Outdoor Venues for Indian Ceremonies
Today we have a guest blogger Suzan from BeYoutiful Beginnings blogging at our website and share some ideas. Please check out Suzan’s portfolio as she is one of our preferred wedding planners.
Hi, I am Suzan and wanted to share some tips and our favourite venues for outdoor Indian Weddings.
So, you’ve said yes, you have the ring, you’ve narrowed down your dates, now what? It’s time to find your venue! Finding a venue is probably the hardest step of planning your wedding, but once you get past this, everything else usually tends to fall into place. One of the first steps is to figure out the type of ceremony you are having and what is required. If it’s a Sikh ceremony, do you want to get married in the Gurdwara; or if you’re having a Nikkah do you want it to happen inside of a Mosque or externally? Within the GTA, there are many venues that will allow you to achieve either a traditional ceremony or a modern ceremony with a twist. If you decide to go the outdoor venue route, there are many things to consider:
- What is the backup rain plan? There are a lot of outdoor spaces that are beyond stunning, however, what happens if it rains? What do the indoor facilities look like? Is it worth the price you are going to pay? Or can you achieve this looking by going elsewhere and bringing an indoor vibe with décor?
- What time do you have to vacate the facility? We find that with most venues if you are having a morning ceremony you have to be out at a certain time to allow decorators to set up for evening functions. This is the first thing you should ask any venue. Specifically, “do my guests AND décor have to be out at a specific time, or just my guests”? If your décor has to be out earlier as well, consider this before you select your start time and how long your ceremony and refreshments will take.
- Are outside caterers allowed? For any type of wedding, good food is huge, especially in the South Asian community! If the venue you are selecting doesn’t cater to South Asian food or doesn’t allow an outside caterer, you may need to go elsewhere.
- What is the capacity of the outdoor space, and where will the guests eat? Whether you are having a small, intimate, or large-scale ceremony, determine how many guests can be comfortably seated. The last thing you want is your guests to be standing around for hours. Also, once the ceremony is done, where do they go to eat? Do they stay in the same area, or is there a separate room to accommodate them?
- Consider the timing – Are you going to have a morning or evening ceremony? This is a good area to speak to your photographer about regarding getting the best shots based on the time of day. If you are planning to have a mid-day ceremony, consider where the sun will be. Does the venue provide any type of shade? Or, if it’s going to be a bit on the cooler side, do they provide heaters?
- What is their pricing like? A general rule of thumb is, you get what you pay for. There are many people who select a venue solely because it’s cheaper. However, after years of experiencing this, you learn the ins and outs of what a lower cost venue will do vs ones that charge a bit more. You’ll find that for a few dollars more, you won’t have to worry about things like clean chair covers; the correct chair count; cleanliness and smell of the facility; friendlier wait staff; accountability- the list goes on!
Here are a few venues to consider within the GTA that are great options:
- The Manor – King City
The Manor is located on a well-maintained golf course. This is one venue where you can have an outdoor ceremony year-round. Their patio overlooks a lake, but the best part is that space is already tented with a gorgeous white, draped tent so that you can say your I do’s even in the Winter! They have an impeccable in-house South Asian chef, so food is definitely not an issue here for your 250+ guests.
- The Arlington Estate – Kleinberg
The Arlington Estate definitely has the luxury vibe. With 7 acres of land, you can have your ceremony in their beautiful gardens. They do allow outside catering, and the bonus of this venue – you can make your grand entrance from a helicopter and land on their helicopter pad!
- Royal Ambassador – Caledon
Royal Ambassador offers 2 stunning gazebos that overlook a lake. Either gazebo can accommodate roughly 220 guests. The best part about this venue is that if you are having 2 different ceremonies, you can easily do one in each gazebo so that your guests do not have to move to another location or wait for another set up to be complete; and, you can bring outside catering!
- Cooper Creek – Kleinberg
Copper Creek is also located on a golf course. The best part of this venue is that if it rains, your ceremony can be moved indoors into a room that boasts floor to ceiling windows so that either way you would still have a stunning view. External caterers are also allowed for your 300+ guests!
- Liberty Grand – Downtown
Liberty Grand has a spectacular circular outdoor courtyard. The entire area is surrounded by windows overlooking regal stone statues and beautiful gardens that can seat up to 300+ guests. Thinking about their food selection? Not to worry, The Liberty Group offers an impressive South Asian menu made in house!
- Paradise Banquet Hall – Vaughan
A hidden gem that most people do not know about is the outdoor gazebo that is placed in a beautiful green space, just across the Victorian bridge connected to the venue! With white colonnade stands at the front, this space can accommodate 250+ guests, and you can bring your own caterer!
- Palais Royale – Downtown
With a beautiful view of the Toronto Skyline, this is the perfect setting to say your I do’s! Palais Royale’s outdoor space can accommodate roughly 150-200 guests. The great part about this venue is that they offer a tent option as well so that weather isn’t a huge factor. They also have an amazing in-house South Asian chef so food is not an issue!
8. Guild Inn Estate – Scarborough
Right on the edge of Scarborough bluffs, Guild Inn Estate has almost everything an Indian Wedding bride may need. An outdoor patio which can host up to 300 people and indoor space for up to 750 guests. They are partnered with Host and serving Indian meals to your guests shouldn’t be a problem at all. The best part of this venue is the 2 minute to the Greek theatre where you can plan a photoshoot after the ceremony.
Happy Planning and check out our website for all your planning needs – https://beyoutifulbeginnings.com/