Calgary Wedding Locations

[NumberFive]

Originally Posted by mersar

My cousin got married there a few years back, was decent for a smaller number of guests (probably max of about 50-60).

They seem to have a few different areas accommodating various sizes.

[Deepstar]

My cousin got married at Heritage park (Wainwright Hotel) and it was a good time. Summer would obviously be better.

[jawagord]

Originally Posted by NumberFive

Wanted to pick the brains of the Calgary folk... got engaged on the weekend and looking for locations.

Right now, we have a hold on the Newport Grill (Inn on Lake Bonavista) for our date, but aren't sure if we want to do both the Ceremony and Reception there... or just do the reception there and do the ceremony elsewhere (if we do both there, there would be about a 25 minute time period where they taking down the chairs and setting up our tables).

We also have a hold on Valley Ridge Golf Course to do both the wedding (outdoors on their stone patio) and reception there (in their big banquet room).

Not sure what to choose though...

Anybody here been to any weddings recently in Calgary that they remember the venues being particularly good? Any advice for us between our two locations?

My wife and I had our wedding and reception at Spruce Meadows, very nice facility and grounds. We also looked at the zoo tropical gardens who have a great set-up for smaller weddings and receptions. Friends of ours had their wedding and reception at COP in the 90 meter jump tower rooms.

[NumberFive]

Originally Posted by jawagord

My wife and I had our wedding and reception at Spruce Meadows, very nice facility and grounds. We also looked at the zoo tropical gardens who have a great set-up for smaller weddings and receptions. Friends of ours had their wedding and reception at COP in the 90 meter jump tower rooms.

Looked into Spruce Meadows... was it really expensive?? Seemed that way when we looked.

[jawagord]

Originally Posted by NumberFive

Looked into Spruce Meadows... was it really expensive?? Seemed that way when we looked.

It was more expensive than some of the other places we looked at, I don't recall the price, but it was value for money.

[bendecido]

I was going to pipe in about Spruce Meadows as well. I guess it's all relative because you get what you pay for. My sister got married at Spruce Meadows in January, which I went back for. I used to work at Spruce Meadows when I was younger and was curious about how I would experience it as a "customer." I can tell you, if you have the money to spend, I can't imagine many places in Calgary doing a better job than they did. Food was great, staff was professional and courteous, and the setting was just great.

[bigcanuck]

Local weddings I've been to:

Springbank Links (my own) - large outdoor patio overlooking the city. Reception room is nice, members lounge can be used for a 'informal' cocktail party style reception if you don't want the traditional sit-down event.
Zoo - nice atmosphere in the greenhouse (or whatever it's called) - can be noisy if they forget to turn the waterfall off. Size can be an issue. Meal was ok.
Canyon Meadows G&CC - underwhelming - older facility
Ranche at Fish Creek - very good. Nice outdoor lawn for reasonable sized group. Food was v.good.
Deane House - can be small. Food was good - setting is nice but it's not one big room like standard wedding settings.
Glenmore Inn - typical hotel ballroom setting. Thin walls between meeting rooms and can be distracting if the neighbouring wedding kicks off their dancing prior your speeches being complete.
Al Azhar Temple - nice outdoor lawn for ceremony. Nice big inside room for reception - if you don't mind animal antlers and photos on the walls (not my cup of tea).
The Wedding Pavilion - kinda formal and frou-frou. Underwhelmed with food & service. They screwed up the recorded music twice for the bride.
Calgary G&CC - Nice setting - ceremony would be good for a modest amount of people. Reception was very good - food was good. Nice setting but likely pricey or for members only.

[NumberFive]

Originally Posted by bigcanuck

Local weddings I've been to:

Springbank Links (my own) - large outdoor patio overlooking the city. Reception room is nice, members lounge can be used for a 'informal' cocktail party style reception if you don't want the traditional sit-down event.
Zoo - nice atmosphere in the greenhouse (or whatever it's called) - can be noisy if they forget to turn the waterfall off. Size can be an issue. Meal was ok.
Canyon Meadows G&CC - underwhelming - older facility
Ranche at Fish Creek - very good. Nice outdoor lawn for reasonable sized group. Food was v.good.
Deane House - can be small. Food was good - setting is nice but it's not one big room like standard wedding settings.
Glenmore Inn - typical hotel ballroom setting. Thin walls between meeting rooms and can be distracting if the neighbouring wedding kicks off their dancing prior your speeches being complete.
Al Azhar Temple - nice outdoor lawn for ceremony. Nice big inside room for reception - if you don't mind animal antlers and photos on the walls (not my cup of tea).
The Wedding Pavilion - kinda formal and frou-frou. Underwhelmed with food & service. They screwed up the recorded music twice for the bride.
Calgary G&CC - Nice setting - ceremony would be good for a modest amount of people. Reception was very good - food was good. Nice setting but likely pricey or for members only.

Sweet info, thanks.

[NumberFive]

I don't suppose any of you have and any exceptional or bad experience with any notable photographers, have you?

Those things have become REALLY pricey it seems...

I'm meeting a guy tonight, small studio, only a part time thing for him. But he's affordable at least (and I don't necessarly believe he's any worse some of the "big names"). I've talked to some other people, but lots of packages start for nothing less than $4000, which is quite outrageous if you ask me.

[240glt]

Isn't your future father in law supposed to be paying for all that ?

[HomeInMyShoes]

^^Haha, pricey. Everything that has the word wedding attached to it in anyway is instantly marked up 220%. I bet you could get a cake from a bakery for like $95. Say you need a wedding cake and it's automatically $225. Seriously. It's insane. Welcome to hell.

[bigcanuck]

Originally Posted by NumberFive

I don't suppose any of you have and any exceptional or bad experience with any notable photographers, have you?

Those things have become REALLY pricey it seems...

I'm meeting a guy tonight, small studio, only a part time thing for him. But he's affordable at least (and I don't necessarly believe he's any worse some of the "big names"). I've talked to some other people, but lots of packages start for nothing less than $4000, which is quite outrageous if you ask me.

Our photographer was good - www.alanmaudie.com

His rates were very reasonable at the time (under $2k) and he gave you the digital images. His rates went up a couple of years ago and I'm not sure if he still gives the image files.

[Beltliner]

My younger sister had her wedding, dinner, and reception for about fifty guests at the Rouge in Inglewood--lovely setting, wonderful cuisine.

Can't quote you a price, but it's still probably cheaper than a trip to Las Vegas. Mind you, we had our wedding-day supper for a party of five at the MGM Grand's Nob Hill--not even remotely cheap, but fantastic Bay Area cuisine, excellent service, and many happy memories, chief among which was the auntie-in-law declaring at the top of her lungs that "Thish izh a clashy plaish!"

[NumberFive]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^^Haha, pricey. Everything that has the word wedding attached to it in anyway is instantly marked up 220%. I bet you could get a cake from a bakery for like $95. Say you need a wedding cake and it's automatically $225. Seriously. It's insane. Welcome to hell.

It's true. Actually, my fiance has a relative who makes great looking wedding cakes as a hobby/side business... can get a beautiful multi-tiered cake for really cheap.

But ya, it is insane.

[NumberFive]

Originally Posted by bigcanuck

Our photographer was good - www.alanmaudie.com

His rates were very reasonable at the time (under $2k) and he gave you the digital images. His rates went up a couple of years ago and I'm not sure if he still gives the image files.

Ya, talked to him. He costs a fortune now. His base package is $4600, and that doesn't take into account adding extra time (he only stays with you for 6 hours, which isn't really enough to get a whole days worth of events in) or getting the digitals. At a cost of $500 for every extra hour you need him, and $1000 to get a CD with all the pics on it, it was going to add up quickly.

Met a guy today who has only been around a couple years... he's willing to spend the entire day with us, give us the originals on disk, along with 200 pictures of our choice "touched up and enhanced" for $2500. Seemed like a way better deal.

[NumberFive]

Originally Posted by bigcanuck

Our photographer was good - www.alanmaudie.com

His rates were very reasonable at the time (under $2k) and he gave you the digital images. His rates went up a couple of years ago and I'm not sure if he still gives the image files.

It seems like the biggest difference between some of the prices is simply how well known they are. When you look at their portfolios, a lot look the same... but some other guys can't charge as much because they aren't well known enough to get booked at that rate. A guy like Alan Maudie can charge whatever he wants. When he's doing weddings like he did a month ago in Banff (800 person, biggest most expensive wedding ever held out there), he can do pull in any business he needs.

[sync]

me and my girl are thinking of having our wedding at artists of the world.

www.artevo.com/aotw/

[bigcanuck]

Originally Posted by NumberFive

Ya, talked to him. He costs a fortune now. His base package is $4600, and that doesn't take into account adding extra time (he only stays with you for 6 hours, which isn't really enough to get a whole days worth of events in) or getting the digitals. At a cost of $500 for every extra hour you need him, and $1000 to get a CD with all the pics on it, it was going to add up quickly.

Damn - I guess we had good timing. We caught Alan before he was bigtime.

[NumberFive]

Originally Posted by sync

me and my girl are thinking of having our wedding at artists of the world.

www.artevo.com/aotw/

I looked into that place and called them, but they never called me back!

[HomeInMyShoes]

Alan's prices have gone up again obviously. $4000 used to include the colour-corrected digitals. I can say nothing but good things for him being professional, easy to work with, great at making us feel comfortable, and for having an absolute blast all day.