You can visualize yourself walking down the aisle, locking eyes with your partner, saying ‘I Do’ and sharing that first kiss as a married couple. You’re ready to sign on the dotted line to book your wedding ceremony venue! But wait – have you asked all the right questions?!

Not to worry, Team JBW has got your back! Here are 5 important questions to ask when booking your wedding ceremony venue.

1. Are there any décor restrictions? For example, many indoor venues do not allow real flower petals down the aisle. Some churches have restrictions on what (if any) décor can be placed at the altar. It’s important to find out what is and isn’t permitted before booking your wedding ceremony venue.

St.Joseph’s Basilica / Carey Nash Photography

2. What is included with the venue rental and what am I responsible for renting or supplying? Find out what the venue is providing and what you must bring in yourselves or rent. Some examples of items you may require for your wedding ceremony include: chairs or bench seating, a signing table for the registry, a ceremony arch or arbour, a sound system with a wireless or lapel microphone, and easels for directional signage.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise / Stoffer Photography

3. When can a rehearsal date and time be confirmed? Some venues will allow you to schedule this upon booking, while others will only confirm your rehearsal a couple weeks in advance. This is important to ask, as it may take some juggling to coordinate the availability of your Officiant, Wedding Party, Wedding Coordinator and rehearsal dinner venue.

The Lake House / Infused Studios

4. Is there an indoor or covered backup space in case of inclement weather? Always have a Plan B! If weather is poor, is there an on site backup space you can move the ceremony into? And when must you make the weather call? Often times this can be done on the day of the event, as late as a few hours prior to your ceremony start time, but some venues require 24 hours notice if utilizing the backup space.

University of Alberta, Botanic Gardens / Kelly Redinger

5. Is only one wedding held per day? Some ceremony venues book multiple weddings on a single day (we’ve seen as many as 4 different timeslots), while others provide exclusivity to a single wedding couple. It’s important to understand if you are restricted to a specific ceremony time, and whether you have to hustle out of there following your nuptials or if you can stick around to take photos.

Fairmont Hotel Macdonald / Romy Young

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We hope this is a helpful resource for you when booking your wedding ceremony venue. Stay tuned for our next blog post outlining 5 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Reception Venue!

Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Planners, Edmonton Wedding Designers

Like many others, Kristen + Peter were forced to be nimble with their wedding plans in the summer of 2021. They pivoted to an intimate Rocky Mountain wedding at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. It was a beautiful, warm weekend making precious memories with their closest loved ones.

Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Venue: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
• Officiant: Behitched by Laura
• Photographer: Janine Rose Photography
• Videographer: Plaid Collar Films
• Florist: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
• Cake: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
• Music: Encore
• Hair + Makeup: Blushed Beaute

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Jennifer Bergman, Lead Coordinator | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Wedding Planner

Jennifer and Evrhetton envisioned a weekend destination wedding in the mountains to celebrate their love story with family and friends. Of utmost importance was the guest experience, ensuring everyone was taken care of and that it was stress-free and enjoyable. We worked alongside them to plan their dream wedding at one of our favourite venues, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

Their beloved Danes – Moose and Mountain – joined in on the special day, strolling down the aisle and standing up as “best dogs” for Ev. The weekend culminated in a raging dance party featuring alternating sets by the couple’s favourite band, The Barkells, and DJ Troy from Premiere DJs.

Credits:

• Wedding Planning & Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Ceremony + Reception Venue: Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
• Photographer: Just Married Photography
• Videographer: Plaid Collar Films
• Officiant: Beryl Cahill
• Band: The Barkells
• DJ: Premiere DJs by Urban Metropolis
• Florist And Backdrops: FoxBackdrop
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals
• Invitations + Stationery: J. Gartner Design
• Hair + Makeup: Bliss & Glow Artistry

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Wedding Planner

Ania and Matthew began their wedding day with a traditional ceremony at the spectacular Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. After the marriage was official, they took off for photos in a gorgeous red vintage Porsche!

The newlyweds celebrated with their loved ones later that evening at Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in the Wedgwood Room – one of our favourite Edmonton wedding venues – infusing several Ukrainian and Russian traditions to personalize the event. It was such a pleasure to provide Wedding Day Management for this happy couple! Enjoy this beautiful snippet of their day.

Credits:

• Wedding Day Management: Jennifer Bergman Weddings (Suzanne)
• Ceremony Venue: Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John
• Reception Venue: Fairmont Hotel Macdonald (Wedgwood Room)
• Photography: Nicole Ashley Photography
• Reception Music: DJ Kwake Entertainment
• Cake: The Art of Cake
• Florist: Fabloomosity
• Pet portrait As wedding Gift:  mooportraits
• Hair + Makeup: Blushed Beaute

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Suzanne, Lead Planner | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Edmonton Wedding Day Management

Credits:

• Wedding Planning & Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Ceremony + Reception Venue: Whyte Museum Grounds (Banff, AB)
• Bride Getting Ready Location: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
• Photographer: Natalie Andrusiak
• Videographer: A Love Story
• Officiant: Karyn White
• Ceremony + Cocktail Music: RSVP Weddings
• Reception Music: Premiere DJs by Urban Metropolis
• Catering: Fork + Farm
• Cake: Kake Canmore
• Florist: Flower Artistry
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals Banff
• Vintage Furniture: Orange Trunk Vintage Styling & Rentals
• Limo and Shuttle Service: Highland VIP
• Invitations + Stationery: J. Gartner Studio
• Washrooms: Rangeland RV
• Generator: Bison Electric
• Hair + Makeup: The Pretty Haus
• Bride’s Hair Stylist: Marika Stimac from Mousy Brown’s
• Bride’s Gown: Dalaarna from Pearl & Dot
• Bridesmaid Attire: Park & Fifth Co.
• Groom + Groomsmen Attire: SUITS by Curtis Eliot

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Banff Wedding Planner

At the newly opened 50th Parallel Estate Winery event centre, Sara and Melad celebrated their wedding with family and friends who joined them in the sunny Okanagan. A fusion ceremony incorporating both Persian and Catholic traditions was held at at the top of the vineyard overlooking the beautiful lake and rolling hills.

Credits:

• Wedding Planning & Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Venue: 50th Parallel Estate Winery
• Photographer: Tara Peach
• Videographer: The Toths
• Officiants: Father Joseph Salame + Mehry Rad
• Ceremony Music: Farzam Fattahi
• Arabic Drummers: Wassim + Nassim
• Reception Music: Talent Productions
• Cake: Sugar Sweet Cake Co.
• Florist: Fabloomosity
• Rentals: All Occasions
• Rentals: Defining Décor
• Transportation: AAA Limo Tours
• Shuttle Service: A1 Bus Ltd.
• Hair Stylists: Pomme Salon
• Makeup Artists: Jenny McKinney
• Gowns: The Bridal Boutique

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Kelowna Wedding Planner, Okanagan Wedding Planner

Nelia and Brennan wanted to celebrate their wedding with a close group of family and friends, and decided on a destination wedding so the festivities could be spread over a weekend. Their love of great wine and warm weather made Kelowna the perfect choice – I mean, who wouldn’t want to be married in a vineyard!?

We arranged for shuttle transportation to take everyone from downtown Kelowna to the ceremony site at Ex Nihilo Winery in Lake Country. Forest fires in the Okanagan region made the view a bit hazy, but it was still a stunningly beautiful backdrop for their vows. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed sparkling wine and passed canapés in the vineyard.

The reception was held at a true gem of a venue – The Laurel Packinghouse in downtown Kelowna. The building is part of the Kelowna Museums Society and its exposed brick, wooden beam ceiling and hardwood floors made it the perfect canvas for an Industrial Glam design. A soft neutral palette of whites, creams, blush and gold added romance to the setting. Lush greenery runners and a stunning hanging greens head table backdrop brought life and vibrancy to the space. Ample candlelight on the tables and café lights strung from the ceiling beams added a warm, welcoming glow to the event.

The four-course meal was one of the best we’ve ever had at a wedding, and that’s all thanks to Details Catering. The perogies appetizer course was a nod to Brennan’s Ukrainian heritage and this was certainly a highlight of the meal. An absolute must-have for Nelia and Brennan was McDonald’s cheeseburgers as a late night snack! Their wishes were fulfilled, and guests munched on the McD’s delicacies while dancing up a storm to the mixes of DJ Invizible.

Featured in the Fall/Winter 2018 issue of Weddingbells Magazine, here’s a sampling of the gorgeous images by Jenna Hill Photography and a fantastic highlight video of their day by Tailored Fit Films.

Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Kelowna Wedding Planning + Design

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Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Caterer: Details Catering
• Photography: Jenna Hill Photography
• Videography: Tailored Fit Films
• Officiant: Darlene Samin
• Ceremony Music: Jeff Piattelli
• Reception Music: DJ Invizible (Kevin Moore)
• Rentals: Vintage Origami / All Occasions Party and Event Rentals
• Florist: New Leaf Floral
• Invitations + Stationery: Pinkpolka Invitations and Stationery
• Cake + Cupcakes: Kakes by Kathie
• Limo: Okanagan Limousine
• Shuttle: Distinctly Kelowna
• Hair: Inspirado Designs
• Makeup: Jenny McKinney
• Gown: kate Bridal

Fernie is a very special place for Kristen + Kendal. They travel there dozens of weekends year round to ski, hike and relax in nature. They love it so much, in fact, that they recently purchased an inn that they are now renovating! Naturally, they wanted their friends and family to experience the beauty of their favourite place, and so they planned a weekend of events to celebrate their marriage.

Friday evening kicked off the weekend with a casual meet & greet hosted at a family cabin. The wedding day brought blue skies and sunshine, and the ceremony was held at a quaint B&B property called Birch Meadows Lodge. Kendal and his father built a beautiful wooden arch and benches for the ceremony seating. Kristen + Kendal said their vows surrounded by mountains in a beautiful meadow full of wildflowers – it couldn’t have been more picturesque.

The Rusty Edge was host to Kristen + Kendal’s reception. It’s a local restaurant / pub that the couple frequents when they’re in town. Using wooden tables and chiavari chairs, natural linen fabrics, lush greenery and white florals, we enhanced the restaurant’s natural, organic aesthetic to stay true to our mountain-loving bride and groom. The next day, guests joined the newlyweds for coffee and pastries to reminisce about the weekend’s events before heading back home.

Photographers Lolo & Noa did a perfect job capturing the essence of Kristen + Kendal’s style. I mean, you couldn’t make this couple look bad if you tried, but we’re still thrilled with how the images turned out!

Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Rocky Mountain Wedding Planner

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Credits:

• Wedding Day Management + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings
• Photography: Lolo and Noa
• Pastor: Larry Fry
• Ceremony Music: Linden Anthony
• Reception Music: DJ Jeff McRae
• Invitations: Minted
• Stationery: Pinkpolka Invitations & Stationery
• Florist: The Green Petal
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals
• Chair Rentals: Patti’s Party Rentals
• Hair + Makeup: Niawigs
• Gown: Grace Loves Lace