
1. Simultaneous weddings
Imagine you have a late wedding ceremony and in the room next door there is a separate wedding party. How fun is that? Sadly, it’s happened. Ask how many rooms the venue has and if they are sound proof. You do not want sound from another wedding party next door interfering with your ceremony or speeches.
Recommended Toronto wedding venues
I’ve been to my fair share of Toronto (GTA) wedding venues and here are the ones I recommend based on the above criteria.
Eagles nest – This venue in Maple Ontario has it all. A bar situated inside the hall, beautiful scenery, a cozy dance floor and great service team.
Fantasy Farm – Newly renovated and located in midtown Toronto, this wedding venue offers a cozy atmosphere for up to 150 guests.
Grande Luxe – This venue, although is suited for bigger size parties, is great if you have dancing planned for a long time. The bar is ON THE DANCE FLOOR! They couldn’t have made it any more party friendly. 🙂
Palais Royale – In the heart of downtown Toronto, this wedding venue is my favourite to work at. Service wise, they are second to none. They also have a lighting system setup that, if used, can do all sorts of spectacular things.
