In our previous post we shared 5 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Ceremony Venue. Today we’re sharing 5 important questions to ask the venues you’re considering booking for your reception or wedding celebration.

1. What time must the event end? Are there any community noise bylaws that must be adhered to? Most commonly in Alberta we see a 1:00 AM bar closure time, but some venues choose to shut down a bit earlier than this. Other communities have noise bylaws that prohibit loud music past 10:00 PM or 11:00 PM. This can especially be true for venues located in residential areas, or backyard tented events. Check the bylaws in your area if you’re hosting an event at home.

Whyte Museum Grounds (Banff, AB) / Natalie Andrusiak

2. When can the venue be accessed for decorating? When must all items be removed? It may seem early to worry about logistics, but it is important to consider when you will be able to set up and decorate for your event, and when everything must be taken down and picked up. Most rental and decorating companies will charge a premium to come back late at night, so if your venue allows next-day pick up this can save you some cash.

50th Parallel Estate / Tara Peach

3. Is catering provided by the venue, or is external catering permitted? Are alcohol and bartending services provided by the venue, or can you bring your own alcohol and liquor license? It can be convenient when the venue provides all food and beverage services. On the other hand, choosing your own caterer and bar company offers you more control over your menu and budget. In either case, be sure to ask ahead about meal service styles (plated vs buffet vs family style) and any special must-have menu items or cultural dishes.

JW Marriott, Wayne Gretzky Ballroom / Mango Studios

4. What are the nearby options for guest parking? It is helpful to include parking details on your invitations or wedding website so guests have a heads up about parking locations, costs, walking distance to the venue, and whether they can leave their vehicles overnight. If your venue is outside of an area serviced by taxis or Uber, consider arranging shuttle bus service to provide your guests with a safe and convenient way to attend your wedding.

Aspen Valley Events / Andras Schram

5. What is included with the venue rental and what am I responsible for renting or supplying? Find out what the venue provides and what you must bring in yourselves or rent. Some examples of items you may require for your wedding reception include: chairs, tables (ask about sizes), linens, napkins, staging, dance floor, podium, AV equipment (microphones, sound system, projector, screen), dishware, flatware, glassware, candles, easels and coat racks.

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge / Nicole Ashley Photography

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

Alyshea and Al-Karim’s Gala Reception was the very first event held at the new JW Marriott in Edmonton’s trendy ICE District. The spectacular hotel opened just days earlier, providing a truly unique and luxurious experience for guests – most of whom had travelled to Edmonton to attend the weekend celebration.

When designing this signature event, we chose a white-on-white palette with accents of greenery and gold to provide a timeless look, while using clean lines and modern elements to coordinate with the ballroom. The evening was filled with superb food and entertainment, including 10-piece band Billboard Collective and an encore performance by Shweta Pandit.

To wrap up the weekend’s events, the couple hosted a next-day brunch in the iconic Wedgwood Room at Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.

This wedding is not only featured on Wedluxe, but it was also honoured as a finalist for Best Wedding over $150,000 at the 2020 Canadian Event Awards!

Credits:

• Reception Venue: JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District
• Photography: Mango Studios
• Cinematography: A Love Story
• Cake: The Art of Cake
• Florist: Fabloomosity
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals, Dress My Day
• Stationery: J. Gartner Studio
• Transportation: Exxotic Cars
• Cocktail Hour Musician: Marc Beaudin
• Singer: Shweta Pandit
• Band: Billboard Collective
• Dancers: Desert Rose Dance Studio
• Lighting, Rigging and AV: Freeman Audio Visual
• Dance Floor Wrap + Dry Ice: Talent Productions
• Photo Booth: DJ Kwake Entertainment
• Hair + Makeup: Nickol Walkemeyer
• Bridal Attire: Pooja Boutique
• Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
• Jewelry + Rings: Zameer Kassam

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District Wedding
Luxury Wedding Planner Edmonton

On the heels of their Mehndi celebration, Alyshea and Al-Karim’s wedding ceremony was held at the new 4.8-hectare Aga Khan Garden – gifted by His Highness the Aga Khan. With a stunning waterfall set as the backdrop to their vows, nearly 400 guests gathered to witness their beautiful Ismaili ceremony. Bollywood singer-actor Shweta Pandit sang the couple down the aisle, and a Rubab-Tabla duo filled the gardens with traditional music.

Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed appetizers and refreshing rose sharbat as they mingled with the newlyweds before heading to the Gala Reception later that evening. You don’t want to miss the final post in this series – coming soon!

This wedding is not only featured on Wedluxe, but it was also honoured as a finalist for Best Wedding over $150,000 at the 2020 Canadian Event Awards!

Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings 
• Getting Ready Location: JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District 
• Ceremony Venue: Aga Khan Garden, University of Alberta Botanic Garden
• Photography: Mango Studios
• Cinematography: A Love Story
• Ceremony Catering: Culina To Go
• Ceremony Audio: FMAV
• Ceremony Singer: Shweta Pandit
• Ceremony Musicians: Barkat Ali and Ojas
• Florist: Fabloomosity
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals, Dress My Day
• Stationery: J. Gartner Studio
• Transportation: Exxotic Cars
• Headband Wigs + Makeup: Niawigs
• Bridal Attire: Pooja Boutique
• Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
• Jewelry + Rings: Zameer Kassam

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Aga Khan Garden Wedding Ceremony Edmonton

Alyshea and Al-Karim celebrated their union with multiple events over a weekend in Edmonton – a destination they chose because of the recently opened Aga Khan Garden at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.

This wedding weekend was such a delight to plan and design (and there are so many incredible details to share!) that we’re breaking it into three blog posts:

• Part 1 – The Mehndi Party at Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
• Part 2 – The Wedding Ceremony at Aga Khan Garden
• Part 3 – The Gala Reception at JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District

The festivities kicked off with a Bollywood Chic Mehndi party at Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. Guests enjoyed a custom ‘Flavours of India’ menu and could visit a draped Mehndi tent to have professional henna artists adorn their hands with beautiful designs.

The event featured dance performances, traditional Ismaili ceremonies and Vancouver’s Juno-nominated DJ A-SLAM. Stay tuned for Parts 2 and 3 coming soon…

This wedding is not only featured on Wedluxe, but it was also honoured as a finalist for Best Wedding over $150,000 at the 2020 Canadian Event Awards!

Credits:

• Wedding Planning + Design: Jennifer Bergman Weddings 
• Getting Ready Location: JW Marriott Edmonton ICE District 
• Mehndi Party Venue: Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
• Photography: Mango Studios
• Cinematography: A Love Story
• Live Trio: Indian Music Academy
• DJ: Divinity DJs (DJ A-SLAM)
• Florist: Fabloomosity
• Rentals: Special Event Rentals, Dress My Day, M Weddings
• Stationery: J. Gartner Studio
• Henna Artists: YEG Henna
• Transportation: Exxotic Cars
• Hair + Makeup: Nickol Walkemeyer
• Bridal Attire: Pooja Boutique
• Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo
• Jewelry + Rings: Zameer Kassam

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Jennifer + Team | Jennifer Bergman Weddings
Mehndi and Sangeet Event Planner, Edmonton