Planning a small wedding?
Here are some of our favorite venues to host your small and intimate weddings in Toronto.
Looking for a venue for your intimate wedding in Toronto? We have had many couples asked us for suggestions on nice and unique wedding venues for small and intimate weddings in Toronto. Instead of answering each inquiry individually, we have decided to put together a list of our favorite small wedding venues in Toronto.
What makes a venue great for small weddings?
We have photographed many intimate weddings in Toronto and have spent considerable amount of time in different venues. We felt that the top small wedding venues typically exhibit the characteristics below.
Space
The ideal small wedding venues usually have well defined spaces for guests to seamlessly transition from one part of the event to the next. Some venues accomplished this by having ceremony and reception be held on different floors. The spaces should also have sufficient room for people to sit down comfortably, without bumping against each other. This may sound obvious, but when free space is at a premium in the city core, some venues try to pack as many people in as possible in order to maximize revenue.
Character
Another criteria that we look for in a venue is its character. This refers to the historic appearance or unique physical features of a site. From a photographic perceptive, we try to incorporate the character and atmosphere of the place into the final photos. Not that we do not like modern looking venues, but they can be replicated anywhere in the world. What makes a venue unique is the historic relationship it has with the city it is located in.
Operation
The next criteria pertains to the experience level of the staff working at the venue. Imagine during a dinner reception, the bride’s parent is making a speech at the podium, while the staff are walking around serving food. Its quite distracting for the wedding guests. This might sound like a tiny detail, but an experienced coordinator would help you work on a schedule to ensure a positive experience for you and your guests through out the day.
Location
There are many excellent wedding venues in Toronto. For the purpose of this post, we will focus on picking our favorites within downtown Toronto. If you would like to know our favorite small wedding venues in the greater Toronto area, feel free to leave a comment below.
Cost
The cost of running a business in downtown Toronto is generally higher than other areas in the city. The recommended list of venues here are in the $100 per head range, which is considered quite affordable.
Best small wedding venues in Toronto
If you have questions about our experience at these venues, please leave a comment at the bottom of this page. There are many excellent small venues in Toronto and these are not the only ones worth considering.
Albany Club
During weekdays, the Albany club is a private social gathering place for politicians. During weekends, it turns into a multi-floor event space. It is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Toronto along King Street east. The building has at least 100 years of history. The ground floor is occupied by a large open space, ideal for ceremonies and receptions. Its big enough to comfortably seat at least 100 guests. The roof top provides a stunning view of the city. There are countless number of small and charming rooms on the other floors to explore. We have had excellent experience interacting with the helpful staff at the venue. Check out some of the Albany club wedding photos below:
Berkeley Field House
The Berkeley Field House is a rustic, multi-functional event space consisted of an outdoor section and an indoor area. It is located along Queen Street east in downtown Toronto. The building has a long history, dating back to the 18th century. This venue is perfect for couples who like unfinished wood, exposed beam and rustic barn vibe within the city.
Enoch Turner Schoolhouse
Enoch Turner Schoolhouse is a heritage site built in 1848 and was the first free school in Toronto. The building is one story high with a Gothic revival design style. Inside the building, the main hall has a high ceiling with hardwood flooring and exposed wooden beams. The hall can comfortably seat around 100 guests. There is a small room with school furniture, reassembling a classroom in the old days. Outside of the building is a quiet residential street and a small park. This venue is perfect for couples that prefer a simple and clean space. The schoolhouse is located just outside of downtown core, one block north of the famous distillery district. Check out photos from this Enoch Turner Schoolhouse Wedding in Toronto.
Hotel Ocho
Hotel Ocho is a boutique hotel located south of Toronto Chinatown along Spadina Avenue. The building used to be a factory and some of the industrial elements have been preserved. The venue has two floors to host weddings. On the ground floor, you are greeted with concrete flooring and exposed brick walls on one side, and marble and granite on the other side. The first floor combines modern elements such as glass and steels with vintage elements such as wooden ceilings and old school light fixtures. Take a look at these picture from a Hotel Ocho wedding. This venue is perfect for those that love industrial design and have a lot of out of town guests (who can simply walk back to their room to rest after the wedding).
Small wedding photography packages in Toronto
Are you looking for a small wedding photographer? We offered intimate wedding photography packages starting in the $1000 range. Use the form below to discuss your wedding photography needs: