How Toronto's wedding industry is working to help couples scrambling for new venues

Companies across Toronto's hospitality industry are working to help couples whose dream day has become a logistical nightmare after popular wedding venue company Berkeley Events went into receivership.

Berkeley Events operates three venues in downtown Toronto. On July 31, licensed insolvency trustees in Toronto msi Spergel inc. was appointed as receiver of 1871 Berkeley Events Inc. The news means couples are frantically searching for a new place to host weddings that they've already hired vendors for and invited people to. 

Emma Rockburn was supposed to get married at one of the company's venues in September. In her scramble for a new venue, she says her faith in humanity has been restored.

"My initial gut response [to the receivership] was: How could people do this to other people?" she said. "So, to have so many venues, so many chefs and even photographers, planners, reach out to us ... has honestly been so heartwarming. I have never felt so loved by strangers before." 

Rockburn says she and her partner have found a new top two venues they'll decide between, the Liberty Grand in Toronto and the Courtyard Marriott in Mississauga. She says both locations are going the extra mile to find ways they can cut costs after the couple lost thousands of dollars on their Berkeley reservation.

"[They are] understanding completely that we have already broken the bank once and we don't really want to do it again," she said. 

Rebecca Rayner also planned to get married at one of Berkeley's venues in September. She says other venues have been quick to meet with her and willing to work on cost. 

But despite how nice people in the industry have been, it's still a distressing situation.  

"We're working with a budget that's about half of what it was," she said. "We are going to be significantly dipping into savings if we were to move forward." 

Berkeley Events has not responded to multiple requests for comment from CBC Toronto. 

'It's devastating to them, but it's also devastating to us'

Patricia Thibodeau, owner of Unfazed Floral, says the situation has been a call to action for those in the city's wedding industry. 

"We're all just trying to do our best to give somebody the wedding of their dreams," said Thibodeau. "And when that gets ripped apart or when something comes in between that, it's devastating to them but it's also devastating to us."

To try and lend a hand, Thibodeau reached out to venues she's worked with, compiled their availability and shared it online, while Jenny Serwylo, wedding planner and owner of Three Lights Events, has put together a spreadsheet where people can share information about potential new venues. 

"The one really great thing about the Toronto wedding industry is that we're really like a community," Serwylo said. "It's all about community over competition a lot of times."

Venues offering discounts, planner offering free services

The team at Renaissance Life Brands, whose portfolio includes the cafe Boxcar Social and its spacious venue on the harbourfront, knew something was off before news of the receivership broke, when emails started to come in from couples urgently searching for a new venue, according to marketing and operations director Taycia Chaplin. 

Chaplin said the company will waive venue fees — 10 per cent of the minimum expenditure at a venue that can be around $2,000 — and work with clients to determine a payment plan.

"That sort of feels like the least we could do is try to work with people individually and figure out a way to make it work with them," Chaplin said.

Another venue, SPACE on King, is also reducing fees. Anil Sankat, creative director at the venue, says many people lost half of their deposits for a Berkeley venue, so his company will offer a 50 per cent reduction on the price of their services.

"They lost 50 per cent. So if we can give that 50 per cent off, then hopefully they're in a good spot," he said. 

Wedding coordinator Oksana Manchur, of Oksana's Magical Events, is offering free services to impacted couples, which can range from $500 to $1,000. She can help people find a new location and move their vendors there. 

Manchur says the desire to help spreads across the industry. 

"All the vendors are coming together saying I've got this, I've got this, I can help with this," she said.