Getting married in Calgary? Here are some of the key points you need to know;
- Day trip to Banff & Lake Louise for a relaxing start to your wedding weekend
- Photos with your wedding party in the beautiful Confederation Park, Downtown Calgary, and Kananaskis
- Morning walk in the Prince's Island Park on your wedding day
- A fun visit to the stunning Heritage Park Historical Village the morning after your wedding
All You Need to Know About Wedding Venues in Calgary
Calgary wedding venues can offer you a variety of unique reception and ceremony options in every type, style, and size you could imagine. Whether you're seeking to have a small wedding or large celebration, a barn or rustic wedding, or even do something unconventional such as having a zoo wedding. Calgary offers it all!
Be prepared to discover endless unique and affordable wedding venues, from elegant wedding halls to beautiful lake houses. Be sure to find the right one for you by checking the wedding packages, services, and facilities the venues provide.
After finding your venue, everything will go super fast from there on out, so you better start thinking about your wedding decorations and dress while you’re at it!
Unique Wedding Venues in Calgary
Would you like your wedding planning process to be as fun and exciting as your celebration on your big day? If so, having a Calgary Zoo wedding might be the perfect choice for you! You can hold your wedding reception and ceremony at the same place and have an amazing experience from beginning to end at this unique wedding venue.
The food is outstanding, and the venue's wedding planner will do everything to accommodate your every need and wish. Also, no need to worry about the weather since this facility has several venues, which means their experienced team can make a quick turnover by moving your affair indoors.
Your guest number will also not be an issue since this venue can host all sizes of celebrations, from large to small weddings. Calgary zoo wedding costs change according to the wedding package you prefer. But don't worry because these packages can easily be tailored to your preferences!
Barn wedding venues and farms in Calgary can seamlessly see you through any kind of celebration from a country wedding to a modern party. Barn weddings are in huge trend among excited couples as it saves so much money while ensuring celebrations in unique wedding venues.
Your wedding day feels effortlessly romantic, laid-back, yet chic in these Calgary rustic wedding venues located in the countryside. These facilities also often have restaurants catering to celebrations from large wedding receptions to small ceremonies, with their experienced staff and delicious meals.
These rustic venues also offer wedding packages that can accommodate your every need and wish. All you have to do is choose your wedding favours and find the perfect wedding dress. The rest is at the skillful hands of professionals!
Finally, these are not the only places you can have your unconventional Calgary wedding. There are many other uncommon wedding venues waiting for you. Those who want a sweet escape might consider a destination wedding. For art-lover couples, gallery and museum weddings might be a perfect choice. For those looking for industrial venues, warehouses and breweries are aplenty!
Ever-Popular Wedding Venues in Calgary
Calgary wedding banquet halls are quite a rage these days and are much sought after for all types of weddings, from magical wedding ceremonies to elegant receptions. With their easy availability, experienced team of professionals, and several outdoor and indoor venues, you can easily find the best one with minimal effort.
They are also one of the best types of winter wedding venues since they are equipped for all four seasons. Probably the best advantage of hall rentals is that they have everything you could possibly need for an amazing affair. Readily available wedding photographers, decorations, music, experienced planners, and catering are just a few of them.
These venues will save you from doing all the legwork and visiting dozens of wedding vendors one by one. The most popular types of wedding halls you can find are City Halls, Courthouses, wedding pavilions, community halls, and all-inclusive hotel wedding venues in Calgary.
Outdoor wedding venues in Calgary practically guarantee a glorious wedding backdrop that you can decorate creatively. Whether you’re planning a wedding reception at a small lake house or a large outdoor wedding ceremony with 200 people on a lush green golf course, an alfresco affair will never go out of style.
Forest weddings are, without question, one of the best options for those who want to exchange vows under big trees while birds are chirping and the wind breezes gently. For those who want to have an indoor wedding and feel like they are in a tropical setting at the same time, greenhouse weddings might be a perfect choice.
Since nature does an amazing job in decoration, you will save so much in terms of cost and have that dreamy wedding on a budget! The other outdoor wedding receptions and ceremony locations are tranquil parks, exclusive country clubs, and restaurant wedding venues in Calgary with outdoor spaces.
For those planning to have a small gathering and looking for relatively cheap venues, wedding tents might be the right choice. They offer resistance to unfavourable weather conditions and ensure intimate, cozy affairs.
Last but not least, wedding chapels and churches in Calgary offer a majestic ambiance for couples who want to incorporate their faith in their marriage for the rest of their lives. These small wedding venues are popular ceremony locations since they offer inexpensive yet stunning settings.
Calgary Wedding Ideas
After finding your wedding venue in Calgary, comes the most fun part: decorating it with personal touches according to your taste! If you plan to have an outdoor celebration, wedding arches covered in colourful flowers, string lights, and fun photo backdrops for your guests to commemorate your biggest day might give you some insight.
Strapless gowns to prevent sweat stains or short wedding dresses for moving comfortably are in trend now for alfresco affairs. For rustic wedding venues such as barns and farms, you can use elevated lanterns, small ladders to display your wedding flowers, a bouquet consisting of textured blooms in muted shades, wood slices to display your wedding cake, and many others.
For your wedding dress, you can go with vintage route laces and crepe. For your wedding shoes, you can prefer low-heel sandals, leather flats, espadrilles, or sling-back pumps that won’t sink into the grass.
Going with traditional, formal wedding gowns would be wiser for indoor wedding hall celebrations to fit into the venue's elegance. To contribute to your wedding budget more, you can also check used, second-hand wedding dresses in perfect condition, almost as new as the first-hand ones.
Best Time of Year for a Wedding in Calgary
Late summer and early fall are the most popular time of Calgary weddings. There’s a high demand for outdoor wedding venues such as golf courses, rustic barns, zoos, and many more during the periods. However, tastes differ, and some couples prefer winter celebrations in elegant wedding halls, chapels, and restaurants for a cozy affair.
If you plan to have an alfresco celebration but are afraid the weather might go bad, don’t worry. By using the weather tool, you can take the necessary precautions beforehand, such as asking your venue to prepare an indoor room for you to move your wedding quickly!
Locations To Consider When Searching for Wedding Venues Near Calgary
If you couldn’t find the venue of your dreams in Calgary or you want to expand your search to nearby Alberta wedding venues due to other reasons, you’re in luck since there are many fantastic locations you can consider, such as the following:
Nearby attractions such as Banff and Canmore are just a short drive from Calgary. From waterfront restaurants to lakes, each offers stunning landscapes that make for great wedding photography opportunities.
Located just three hours from Calgary, Edmonton offers a variety of wedding venues, including five-star hotels, luxury hotels, and estates that might be worth touring.
Factors Affecting the Prices of Calgary Wedding Venues
Depending on what kind of wedding you want, you might have a specific plan of action, and a particular budget in mind. You're lucky since you'll probably end up finding the ideal one effortlessly from dozens of Calgary wedding venue options.
Whether you envision a simple and small wedding in a relatively cheap venue such as wedding chapels, an elegant and luxurious celebration in large reception halls, or a unique affair in unconventional venues such as zoos, you can have your dream wedding on a budget while taking several things into account.
First and foremost, check Calgary wedding packages in-depth to find the perfect one for your preferences. They usually come with several options, from basic to all-inclusive packages. The latter includes everything you will possibly need for a complete affair, such as wedding videographers, photographers, planners, coordinators, catering, decorations, flowers, and more.
Mid-day brunch weddings and weekday celebrations cost lower compared to weekends and evening receptions since there’s less demand. It’s hard to give an exact number for an average cost of a wedding in Calgary since venues make their pricing according to the number of guests and services they provide reflected on the budget per person.
When To Start Planning Your Wedding in Calgary
Some couples plan their wedding in 6 weeks, and some do it in 1.5 years. It depends on your needs, preferences, schedule, wedding vision and many other factors. The suggested time is usually 1 year. Determine your budget, book your venue, hire vendors, and continue with the details.
Don’t forget to make a to-do list so that you won’t get overwhelmed or alternatively you can use the wedding agenda tool prepared for couples to track every item in their wedding preparations in a detailed way not to miss a thing!
Important Questions to Ask When Looking for a Wedding Venue in Calgary
Start with general questions such as its capacity, availability on the date you need it, wedding packages etc. Then address questions related to its set-up, decorations, food, music, payment, cake and parking.
Keep in close touch with the on-site wedding planner or coordinator of the venues so that you’ll have the exact celebration that you’ve planned all along. Here are some of the essential questions you can bring with you when touring venues:
- Is the venue available on the date we need it?
- What are the rates for different days of the week and times? What about different seasons?
- How many people does the space accommodate?
- How many receptions or other events will be booked for the same day?
- What's the catering situation?
- Is the venue licensed for civil ceremonies?
- How flexible are your packages?
- What are the guidelines for decorations?
- How many hours does the rental fee include, and is there an overtime fee if we stay longer?
- Is there a designated smoking area?
- Is parking available on-site? How much space is there?
- Is the venue near guest hotels, and can you recommend any?
- What's the backup plan in case of rain?
- Are there any decor restrictions?
- Is there a payment schedule? What kind of deposits are required?
