While having so many options is a wonderful thing, it can also create a lot of indecision and confusion. Nowadays more and more couples are foregoing their Saturday wedding in June for a Thursday wedding in March. Others are trading in their buffet dinner at a banquet hall for gourmet multi-course meals at hotels or wineries. As a wedding planner in the GTA, I’m here to share some of my top must-knows about getting married in Toronto that I think every couple should think about before they finalize the venue of their dreams.

The key to finding the perfect venue for the wedding is to start early. Venues are one of the first vendors to book up. And the way the wedding industry is heading, venues are booking up 1 and sometimes even 2 years in advance.

I always suggest starting your search and booking your venue at least 12 months ahead of time (if not more!).

It’s possible to have a wedding within the 12-month range, but you may just need to be more flexible on your venue options, as most will book up further out.

As you know, the weather in Toronto is… unpredictable. Even the sunniest days of summer can come with crazy rain and even crazier winds. Autumn and spring days can see all four seasons within 8 hours. And winter weddings can span from comfortably mild to bitter cold.

But the weather doesn’t mean you should just give up on having an outdoor wedding if that’s what you truly want. There are plenty of ways to host a wedding outside, while still being mindful of crazy weather.

For one thing, you can always look for a Toronto outdoor wedding venue that has a backup plan. By this, I mean look for venues that have an indoor or covered outdoor option in case the day is calling for high winds or rain. It’s just a Plan B to have in your pocket should things not go according to plan.