The Ultimate Guide To Have An Outdoor Wedding In The Banff Area
Pick Outdoor Venues that Fit Your Budget
Over the years, we have been working with customers who were in the process of planning their mountain wedding of dreams. From choosing wedding venues to picking out wedding gift ideas, many couples have found this experience to be extremely stressful. If you have a limited budget, and have been searching for a public location to cut the expenses, this is a detailed guide that will give you some insights and ideas on where to get married in the Banff area. We have listed 3 of the best outdoor mountain wedding venues in Banff/Canmore along with its capacity and cost.
Couple set BOGO: Buy one, get one 50% off (of equal or lesser value)
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble, theyâre only made of clay but our love is here to stay. â George & Ira Gershwin
Cascade Garden
Capacity: wedding ceremonies for up to 20 guests
Price: You don't need to pay for the venue to host your ceremony. However, since Cascade Gardens is a public park, chairs and decorations for personal use is not allowed.
Located just a few minutes off of the main road in Banff (Cave Ave, Banff, AB T1L 1K2), Cascade Garden is a beautiful location to host your mountain wedding ceremony in Banff. During late spring - early summer is typically when everything has reached peak bloom for lush, vibrant colors featuring stunning mountain views from the pathways and gazebos within the garden.
From downtown Banff, follow Banff Avenue all the way south over the bridge. Turn left onto Spray Avenue, following the signs for Cascade Gardens, keeping right onto Mountain Avenue. Parking will be on your right.
This is a great spot if you are planning on having a smaller intimate wedding ceremony and is suitable for up to approximately 20. There are gazebos to provide a sheltered proof if it happens to rain.
Things to note:
This is a public space so it is likely tourists will be walking by and you need to be ok with passerbyâs also taking photos or viewing in the area. Like all public locations in Banff, you cannot reserve an entire area for personal use.
How to book:
To book Cascade Garden, find the Banff National Park Application Form and visit https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/mariage-wedding
Tunnel Mountain Reservoir
Capacity: wedding ceremonies and receptions for up to 150 guests
Price: $200 per hour, minimum 2 hours
This location is perfect for having a gorgeous mountain backdrop at your ceremony. Tunnel Mountain Reservoir offers an open grassed area, boasting jaw dropping views of the famous Mount Rundle. Keep in mind there is limited parking so it is important to plan carpooling accordingly. Given that this is a location with no facilities, be aware that there is no power or washrooms available on site. Portable washrooms may be needed and is optional.
To get there from downtown Banff, head east on Caribou Street, then turn left onto Otter Street. As you go up the hill, it will turn into Tunnel Mountain Road. Keep following this road until you turn right onto Tunnel Mountain Drive where you will quickly arrive at your destination and the grand view will be on your left.
Things to note:
Buffalo Mountain Lodge is directly across the street from the field where you would host your wedding. You can book this venue as well for your reception after your ceremony. Buffalo Mountain Lodge has three event rooms (https://crmr.com/buffalo/weddings/) you can book.
How to book:
If you would like to book both venues, they are separate so book the Tunnel Mountain Reservoir here through the Town of Banff and book your reception venue through CRMR https://crmr.com/buffalo/weddings/.
Canmore Nordic Centre
Capacity: wedding ceremonies and receptions for up to 80 guests
Price: $500 (site fee 3 hours)
A great alternative to Banff in order to avoid guests having to purchase a pass for the national park is to host your wedding in Canmore. Itâs every bit as scenic and mountainous, despite it being just outside of park boundaries.
The address is 1988 Olympic Way and is very easy to get to with various signage throughout the town of Canmore directing you. Located just off of Spray Lakes Road across from the reservoir/Rundle Forebay, the Canmore Nordic Centre offers breathtaking views of the famous Three Sisters Peaks and Mount Lawrence Grassi. There are three locations available for outdoor weddings: 1. The Cross Country Stadium Wedding Site; 2.The Tree Island Wedding Site; 3.The Bowl Valley Vista Wedding Site. These three sites all have no power. You might need a backup plan if you are worried about rain.
Things to note:
Whatâs important to keep in mind here is the Nordic Centre is an athletic leisure centre and people must be aware of crossing paths with athletes. If there are sporting events, there may be additional noise from the event. Please see more official terms and conditions.
How to book:
To book Canmore Nordic center, you can email catering@cornerstonecanmore.com or visit Cornerstone Catering for more details.
Brilliant Ways To Reduce Wedding Ceremony and Gift Costs
Often times hosting a wedding in the Rockies can become extremely expensive very quickly. Here are some brilliant suggestions to reduce wedding costs to make sure you have the mountain wedding of your dreams!
Couple set BOGO: Buy one, get one 50% off (of equal or lesser value)
1.Digital Invites
Everything is going digital these days. Itâs a great way to cut the costs of paper invites and helps reduce waste at the same time. Digital invites can also be made personal and beautifully customized to your taste.2.Buying silk flowers
Buying silk flowers will help reduce the centrepiece costs as they are cheaper than real flowers. After the wedding, they can be used at home or even be sold to recuperate some of the costs as well.3.Combine personalized wedding favors with party drinkware
Weâve seen an increase in popularity with people using our custom LAMOSE drinkware for wedding favours. Rather than shelling out tons of cash on wedding favours that people may or may not even use/keep, why not get something unique and personal that everyone will appreciate? There are different options for mugs and tumblers coming in various different colors and limitless customizable options for engraving. You can either choose a pre-designed graphic or use your own design. If you have an idea but donât know how to achieve it, our designers are here to help! [email us] Plus, name engraving is FREE on all products. This is something that guests will be sure to use at the wedding and be happily taken home as a good memory. Get a quote below.All 3 of these options are great ways to help reduce wedding costs and the savings can add up. Not only that, but these cost saving options are also more sustainable and eco-friendly. The key here is that less is more.
Itâs without a doubt that the mountain views of Banff/Canmore offer some of the most stunning outdoor wedding locations in the world. As a local Alberta company, we hope that this overview helps you decide where to host your beautiful wedding ceremony. Best of luck and congratulations!
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