Wedding Ceremonies & Formal Photography - Permits & Rentals - Parks, Forestry & Recreation | City of Toronto

Wedding Ceremonies & Formal Photography - Permits & Rentals - Parks, Forestry & Recreation | City of Toronto
We've gotten several enquiries about Park weddings for this year.  Here's the info page again (above, and a short link here) bit.ly/1daSbin   (or call parks office from 311). 
Note the Rules:
Facility listings:  Parks

Rates:"Rates for wedding ceremonies and photography are approved by City council.  Rates can be adjusted at anytime, please discuss the permit rental rates directly by calling (416) 392-8188."

How to Apply for a Permit

To obtain a permit or get further information on rates and availability, call 416-392-8188 and press 1, Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. Payment by VISA, Mastercard or American Express is
accepted over the phone. You can also book your permit and pay by cash or certified check in person by visiting your local permit office.

Wedding Ceremony Parks List

this is from the City of Toronto Website
"Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation offers many beautiful outdoor parks and indoor facilities available for your stand-up wedding ceremony.
NOT ALL PARKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR WEDDINGS.
"Please note that ceremonies are stand-up only, no chairs are permitted. Accompany your ceremony with soft taped music or a live  non-amplified trio"

MUSEUMS:
The parks list above does not include green space associated with Historical locations, such as Colborne Lodge, Todmorden Mills, Fort York, etc.  You'll find those facilities under MUSEUMS. We had a great wedding on the steps of Spadina House, with guests in the front lawn. (Reception held at another location.)  The Couple booked a permit for the steps of Spadina house. Another couple is holding a wedding AND the small outdoor cocktail reception at Spadina, (as you have to book a minimum of 3 hours for the space). 

The above city parks and museum list does not include Riverdale Farm, Dufferin Grove, Campbell House, the Children's Peace Garden, the Toronto Island clubhouses, Black Creek, Kortwright, and other green places you can also rent for weddings. Some of these are managed by community groups, and you can apply to them for an event. You can obtain a photography permit at the Brickworks and hold a small wedding in the ravine, for instance.

NOTE: very small informal weddings in a park are sometimes possible, please write to me directly. But for any group larger than a dozen or so, you will need to consider a proper permit, a photography permit, or permission.  Drop me a line :-)

Unusual wedding guest - and a summer getaway location

Guess the location! (oh well, it's pretty easy - we were on the Toronto island for a lovely wedding and this character is part of the children's theatre programme this summer.  He was just heading over the bridge on Centre Island and stopped for a snapshot)

I think it adds a bit of scale - and a 'royal wedding' effect, don't you?  It was one of those HOT days, so both guys in suits were pretty wilted by this time!  but grins all round... 

Nice weather, nice weddings....backyards, Trinity Bellwoods, St James, Wards Island...

Wards island wednesday

Trinity Bellwoods

Harbourfront

On the Danforth

St James Gazebo

Ashbridges Bay

Roncesvalles Front Porch

Toronto Island Weddings - logistics

Most of the yacht clubs have their own launches, which leave from different quays downtown. You can get a water taxi, but it's expensive, and they get very busy at certain times.

 If you're taking the ferry, to an elopement, one of the clubhouses, etc. - be sure to plan for the TICKET LINES.  Mid-week, it's daycamps and tourists, weekends, it's the whole city.  There is only one booth that takes visa, you can't buy your tickets online, and the single automatic ticket dispenser is terrible and only prints one ticket at a time. The best idea is to go a few days before and buy a block of tickets - they are good 'forever', and you can skip lines.

Once you get there, it's easy.  Elopements on the picnic grounds under a tree, the beach, even by the fountains on Centre Island - nice gardens.  But the ferrying over of guests and party is difficult if the streetcar is late, the line is long, etc.  EARLY is better.  About 11 things start to heat up.

Nice little article in the Star about a Toronto Island Wedding

This was a great wedding - a couple of scientists, a ferry trip, a rainy day, a SKYPE call overseas, and the STAR article mostly got it right.

The important thing is that Hala and Florian got married - and we called up their mum in Lebanon on Skype so she could hear the ceremony. And the food was great, and the Rectory Cafe was lovely,  And a great time was had by all - I love Hala's dress, and Florians shoes!

This is the 4th wedding this summer where the groom wore track shoes.  Last week the BRIDE surprised the groom with black adidas under her wedding dress.  Great style!

Toronto Islands - Rectory Cafe wedding

Here we are, having a delightful indoor wedding in the Rectory Cafe on the Toronto Islands.  The planned terrace ceremony was moved inside, as the wind and rain rapped on the windows - but we were able to go outside after the ceremony for some windy pictures on the boardwalk.  The staff was great at re-arranging things, the food was lovely, the service was attentive.

This was a small informal wedding for about 30 people - and I have just asked the guests for their support for the couple. The resounding "Yes" was so hearty that we are reacting to the happy sound. Check out the great footwear.