Venue needed, don't know where to turn - Vancouver Wedding Forum

AmandaRyan · 2007-05-15, 01:46 PM

Okay, I'm about ready to throw my computer out the window! I've spent the last couple of days looking at venue after venue online and I'm so frustrated I'm ready to just elope to Vegas :P

Here's the deal, we're getting married in a church (which means I'm getting sent to Catholic school to learn how to be a good catholic

) so we just need a venue for our reception. This is what we need:

-Currently we're at 125 guests - although I'm sure as you all know, that number may change by plus/minus 20.

-We NEED to bring our own booze. We're having an open bar and our friends drink WAY to much for us to pay 5 bucks a drink..lol. So restaurants, golf course, hotels, etc. are all out.

-We're open to anywhere Vancouver to Langley. We're in Coquitlam as our most of our friends/family. Everyone will be cabbing it to the reception so anywhere in the area is fine.

ANY IDEAS??? We don't have a lot of money to spend...my parents have offered to help but my fiance is dead set on us paying for everything ourselves. All the places I found online where you can serve your own alcohol just looked so cheesy - it reminded me of the way they used to decorate the gym for dances in junior high. Right now the only place we're going to look at is Old Orchard Hall in Port Moody. Although I've heard there are noise restrictions there which don't work for us (we're a noisy bunch!). Plus our wedding is in August and I worry about there being no air conditioning there. A friend suggested Robson Manor but from everything I've heard, they're no longer doing functions.

PLEASE HELP US! Otherwise it's off to Vegas we go.

Sotiny · 2007-05-17, 01:47 PM

Hi AmandaRyan,

A co-worker of mine is getting married at the UBC Boathouse.
Although, it's named with UBC, the location is actually in Richmond. And according to my co-worker, you can "BYOD" (bring your own drink) to this place.

I am not sure how booked-up they are. Check it out.

http://www.ubcboathouse.com/

Seated functions for 20 to 150 persons or gatherings for up to 190 persons can comfortably be accommodated.

Boathouse Rental Rates as of October 1, 2006
Events:
Event Rental Rate: 8 Hour Block$1100 5 Hour Block$ 600
Event Rental Rates are based on a standard 5-hour or 8-hour time block. 8-hour blocks start at 7am or 4pm; 5-hour blocks start at 10am or 4pm. At times, some modification of starting times is possible. In all cases, excess charges will apply, as stated in the contract, if the premises are not vacated on time.

AmandaRyan · 2007-05-17, 06:49 PM

Thanks!

Originally I was thinking of the Boathouse but I wasn't too keen on it just cause it's over in Richmond and our ceremony and everything will be in Coquitlam. Also, when I looked it up online I found a lot of people that weren't happy with them. A lot got overcharged and just ran into problems with the coordinator.

Right now we're thinking of Old Orchard Hall, the Burnaby Rowing Pavilion or possibly Glenbrook Park.

AmandaRyan · 2007-05-18, 09:23 AM

Sorry for the vent but....last night we went to go look at Old Orchard Hall. We'll have about 120 people at our reception and their capacity is 125 so it should have worked perfect. The place is TINY! I don't see how they expect you to fit 125 people at tables, the head table, the buffet table, the DJ, cake table and dance floor in there! It would be impossible. What you would have to do is put tables on the dance floor and then break down a bunch of table after dinner. And who wants to do that? Errr!!! Sorry, I just thought we would walk in and it would be perfect. Guess it's back to the drawing board for us

bridesmom · 2007-05-18, 10:49 AM

Glenbrook Park in New West is lovely. Park Like setting, nice room, pond with stone bridge. Also a nice grassy area for an outside ceremony. www.glenbrookpark.com Take a look..very close to Coquitlam

AmandaRyan · 2007-05-18, 11:07 AM

lol...I actually just got off the phone with Glenbrook park. We're going to see the Rowing Pavilion in Burnaby on Monday night and Glenbrook Park on Sunday morning!

Wish me luck because after this, I'm out of ideas!!

lookin4ideas · 2007-05-19, 10:20 AM

Hi there,

This is the hardest things that I found while planning. Please keep in mind that some of the places that you at online may not be representing themselves as the beauties they are!

I loved Old Orchard hall, I was there for a 50th b-day party & it was great but I am with you there is no way I would try to cram 125 people in there!

I have been to a wedding at the burnaby rowing club & it was very nice but took a lot of time to set up, renting tables, chairs, had to hang fabric at the front entrance to cover up the glass cases etc

We looked at so many places & found that a lot of them weren't very clean (if you'd like to know where PM me, I don't want to hurt anyones feelings that are using those venues). We finally decided on Centenial Lodge in Queens Park in New Westmister.

I don't know if it can hold what your looking for but it was the cleanest well kept place that we looked at & it had the most resonable rates. Also since it is in a park it is georgeous. Lastley it looks over the Burnaby mountains so at night when people have their lights on it's so pretty.

Also because your in a park I think you'd be ok for noise & it is BYOB. They have all the tables & chairs there and that is a part of your rental. Hmmmm what else can I say. Oh they are one of the ones that look like a high school dance on their website - it is much nicer in person!

AmandaRyan · 2007-05-22, 11:29 AM

I looked up Centennial lodge and it said it was 30' by 63' so 1890 square feet. We though Old Orchard hall was too small and it was 40' by 50' (2000 square feet) so I think Centennial lodge is out for us.

We saw the Rowing Pavilion and Glenbrook Park on the weekend and I have no idea which one to choose. The Rowing Pavilion was nicer by far but our wedding is in August and there's no air conditioning. The sun comes through the windows from morning until about 8 at night so that's a concern for us. Glenbrook Park is air conditioned and set in trees so it will be much cooler. Plus, Glenbrook Park will let us get in the day before for an extra $300. That way I'm not worried about anything getting set up the day of the wedding.

Any suggestions? Should I take the nicer hall and hope that the weather's not too hot? Or go with the cooler hall???

lookin4ideas · 2007-05-22, 01:12 PM

I am pretty sure that we were in there in August for my friends wedding & I don't recall sweating my guts out during the reception.

I do know that during the ceremony (BBY Mountain Rose Garden) we all almost died of heat so that tells me it was a hot day. I actually had a wedding to go to the next day that I needed to run out & buy a new dress for because I was so hot the day prior.

What my rambeling above leads me to believe is that it was not bad, we did however spend quite a bit of time out on the deck (not sure that you'd call it a deck but I am sure you know where I am talking about).

happy · 2007-08-17, 01:30 PM

you say you decided on the centennial pavilion, but it only holds 90 using round tables for a wedding. is that not going to be a problem??

2times · 2007-08-20, 08:16 PM

What about the Firefighter's Club in Burnaby?
http://www.firefightersclub.com/

We were at a wedding in July and the food was good, hot & served on time. I'm sure the wedding couple brought in their own liquor, too.

Ample parking, easy to get to and a hotel right next door if you wanted to book a block of rooms.

Happy Planning!

sum0m028 · 2007-10-07, 05:10 PM

Have u tried westwood plateau golf course in coquitlam, farmhouse lifestyle in maple ridge, harthouse in burnaby and shadbolt centre for the arts. Shadbolt looks nice...and it's pretty close.