Calgary Wedding Locations

NumberFive · #1 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 2:54 PM**

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?

RWin · #2 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 3:45 PM**

How many guests?

Went to one at Lougheed House. Nice place.

NumberFive · #3 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 3:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RWin

How many guests?

Went to one at Lougheed House. Nice place.

We're pretty flexible on guest size... we made a "min list" at 105 invites, and a "max list" at 155 invites...

RWin · #4 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 3:51 PM**

We went to a wedding this summer at Levilla Restaurant. The reception and JP ceremony was at the restaurant followed by a small ceremony in the couple's back yard.

This place had the best wedding food I've ever had. The room was fairly small but I think there was still around 75 guests.

(We've probably been to about 20 weddings in the last 2 years.)

h0twired · #5 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 4:13 PM**

My wife and I got married at Valley Ridge.

EXCELLENT location and the food quality surpassed my expectations.

HomeInMyShoes · #6 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 4:14 PM**

Congratulations.

Hmmm...last wedding I went to in Calgary was just the post-wedding reception party. The actual wedding happened out of country since they lived out of the country, but they wanted to do something for the friends and family in Canada.

They had it at Broken Plate in Kensington. Great food, and a really nice space for it. They even did the breaking plate thing which was a lot of fun. Although it was a smaller gathering than what you're looking at. Probably about 50.

Whatever you end up doing, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. My wife and I just got married two months ago in Banff and we had more fun than either of us could imagine. I don't think I ever remember laughing and smiling so much in my life. Ours was very small (19 people at dinner including us). Try not to panic too much before hand and just enjoy the day.

freeweed · #7 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 4:45 PM**

If we ever have a brain fart and do go in for the whole wedding thing, we've already picked out several spots:

Top of Fairview Mountain, Top of Cascade Mountain, or if we're feeling very masochistic, top of Mt. Temple. It's a great way to keep the guest list manageable (

), and sure to be a memorable experience.

Needless to say, we're not known as the most traditional couple you'd meet.

I assume this is nothing like what you're asking for in terms of suggestions though.

NumberFive · #8 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 4:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Congratulations.
Try not to panic too much before hand and just enjoy the day.

This is no easy task.

NumberFive · #9 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 4:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0twired

My wife and I got married at Valley Ridge.

EXCELLENT location and the food quality surpassed my expectations.

We were wondering how the food would be there... it seems like a nice location, and easy to do. We have a date held there, and don't know why we're waivering on it... but the appeal of having reception (and potentially ceremony) overlooking Lake Bonavista is still there.

HomeInMyShoes · #10 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 5:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberFive

This is no easy task.

Haha, I totally understand. Just try to keep perspective because it's the day itself and not every little detail that is going to make it awesome. I'm speaking from my wife's revelation at the end of day that the day wasn't about the dress, but about the people around us.

Have you been sucked into any of the wedding planning sites yet? That's sure to drive you insane.

HomeInMyShoes · #11 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 5:04 PM**

Have you been there to eat NumbeFive? That's always a good way to get a feel for the menu and the quality of the food, especially since food is a pretty subjective thing. There's no guarantee that it'll be the same guys working the kitchen when your day comes up, but it should give you an idea what they do management-wise. Again, in the end some things are out of your control, so I would probably pick location over food.

SubwayRev · #12 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 5:28 PM**

I went to a wedding at the Wainwright hotel in Heritage Park. The reception was great, and it's kind of a unique setting. I've heard of weddings at Devonian Gardens, which I think could be quite nice. You can do the cermony and the reception there.

NumberFive · #13 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 5:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Have you been there to eat NumbeFive?

Have eaten at the Newport Grill... never at Valley Ridge though.

Rusty van Reddick · #14 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 6:15 PM**

CONGRATS!

We went to a wedding in an odd space that ended up working beautifully- Virginia Christopher art gallery on 11th Ave near Brewster's. The food was fantastic because there's also that restaurant on site (one of the Ennest's projects- they're the folks behind Diner Deluxe, Urban Baker, etc)

NumberFive · #15 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 6:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SubwayRev

I went to a wedding at the Wainwright hotel in Heritage Park. The reception was great, and it's kind of a unique setting. I've heard of weddings at Devonian Gardens, which I think could be quite nice. You can do the cermony and the reception there.

We had heard the Devonian Gardens is nice... looked it up and looks decent.

NumberFive · #16 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 6:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by furrycanuck

CONGRATS!

We went to a wedding in an odd space that ended up working beautifully- Virginia Christopher art gallery on 11th Ave near Brewster's. The food was fantastic because there's also that restaurant on site (one of the Ennest's projects- they're the folks behind Diner Deluxe, Urban Baker, etc)

Often I've heard it's the obscure places that end up being the most memorable and having the most character.

chenmau · #17 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 6:17 PM**

Calgary Chamber of Commerce

Doug · #18 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 7:04 PM**

Of all the weddings I've been to in Calgary, the venue that stands out is the Ranche in Fish Creek Park, although I would expect it to be pricey for that many guests. Also been to ones at Rouge in Inglewood, the Eagle's Nest at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, and the Canmore Nordic Center - all great sites.

I got married early on a Saturday morning on a dock at Lake Tahoe - no guests, and then went skiing for the rest of the day

mersar · #19 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 8:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberFive

We had heard the Devonian Gardens is nice... looked it up and looks decent.

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

NumberFive · #20 Posted **Nov 23, 2007, 10:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug

Of all the weddings I've been to in Calgary, the venue that stands out is the Ranche in Fish Creek Park, although I would expect it to be pricey for that many guests.

My buddy had his there a couple summers ago, although, they did it on a Thursday avoid some of the costs of having a Saturday there.