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Small intimate weddings aren't going anywhere & nor should they, which is why I have created a list of some of my favorite Calgary wedding venues that cater to different sizes of weddings in the Calgary area! If you are planning a 2023 wedding, make sure to check out our last minute wedding planning tips here. Don't feel pressured to have a larger guest list just because you can, do what is true to you! We will be the first one's to tell you that intimate weddings and elopements are incredibly meaningful and our absolute favourites to photograph. These small wedding venues are all in Calgary (& surrounding area) and offer a wide range of services depending on what you are looking for.
Micro Wedding Venues
If you already know which Alberta wedding venue you'd like to check out, you can skip to it below, otherwise, happy scrolling (it's worth it) Plus, we have TWO NEW venues and a Freebie you don't want to miss!!!
Jumping Pound Ranch (NEW)
Cork & Crate Estates (NEW)
Hill Rise Ranch - Bowden
Rouge Restaurant in Inglewood
The Chapel Company (Formally - Water Valley Church)
Kindred Orchards (An Edmonton Wedding Venue)
For some of these beautiful wedding venues, we (Fly Free Photography) have special packages and exclusive discounts with so if you are looking for a Photographer &/or Videographer to document your beautiful wedding, we would love to chat! You can learn more about our wedding and elopement photography and videography pricing and packages here.
Jumping Pound Ranch
Okay okay, hear me out! Picture yourself exchanging your vows with gorgeous mountains and foothills vista as your backdrop. Located on a working ranch, the wedding site is situated on a stunning cliff that overlooks the meandering Jumping Pound Creek. The ranch is centrally located only 25 minutes from Calgary, 15 minutes from Cochrane, and 40 minutes from Canmore. You get the picturesque ranch wedding you desire with the amenities of the big city.
When booking with the ranch, you get access to an extremely private portion of land that is surrounded by rolling hills and is a beautiful mix of rural Alberta agriculture and the vast beauty of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. However friends, they are a boutique venue that only hosts 15 weddings per year!! So if your interest is peaks at all check them out at www.jumpingpoundranch.com For summer 2023/2024 weddings they will be offering a package that will include all the main essentials to host a beautiful tent wedding. As a family-run ranch they are here to accommodate all your wedding desires, the world is your oyster!
Even though they specialize in weddings, they'd love to hear about other events you are looking to host at the Jumping Pound Ranch! Trust me friends, Karli is one of the most down to earth sweetest ladies I know, you will love her and their stunning venue!
Cork & Crate Estates
Hold the phone, this venue is one you don't want to miss, trust me! I fell in love instantly with the husband and wife duo of Cork and Crate and I know you will too! James & Rhonalyn Carpenter’s mission is to provide every Bride and Groom with the wedding day of their dreams. They accomplish their mission by allowing couples the flexibility and ease of creating their special day. The gardens are filled with sunflowers, which represent adoration, longevity, and loyalty, the three pillars that Cork & Crate strive to share with every couple.
The property has so many amenities & benefits:
* 27 acres of paradise—trees, sunflower fields, animals, decor items, fountains & gardens
* Games area & all-day entertainment
* Wine tents & Pop-up bars
* Sunflower Suite (brides)
* Bow tie Club (grooms)
* Hotels within 8 mins and taxi services
* Full day with loved ones, no need for anyone to leave
& they have 3 venue options:
* The Courtyard & Vine House <200 people
* Tents for 60 people capacity up to 120 people for additional cost
* The Teahouse <40 people
Best part (and this is straight from them): "We'd love to set up a private, no obligation tour over charcuterie and wine. Check out our website: www.corkandcrate.ca for more!" Umm.. Hi, if you go to tour this venue.. BRING ME WITH YOU!! haha We can plan out the timeline of your day while we are there! haha
ps. More photos coming soon...
Hill Rise Ranch
If you've seen some of my blogs, you know this venue is one of my favs! This stunning venue is an hour north of Calgary out by a little town called Bowden. This rustic wedding venue offers 3 different locations and wedding ceremony backgrounds: The Meadow, The Forest & The Barnyard. They are also offering "pre designed" set ups for couples to take the stress and leg work out of your elopement day! Better yet, we offer an all inclusive elopement package with them that covers your flowers, cake, photo & video for you and up to 10 guests! Here at Fly Free Photography, we really aim to make things as simple & relaxed for our couples! If you are looking for a beautiful farm wedding venue, Hill Rise has it all!
To see more images from a beautiful wedding please click here and check out a beautiful Surprise Elopement here. Feel free to reach out either to Clay at Hill Rise Ranch / hillriseranch@gmail.com for more information!
Pine & Pond Wedding Venue
This Alberta wedding venue, even though is a bit far from Calgary (it's located near Ponoka), is 100% worth the drive! Pine & Pond just announced their Intimate Wedding Packages. We had the privilege of shooting many weddings there and always love a chance to go back! Here is one of our recent fall weddings at Pine and Pond. They offer elopement packages on site, but we were able to snag some exclusive deals and partner with other wonderful Calgary wedding vendors to put together some AMAZING elopement and micro wedding packages which you can check out here! Our micro wedding package at Pine and Pond can host up to 25 guests.
If you are interested in collecting more information on this stunning venue, email Keith at info@pineandpond.com or visit their website. In the meantime, here are some beautiful images for you to take a look at, as well as a full blog post with more stunning images!
Maple Del Acres
I was heart broken last summer when we were told this venue was closing, however, the sweet couple that bought the property decided to keep it as a wedding venue and we couldn't be more excited to feature it on this blog! Maple Del Acres is a storybook wedding venue offers an unmatched combination of rustic charm with the convenience of modern amenities designed around the beauty of nature, nestled on 20 acres of serene countryside. If you'd like to see a full wedding at this rustic venue, check it out here.
Willow Lane Barn
This adorable family owned rustic venue is one you must check out here is what they have to say: "Willow Lane Barn had been a dream of ours for years! Most of the barn was hand built by Ken with help from our family. We spent a year nailing boards, twisting re-bar and planting trees to get the barn ready for our first season in 2015. A LOT of love went into building it, as it was quite the family project. Our children would come on weekends and they would spend the whole Saturday stuffing in insulation or nailing up boards.
This is our 7th wedding season and we are still loving it! We seem to be doing a project every year to improve the barn (we love a good project!). This year we upgraded the bar area! Some things that make our barn special is that we have a commercial kitchen that any caterer will LOVE. We have various spots throughout the property for amazing photos. We even have an old classic truck to take pictures with. Our barn is also BIG. Over 7000 square feet and it works for all event sizes. We can make it cozy for 25 person weddings, or feel roomy when there are 250 people inside!
We love meeting and working with couples from all over and being a part of their big days. We have had couples from all over Canada and the US get married here! We are very excited for the 2023 wedding season! To learn more about our packages please visit - https://www.willowlanebarn.com/
If you would like to checkout a full wedding day from this venue check out this Summer wedding, storm included. haha
The Gathered
Is anything more romantic than getting married surrounded by lush fields with a golden horizon in the distance. This rustic wedding venue is perfect for those wanting to experience an outdoor wedding, with its scenic prairie views and rustic atmosphere.
Gathered is a family run business located outside of Calgary, AB. Our main desire is to offer a place of peace and hope. We believe in creating a life full of beauty and love. Our mission is to provide you with a space to create a wedding that reflects both who you are as a couple and everything you hold dear.
To find out more about their amazing packages please head here.
52 North
Venue 52 North is a Central Alberta wedding venue, with an industrial chic vibe that will literally take your breath away. With 7 acres of property and a 3500 square foot event space, the possibilities are ENDLESS (which is music to our ears). They offer full weekend bookings, to help decrease your stress - check in noon on Friday and checkout 11am Sunday. They also offer on-site decor rentals, so you don't have to worry about bringing everything with you!
NEW this year - They have accommodations for up to 14 people on-site! We are definitely fans of venues that can host couples as well so you don't have to worry about traveling on your wedding night. For more info on 52 North, you can checkout their site here - https://52northvenue.ca/ or reach out to Katrina ( info@52northvenue.ca ) if you have any other questions!
Photos supplied from Venue 52 North from: Grey Lily, Kade Bailey & Boundless Photo & Film
Rouge Restaurant
If you are looking for a wedding venue with both indoor and outdoor locations in Calgary, the Rouge Restaurant in Inglewood is a great option. For your wedding ceremony only, packages start at $1000 and includes chairs and use of their getting ready suite! The sky's the limit though, and you can add on from there! More and more restaurants are making absolutely incredible micro wedding venues and we are excited to see this one pop up in the Calgary wedding scene.
The Chapel Company
Even though I haven't had the privilege of shooting at this stunning location yet, I thought it was worth the mention. This beautiful little chapel is located just an hour from Calgary in the lovely community of Water Valley! If you are looking for a timeless venue with stunning photos, The Chapel Co. is 100% worth the drive! Their packages start at $1000 and they offer ceremony only, cocktail hour, and full reception options. Thinking about a larger wedding? That’s no problem - the venue can hold 98 people!
Check them out at www.thechapelcompany.com or contact Shayla at info@thechapelcompany.com or 403-581-7005 - You won't be disappointed!
Photos from: www.thechapelcompany.com - Bobbie Elaine Photography
The Crossing at Ghost River
Specializing in small intimate weddings, accommodating a maximum of 48 people for overnight packages and 65 people for day ceremonies. This outdoor wedding venue is one you must check out. The Crossing at Ghost River is located an hour from Calgary and minutes from Cochrane, Alberta. From the beautiful outdoor ceremony spaces to the welcoming buildings, it is the perfect place to start your new life together.
Airbnb Weddings
Hear me out, it might sound crazy but we have fallen in love with cozy intimate Airbnb weddings! There are so many Airbnbs nowadays that are stunning both inside and out that it's an easy choice for many of our couples. If you love all the DIY projects then this is for you! Check out this beautiful winter elopement - even though it was chilly, the Airbnb provided a stunning backdrop for the ceremony. This Airbnb has become one of our favs as we have done multiple weddings there now! haha Need help finding an Airbnb that will be perfect your intimate day, we gotcha! We have a list of beautiful locations that would work perfectly!
Kindred Orchards
This beautiful venue is located just west of Edmonton and has a special place in my heart. The owners are dear friends of mine and they put their heart and soul into making their property breathtaking! Not only do we have a special package with Kindred Orchards but the amazing lady who runs it is also a Florist!! So, it's a win-win if you are up in Edmonton and looking for a beautiful venue to host your micro wedding or elopement at. We will be more than happy to make the trip with you!
Photos from: https://www.kindredorchards.ca/
Calgary Wedding Photographers
Here at Fly Free Photography, we love love and want a lot more of it, helping our couples have the most authentic day to them is what brings us so much joy! I hope this wedding venue roundup has been helpful as you start planning your 2023 and 2024 wedding. Please feel free to keep checking back, as I plan on adding new venues in Alberta as often as I can! If you are a venue that would like to be featured, please reach out to me here.
Don't forget to check out our elopement packages here! They are not all wedding venue specific and you might just find the perfect package for you!
& before you go.. Here's a little freebie for you!!
For tips on last minute weddings planning, make sure to check out this post here! Remember, we really do try to make it as easy as possible for you to marry the one you love, so if you are looking for an easy, affordable option to tie the knot, check out our elopement packages here!
Yours Truly,
xo Krystal