Wondering where you should have your wedding or maybe you want to know where I've performed?  Here are a few of the venues I've frequented and some comments on each to help you.

 

• Holiday Inn, Burlington (Guelph Line & Harvester Road near QEW)
  What a great facility we have here in Burlington!  Many conference rooms, finely appointed with loads of space for your reception.  I was especially impressed at the accessibility of close parking, and the magnificent indoor pool!

   

• Ramada Inn, Oakville (near Trafalgar Road & QEW)
  Conference rooms are opposite the main lobby, with easy access to the hotel rooms.  I've only been there while it's been dark, but I think I saw an outdoor pool in the courtyard.  Lots of parking close to the entrance and easy for your guests driving from out of town to find.

   

• Atrium Conference Centre, Burloak Drive, Burlington near QEW
  At the base of one of the Remier buildings, is the Atrium Conference Center.  With a larger room featuring a balcony for the DJ, and a smaller room with a stage for the head table, this venue offers much in respects to elegance and class, with a location convenient to Oakville, Mississauga, and Toronto-based guests.  Bring your own DJ to the Atrium, and don't bother will glass-clanging.  The food is wonderful, and very well presented in this formal setting.

   

• Geraldo's at LaSalle Park, Burlington (West), Waterfront
  A beautifully redone old pavilion at LaSalle park with two rooms; one smaller ground-level room, and a larger upstairs hall with elevator access.  Geraldo's is one of the few halls I've seen where a manager checks on each table during the meal - nice touch! Feel free to let them know you'll be bringing your own DJ.

   

• Liuna Station, Hamilton, Downtown
  A spacious and beautifully redone train station from the turn of the century.  Two halls, one large and one smaller.  Bring your own disc jockey.

   

• Liuna Gardens, Stoney Creek, near the Lake
  Did I mention gardens?  Wow!  Bring your own disc jockey.

   

• Ancaster Old Mill, Ancaster, North near the escarpment
  Old world charm in a "cozy" (as realtors put it) setting.  Never just a square room!  The Old Mill makes very efficient use of their various spaces and room throughout the complex offering both wedding ceremony services and receptions.  The Old Mill offers their house dj service with their packages, which uses employed djs.  As the owner of the house dj service puts it, "Clients are more than welcome to use an outside service."  Plenty of parking, some of it requires a brief stroll.

   

• Marquis Gardens, Hamilton, Southeast Mountain - Rymal Road
  Two rooms that can be "undivided" into one large room, high ceilings, fairly standard.  As I've only been a few times, I'm not sure if they have a "house dj" they use or if you hire your own.

   

• Burlington Senior's Centre, off Guelph Line toward the Lake
  A no-frills hall to rent, you bring the caterer, decorations, and disc jockey.  Cost-effective alternative to all-inclusive halls.  Bring your own disc jockey.

   

• The Hillcrest Restaurant, Hamilton, Concession & Wentworth at the "crest" of the hill
  A restaurant ever since the 60's with pretty good North American food.  Up to four rooms (the three upstairs have soft removable dividers that aren't that great for noise isolation but definitely keep you from seeing through them) offering food and beverage-inclusive packages for all sorts of occasions.  The Hillcrest will sometimes offer to supply a disc jockey from one of two or so services, usually more for the "all inclusive" customers, although they definitely allow you to bring your own.

   

• Michelangelo's, Hamilton, Upper Ottawa near Rymal Road
  Formerly an independent rival, Michelangelo's was recently acquired by the people who own the Hillcrest.  This is a nice, formal venue where they don't mind fussing over your wedding in the least.  Michelangelo's likes to include a house dj service with packages, hosting mostly weddings.  We'll have to see how that evolves with the new owners.

   

• Carmen's, Hamilton, Stone Church east of Dartnall (end of the Linc)
  Carmen's boasts two separate buildings, the larger being "up on the hill" and the other, much like a commercial strip mall, across the street.  Both establishments have different owners, and different ways of doing business.  In the smaller building expect square rooms with divider potential (main three rooms have solid walls between them) and the food's pretty good although their "standard meal" is strikingly similar each time.  Carmen's likes to supply a dj service for you, although they seem to change "preferred" services quite often (every few months at least).  I don't want to say too much, but a close friend of mine was married there this year and tells me the dj they supplied wouldn't play anything she asked for, nor any requests and didn't play anything they could dance to.  She likely exaggerated a little, but it wasn't a happy story to hear.

   

• Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington/Hamilton
  What else can be said about this place?  Can you think of a more scenic spot to have pictures taken?  I think not!  Seems to be a BYO disc jockey place.

   

• Royal Canadian Legions, Various
  Legions are a good cost-effective option for various functions if you don't mind them running the bar themselves.  In situations like stag & does, you may want to run the bar yourself and enjoy the money it makes, otherwise they handle it for you.  Bring you own disc jockey.

   

• Knights of Columbus Halls, Various
  Another cost-effective option for a venue, with most of them allowing you to run your own bar.  Bring your own disc jockey.

    

• Hamilton Firefighters Drum Corps, Hamilton, Dartnall South of the Linc
  A nice big room!  Bar is in the corner, and the rest is all up to you.  Not overly decorative, you'll bring your own caterer and hire the other services yourself, so the hall cost will be lower.  Bring your own disc jockey.

   

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