By: Stephanie Sturino

With a history spanning close to 100 years, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre is the last operating double-decker theatre in the world. Built in 1913 and nestled in the heart of the city, the magnificent Edwardian style theatre offers a glimpse at the city’s cultural history and roaring past.

Today, the restored theatre, a National Historic Site, includes a variety of rental spaces, including the extraordinary opportunity of hosting a dinner reception on the stage of the Winter Garden theatre. Definitely a must for those couples that wish to revel in the spotlight, the stage offers space for an intimate dinner of 80 people. A seat on the famous vaudeville-era stage presents a panoramic view of the grand outdoor-garden themed theatre along with the contrasting scenery of backstage theatre production, which includes stage ropes and trussing. With hand painted walls meant to resemble an outdoor garden, and its ceiling a collection of natural beech leaves and twinkling lanterns, the Winter Garden is some kind of Midsummer Night’s fantasy.

The theatre centre offers other spaces such as their cascading lobbies and larger lounges that can hold up to 200 people.

Snapshot

Location: 189 Yonge Street

Contact: Kevin Harris 416-314-3585

First Impressions: vintage, enchantingly intimate, a theatrically grand space

Capacity: Winter Garden Theatre Stage, 80 people for sit down; Largest lounge – Thomas Lamb Lounge – 200 people for sit down

Facilities: Couples receive basic facilities with rental of space, there is no kitchen

Venue Price: Stage: $2,900 flat rate for evening; All lounges are $800 per four hours

Exclusive caterers: Daniel et Daniel, Encore Food with Elegance; Herrera’s Catering; Urban Fare Catering; 10tation Catering

Perfect Shot: The vintage box office at the entrance of the theatre with the backdrop of the fast-paced city street captures that perfect mix of old and new. Also, the outright grandeur of the main staircase can create the ultimate classic shot.

Notes: A Special Occasion Permit from the LCBO is required, and must be obtained by the host.

Walkers take note! We love this little tool for its ability to help you travel by foot whether you’re planning a shopping day with your mum or your friends, suggesting a few must-see spots for out of town guests or looking for the perfect hotel location for your honeymoon all without the bother of transit or parking!

Check the Walk Score of your venue, neighbourhood or that super fabulous dress shop you want to try, that way, when you’ve found the frock and want to celebrate, you already know you can walk around the corner to the equally fabulous spot to re-fuel! The website is really straight-forward and it’s original purpose was to help people find walkable neighbourhoods to move to – something that might come in handy after the wedding and honeymoon!

This is a snapshot of a score for The Winter Garden Theatre, Toronto (tomorrow’s featured venue). Part of what’s so cool about that particular venue is that it’s in the heart of the downtown of our fabulous city and so why not suggest some great walking destinations for your guests either before the wedding or between the ceremony and reception for visitors and locals alike to enjoy a pedestrian’s view of Toronto. With so much emphasis being placed on creating a spectacular experience for guests, this is a super way to take advantage of the spot you’ve chosen – especially if it’s a destination for anyone – it’s exciting to share your city or explore a new one with your favourite people.

Nestled in the heart of Toronto’s downtown, St. Lawrence Hall stands on a strong foundation of civic history. With its authentic gas lighting, gorgeously detailed and meticulously restored Great Hall, the beautiful venue is a prominent building on King Street’s chic stretch between Church and Sherbourne and sits across the street from St. James’ gorgeous gardens and a block from the bustling St. Lawrence Market.

This is just the spot for a couple looking to celebrate with an historic, rather than a vintage twist. And while it’s location makes for incredible photographs and the history of the building deems it an important landmark in our city’s history – it was the site of many of the negotiations regarding the underground railroad, the 150 year old design {smallish bar area, kitchen and cocktail areas} must be taken into consideration. For many reasons though, this is a venue that’s perfect for the quintessential Torontonian couple.

Venue Snapshot

Name: St. Lawrence Hall: The Great Hall

Location: 157 King St. East, Toronto

Contact: Special Events Co-ordinator, St. Lawrence Market Complex, (416)392-7130,  market@stlawrencemarket.com

First Impression: Stately and classic

Age: Built in 1850 and completely restored in 1967

Price: A rate card is here, but on most weekend evenings, The Great Hall rents for $1,100 with a $400 additional fee to have the space from 12 noon.

Capacity: The Great Hall can accommodate 120 for dinner and dancing.

Facilities: A small kitchen (no ventilation is a downside and a reminder of the age of the building) and a freight elevator.

Great Spot for a Portrait: Anywhere in the nearby neighbourhood would make a great urban image. And if you’re not renting the venue for your wedding but you’re in the area, the building is owned by the city and is usually unlocked during business hours – it’s always worth checking!

Photos courtesy of the St. Lawrence Hall/

Tucked away behind an outdoor corridor and surrounded by those amazing old buildings that make up Liberty Village, CaFfino has established itself as a popular spot for intimate weddings. The Italian restaurant, which opened 15 years ago, has received many favourable reviews including this one from Dine.ca: “Caffino is the very essence of Italy in Toronto. It was established just for the joy of getting together, eating, drinking and having a good time in a purely European atmosphere. Its mosaic décor and authentic cuisine separate it from other Italian restaurants.” For me, the only obvious downside was the toilets – kinda small and definitely in need of an overhaul to bring them up to par with the rest of the space. The open kitchen and separate, and more casual, bar area create that buzzing, friendly atmosphere and we’ve heard couples often opt for a tent in the courtyard off of the dining room to increase the space.

This would be a great spot for a turnkey 30-100 person wedding. The restaurant’s manager, Gemma Muscillo, says most couples bring flowers for the tables but aside from that, the more casual bar area is already decorated to the hilt with photographs, mirrors and sconces on the walls and an eclectic set of distressed furniture, while the dining room, referred to as  the ‘Opera Room’ has a beautiful neutral grey palette, massive windows and unique light fixtures that leave the space feeling complete, but not overdone.

Snapshot

Name: CaFfinO

Location: 1185 King Street West (just east of Dufferin)

Contact: Gemma Muscillo, Manager, (416) 588-7920, gemma@caffino.ca

First Impression: Romantic, easy and warm in an urban environment

Age: The restaurant is 15-years-old but the building it’s situated in has heritage written all over it.

Price: Because the menus are all tailor-made, Gemma didn’t have a standard rate but dinner for 100 at $50-$60 per person is doable. Anything less and rental fees will be charged. Prices are based on food alone, there is no minimum bar tab.

Capacity: In the Opera Room, 80 can be seated nicely (leaving the second room for cocktails), with a tent attached to the Opera Room, 130 is the maximum.

Facilities: Being a restaurant, CaFfino has a full kitchen and bar, no special permits are necessary. They also have chairs, silver, stemware and linen if you choose, or they can arrange for rentals.

Great Spot for a Portrait: No matter where you situate it, it’s going to be hard not to have the backdrop of the incredible old architecture of the area.

Until the ’60s, FC Burroughes Furniture Co., an Ontario-based company, had its flagship store on Toronto’s Queen Street. The company, known for treating its clientele like family and VIP guests, was ahead of its time: and they were known for throwing lavish tea parties at their Queen Street address and staying open until 10pm to serve their clientele. FC Burroughes shut their doors almost half a century ago and the building remained a retail spot until a few years ago when Queen Street Partners bought it and turned it into an event, gallery, pop-up space of carefully curated tenants. It’s not often that a wedding takes place here but that’s not for any reason except that right now, the company has a hard time facilitating dates further than a year into the future. That’s changing though, and it won’t be long until the space is regularly used by brides and grooms.

In the meantime, if you’re able to plan your do in a few short months, The Burroughes Building might be just the spot.

This is a place that can go posh or party-wild, while it does evoke a commercial, almost industrial feel, the age of the building makes it feel more polished than the usual. Each space is divided into smaller areas: the 6th floor has access to the roof, the second floor balcony looks over the first floor and the middle floors are divided by the remaining parts of the original exterior walls (an addition was added in 1910) – because of this, you can move your party from one space to another for cocktails, dinner and dancing or let your guests spread out.

A Snapshot of the Space

Name: The Burroughes Building, currently owned by Queen Street Partners

Location: 639 Queen Street West & Bathurst

Contact: Jen Foster, Director, Corporate Partnerships, StyleforStyle Jen@styleforstyle.ca 647.218.3380

First Impression: Gorgeous polished floors, great architectural elements and a wonderful vintage elevator, the toilets are on the small side, and  the rooftop patio has lots of potential.

Age: Renovated recently but built around the turn of the last century.

Price: Rental fees weren’t available for this posting but they do require you get insurance and will charge a $500 clean up fee.

Capacity: On each floor, approximately 100-150 people, on the rooftop, 100 standing

Facilities: This is a straight up venue so there’s no kitchen, very little storage space, no rentals and you have to get yourself a Special Occasions Permit; the nice thing is, you can do everything exactly the way you want.

Great Spot for a Portrait: Against the original exterior wall where the original store’s logo has faded over the years.

A pinnacle of social events in Toronto, Fairmont’s Royal York Hotel has seen over 80 years of weddings and continues to host lavish, formal affairs  for new generations of Torontonian’s and city visitors in event spaces aptly named after key political events and geographical areas across the country.

The grand old hotel is also working hard to stay relevant in a time when weddings aren’t always large or lavish. By opening up the exclusive 19th floor, normally reserved for VIP guests, and focusing menus on seasonal and local produce, the hotel has added intimate and green to their wedding repertoire. As Toronto’s largest luxury hotel however, there are certain experiences and features which continue to awe and inspire – peek into the original ’20s elevators, for example, and imagine surprising your guests with a musician in each of the Juliet balconies in the Ballroom and enjoy your meal tasting at the chef’s table in the middle of Canada’s largest kitchen.

Like any hotel, the Royal York can have more than one wedding going on at once but if you’re looking for a little old world charm and a landmark in Toronto’s history, the Royal York Hotel is a lovely spot.

Venue Snapshot

In a few words Beautiful, historic and grand

Location & Contact 100 Front Street (location and contact information)

Parking Valet and underground parking available

Capacity From a cozy handful of friends and family on the 19th floor to 1260 seated for dinner in the Canadian room.

Venue Rental Completely dependent on the room: from $650 to $12,000

Facilities The hotel has your food, beverage, essential furniture, staffing, accommodation needs covered, you or your planner take care of the decor. When it comes to Jewish weddings, you may arrange for another caterer. Additionally, book your honeymoon through their concierge and receive a discount at Fairmont Hotels worldwide.

Partners:  The hotel has a preferred professionals list but feel free to bring in your own.

Great spot for portrait: Arrange your entire (small) wedding in the lobby by the famous clocktower or walk out on Front street surrounded by some of Toronto’s oldest architecture

An honest to goodness blank canvas for a wedding or engagement party is part of the revitalized Queen East/Leslieville stretch. You’ll recognize Coupe Space from the street by its antlered deer head and perhaps the name’s similarity to its sister company, Coupe Magazine. “Coupe Space is a venue first and gallery second,” says Sasha Douglas, one half of the husband and wife team that owns the space, “the art on the walls is exclusively my husband’s, so you get a pretty good idea of what’s going to be on the walls even if you book a year in advance.” Douglas was the chef at Dish Cooking School but now runs the event space full time where an open kitchen allows her to cater events or provide space for other cooks.

The space itself is open, primarily white and decidedly unpolished, which is exactly what seems to appeal most to Douglas’s clientele. It is broken into two rooms, the lounge and the gallery; a smaller wedding can have a ceremony in the gallery and then move to the lounge for cocktails while the larger room is flipped for a meal. Douglas says the best design for a sit down meal is by setting up a long communal table down the centre of the gallery, and in the warmer months, opening up the garage-styled door to the back laneway. Don’t expect chandeliers or a manicured garden, this is a raw space for a creative couple to make it their own.

Venue Snapshot

In a few words: Petite Industrial Hip

Location & Parking:  998 Queen Street East @ Carlaw (map), parking on Queen Street (free after 6)

Contact: Sacha Douglas, chef and proprietor, 416-469-9656, space@coupe-mag.com

Capacity:  Entire space: 150 cocktails, 60 sit down

Price: $1900 (venue only) for the entire space. A cocktail-style wedding for 100 guests would range from approximately $80-$130 per guest, this includes the venue, hors d’ouevres, grazing platters, all staffing,
and rentals. A sit-down dinner for 50 guests would range from approximately $140-$170 per guest,
including venue, hors d’ouevres, sit-down dinner, all staffing and rentals.

Facilities:  Living up to the industrial feel of the space, the bathrooms are truly minimal, even cramped and its not very wheelchair accessible. The venue has an open kitchen, 2 bars (1 floating), some lounge furniture, 40 white folding chairs for ceremony and/or dinner, and an ipod dock. An SOP is required, which means you arrange for your own liquor (no corkage fee).

Douglas can do everything from food, to flowers, and she can remove art from walls for a fee.

Partners:  Staffing and rentals are exclusively dealt with by Coupe Space on behalf of the client, Exclusive Affair Rentals Inc. and Furnishings by Corey. Other vendors can be suggested but are not exclusive to the venue.

Great spot for portrait: Strolling along Queen Street or at the front of the lounge.

Tonight! Brian Bailey & the Lausberg Contemporary gallery co-host a private party for regular clientele & The Daily News’ readers on Thursday evening

Meet the man behind his beautiful and modern Mother of the Bride and svelte wedding dresses and get up close and personal with local artist Sophie de Francesca’s wire dress sculptures at the gallery

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878 & 880 Queen Street West, Toronto

Thursday July 9, 6-9pm

Catering: Daniel et Daniel and Barefoot Wines

One $500 credit to either the boutique or the gallery will be presented to a lucky guest

No RSVP required – feel free to drop in anytime!

Toronto craft brewer, Steam Whistle, has carved out an impressive home for itself in the downtown core. It has the capacity to throw a posh party just as easily as a beery bash: intrinsic to all aspects of the company however, from the bubbly staff to the cheery clapboard “storefront” stuffed with bright green merchandise to the vintage but bio-fueled fleet of delivery trucks, and embedded in every event they host, is the message that Steam Whistle brews just as much clean, old fashioned fun as it does hops and barley. “Because we’re a brewery first and foremost, the key to any event here is a great experience,” says venue manager Dana Kaluzny.

Not a bad environment to host a party, especially when you take a peek inside the bright, spotless space they call the hall, which is tucked inside the massive, city-owned Round House, originally a locomotive repair facility for the CPR, and completed in 1929. This space has thirty-five foot ceilings, a wall of windows, access to a soon-to-be gigantic patio and views of both the brewing equipment and the city skyline. The ambient light from the city is — according to eco-conscious Kaluzny, “the only positive of light pollution.” The space is definitely an alternative to anything traditional but a wonderful blank slate to build an event from scratch.

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The Berkeley Street Church is about as alternative as it gets for wedding venues. From the huge bar in the original church to the various nooks and crannies spread over the entire space to eclectic architectural blend of elements the owners have sourced from all over the world.

The full service venue is two completely separate event spaces, the church itself, consisting of the Yorktown room, the mezzanine, The Circa 1871 (which includes a walkout to a hidden street side garden) and The Wine Cellar. Each room offers increasingly smaller capacities and unique elements but a large wedding could make use of each space throughout the event.

Adjacent to the church is The Field House, a slightly smaller complex but another myriad of spaces, nonetheless. Events can spread between the indoor, paper lantern lit and whitewashed space to the outdoor, permanently tented garden complete with gurgling stream and several outbuilding, most important of which is the Tree House, – a second floor heated and air conditioned space on the far side of the garden has a hunting lodge feel – which is dedicated to the groom. The rooftop of The Field House is also available for ceremonies.

Overall, the entire place has a somewhat surreal feel and it’s as gritty as they come, but when the lights dim, the wrought iron fencing, lanterns, oversized architectural pieces will inspire your guests’ imaginations and set the scene for a fabulous and potentially wild event.

Venue Snapshot
Numbers: The Yorkville Room and mezzanine: 700 cocktails, 400 seated, 350 seated with dance floor; The Field House: 300 cocktails indoor with yard, 150 people seated indoors, 180 seated with tent extension

Pricing: Wednesday– Friday $2,800/day, Saturday $3,500/day, Sunday $2,400/day

Location: Queen Street East at Berkeley Street (map)

Parking: On-street parking is available, the nearest

Feel in three words: Eclectic, dramatic & raw

Facilities: The Berkeley Church is full service including catering and furniture for up to 150 guests, they have event coordinators on staff to help with all the details.

Partners: The church has a list of recommended vendors but does not require that clients use any specific one for lighting or rentals, etc.

Great spot for a portrait: Go dramatic to match the space and pose in the confessional, or inside the glass house in the garden.