Popup micro family wedding at UofT on a quiet Sunday morning

 

Quiet little micro wedding at Univ of Toronto

It's summer, and University is quiet at the moment, especially on a Sunday morning before lunch.  You can pre-BOOK a few places for small weddings (Hart House, Vic College, etc.).  But sometimes you can also just wander in with a handful of family and find a quiet corner.  I liked this stone step, because I'm really short and the groom was a Big Friendly Giant.  Please contact me if you want to chat about location ideas.  

Small (micro) wedding at Victoria College

Micro elopement on the steps at Vic College

The couple booked the STEPS at Vic College, and we had a lovely small wedding in the Quad.  Around us were people taking photos for BIG weddings later in the day, but we were finished and happy and ready for the celebration dinner at a restaurant by the time the other couples were resting up for their events.

Small weddings are very traditional, actually - and quite fun. 

Outdoor spring wedding at University of Toronto

Spring wedding at University of Toronto

 The weather looked a little blustery (well, a LOT!) and rain was threatening, so we changed our plans and found this nice portico and had a nice simple elopement - and the sun came out!  Spring flowers, April showers, and a very happy spring couple.  

AGO: grey day in Grange park, and a Great wedding!

Here we are in front of the Henry Moore statue group behind the AGO in Grange Park.  There were kids and babies and skateboarders all around, but they gave us a space for a short, lovely wedding.  And the rain held off till the end!

Couple and witnesses, AGO, Grange Park

Grange Park wedding couple and Mary

Signing Register in front of Grange, AGO

nb:  The bride above is an astronomer.  Below is ANOTHER University of Toronto astronomer, and we managed to hold the wedding inside the planetarium! (the new one, in the basement of the physics building).  So, fuzzy pix, but wonderful!  But you can only do this if you are -- an astronomer!

U of T Astronomy wedding

Romantic proposal and wedding on University of Toronto campus

Short version:  the bench-where-the-proposal-was-accepted was duly labelled so by the groom.  We re-united here, with 2 witnesses, and had a short legal wedding, before the couple had their family celebration at the end of the week.
(then they went back to work at the University. I hope they have a working lunch together on the bench occasionally!)
It's tricky to have little weddings on campus, as security staff will usually stop you - but this was a lucky exception, as it was early in the morning at the end of summer term, and nobody noticed us, hiding away. In fact, most of the campus was locked up, so the staff could have a holiday.  But we had the romantic story & the bench to show, just in case.  

the proposal bench (it says: "She said yes")

Newly Married couple (and the bench!)

(again, don't try eloping on campus without permission. The job of the security guards is to stop you.  Please ask for advice, here's an enquiry FORM)

Small legal wedding behind Trinity College - happy and informal

A very lovely couple who are going abroad were looking for a small legal wedding somewhere around the University.   You can't do this many places, as you need a permit (esp near Hart House).  But if you don't  SEEM like a 'wedding', and you don't bother people, and there's just 4 of you, it's possible to find a little nook and be discreet.  Here's the 5 of us, looking very happy indeed, on the hill behind Trinity College - the new couple are in the middle, witnesses surrounding them. 

At the same time as we finished filling out the papers, a large wedding party marched up the path, bridesmaids in more ruffles and platform shoes than I've seen in ages.  It was quite a fun contrast - both couples very happy, and a beautiful fall day, and cheer all around.  I don't think the fancy wedding realized what we were doing, but the couple who were eloping were tickled by the other entourage!

Hart House Gallery Grill - a lovely and yummy restaurant venue at UofT

Hart House: Gallery Grill

If you like Hart House at the University of Toronto, but are also looking for a great chef and a 'different' ambience than one of the halls, we've had a couple of weddings lately at the Gallery Grill at Hart House.  It's housed in the old Faculty dining room, overlooking the Great Hall.  We're having a wedding in the intimate grill area later this year, in front of the Fireplace, but this event was in the dining room.  You can have a reasonable number of people - 30-60? Just ask them - esp if this is a seated dinner, which is usual.  But it's best with under 50, I'd think. You also have the front bar area for cocktails, and then the dining room for the dinner.  So, about the same size as the Wedding at Frank at the AGO, or at Le Select, or other restaurants we've used.

Casual outdoors weddings in Philosopher's Walk at University of Toronto

Philosopher's walk can be used in various seasons. This little walkway between the Royal Conservatory and the Gates on Harbord runs behind the ROM and the Music Building.  It's a public walkway, but has lots of lovely trees, and is a great oasis with nice backdrops.  They're rebuilding the law school on the south end, but there's lots of other room.  In high summer, there are lots of kids at music camp, so it's good to avoid recess time while they're rolling down the hill, but they are also delightful.  (also, of course you should avoid this during the PanAm games...)

Hart House Chapel - delightful family wedding

Hart House Chapel

Funny moment at a lovely family wedding at the non-denominational chapel at Hart House, University of Toronto.  We have held many elopements in the chapel, and it's good for a small family wedding (the maximum capacity is 25-30, but kind of squishy).
Lovely photos are by Nika Jaksic

Photos at the Carillon tower

Faculty Club, University of Toronto

Faculty Club, Univ of Toronto

I like these pictures - sort of instagramy - it was a totally delightful family wedding - (with lots of kids!)  at the UofT faculty club.  The intrepid couple went to Easter Island for a honeymoon!

Very touching vows

Lovely private elopement at University of Toronto

In the midst of  'bigger' weddings, here is a lovely couple from New Zealand, and we had a super little wedding on a spring day, just on Philosopher's walk... it's the funny time between end of school and summer classes, and the weather was lovely, and the few passersby just smiled at us.  Note:  always take photos of small elopements, it's additional 'proof' of a non - traditional wedding.  We took pix of us signing the Marriage License sitting on the little stone amphitheatre behind the Faculty of Music.
 < ---

 .....and then the next week....---->

We used the little amphitheatre again -  for another little private wedding, just the couple and their families.  Music camp was out, so there were no kids rolling down the hill on their break (tho I think Sports Camp was running strong at Trinity!).   Passersby were very kindly, and it was pretty cheery all around.  I don't think the people sitting on the benches up the path even knew what was happening, tho' a few cyclists stopped to grin and wave.    The squirrels were also interested, I think....

Weddings at the Multifaith Centre, UofT

There are several spaces at the MultiFaith Centre, which is in the Koffler Building at College and Spadina. The building is clean and modern, and I like the Multipurpose Room with great windows and the Main Activity Hall, which has a lovely 'light wall'.

This is a good location for a non-denominational, multicultural or non-religious wedding. ( Note, - in school season, a lot of students and other groups use the facility, so it gets booked early. Summers and school holidays, it's often quiet.You can ask me about the booking, There is a real kitchen, if you're having a small reception, but there are restrictions (no meat dishes above the 2nd floor), so it's good for light things like cake and coffee and canapes - though people do bring in caterers. There is an elevator, too, because it's a modern building.

Two ROM wedding tales: Royal Ontario Museum & Philosopher's Walk weddings

On the weekend, we had a big lovely wedding in the Rotunda of the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) Lots of people - great food, and a super band.  I may write a note about it, as it was quite special - a secular / Hindu ceremony, with candles, some traditional elements, and some modern multicultural elements. Great acoustics in the Rotunda!

Today, however, I met a couple inside the Museum, and we went out into Philosopher's Walk, next door (between the ROM and the Royal Conservatory of Music), and we found some nice students relaxing on the path who offered to serve as witnesses, and we held a small impromptu wedding in under the trees and sat on the grass to sign the license.  Then the new couple went BACK into the ROM to explore the Mineral Gallery. Because it was Free Admission Day!  (They planned to zoom down to the AGO afterwards to take in 2 free museums on their wedding day.  Two styles, two events, with the ROM between them...

A Royal Conservatory Wedding - and a Philosopher's walk elopement

The 'big' wedding at the Royal Conservatory was lovely today.  Great Views from the Board Room at the top, where the groomsmen hung out.

But if you aren't having a big elaborate wedding, why not choose Philosophers Walk, right down below the Conservatory glass windows? It is lovely and green, and has lots of little nooks.  We could see it delightfully from the glass windows at the Conservatory...

Here is a couple getting married in the little rock amphitheatre behind the Music Building (just up from Trinity College).  No permit needed - but best for a group under 12.