Christmas has come and gone, I just wish winter would do the same thing!  I have some exciting news for anyone (brides included) looking for a rustic, unique venue.  The newly refurbished slit barn is nearly ready for events.  I know of two weddings booked there already.  The space holds about 140 seated and the venue has tables and chairs for about 96.  Right next door to the barn they have refurbished a house and built washrooms for your guests as well.  You can give us a call to find out more about it or go to www.raresites.org .  We are excited to have a new venue in the region!

Kitsch-Inspired Hawaiian Wedding with Food Stations at Victoria Park Pavilion

What a fun wedding!  Congratulations Tai and Justin!  Their kitsch-inspired Hawaiian reception with a mostly vegetarian menu was a hit!

The buffets were grouped together in the centre of the room to create an "island".

The three-sided buffet featured miniature vegetarian burgers, glass noodle salads in take-out boxes, and a watermelon shark

Fresh fruit and lots of greenery was used to decorate the buffets, and the trees were a perfect touch

DIY Rustic September Wedding in a Barn, Complete with BBQ Lunch Buffet

We were so thrilled to be able to work with Robyn and Ben for their early September wedding at the Hampton Barn at Belwood Lake Conservation Area.  Robyn had such a solid vision for her wedding from the very first meeting, and everything looked picture perfect.  The rain held off for the ceremony, and a BBQ lunch was exactly what everyone needed once the rain started and they moved inside.

Guestbook table with family pictures, and a thumbprint tree

Robyn planned for every last detail - signage for everything, and her DIY decorations brought the room to life

Getting the buffet tables ready for lunch

The wedding cake, courtesy of a friend of the bride - what an amazing cake topper!

The dessert and coffee table

Dessert table during set-up

Pretty white paper lanterns and twinkle lights

Communal tables at their best!  Picnic tables lined up for a rustic BBQ lunch

Guest favours

Tree trunk slices acted as the base for the centrepieces

Sweetheart table, completed with handmade bunting

Ceremony site, we love the sign!

Reception snacks were served outside under the covered deck, and you better believe there was a handmade sign for that too!

The buffet table, ready for the first guests

Juicy striploin, cedar planked salmon with maple ginger glaze, chicken satays, and balsamic marinated vegetable skewers

Choice of salads?  You bet!  We don't scrimp on salad

Beets and oranges with feta and sliced red onion, perfect fall colours

The dessert table is taking shape!  

The finished dessert table, ready for guests to help themselves

Tent Wedding with a Plated Dinner for 120 at the Rockwood Ruins

Congratulations Paulette and Aengus!  Their wedding planning was all done out of the province for their late summer outdoor wedding at the Rockwood Ruins, and it took a lot of people to bring their vision together.  Creating a dining room on a grass field involves many different vendors and specialists, including your favourite local caterer with experience working where there is no kitchen.

The Rockwood Ruins was a beautiful site for a wedding, with a perfect backdrop for pictures, and plenty of things for guests to see and explore.  When planning an outdoor event, the biggest thing to check for is adequate power for all of your vendors.  Even one standard coffee percolator will use a circuit all to itself, and you also need lighting, power for your DJ, and of course for your caterer.

Bouquet salads being prepared from our kitchen tent next to the main tent.

The next best thing to having your tent inside the Ruins, which is unfortunately not an option at the site - the back of the tent was right up against the Ruins.

This is where the magic happens - could you imagine cooking a plated dinner for 120 people outdoors?

Andy is most at home behind the grill

Lisa's bar is set up and ready for the first guests to arrive

We can't say enough about how much we love these folding garden chairs - perfect for outdoor events, the feet don't sink into the grass!

Main entrance to the tent

So pretty for pictures, it was a perfect day.

Our catering trailer is our new favourite toy - everything we need all in one place

Cedar planked tilapia, soon to be topped with pineapple salsa

July food station wedding at Victoria Park Pavilion

Long overdue post from Aleah and Chris' wedding at Victoria Park Pavilion in July this year.  The wedding was held later in the evening, after the traditional dinner hour, so the "meal" they offered was a selection of passed hors d'oeuvres along with food stations offering small plates.

When planning a stand up reception, remember to limit the amount of seating around the room.  If you provide enough chairs for everyone, your guests will plunk down and not move for the rest of the night.  Encourage them to move around and mingle by breaking up the stations around the room, and providing standing tables (high bar tables, or cruiser tables).

The room set up for the ceremony.  All of the tables for seating and the high bar tables were moved off to the side of the room, ready to be slid into place immediately following the ceremony.  Tablescape decor was done by the fabulous team at Special Events and Flowers.

Pretty chandeliers on each table.

Clusters of simple flowers in short vases on each table

All the high and low tables are waiting for their turn in the spotlight

Lots of candles, the room had a very romantic feeling as the sun was setting

Candy bar completed by friends of the bride

Teeny tiny taco, anyone?

Lisa slices rare beef tenderloin for the chilled sliders

The food stations are coming together as guests mingle during the reception

The "bones" of the mashed potato martini bar - lots of glass, silver, and mirror

Stephanie scoops mashed potato for guests to top with their own add-ins

 

The meat station, featuring pulled pork in crisp wonton cups, chilled beef tenderloin sliders, and chicken satays with dipping sauces.

Shaken, or stirred?  Select's signature salad "bar", with Franziska filling a martini shaker with mixed greens and dressing