Weddings of Toronto.com
Simple, Meaningful Marriage Ceremonies in Toronto _____________________________________________________
Halls and Clubs
(larger events)
Hart House, University of Toronto
The Great Hall and Courtyard are great, but the music room is lovely. You can book the debates room for a wedding as well. Don't forget the Grill Room for an engagement lunch. The Non-denominational Chapel is pretty for smaller weddings (up to 35).
Multifaith Centre, UofT, College and Spadina. Various size rooms (ask Mary for details and booking, see Gallery)
Rosewater Room
Graydon Hall Manor
McLean House, and Sunnybrook Estates
Berkeley Field House, Church
St. Lawrence Hall
Arts and Letters Club
Arcadian Court
St Lawrence Market Kitchen
Royal Conservatory of Music
Royal Ontario Museum
Parks and Gardens and
Beaches
To reserve Toronto Park locations for ceremonies, call the Permit office: 416-392-8188, or see EVENTS
Note: Toronto limits formal weddings to a few large event locations such as Edwards Gardens (very pretty), and they will not issue a permit for small parks. High Park is no longer available as a venue due to abuse.
However, small parks, beach-fronts, even ravines may be used discreetly for small private elopements. Read our post about small weddings and City Parks on ElopeToronto
Also, Toronto has raised the permit fees again - be sure to check current rules and booking deadlines. Here are some downtown ideas:
Allan Gardens (avoid weekends)
St James Park + gazebo (pigeons..people...)
Toronto Music Garden (max 20 people, no roof)
Toronto Islands - along the shore for simple private events, or book the Algonquin Club House, the various Yacht Clubs (we've done them all), and best of all, the Rectory Cafe on Ward's island.
Cherry Beach, Ashbridges Bay, Sunnyside Pavilion
Hotels and inns
Any Hotel will host a wedding, big or small. Some smaller boutique hotels do not have large rooms or public spaces, however. The Gladstone and Royal York
will hold family-size weddings as well as bigger events. We've used the Drake Tiki Bar, and rooms and suites at the Park Hyatt, Gladstone & Four Seasons for intimate weddings (the palatial Hyatt suite had an enormous wet bar!)
The Windsor Arms Tea Room is perfect for a small elegant wedding. Almost any Bed and Breakfast (the charming ones) could host a simple wedding. Check small boutique hotels such as the St Germain for small weddings.
Historic Locations
and Museums
and
Galleries
To book one of Toronto's Historic Museums contact:
Marna Ward, 416-338-0030 mward@toronto.ca
Many historic sites have outdoor gardens for good weather, and indoor facilities as well. We like:
Todmorden Mills (I'm the volunteer historic gardener at the Mills, and have married several couples here, ask me)
Gibson House
MacKenzie House
Black Creek Pioneer Village (several venues)
Ontario Heritage Trust manages:
The George Brown House on Beverly
the Edwardian Heritage Center on Adelaide,
the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (airy hall or schoolroom)
Consider other interesting city locations, like the Brick Works, The St. Lawrence Market Gallery, Campbell House,
Riverdale Farm
Wychwood Car Barns (Artscape)
The big hall and the two smaller theatres. Also see the Artscape space at Gibraltar Point on Toronto Island - a bit far to reach, tho.
We have married people splendiferously at the ROM and the Royal Conservatory of Music , but also in contemporary museums, like the Gardiner Museum
You can also ask almost any art gallery for rental procedures for events when they are dark. Some do not advertise weddings, but just enquire whether they will host a private event. We've used the Angell gallery on Queen/Ossington, and the Cryptic Canvas on King.
A number of Distillery District galleries will host weddings, such as the BlueDotGallery or Arta. We've also used storefronts, closed for the evening, theatres, storefront galleries, even the VIP room at the Paramount Theatre.
Small and Medium sized Restaurants as venues
You can ask for the entire space ('private function'), or a private room
(Search room listing HERE). Look for "Private Room" or "Meetings" or "Events" instead of "weddings".
Or ask for a half-hour slot
in a semi-empty restaurant 'between service'; e.g., 11am for lunch, or 4:00 for dinner, and then stay and eat. We did a small wedding at FRANK at the AGO before dinner.
Be sure to emphasize
you are having a simple function, a civil ceremony, no fuss; no chair wrapping, no confetti or other cleanup problems, and
a restaurant may be happy to serve the champagne and accommodate you.
example: Poor John's Cafe, Parkdale (we did their first wedding!) 647-435-2688
Many restaurants regularly host small to medium events, and such as La Maquette on King, Archaeo (Distillery), Reds, Terroni, Le Select (nice back patio/terrace)
We also hold weddings at performance spaces and clubs, such as the Richmond design exchange, even TIFF
Quirky,
Theatrical
or charming
locations
Doris McCarthy Trail - to the sculpture at the bottom
Ontario Science Center - try the Planetarium,
Mezzanine at St. Lawrence Market (the "Market Kitchen")
Consider a library meeting room, or rent a smaller non-religious meeting room at your local church, such as the Music Room at Bloor St. United.
St Stephen in the Fields, by Kensington Market @ 103 Bellevue Ave., Toronto, Ontario 416-921-6350
(nice for a medium wedding & reception in the same hall - lovely restored interior. Still has ecclesiastical decor.)
St George the Martyr Anglican Church, behind OCAD & AGO, offers the Garden and/or the Sanctuary for small to medium non-denominational weddings or receptions. My daughter was married here! Jason Arviss, 416.204.1080.
Try fun commercial event sites like the Academy of Spherical Arts or the Steamwhistle Brewery
PERFORMANCE SPACES IN TORONTO
this is an old but comprehensive list of theatres & performance spaces, from churches to halls. Do some detective work.
also - consider the Young Center in the Distillery - as the mom of an acting family, I think this would be wonderful space. Pix HERE
Unusual sites
Well, we were asked to marry a couple while skydiving north of Toronto, but weather intervened. Wind is also a problem with Hot Air balloons, so we had to postpone a Fall 'aloftment' in Newmarket. Mary HAS flown a small plane, tho'! We have used the skypod at the CN tower and the rink at Nathan Phillips Square, but have yet to do
a wedding on a Subway or Streetcar. Note that you can be MARRIED on a boat, in a plane, on the Mariposa tour boat or in a canoe, but you still have to sign the documents on land. You can read about 'boats, planes, trains and aeroplanes' -> HERE.
Weddings of Toronto.com | Halls and Clubs (larger events) |
Hart House, University of Toronto The Great Hall and Courtyard are great, but the music room is lovely. You can book the debates room for a wedding as well. Don't forget the Grill Room for an engagement lunch. The Non-denominational Chapel is pretty for smaller weddings (up to 35). Multifaith Centre, UofT, College and Spadina. Various size rooms (ask Mary for details and booking, see Gallery) Rosewater Room Graydon Hall Manor McLean House, and Sunnybrook Estates Berkeley Field House, Church St. Lawrence Hall Arts and Letters Club Arcadian Court St Lawrence Market Kitchen Royal Conservatory of Music Royal Ontario Museum |
| Parks and Gardens and Beaches |
To reserve Toronto Park locations for ceremonies, call the Permit office: 416-392-8188, or see EVENTS Note: Toronto limits formal weddings to a few large event locations such as Edwards Gardens (very pretty), and they will not issue a permit for small parks. High Park is no longer available as a venue due to abuse. However, small parks, beach-fronts, even ravines may be used discreetly for small private elopements. Read our post about small weddings and City Parks on ElopeToronto Also, Toronto has raised the permit fees again - be sure to check current rules and booking deadlines. Here are some downtown ideas: Allan Gardens (avoid weekends) St James Park + gazebo (pigeons..people...) Toronto Music Garden (max 20 people, no roof) Toronto Islands - along the shore for simple private events, or book the Algonquin Club House, the various Yacht Clubs (we've done them all), and best of all, the Rectory Cafe on Ward's island. Cherry Beach, Ashbridges Bay, Sunnyside Pavilion |
| Hotels and inns |
Any Hotel will host a wedding, big or small. Some smaller boutique hotels do not have large rooms or public spaces, however. The Gladstone and Royal York
will hold family-size weddings as well as bigger events. We've used the Drake Tiki Bar, and rooms and suites at the Park Hyatt, Gladstone & Four Seasons for intimate weddings (the palatial Hyatt suite had an enormous wet bar!) The Windsor Arms Tea Room is perfect for a small elegant wedding. Almost any Bed and Breakfast (the charming ones) could host a simple wedding. Check small boutique hotels such as the St Germain for small weddings. |
| Historic Locations and Museums and Galleries |
To book one of Toronto's Historic Museums contact: Marna Ward, 416-338-0030 mward@toronto.ca Many historic sites have outdoor gardens for good weather, and indoor facilities as well. We like: Todmorden Mills (I'm the volunteer historic gardener at the Mills, and have married several couples here, ask me) Gibson House MacKenzie House Black Creek Pioneer Village (several venues) Ontario Heritage Trust manages: The George Brown House on Beverly the Edwardian Heritage Center on Adelaide, the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse (airy hall or schoolroom) Consider other interesting city locations, like the Brick Works, The St. Lawrence Market Gallery, Campbell House, Riverdale Farm Wychwood Car Barns (Artscape) The big hall and the two smaller theatres. Also see the Artscape space at Gibraltar Point on Toronto Island - a bit far to reach, tho. We have married people splendiferously at the ROM and the Royal Conservatory of Music , but also in contemporary museums, like the Gardiner Museum You can also ask almost any art gallery for rental procedures for events when they are dark. Some do not advertise weddings, but just enquire whether they will host a private event. We've used the Angell gallery on Queen/Ossington, and the Cryptic Canvas on King. A number of Distillery District galleries will host weddings, such as the BlueDotGallery or Arta. We've also used storefronts, closed for the evening, theatres, storefront galleries, even the VIP room at the Paramount Theatre. |
| Small and Medium sized Restaurants as venues | You can ask for the entire space ('private function'), or a private room
(Search room listing HERE). Look for "Private Room" or "Meetings" or "Events" instead of "weddings". Or ask for a half-hour slot in a semi-empty restaurant 'between service'; e.g., 11am for lunch, or 4:00 for dinner, and then stay and eat. We did a small wedding at FRANK at the AGO before dinner. Be sure to emphasize you are having a simple function, a civil ceremony, no fuss; no chair wrapping, no confetti or other cleanup problems, and a restaurant may be happy to serve the champagne and accommodate you. example: Poor John's Cafe, Parkdale (we did their first wedding!) 647-435-2688 Many restaurants regularly host small to medium events, and such as La Maquette on King, Archaeo (Distillery), Reds, Terroni, Le Select (nice back patio/terrace) We also hold weddings at performance spaces and clubs, such as the Richmond design exchange, even TIFF |
| Quirky, Theatrical or charming locations |
Doris McCarthy Trail - to the sculpture at the bottom Ontario Science Center - try the Planetarium, Mezzanine at St. Lawrence Market (the "Market Kitchen") Consider a library meeting room, or rent a smaller non-religious meeting room at your local church, such as the Music Room at Bloor St. United. St Stephen in the Fields, by Kensington Market @ 103 Bellevue Ave., Toronto, Ontario 416-921-6350 (nice for a medium wedding & reception in the same hall - lovely restored interior. Still has ecclesiastical decor.) St George the Martyr Anglican Church, behind OCAD & AGO, offers the Garden and/or the Sanctuary for small to medium non-denominational weddings or receptions. My daughter was married here! Jason Arviss, 416.204.1080. Try fun commercial event sites like the Academy of Spherical Arts or the Steamwhistle Brewery PERFORMANCE SPACES IN TORONTO this is an old but comprehensive list of theatres & performance spaces, from churches to halls. Do some detective work. also - consider the Young Center in the Distillery - as the mom of an acting family, I think this would be wonderful space. Pix HERE |
| Unusual sites | Well, we were asked to marry a couple while skydiving north of Toronto, but weather intervened. Wind is also a problem with Hot Air balloons, so we had to postpone a Fall 'aloftment' in Newmarket. Mary HAS flown a small plane, tho'! We have used the skypod at the CN tower and the rink at Nathan Phillips Square, but have yet to do a wedding on a Subway or Streetcar. Note that you can be MARRIED on a boat, in a plane, on the Mariposa tour boat or in a canoe, but you still have to sign the documents on land. You can read about 'boats, planes, trains and aeroplanes' -> HERE. |