Five of the Best Fall Wedding Venues in Toronto

As Toronto’s top catering company, we have in-depth experience in both wedding catering and wedding planning. We recently wrote about the “Pros and Cons of Having a Backyard Wedding in Toronto” and were really happy to hear how this helped many couples with their wedding plans. As summer is almost over and we are heading into the fall, we wanted to share some of our expertise and experience for people considering getting married during this beautiful season.  While they are wonderful, fall weddings aren’t without their own unique challenges.

It’s without question that fall weddings have significantly grown in popularity in recent years. And why wouldn’t they?  The fall in Ontario has a lot to offer to make your wedding spectacular.  From gorgeous foliage colours to an increased availability for popular outdoor venues, you can often have the best options available. As well, you have an abundance of fresh, seasonal, local fruits and vegetables that can be utilized by your caterer, and this on its own an compelling reason to get married in the fall!  Having an understanding of the challenges that you may face when holding an outdoor fall wedding will help you make an informed decision on the best venue in Toronto for your special day.

Based on our 30 years experience catering weddings, the two biggest challenges many couples face with holding a fall wedding are timing the date correctly to the foliage changes and handling the unpredictable weather.

Guillaume ClairetFive of the Best Fall Wedding Venues in Toronto
read more

Turn a Typical Toronto Backyard into a Wedding Venue

It’s no secret that COVID19 and the provincial government’s planning have left Toronto’s top wedding venues with a backlog of weekend bookings till 2023.  As the province starts reopening, couples are racing to book their weddings that have been postponed, rescheduled, and canceled due to the pandemic.

Whether you’re making wedding plans for the first or fifth time, you might want to consider hosting a backyard wedding. To start, all you need is a happy couple, some guests, and a backyard. If you don’t have the first two, maybe a wedding isn’t the best event for you. If all you’re missing is a backyard, odds are you know some family or friends that can help you with that. With a bit of imagination and creativity, having a backyard wedding will undoubtedly add a unique touch to your special day!

Guillaume ClairetTurn a Typical Toronto Backyard into a Wedding Venue
read more

PRIDE 365: Embracing LGBTQ+ Year Round

Companies that approach pride as a year-round cornerstone of their culture and not just a once-a-year marketing tactic get my support.

By Ken Marshall, Project Manager, Daniel et Daniel Catering & Events

On June 30th, 1985 – back when pride was just a day – I stood in the middle of Cawthra Park on Church Street with some new friends and a few thousand strangers, and I cried. Having stepped off a plane from a small town in Newfoundland only a few months earlier, I was overwhelmed at the acceptance that now surrounded me. It was the first time in my life I felt pure, unadulterated joy.

Quite a few years later, pride became PRIDE, a far larger celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. This much larger event brought much bigger crowds and, inevitably, large corporate sponsorships.
While I’m happy that pride now encompasses a broader spectrum of our community, I have mixed feelings about token corporate support.  Many organizations deck the halls in rainbows only to return to business as usual and put away their rainbow flags and decorations come July 1st.  Unfortunately, business as usual still often involves cultures that are not accepting of a diversity of being.

Authentic support and appreciation for our community can be hard to come by in the corporate world. When I began my working life in Toronto, I did have positions in which I felt I had to keep my personal life to myself since I knew that while they appreciated the hard work and talent I brought, any hint of my “gayness” wouldn’t be as well received. Since we bring our whole selves to work every day, separating my work life from my personal life became increasingly stressful.

Luckily, almost 20 years ago, I found a company that not only appreciated “work me” and “life me” but celebrated, nurtured and encouraged me and my community.

Daniel et Daniel has always been, not simply a “proud supporter” of the LGBTQ+ community, but a genuine member and participant.  Located in Cabbagetown, it’s been a part of the company’s DNA since day one. Supporting causes like AidsBeat, Casey House, PWA Foundation, and numerous other local causes, we understand that showing up is more important than showing off.

I’m proud to be gay, and I’m proud that I work for a company that champions diversity and inclusion. I’ve always felt supported by our owners, management, and staff and in many ways, Daniel et Daniel have become a key part of my chosen family.

Happy Pride Month Toronto. I know this year is another year of virtual parades and much smaller gatherings but we are looking forward to next year when we can scream from the rooftops and hug new friends with you. Until then, I’ll remember that, while we’ve come so far, we still have far to go. I know that as we continue our fight to make sure that every human globally has the same rights and can experience the pure unadulterated joy of being accepted for who you are, my company will be supporting me and our community – 24/7, 365 days of the year.

 

Guillaume ClairetPRIDE 365: Embracing LGBTQ+ Year Round
read more

Hospitality in the Time of Covid

The global pandemic has presented challenges to so many aspects of our daily lives.  However, one of the most difficult aspects of the pandemic and the associated public health measures for us all to work through has surely been the inability to get together with other people.  We are social beings and our need to connect with others is a very basic and core driver in all of us.  While the temporary measures we face are necessary and important, doing our best to connect and let those around us know they are important to us is also important.  As we look back at some very challenging times what shines through is the indomitable spirit of our clients and their guests.  Those who pursued opportunities to connect, share a moment, and nourish their bodies and their soul.

Guillaume ClairetHospitality in the Time of Covid
read more

Canadian Inspired Cocktails with Reid’s Distillery Gin!

Inspired by the growing “gindustry” overseas, the Reid family opened Reid’s Distillery in Toronto as a way to bring handcrafted, world-class gin to the city. We decided to beat the summer heat with three Canadian-inspired cocktails using Reid’s signature gin, along with local ingredients such as blueberries, elderberries, and cattail hearts from Forbes Wild Foods Inc.

Guillaume ClairetCanadian Inspired Cocktails with Reid’s Distillery Gin!
read more