Romantic Vintage Wedding at Lincoln Hall, Broadview Hotel | Toronto Wedding Venue Spotlight

Eryn and Jesse were married in November of 2024 at The Lincoln Hall and Terrace in The Broadview Hotel in downtown Toronto. Eryn wanted a wedding that blended the building’s historic charm with modern sophistication. Located in the heart of Riverside, this beautifully restored 19th-century landmark offers a one-of-a-kind setting for couples searching for a romantic and stylish wedding venue in the city.

Eryn and Jesse’s vintage-inspired celebration brought soft blush florals, brass accents, and classic elegance to life in the most stunning way. With its rich textures, original brick walls, and soaring windows, Lincoln Hall at The Broadview Hotel served as the perfect backdrop for a wedding filled with warmth, charm, and timeless romance.

A neutral-toned fabric offered a clean backdrop for their ceremony, allowing the black cane-back chairs and floor arrangements of blush, ivory, and peach-toned blooms to stand out. Tall floral pillars framed the altar, evoking the feeling of a secret garden indoors. The setup was both simple and sophisticated, ideal for couples who want a modern-meets-vintage ceremony in a historic venue. Guests were then invited to the rooftop patio for cocktail hour while the ceremony space was transitioned to dinner.

For the reception, long tables were dressed in linen-toned cloths and accented with brass cutlery, soft candlelight, and delicate floral centrepieces in ceramic compotes. The floral design leaned into a blush and brass colour palette, combining roses, ranunculus, and lisianthus for a look that was effortlessly elegant. We chose the black cane-back chairs to complement the brick walls, while then bending the two with the biscotti coloured tablecloths for a subtle flow and added texture.

It was a masterclass in elevated minimalism with vintage flair — perfect for couples who want a romantic yet refined setting.

This romantic downtown Toronto wedding at the historic Broadview Hotel came together thanks to a talented team of creative professionals. If you're planning a wedding in Toronto and looking for trusted vendors, here’s who made the magic happen:

• Wedding Planner – Laura Olsen Events | A luxury Toronto wedding planner known for timeless, elegant events.

• Wedding Venue – The Broadview Hotel | A boutique historic wedding venue in downtown Toronto with modern charm and rooftop views.

• Photographer – Hugh Whitaker Photography
  A fine art Toronto wedding photographer who beautifully captures emotion and editorial elegance.

• Florist – Bellwood Blooms for Tonic Blooms | Elegant and organic floral designs for weddings in Toronto.

• Stationery – Statue Rue | Custom wedding stationery and paper goods for design-focused couples.

• Rentals – Simply Beautiful Decor | Specialty event rentals for elegant Toronto weddings, including chairs, linens, and tabletop.

• Wedding Cake | Fine Spun Cakes Couture Toronto wedding cakes with artistic design and refined flavour.

• DJ – Sean Caff | High-energy, personalized wedding DJ in Toronto with a modern vibe.

• Beauty – ES Bridal | Professional hair and makeup services for Toronto brides.

A Colorful and Intimate Same-Sex Gardiner Museum Wedding, a Downtown Toronto Wedding Venue

Mitchell and Scott had been dreaming of a Gardiner Museum wedding when they reached out for wedding planning help in the fall of 2022, yet they were still open to exploring other venues just to make sure their decision was the right one. I sure am glad we made it back to hosting their wedding at Gardiner Museum because it truly is one of my favourite downtown Toronto wedding venues.

From there, we got to dive further into their wedding colour palette and we had so much fun! This was their second must-have - a colour palette that was broad and colourful, fun but classic, without being too literal with the Pride Rainbow. We leaned into green as our lead colour since it felt masculine but inviting. It also allowed us to use the fun, modern, pistachio coloured dining chairs the venue had on hand. The florals allowed us to expand the palette to include purples, blues, pinks and white sparingly just as a backdrop to let the other pieces pop.

The third must-have item on the list was to incorporate their dog, Chester, not only in their ceremony, but also throughout their wedding day stationery. They actually found me on Instagram from a post I had shared of Emilie and Leo’s wedding, where we featured their beautiful doggo, Maple, right through from their wedding invitations to their sweets table cookies! All That’s Lovely, a local Hamilton wedding invitation designer, embraced their vision and created a suite that felt elegant but fun using colour blocking as an economical design element to increase the overall richness using Racing Stripe Green invitation paper with white ink, a Pistachio envelope and a Powder Green details card.

Fable Floral Design, an incredible Toronto wedding florist, was given creative liberty to take our ideas and bring them to life. We dreamed up a unique wedding ceremony floral design using florals and candles on pedestals varying in height. Once the ceremony was complete, this piece was transitioned into a unique seating chart idea. While some florals were transitioned to guest centerpieces, others remained in place, simply replaced with four seating chart signs.

Having the opportunity to work with Daniel et Daniel, easily the best Toronto wedding caterer was a real treat. They handled all venue communication and food and beverage. Their food was incredible and we preset the first course of a watermelon salad which only added to the guest experience as guests entered the Gardiner Museum’s Terrace Room that was transitioned from wedding ceremony to wedding reception.

The full team who brought this downtown Toronto Gardiner Museum wedding venue to life includes Christine Lim Photography, Fable Floral Design, Daniel et Daniel, Element Events, All You Need is Love Weddings, All That’s Lovely Paper Co., ES Bridal, Castle and Cole, Evolved Entertainment and The Food Dudes.

A Fall Wedding at The Broadview Hotel, Toronto

We’re going back a few years to this gorgeous Broadview Hotel Toronto wedding from October 2019. We had the pleasure of designing this event but passed the planning torch off to INLY Events, one of our favourite local planners. Photographed by Agnes of Northern Wildflower and super dreamy florals by Kenilworth Florals brought this beautiful fall wedding to life. Irene, the bride, is an incredible graphic designer so it was honour to provide her with direction for her invitations and day-of stationery pieces with an extra personalized touch. We wanted dark, moody colours with pops of brighter colours through the use of patterns which she did in a gorgeous Victorian style. The vibe flowed seamlessly from the wallpaper at the hotel to the menus and sleeve envelopes for the personalized, handwritten thank you cards at each table. It truly was a spectacular day!

Arlington Estate Wedding | Toronto Wedding Venue

Jessica and David's Arlington Estate wedding took my breath away right from the moment we sat down to even start planning. I was so excited to be able to work at a new Toronto wedding venue, especially one as beautiful as The Arlington Estate. It's one thing to put things on paper, but to actually see them come to life is what makes it all worthwhile. This is true for both the wedding design, but also the venue itself! The team at The Arlington Estate were wonderful, courteous and professional and having been so new, it's clear they really value their role in the industry. In the four months they had been open, they had managed to be miles ahead (despite a few hiccups, which were to be expected!) of even some venues having been open for years.Jessica and David were planning from afar as they currently live in NYC. It's difficult to be planning from another city, so having someone on your side to help with the logistics certainly helps to ease the stress. She had a great team of family here at home, but knowing she wanted them to also enjoy the experience, she brought me on board to help her out! It was such a pleasure planning and designing this wedding from Jess' romantic, candlelit vision. Logistics of the day needed to be carefully planned as we started Jessica and David's day at her parents' house, then traveled downtown to St. Andrews Catholic Church for the ceremony. From there, we shuttled wedding party and extended family to Osgoode Hall for wedding photos, then on to The Arlington Estate for a few last photos and wedding reception. See all the gorgeous details captured by Tara McMullen, and the incredible smile the bride donned the whole day, below!

Photography  Tara McMullen Photography
Florals  Hunt and Gather
Stationery  Paper and Poste
Sweets Table  Cakelaine
Venue and Catering The Arlington Estate
Toronto Destination Wedding Planning and Design Laura Olsen Events.

Why Does a Wedding Dress Cost So Much?

In America, the average wedding dress cost in 2016 was USD1500, according to The Knot. In Canada, it’s about the same (CAD1850) with, perhaps surprisingly, Prairie Brides spending more on weddings than any other couples across the country! But fiscally savvy brides are everywhere and they can save huge dollars if they know where to look, and if they start early.We all know that weddings are going to cost money, but the wide range of pricing when it comes to dresses seems to elicit the most shocked responses. The price differentials themselves, can be the most hard to understand. Let’s look at the top three factors that are driving the price of wedding dresses:

The Intricacy of the Design.

Whether or not you buy off the rack or have your dress designed to meet your specific needs, a wedding dress is no simple pattern, particularly if it is not made 'en masse'. There is a lot of skill that goes into envisioning wedding dress designs--not to mention creating them. This brings us to…

Labour.

Again, this will vary depending on where you purchase or order your dress from. In person, online, from overseas, these factors all play a role. But it generally takes hours and hours to bring complicated patterns to life, particularly custom made orders. And, after you’ve found your dream dress, you might have alteration costs as well. A great tip to avoiding 'rush fees' is to start looking early for your dress; six or seven months ahead of time might seem excessive, but the time will fly by!

Trends. (Take special note of this one!)

Following trends will cost you as bridal boutiques are well aware of seasonal and annual fads and will capitalize on them. We encourage all of our brides to stay true to themselves. Your wedding day is a celebration of you and your partner’s unique journey together and your dress should be no different. It is the essence of your personal style - so throw out the rule book, go with your instincts, and celebrate you!

Still not convinced? Shop around. This is another great argument for starting early. You never know what you might find if you give yourself the freedom and the time to explore trunk shows, sample sales, online options, and new designers. Plus, you’ll avoid all that unnecessary stress associated with the time crunch of finding the perfect dress when you allow it to find you! Now that you understand the wedding dress cost, here are some quick tips on how to make finding your perfect wedding dress one of your most treasured memories of the wedding planning process.

Wedding Dress Shopping: Keeping the Experience Seamless.

The process of selecting a wedding dress is often cited as the most challenging and stressful part of wedding planning. Despite the fact that most of us have given more than a little thought to the dress, nothing can prepare you for the real thing. With an overwhelming volume of silhouettes, fabrics, styles and price points, brides can quickly find themselves in over their heads. (And let’s not even get started on the myriad personalities and opinions that will be flying your way!)Take a deep breath and remember, you don’t have to do what is 'expected' of you and you don’t have to follow a specific style guide or antiquated expectations. This is your day so give yourself the freedom to be inspired, be surprised, and most importantly, be present throughout this amazing experience.With the help of Toronto-based boutique wedding dress shop, Loversland, here are some quick tips on how to make finding your perfect wedding dress one of your most treasured memories of the wedding planning process.

It takes a village. Or does it?

Be honest, what type of shopper are you? Do you enjoy taking your time, making snap decisions, or rely on input from others? Do multiple opinions make you flustered? For your very first outing, you might want to consider bringing just one person who knows you and your style really well. Then again, some brides feel more comfortable with their entire party present when wedding dress shopping. If you aren’t sure and you feel as though you might be walking into a wedding dress minefield, try narrowing your group down to two to three people whose opinions matter most to you.Next, think about timing. If you generally need a lot of time to consider large purchases, start shopping early. And although it might be tempting, don’t set a budget until you have completed your first appointment.

What the experts suggest.

Every bride should allow six to seven months to have her dress ordered, according to Loversland. But some consultants recommend as early as nine months. Why? Depending on what you buy, you might need to allow enough time for the dress to be made, shipped, or altered. So give yourself plenty of leeway and avoid rush fees.

THE FUN STUFF.

Now let’s move on to the fun stuff and talk about style! Ask yourself, what do I love about my body? What do I want to show off? (A note about sizing: don't be alarmed. Bridal sizing typically runs about two sizes larger than your regular size. As horrifying as it is, this is NORMAL. If it makes you feel any better, remember that the only person who will know that little number is you, and your trusted consultant.)

When looking for inspiration, you’ve no doubt already considered your venue and overall style of your wedding. But what about you? Your dress should be reflective of your personal style, no matter where or when you get married. Take to Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and of course all the wedding blogs you can find. But it’s not all about the online world. Think about your beloved romantic movie collection, your favourite love stories, most amazing destinations, and even memorable experiences that have moved you -- anything can serve as inspiration if you want it to. Write it down, clip it, pin it, and post it.

Expert Hint: As you are going through this process, look for commonalities in silhouettes, fabrics, and detailing to help establish your overall “vibe”, and then bring these ideas to your appointments.

What to wear under there.

For best results, bring nude undergarments (which you have of course tried on beforehand) and bring multiple options: strapless, push-up, thong, you never know what you might need.

Accessorizing.

Next, wear your hair in the way you’re thinking you might have it on your wedding day. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but if you’re considering an up-do, have those hair elastics and bobby pins ready. Same goes for makeup and shoes.

FINAL TIPS.

Lastly, and we can’t stress this enough: throw out the style 'rule book' and trust your instincts. If you want to wear a tulle embroidered ball gown, DO IT, this is your wedding! Still stuck? Call the ladies at Loversland and they will be happy to answer your all of your questions about a wedding dress shopping.

Before the Wedding, Ontario Marriage Requirements

Wedding season is here! Before you run off to get married, you will need to make sure you have met the Ontario marriage requirements and obtained your marriage licence!

Before you can get married, you'll need a marriage license, which can be obtained from any town across Ontario. In other words, it doesn't matter whether it's obtained in Ottawa and the wedding is in Toronto, you can get it from anywhere! A marriage license is valid for 90 days from the date it was issued so you will need to wait until you are within 3 months of the wedding before you apply.

STEP 1

Download the Marriage Licence Application form (PDF)

STEP 2

Collect two pieces of valid government-issued identification for you and your wife or husband-to-be.One piece of identification must include your photo.

• birth certificate (including any change of name certificates);

• passport;

• record of immigrant landing; Canadian Citizenship Card;

• driver's licence;

• or Ontario Photo Card.

STEP 3

Find a local city hall, town hall or municipal office.

STEP 4

Bring the completed application form, identification and payment to your local city hall, town hall or municipal office. The price for the marriage license will vary in each city/municipality so be sure to check with your l before heading out.

STEP 5

Bring your marriage license and all paperwork with you to be passed off to your officiant or wedding planner.

STEP 6 

After the ceremony, be sure to place the remaining paperwork from your officiant in a safe, secure place.