Editorial

Top Wedding Venues in the GTA

When we meet our brides and grooms in our cozy studio for their initial consultation they often come in with a date secured for their special day and with their hearts set on a venue! For the majority of newly engaged couples, the next logical step after securing a date and booking a venue is to start looking for a photographer! However, over the last couple of years, we’ve noticed that this flow has been changing.

Now, more than ever, we’re meeting with couples who are still in the process of finalizing their venues when they come in to meet with us. We’re finding that couples come in with an open mind and they love to ask us for our favourite recommendations and inspirations for their big day!
Don’t get us wrong, there’s no right or wrong way to go about planning your wedding, in fact, we love and appreciate when couples come to us for advice! That’s why we wanted to create a blog post dedicated to the most PERFECT WEDDING VENUES!

We are truly lucky to live in such a diverse, inspiring and beautiful city. Toronto has an abundance of special wedding venues to fit any budget, satisfy every style and taste, there’s seriously no shortage when it comes to stunning wedding venues in the city! We have some of our own ideas, but what’s better than getting advice from good friends? We turned to Toronto’s top wedding planners for their expertise and feedback on their favourite wedding venues in the city. We’re so excited about what they’ve shared with us and hope it will help you in your search for your perfect wedding venue! With years of experience in the hospitality industry, Ashley Pigott knows what it takes to create an event that welcomes and inspires you and your guests. Check out what her three favourite venues and what she has to say about them:
Evergreen Brickworks is by far my favourite, I love the large open space, to me its a blank canvas with so many options for floor plans and rigging. It works for the rustic more natural vibes, but I also love the uber glam and traditional approach in the space. You can have an outdoor ceremony and epic options for photos!
The Symes another major favourite. Its new and raw and open with lots of options for floorplans and rigging (i’m seeing a trend in my likes!)
Four Seasons Hotel. Just a true classic, that always delivers or exceeds exceptions with service and quality. The best ballroom option Toronto has to offer by a far.
We were lucky enough to photograph Hailey and Noah’s stunning and inspiring Evergreen Brickworks wedding planned and orchestrated by Ashley Pigott: When Melissa started back in 2014, she was awarded the best new event planner in Canada by the wedding industry experts! Her hands-on approach and heavy involvement translate beautifully in her work.  Dedicated to creating a unique and unforgettable experience, here are her picks for places to host your one of a kind wedding:
Royal Ontario Museum
Art Gallery of Ontario
I love the above venues because from the moment you walk in, you know you and your guests are in for something special. The atmosphere is breathtaking and the service is second to none. The bride and groom and their guests are taken care of impeccably.
We love being able to work with Melissa Baum multiple times each season, and Nicole and Phil’s AGO wedding is just one of many to remember: Founder and Creative Director Diana Pires leads a team of passionate individuals who will handle your wedding with the utmost care. As a pioneer in the wedding industry, she has valuable insight to her favourite venues in the GTA:
I love Evergreen Brickworks. It is the perfect venue because it’s surrounded by nature and it’s a facility where design has no limitations. I love the endless possibilities of suspending beautiful decor with the flexibility to create your own experience in such an incredible atmosphere.
Dreams do come true in the city and for my top choice, Casa Loma sweeps the category for my absolute favourite venue. There is a beautiful charm about a historic building,  built by a dreamer.  I love the venue for its historic charm, beautiful gardens, library room and for the true fact that it’s a castle in our precious city of Toronto.
The Graydon Hall Manor is one of my favourite venues for it is a historic mansion with many hidden treasures. I love the architecture of the property and their breathtaking gardens which can be used for ceremonies, cocktails and a beautiful presentation of fireworks.
The Arlington Estate is a venue that currently has my heart! I love this venue for the beautiful details embellished in Gold, the natural light that comes into both reception spaces in the east and west wing and that it is simply a blank canvas you can create wonders in. The Terrace has a beautiful view, a wicked helicopter landing pad and a fully built-in sound system that plays music all throughout the facilities both indoor and outdoor.

Thanks to Diana and her team, we had the pleasure of shooting Christina and Spyros’ reception of their dreams at the Arlington Estate: If you’re looking for a glamorous and stylish wedding, Wassal and her team have you covered. Their fashion forward and creative design will turn your vision into a reality. Check what Wassal has to say about her favourite venues:
If I had to come up with the perfect venue, it would be The Arlington Estate. There is no doubt it has been designed to consider all aspects of the perfect wedding. Both stylish and minimalistic, the entrance serves the perfect wow factor that leads into a completely private (that’s right, no annoying divider walls!) room with the perfect finishes. Not to mention, it is a designer’s dream- no eye soring carpets, just pristine hardwood floors. It embodies both a sophisticated upscale interior and a beautifully serene, lush outdoor, complete with ceremony space, pond AND a landing pad (just in case you decide to take that helicopter out for a ride that day!) The service and food is the cherry on top!
Graydon Hall has a charm like no other. From the beautiful cobblestone entrance to the intimate terrace overlooking a private garden, there is no detail overlooked. If you are having a smaller wedding, this space is perfect to enjoy every moment of your special day. The upper floor has perfectly designed rooms for both you and your beau to get ready, and when your ready, you can walk down to the gardens to a stunning outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour. The main ballroom is the perfect mixture of old world charm meets modern chic. And…as a bonus, they have just opened up their basement space, a dark, contemporary chic space perfect for cocktail hour or a lounge! I can’t forget the wonderful variety of dishes too! There is not one single space on this property that isn’t impressive!
Apart from being a world-class hotel, The Ritz is for brides looking for a downtown hotel venue with all the right stuff, this is it! You experience exceptional service from the moment you enter the doors. The sales coordinator is with you every step of the way, going above and beyond while paying attention to the important details. The ballroom has wonderfully high ceilings with a spacious connecting foyer with ceiling to floor glass overlooking the beautifully busy streets of Toronto. But my absolute favourite thing about this venue is the cuisine! The dishes are absolutely delicious (If you have dined at their resident TOCA Toronto restaurant, you will know what I am talking about!) But, the biggest bonus is being able to stay at the Ritz for the duration of your wedding (both the morning prep and late night pass out!) This provides a seamless and stress-free day as you eliminate the commute and can take your photos at a nearby downtown location! And it doesn’t hurt to run into an A-list celebrity staying at the Ritz too, would it?
If you follow us, you know we work on a lot of styled shoots with Wassal from Petals and Pearls. Her creative vision helped us produce this Graydon Hall Manor shoot: This team of experienced event planners are all about creating a unique wedding that reflects your unique personality while ensuring you receive quality service from all vendors involved. Creative directors and event planners, Michelle Garber & Tamara Niyazov, share their favourite spaces to throw fabulous fetes:
We love the exceptionally tall ceilings and open concept of the Arcadian Court. As well, the food and service by Oliver & Bonacini are always top notch!
We really love how classy and elegant the banquet rooms are at The Adelaide Hotel. The contrast of the black and white is so beautiful and dramatic.
The Estates of Sunnybrook are such historic and charming venues. The best part of the Estates is that all of the proceeds go to support Sunnybrook hospital.
Fab Fete was the mastermind behind Olga and Diego’s classy Adelaide Hotel wedding that we shot and it was featured in Wedluxe Magazine: Specializing in planning and executing luxurious weddings in Toronto, Rebecca has shared her expertise with multiple media channels, from Breakfast Television to Global News. Read what her favourite wedding venues are in Toronto:
My 3 favourite venues are timeless, tried-and-true spaces that offer a beautiful backdrop to couples getting married.
I love Graydon Hall Manor for their classic and sophisticated look. A venue with a manicured outdoor space is always sought after and theirs is the best.
Shangri-La Hotel‘s Museum Room is a favourite of mine for ceremonies and intimate weddings. The chandeliers and floor to ceiling windows can’t be beat.
I also love Evergreen Brickworks for their urban vibe. It is a true blank canvas that you can mold into whatever you want. You really can’t go wrong with any of these!
Our most recent wedding blog post featured  Monica and Garros’s vibrant spring wedding at the Shangri-La Hotel which Rebecca skillfully planned and coordinated in detail:

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