You’ve picked a date and it’s time to get ready to rock your wedding dreams, but where the hell do you start? Wedding planning is a massive task, but the one task you should start with is always your venue! Your venue will dictate 98% of your wedding planning, since everything revolves around it. This is why I recommend that all of my couples start here!
Below you’ll hear all about Kelsey + Chris, an adorable couple that I loved working with, but I’m also going to drop some of my best tips for selecting a wedding venue that you’ll love!
How do you choose a venue?
Okay, this is a BIG question. I want you to start by outlining what your biggest goals are for your wedding! Ask yourself these questions:
- How many guests do you want to have?
- What matters most to you about your wedding?
- What kind of vibe do you want?
- What kind of vendors do you want at your wedding?
Venue selection really varies depending on how you answered these questions.For example let’s say dancing is really important for you to have at your wedding, you need to select a venue with a killer dancefloor! Looking for something intimate but unique? Look into restaurants, galleries, or bed & breakfasts.These priorities will really help guide you to the right place! If you’re interested, I can write a separate blog post on some of my favorite local venues.
Pro tip: ask to see photos of your venue during the time of day you’ll be getting married! Some venues look totally different during the day compared to the evening, and this will give you a better idea of how your photos will look!
Kelsey + Chris’s Venue
This gorgeous couple decided to tie the knot close to home. They live in the GTA and found the venue of their dreams in downtown Toronto! The Berkeley Field House can hold anywhere between 150-275 guests depending on the season, but its size wasn’t what really stood out to me. This venue had so much personal flair to it, it really did make a unique experience! They had a small closed-off section between a church and their space where we shot some of their portraits and it felt like something out of a fairytale! There was also a treehouse (I know, a treehouse!) where you could climb through the trees and feel like you were nowhere near the city.
Magical Moments
I knew right away that Chris was a bit of a softie. He MELTED when his aunt came to say hi before the ceremony and I almost cried because it was so sweet. He almost broke down when he saw his beautiful bride walk down the aisle. Kelsey had a few tears of her own but held it together! The whole wedding party was just so genuinely happy for the couple, you could feel the love in the room. They shared a champagne toast seconds after signing the register – it was such a cute touch for the wedding party!
One of the bridesmaids also happened to be the manager at a bridal store (tagged below) and she was a DREAM to have around! This queen was adjusting the dress or florals for me before I could even ask. It was like having an assistant! Their whole guest list made me feel welcome; they were spewing all kinds of jokes and were trying to convince me to have a few drinks in the morning! Honestly, I loved each and every one of their guests!
The couple joined their guests outdoors for a delicious meal under twinkle lights on a beautiful balmy day. Afterwards, Kelsey and Chris danced under a canopy of lights where the guests enjoyed dessert while watching. I’m 90% sure Chris had a tear in his eye during their first dance! I can’t blame him though, the entire thing felt like magic.
The couple joined their guests outdoors for a delicious meal under twinkle lights on a beautiful balmy day. Afterwards, Kelsey and Chris danced under a canopy of lights where the guests enjoyed dessert while watching. I’m 90% sure Chris had a tear in his eye during their first dance! I can’t blame him though, the entire thing felt like magic.
