My Favourite Central Alberta Wedding Venues from the 2022 season

2022 was truly the year for weddings! There was said to be the most weddings world wide in 2022 since 1985! That is crazy! I personally shot 26 weddings in 2022 and was able to get a great look into some of the best wedding venues right here in Central Alberta. Today I decided to compile a list of my top 5 favourite central Alberta wedding venues that I had the pleasure of visiting this past year.

If you have just recently got engaged then one of the first things on your to-do list will be “Find the perfect wedding Venue.” But before you nail down your wedding venue, I wanted to go over some things you may want to consider during your search.

What to look for in a Wedding Venue:

Is there a Bridal Suite?

A lot of the time I see couples fall in love with a venue because of the look and style that fits their theme(which is great!) But then they struggle to come up with a plan of where to get ready that will not be a travel nightmare, and also provide those dreamy “getting into the dress” portraits. The best solution to this is to find a wedding venue that includes an area for the bride to get ready. And better yet, an area for the groom to get ready as well! This takes care of SO many logistics that don’t need to be a stressor on your wedding day.

Does your the wedding venue fit your style/theme for your wedding day?

So often I see brides trying to make an elegant, high class formal wedding style fit into a rustic barn. It just doesn’t always work. Which leads them feeling frustrated when it comes time to start decorating. There’s nothing harder than trying to put those high end florals and greenery into a space that just isn’t giving off those vibes. I recommend finding a venue that will fit your style and overall theme for your wedding day before trying to fit a square peg into a round hole with your décor. Just a note: The theme for my wedding was burlap… SOOO there is nothing wrong with the rustic barn style. But getting married on my farm in cow poop helped tie that theme together for sure!

Does the wedding venue have a rainy day back up plan?

Although we pray for beautiful weather on your wedding day, we can never really control mother nature. If you are planning an outdoor ceremony, consider talking to your venue coordinator about options in case of rain. Most venues should have a game plan for brides to consider if they need to move things indoors. This plan should make for a stress free switch for the bride and not need a lot of hands on coordination from the couple. Rain happens and although providing your guests with umbrellas is an option, it’s good to know your venue has your back in terms of weather.

Are there lots of portrait locations right at the venue?

There is nothing better then feeling like you and your guests can arrive at your venue and NOT have to leave until the night ends! This goes for not only being able to accommodate both your ceremony and your reception in one place, but also for your pictures! I am always game to venture out to a special location, but it is so great to be able to stay close to your venue. Having lots of options for portraits on the venue property is so great and will give you lots of different variety in your final gallery. Light will always be more important to me than location. Now, I’m pretty good at finding good light in any outdoor location, but options are never a bad thing and those options give your photographer a lot more room for creativity to flow.

Are there nearby accommodations for out of town guests and/or easy transportation via cabs or Uber?

I would say that over 70% of guests at my wedding were from out of town. They traveled quite a distance to come celebrate with us. For that reason it was very important to me to make sure we weren’t getting married in the middle of no where. I wanted close accommodations for people to stay over night. I also hired a driving service to take home guests who had been drinking. Being nearby local accommodations made this possible and I know my guests appreciated the thought.

Now that you have a good guide of what to look for when searching for a Wedding Venue. Let’s dive into some of my absolute favourite Central Alberta wedding venues and what makes them so special!

My Top 5 Central Alberta Wedding Venues:

#1 Hilltop Wedding Centre

A ceremony and reception space located just 2kms north of Sylvan Lake. “Say I DO with the most amazing view of Sylvan Lake.” This stunning venue is a “You’ve gotta see it to believe it” kind of place! It’s stunning views that perfectly overlook Sylvan Lake are breath taking! Their Beautifully draped outdoor reception tent can accommodate up to 200 guests. As if that’s not enough they also have their very own sound system along with a gorgeous wooden dance floor so you and your crew can dance the night away in style!

What makes this venue so special:

Aside from the breathtaking views of Sylvan Lake, a stunning Bridal Suite, and endless options for ceremony, reception, and cocktail hour set ups. This venue thrives in its 20 acres of scenic beauty for portrait locations and guest entertainment! From flower beds, to water fountains, lake views, and rolling hills, it truly is one of the most beautiful places to say I DO in Central Alberta.

Features Check List:

Overall Style: Classic Elegance

• Bridal Suite
• Gorgeous Sunset Views of Sylvan Lake
• Multiple Ceremony Locations
• Up to 200 guests
• Access to rounds of Golf and Carts for guests to be transported to locations on the property
• Nearby Overnight Accommodations

Address:

Box 9077, Sylvan Lake, AB T4S 1S6

Contact:

Phone: (403)896-8673

E-mail: info@hilltopweddingcenter.com

#2 River Valley Wedding Venue

If you are planning a Rustic meets Modern style of wedding… Look no further! River Valley truly meets both worlds perfectly in the middle and offers a great experience when it comes to your wedding day needs. Being able to shoot at this stunning venue during their first wedding season was an absolute honor! I have no doubt that they will be booking out MANY wedding seasons over the years as it really is a must see!

What makes this venue so special:

THE BRIDAL SUITE!!! Can I just say that when they designed this bridal suite, they knew what they were doing! This suite holds EVERYTHING a photographer could dream of! Lots of space! WHITE WALLS(thank-you!!) and tons of natural light. I made full use of this stunning suite during first looks because it truly was the perfect spot for my Bride to have some beautiful portraits.

Features Check List:

Overall Style: Modern meets Rustic with Country Elegance

• Bridal Suite
• Pond with a Dock
• Up to 150+ guests
• Lots of portrait locations on property AND nearby(AKA Burbank Campground!)
• Nearby Overnight Accommodations

Address:

#39231 Range Road 28-2, Lacombe County, AB

Contact:

Phone: (403)391-1110

E-mail: info@rivervalleyweddings.ca

#3 Tin Roof Event Centre

Located a short 10 minute drive east of Lacombe, AB, Tin Roof knows how to accommodate for ANY style of Wedding! And in terms of photography… YES. YES. YES TO WHITE WALLS!

What makes this venue so special:

The reception space alone is the perfect canvas for ANY style of wedding. The white walls and gorgeous feature window make for endless possibilities for your wedding day décor! Also, in addition to a stunning building, the property is stunning and makes for some beautiful portraits on their bridge over the pond, along with some gorgeous views of the sunset! It truly is a must see on your list of Central Alberta Wedding Venues

Features Check List:

Overall Style: Creative Freedom!

Style Suggestion: Modern Elegance

• Bridal Suite
• Pond with a Dock
• Gorgeous countryside views for portraits
• Up to 245 guests
• Nearby Overnight Accommodations

Address:

41120  Range Road 261, Lacombe County, AB

Contact:

Phone: (587)-877-5324

E-mail: tinroofeventcentre@gmail.com

#4 Cork and Crate Farms

Located just 45 minutes south of Red Deer and 45 minutes north of Calgary, you can see why it’s a perfect “meet in the middle” sanctuary to celebrate with friends and family. A must see outdoor haven!

What makes this venue so special:

ENDLESS PHOTO LOCATIONS! This venue is SO large that the 27 acres of land gives for endless photo location options. Not only can you use multiple locations on the property for photos but the venue itself is able to accommodate multiple weddings in one day! Meaning the possibility for them having your date available is much greater. From the stunning mature foliage and mountain views, to the carefully thought out décor all around the property and even multiple sunflower fields! This venue knocks portraits out of this world! If you are a bride who wants lots of variety in her portraits and in her venue options, Cork and Crate Farms is a place that you must see!

Features:

Overall Style: Country Vineyard with Rustic Modern Feels

• Bridal Suite
• Grooms Suite
• 2 on site venue options: The Courtyard & Vinehouse – Up to 200 guests and The Teahouse – Up to 45 guests
• Sunflower Fields
• Endless portrait locations with great view and unique decorative props
• In house Bar Services
• Open to Year Round Events

Address:

RR 2, Site 15, Box 9, Olds, AB 

Contact:

Phone: (403)415-5030

E-mail: Info@corkandcrate.ca

#5 52 North Venue

A ceremony and reception space located just 9kms north of Sylvan Lake. This stunning venue is perfect for any style of wedding! It is a must see based on its purely uniqueness alone!

What makes this venue so special:

Aside from it not lacking in any area of wedding day needs, it also comes complete with its very own “Luxury Suite”. This is a space for couples to stay the during their wedding. Imagine waking up at your wedding venue ON YOUR WEDDING DAY! It just doesn’t get more perfect than that. In addition to being able to stay at your venue and not have to worry about how you are going to get home the night of your wedding. They have also added a new addition this past year called “The Vault” which accommodates up to 8 guests in 4 different bedrooms! How perfect is that for your bridal party or immediate family to stay on the property with you! This venue really has thought of everything and is a must see on your list of venues!

Features:

Overall Style: Unique/Modern/Industrial

• Bridal Suite
• Grooms Suite
• Overnight Accommodations(up to 10 on property including bride and groom with lots of nearby options for guests)
• Up to 200 Guests
• Can accommodate some winter weddings in January/February

Address:

1224 Township Rd 40-0, Lacombe County, Alberta T0C 0J0

Contact:

Phone: (403) 877-5288

E-mail: info@52northvenue.ca

Once you have made a list of your top favourite venues it’s time to book a tour of their facility and start narrowing that list down to just one!

What to bring to your venue tour:

When visiting these venues for your in person tour I would suggest bringing a list of questions to ask your venue coordinator. This list can be big or small but it is great to be able to communicate openly with what your needs are up front and making sure they can best help you attack those needs. There is nothing worse than having a miscommunication or booking a venue that you love the look of but is just not able to meet your specific needs. Granted, most wedding venues are highly equipped to tackle any situation! Still, nothing beats good communication when it comes to your wedding vendor relationships.

Next Steps:

Okay! So you’ve picked a date and now a wedding venue, and you can now cross those two things off the list! Your next step should be to find the best person to help tell the story of your wedding day! I would be highly honored to make it on that list of contenders. Feel free to visit my Wedding Experience page and find out what makes me so special as a wedding photographer!

The most important advice I can give to brides planning a wedding, is know what style you are looking for and go after it! 🙂