How to do a Vancouver Wedding on a Budget: Picking a Venue
Posted by buzz in food, vancouver, wedding
Be sure to check out the complete Vancouver Wedding on a Budget series of posts.
You need two venues when you plan a wedding. One for the ceremony, one for the reception. The best way to save money is to pick a place that can do both or find a place where you can do one of them for free.
Initially Jen and I were planning on getting married along the Ambleside seawall. It’s a place we’ve gone for walks throughout our relationship, and it’s special to us. The District of West Vancouver has no issues with small wedding ceremonies in city parks, as long as you’re a small party and don’t get in anyone’s way.
You will, execute, with a witness, and deliver to the Parks and Community Services Administration Office, a copy of your licence agreement (i.e. the letter of permission) along with consideration in the amount of $100.00. Your letter of permission (signed licence agreement) must be available at the ceremony.
[West Vancouver]
When we started planning the wedding, we figured the ceremony would be there and then it came time to choose a place for a reception. I canvassed some photography and event planning pals and they came out with some great suggestions, but they all came out waay too expensive.
LET’S DO LUNCH
So we decided to plan a lunch wedding, instead of a dinner party. You save on menu, you save on alcohol, and since many of our guests are families with children, you don’t force them to keep their kids up past bedtime.
While we were brainstorming on venues, I kept coming back to the Sequoia Grill at the Teahouse in Stanley Park. Jen really wanted to keep everything on the North Shore, but I knew this would be the perfect place for a reception.
One day last week, Jen and I drove out and decided. That was it. Here’s the best part: we could have the wedding ceremony on the huge lawn at Ferguson Point, just across from the venue.
The wedding and reception would be at the same place. We’d be somewhere filled with many beautiful corners to do wedding photos, and we’d be in the same place as our guests, not worrying about out of towners getting lost, or others needing rides. One place for ceremony and reception.
The City of Vancouver is a little more lenient when it comes to having weddings in city parks. Here are the rules you need to remember:
Wedding ceremonies are held at various locations throughout Stanley Park including Ferguson Point, Rose Garden (maximum 25 people), Third Beach, Devonian Harbour Park, the wooden bridge area in Ceperley Meadow, as well as Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake. (Please remember: no chairs, tents, awnings, tables, decorations, alcohol, rice or confetti and your group must be less than 50 people.) No bookings allowed in these areas.
[Vancouver Park Board]
In other words, it’s first come first served, keep it small, don’t get in anyone’s way and we won’t charge you a dime!
That’s how we picked a venue for a Vancouver Wedding on a Budget, what are your tips?
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We ended up going with The Heritage Hall on Main Street. It’s under a grand, they can host the wedding and reception and that includes all of the other annoying little fees like the CRTC license, staff to help with setup and take down and includes an (almost) full kitchen.
http://www.jefferysimpson.net/a_month_of_testing/2008/09/another-apology.html
nice pick, Jeffery.
I attended a lunch-time wedding at the Sequoia Grill and it was lovely!! Very elegant and beautifully appointed. The staff were very good and the meal was excellent. The made it into a brunch and we had lovely champagne mimosas and eggs benedict etc and yummy pastries and wedding cake. There’s a big stone fireplace to take pictures in front of inside too. And with all the glass windows you couldn’t ask for a better view! I’m sure you’ll be delighted with the results! Good choice!
Nice choice! I had no idea the city was so flexible on weddings. I’m pleasantly surprised and can’t wait to hear how it all turns out!
Great choice…a lot of people think that halls will save so much money because you can bring your own alcohol…however you have to rent the linens, the knives, the forks, the staff, and rarley does a hall have enough ambience to make it feel warm and fuzzy…in the end (in a lot of cases) it will cost roughly the same (dependant on if a minumum spend is imposed) but you will have no where near the ambience…you will basically have a big gymnasium like venue…with tables and chairs and will most likely have to put your family to work decorating it OR hire someone else to….With a restaurant…the best thing is they have all the built in ambience you will require…they have the staff, the linens, the knives, the forks and in a lot of cases they provide centerpieces… AND your kitchen staff will be in their own kitchen…making it far more likley for a perfectly timed and cooked meal…In the end you will be much happier with the results with WAY less hassle for you AND your family…because you don’t have to truck alcohol around, find someone to decorate, choose a caterer, rent linens, Etc.. etc.. etc… If you want to make the restaurant more personal get your own floral centerpieces…but even that it is probably not necessary…especially on a budget! Having an afternoon reception cuts on the cost of alcohol as you said…so you are definitley getting the best bang for your buck…If you want…you can even have a little “after party” that night at home or in a hotel suite for a few close friends if you want to whoop it up a bit more before the honeymoon! So far so good Buzz…keep up the good work ;o)