Best Wedding Restaurant Venues Calgary

Check out our list of the best wedding restaurants Calgary for 2016. Hi! Welcome to Matrimony Manifesto, a section of our blog dedicated secret wedding tips from an industry insider. We have been photographers in Calgary, AB, for nearly 10 years. Check out our work if you are looking for a photographer. 

We made this selection of Calgary restaurants for weddings, based on a few factors. First, because they have experience having weddings, which is really important. We have seen great venues have weddings and screw it up. But the most important factor for the list is because they have the space.

All these venues also have amazing ceremony spaces. That’s right — outdoor, indoor, or rooftop.

The Lake House

These guys are the hottest venue in town right now. While everyone else is experiencing some recession blues – they are fully booked for Saturdays in 2017. They are located on a beautiful private lake. You might look over and imagine yourself on the dock and your beautiful photos in the sunset, except it’s a private lake and you can not gain access. Luckily for you we are members of the lake and can get you and your whole family in. BAM.
The ceremony space is amazing – huge chandeliers, very rustic and modern. It also is the only restaurant with such a big wide open concept. The wedding coordinator is terrific, and you won’t need planners with someone this good. I would also suggest having your ceremony in a circular arrangement with all your guests sitting around you.
*Indoor ceremony location

Bow Valley Ranche

This is not only a beautiful venue, it is located in Calgary’s most beautiful park – Fish Creek. You can get married indoors, or out, perfect for Calgary’s unpredictable weather. They have a garden patio and a big beautiful lawn. The restruatant itself is classic, elegant and beautiful. The food is amazing, and the venue is perfect for weddings. They have a bridal suite, and so many nooks and cranny’s that are perfect for spending your entire day here.
*Indoor & Outdoor ceremony location

Alloy

Alloy isn’t the most ideal set up for a wedding. It won’t look like a restaurant that turns itself into a wedding venue – it will still be a restaurant. So you may not have everyone watching your speeches, without standing up. However they do have a great dance floor area, and a really great outdoor patio for a small wedding. The venue is experienced and beautiful and the food is great. You won’t need to decorate this place at all. It is a non traditional choice, and I think it’s amazing. You can always have a wireless mic and roam the room for speeches, or people can stand up and move. Overall we give Alloy an A++ for couples who want something different.
*Small wedding outdoor ceremony – not ideal for ceremonies, it’s a better reception only venue.

Teatro

Teatro has been doing weddings for years. It is a very experienced wedding venue, The style is elegant and very classic.  They have multiple rooms and both are really beautiful. It is located in Olympic plaza, which is such a great spot in Calgary and so vibrant. Just make sure you are not booking it during a large special event that is being hosted in the Plaza.
*Indoor wedding ceremony
Here is a link to some Teatro photos!

Q-Haute

This is one of my favourite venues, especially for fall and winter weddings. They have two rooms, and the ceremony room is terrific for smaller weddings. This is a very elegant and intimate venue. They have great space, a dance floor, ceremony room, and dining area. The food is the real star at Q-Haute. This is the kind of food you see on t.v, and it isn’t cheap. It is amazing and unlike any other wedding food experience we have had in town.
*Indoor ceremony space

Char Bar

Oh Char Bar, how I love thee — except we haven’t worked here yet, so there is not much I can say. I can’t comment on the food at all, but we have seen the space and it is lovely. It is modern, and very unique. The location is beautiful and the indoor space is also amazing. This is the old Simmon’s mattress factory in the East Village, and it is now a hotbed for many awesome things. It is also a hipsters paradise. Check it out and let me know how the food is!
*Rooftop ceremony space

River Cafe

River Cafe is my favourite fall wedding venue.  It is located in Prince’s Island park along the river. The ceremony space faces the river and when the leaves are orange and the light is low, it is magical. We also love the option for an oyster bar, and the indoor space is cool. It is not the ideal wide open space, it’s unique and some guests might need to come stand for speeches, so I would keep them short, or space them out. You can also cut the guest list down a bit and have everyone fit in the main area. Again we can’t comment on the food, we were given a vendor’s meal at the end of the night — pretty much chicken and lettuce. I am sure this is not a true representation of the food, so I resort to ‘no comment’.
*Outdoor patio ceremony

Bonterra

Bonterra is another wedding venue with the possibility of a food experience. They have a family style option that is too die for. Your guests will eat for hours and hours. It is all family style, and plentiful. There wasn’t a lot to shoot (with our cameras because we are photographers) during the meal, so we stayed a little extra for that wedding. It’s a long, long dinner, but AMAZING. We have also had the cocktail style wedding there and it was good too, not the amazing mind blowing food experience that the family style was, but solid. The second thing about Bonterra is they have one of the best little secret ceremony spaces in town. They have a beautiful patio in the middle of the beltline. It is groundlevel and magical.
*Outdoor patio ceremony

Rouge

The Rouge restaurant is another one that is great for small weddings (very small), or couples who want an untraditional feel. Ok, so it’s complicated because it is a very traditional venue. But the layout is not. So you may not get everyone in one room. They do have an amazing garden patio.
*Outdoor garden ceremony

In no specific order:
1. The Lake House – http://mycalgaryweddingphotographer.com/justine-blake-the-lake-house/
2. Bow Valley Ranche – http://mycalgaryweddingphotographer.com/katia-ash-bow-valley-ranche-restaurant-wedding/
3. Alloy – http://mycalgaryweddingphotographer.com/alloy-restaurant-wedding/
4. Teatro – http://mycalgaryweddingphotographer.com/calgary-teatros-wedding-photos/
5. Q Haute – http://mycalgaryweddingphotographer.com/q-haute-wedding-hilary-paul/
6. Char Bar
7. River Cafe – http://mycalgaryweddingphotographer.com/heather-rich-river-cafe-wedding/
8. Bonterra – http://mycalgaryweddingphotographer.com/bonterra-restaurant-wedding/
9. Rouge