Photography by Calin
Home ยป
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Guide

2022-2023 Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Guide (Updated)

Many brides plan to have a wedding at Black Creek Pioneer Village. Because of its beautiful gardens, historical buildings, and low cost per head, this is one of the most popular venues in Toronto. As wedding photographers, this is one of our most favourite event spaces in the GTA.

Groom Jumping in Saint James Park

Article Structure

1. Wedding Cost

2. Photography Permits

3. Hours of Operation

4. Ceremony Locations

5. Reception Venues

6. Best Photography Locations

7. Reasons why this is the perfect setting for your Big Day

8. Important Additional Information

9. Best time to photograph at BCPV

10. About Black Creek Pioneer Village

11. Real Wedding


1. Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Cost

According to Black Creek Pioneer Village, the wedding associated cost is $150 per person and it includes an open bar and the rental of the venue. That makes the establishment one of the cheapest wedding venues in the greater Toronto area.

Here are the most common packages:

Ceremony Package

Ceremony with Reception On-Site to Follow: $800+HST

Ceremony Only

The ceremony only package costs $975+HST

The Ceremony Package Includes: Rental of ceremony site for 1 hour, Arch, Chairs, Lanterns, Signing table, One hour rehearsal on the wedding week, SOCAN and Resound license fees, Photo permit (value $300 + HST), Parking and admission fees for guests

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 61First Dance in Canada West Room

Reception Package

The costs outlined below refer to the Classic Menu Package

For November to March weddings the cost per person is $125+HST (minimum 50 adults)

For April to October weddings, the cost per person on Saturdays is $140+HST.

On Fridays and Sundays, the cost is $135+HST

The Reception Package Includes: Open bar, Wine on tables, Champagne toast, In house catering, Waiters and bartenders, Two vendor meals, Tables and chairs, Table and napkin linens, Parking and admission fees for guests, Photography permit and Menu tasting for the couple

For more details please contact the village through their website at weddings@trca.on.ca or at (416) 736-1733.


2. Photography Permits

If you are tying the knot here, you will NOT need a permit. For couples who want to do their photo shoot here, the establishment sells up to five simultaneous photo permits (here you can purchase a wedding photography permit) at $300 plus HST. However, due to the size of the complex, you might see another bridal parties but you will be able to focus undisturbed on your wedding photography.

The permits include admission for up to 20 people during the hours of operation. Please note that the permits are not refundable and do not allow indoor photography. That being said, nobody stopped us from entering the buildings and taking beautiful pictures. After all, it's your wedding day and nobody wants to ruin it.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 20

3. Hours of Operation

Please note that the village is closed to the public from January to April, but you can book your winter wedding here.

The hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 22

4. Ceremony Locations

The complex boasts four ceremony locations that can host anywhere between 90 and 180 guests. They are Fisherville Church (120 people), Town Hall Green (a meadow located across the Grand Pavilion and able to accomodate180 people), Town Hall (90 people) and if the weather cooperates you can have an outdoor ceremony at Victoria Green (180 people).

Fisherville Church

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 34

Town Hall

5. Reception Venues

The complex can accommodate various sized events. From a more intimate dinner in The Victoria room to a larger party in the Grand Pavilion, you have it all. You can pick one of the following: Grand Pavilion (180 guests), Canada West (130 guests), the Patio (150 guests) and Victoria (90 guests). For more information, please visit the establishment's events section here. If you are interested in the menu, please visit this page.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 54First Dance in Canada West Room

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 59Wedding Reception in Canada West Room

6. Best Wedding Photography Locations

Anywhere you turn you see perfect backdrops for your wedding pictures. However, our favourites are Roblin's Mill, the Half Way House, and the gardens.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 6

The album spread below was captured in front of the Halfway House.

Bridal Party Portrait in front of The Half Way House

During the cold season , we photographed first looks in front of Snider Drive Shed. This structure creates a perfect backdrop for a cinematic first look as you can see below. Should the road be muddy, I recommend the Broom's Maker Shop. The building is the second one in the complex and you can walk on the boardwalk so that you will not ruin your beautiful shoes and dress.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 2First Look by Snider Drive Shed

In the summer, I for the first look, the perfect setting is Maple Avenue, as you turn left when you come from the Visitors' Centre and the gift shops. The collage of photos below were taken on Maple Avenue.

First Look at Pioneer Village wedding

For family photos, the above mentioned buildings will do just fine. For larger groups I love Daniel Stong's Grain Barn. The barn exterior walls offer a beautiful textured backdrop and shade for the hot summer days. I also took some gorgeous images just as you exit the Visitor and Gift Centre on the right hand side where multicolour flowers create a splendid background for photographs.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 9

7. Reasons Why This is The Perfect Setting for Your Special Day

Here are some more reasons why this is your perfect wedding venue in Toronto Ontario.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 033

7.1 Indoor or Outdoor Settings for Your Ceremony and a Wedding Chapel

First, you can have a beautiful outdoor ceremony at Town Hall Green or Victoria Green. Also, you can use one of the other buildings to tie the knot. Fisherville Church and Town Hall are capable of hosting between 90 and 120 people.

Album Finale

7.2 Perfect Backdrops for Your Photos

The village boasts over 40 heritage buildings from 1800. The character buildings make the perfect backdrops for your wedding photos. Even more, the green areas will allow a variety of pics. Finally, the pioneers dressed in traditional clothes love to take selfies with you.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 18

7.3 Excellent Service

The establishment has excellent ratings on Trip Advisor and Google. Every time I photographed a nuptial there, I was impressed by the staff's warmth and efficiency. Without a doubt, you can be sure the staff will do their best to make sure your special day is a success.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 46

7.4 Convenient transportation

Access is available by car or bus and recently, TTC has opened a new Subway station close to the village. You can be sure now the venue will be even more sought after. For your guests, you can arrange a horse and wagon transportation. Children between 5 and 105 enjoy this means of transportation.

7.5 Proximity to the Pearson International Airport

if you expect friends or family from out of town, this is your perfect location because of its proximity to Pearson International Airport. It takes about 15 minutes to travel from the airport to the the village. Even more, the village is conveniently located close to Highway 401, one of the busiest in North America. As such, if your family and friends feel inclined to visit downtown Toronto, they can do it in a heartbeat.

7.6 Convenient ACCOMMODATION FOR YOUR GUESTS

Because the village is so close to the airport, there are plenty of hotels within a 3 km radius of the village. Here are the closest hotels to the complex in no particular order.

Extended Stay Canada Toronto (3.8* out of 5* on Google reviews) - Vaughan located at 3600 Steeles Ave W, Vaughan, ON L4L 8P5. Please check the availability here or call 1-800-804-3724.

Holiday Inn Express Toronto-North York (3.8* on Google) located at 30 Norfinch Dr, North York, ON M3N 1X1. You can check availability here or call 416-665-3500.

Courtyard by Marriott Toronto Vaughan (4* on Google) located at 150 Interchange Way, Concord, ON L4K 5P7. You can check availability here or call 905-660-9938.

7.7. Eco Friendly Wedding Venue

The establishment runs a series of programs that aim to reduce the village carbon footprint. Recycling, reusing, resourcing are to priorities for the village.

The establishment can serve local and organic menus, fair trade coffee and tea.

BCPV does not use any chemicals or pesticides.

All revenue is transferred to historical education programs and restarting the museum.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 15

8. Additional Information

To familiarize yourself with the village, you might want to visit it via Google street view.

The village offers educational guided tours if your guests love culture.

The staff does not allow pyrotechnics at any events. However, if you like my sparklers photos, I can re-create the sparklers in post production.

Guests and vendors can park for free in the entrance lot closest to the main entrance. Parking info can be found here.

The Historic Brewery offers daily tours and tastings.

If you don't get married there, as with many GTA photo locations you will need a permit. Book a photography permit here. For security reasons, guests are not allowed to roam in the village after sunset. The establishment hosts plenty of events on the weekends! Please budget more time for your photo shoot.

If you don't like large crowds, avoid blackout periods. Here is a list of festivals held here. Among the most important annual festivals I can list the Canada Day Celebrations, Pioneer Harvest Festival, Thanksgiving at the Village, Light up the Night, Christmas and many more.

The village closes to the public during the winter, but you can still have a winter nuptial if you so wish. Here is where you can find more information about winter marriages here.

The village tries to keep an authentic atmosphere and it does not feature plenty of informative signage. Instead, it uses interpreters and tradespeople dressed in the traditional attire of the era. Should you require any information, ask the interpreters as they are experts in the village's history.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 11Portrait of Newlyweds by Henry Snider's Cider Mill

9. Best Time To Photograph at BCPV

The best light for photo is during the golden hour or within an hour from the sunrise and an hour before the sunset. Confused? Here is a table that outlines the times of the day by month according to www.golden-hour.com.

Table 1: Morning Golden hour in Greater Toronto Area

Month Morning Golden Hour
January 7:50 - 8:50 a.m.
February 7:20 - 8:20 a.m.
March 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
April 6:30 - 7:30 a.m.
May 5:50 - 6:50 a.m.
June 5:35 - 6:35 a.m.
July 5:50 - 6:50 a.m.
August 6:20 - 7:20 a.m.
September 7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
October 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.
November 7:10 - 8:10 a.m.
December 7:40 - 8:40 a.m.


Table 2: Evening Golden hour in Greater Toronto Area

Month Evening Golden Hour
January 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
February 4:40 - 5:40 p.m.
March 6:20 - 7:20 p.m.
April 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
May 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
June 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
July 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
August 7:20 - 8:20 p.m.
September 6:20 - 7:20 p.m.
October 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
November 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
December 3:40 - 4:40 p.m.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 21

10. About Black Creek Pioneer Village

10.1. Historical Information

Previously named Dalziel Pioneer Park, this complex of 40 restored buildings from the 19th century rural Ontario is an outdoor museum that recreates life of the early settlers.

The museum is located at 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, North York, just South of Steels, East of Jane and West of York University, on the shores of Black Creek river before it flows into Humber River.

Dalziel Pioneer Park was originally opened in 1060 and currently is run by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, one of the 36 conservation authorities in Ontario, Canada.

Among the heritage buildings, the most notable are the Stong farm, a general store, a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, Fisherville Church, a hotel, a log cabin, a water grist mill and several houses from the Victorian era, typical of the southern Ontario region.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 16

10.2. Committed to Being Green

Consistent with the way of life of the early settlers in rural Ontario, BCPV is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and was one of the pioneers among the event venues in Toronto.

Here are the most notable initiatives to make the venue "green" and to sustain local economy.

The disposable products used here are made of recycled material. Don't be surprised if the napkins, cups, cutlery and decorations are reusable and recyclable.

The leftovers are composted on site

The venue purchase food from local farms in southern Ontario. The establishment aims to source 60% of all food locally.

A local brewery sells artisanal beer.

Through festivals such as Honey Sommelier, Artisan Village Festival, Thanksgiving Dinner at the Village, the establishment promotes local food and beverages.

10.3. Christmas at Black Creek

From mid November to Christmas, every weekend the venue hosts Christmas programs. Victorian dancing, roasted chestnuts, apple cider and a ride around the village with Santa in a horse-drawn wagon are just several reasons why you might want to have your special event here.

11. Wedding Album - Michelle and Mark's Story

Myself and my second wedding photographer started documenting the big day with brideโ€™s preparation at Michelle's house. Because the bride's hair and makeup were running late, we started taking photos of the details (dress, bouquet, rings, etc).

Bridal Details at Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding

While photographing the bride's jewellery and other wedding related objects, we kept an eye on candid moments.

Touching Moment

After all, a wedding album has to include both candid shots and more traditional ones.

Photojournalism

I especially like the images below where the sister of the bride and their mother express their emotions freely.

Emotional Moments

While the guests were enjoying a drink, I took a few touching portraits of the bride and her son.

Bride & Her Son

To provide the couple a variety of looks, I processed some shots both in black and white and others in colour.

Bride and Son Portraits

Soon afterwards, as it was almost time to leave, I asked Michelle if we could take a few portraits of her.

Bride Portraits

Originally a Jewish tradition, the bride's unveiling or the first look has become a mainstream custom. It is definitely one of my favourite times of the day when the bride takes time to enjoy a few moments with the two most important men in her life: her father and her husband to be.

Bride and Her Father

Next, we headed to the village for the first look. As the weather was splendid, Michelle and Mark saw each other on Maple Avenue, just at the village entrance.

First Look at Pioneer Village wedding

After that, we went for family photos to Daniel Stong's Grain Barn. No marriage is complete without pictures in front of Roblinโ€™s Mill. Built in 1842, Roblin's Mill is the last stone mill still functional in the Toronto area and a huge tourist attraction. Next, we took wedding day portraits of the newlyweds in front of the various buildings in the compound.

Bridal Party Portrait in front of The Half Way House

On our way to the ceremony, we stopped in front of The Half Way House for several romantic, formal and fun pictures of the bridal party. No matter where you decide to take your photos, the village is abundant in history. If you are interested, the building was erected in 1848 in Scarborough at Kingston Rd. and Midland Ave. It operated as a hotel, store, apartment building and nowadays it is a restaurant.

Wedding Ceremony

Fisherville Church is a heritage building moved to the village in 1960. Of course, Michelle and Mark could not pick a better spot to tie the knot. The wedding chapel was built in the Greek Revival architectural style is a perfect backdrop for the wedding ceremony photos. The most touching images were those of the bride walking down the aisle and her son showing his unbridled happiness to see her.

Processional at Black Creek Pioneer Village wedding

Another important moment of any ceremony is of course, the first kiss. This is when the son pulled a DYI "She Said Yes!" sign, moment immortalized in the album spread below.

First Kiss at Black Creek Pioneer Village wedding

Wedding Reception at the Grand Pavilion

If you are not familiar with the establishment you might want to know that this is not your typical banquet hall. If you want the comforts of a banquet hall, while still maintaining the feel of a rustic wedding you might want to consider a country club or The Doctor House in Kleinburg Ontario.

Going back to our wedding at BCPV, after the ceremony, I took more portraits of the newlyweds.

Creative Portraits of the Bride and Groom

Although the Event Pavilion is an outdoor location, the weather was beautiful and the pavilion was the perfect setting for the wedding reception.

Night Dances at Black Creek Pioneer Village wedding

If you look closely at the album spread below, you will notice a few TV stars. The couple works at CTV and I was surprised to see a few celebrities present at this event.

CTV Stars Singing at Black Creek Pioneer Village wedding

Later, we went out for two quick photo shoots, one at sunset and the last one before the end of the night. Here are the album spreads capturing the moments between the bride and groom.

Sunset Photos at Black Creek Pioneer Village wedding

The last shot of the night shows the bride and groom hugging and while in the background we can see their guests dance inside the Grand Pavilion. This shot has everything. Sparklers, Christmas lights and a complicated lighting setup.

Album Finale

Here are two video clips with highlights from two weddings at this event space.

12. Cheap Venue

This event space is among the least expensive venues in town.

Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 1
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 6
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 10
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 14
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 17
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 21
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 25
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 032
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 36
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 40
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 43
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 46
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 49
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 54
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 58
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 61
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 2
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 9
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 12 b
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 20
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 24
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 28
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 031
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 35
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 39
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 42
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 50
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 55
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 59
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 3
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 7
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 11
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 16
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 18
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 23
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 27
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 029
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 033
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 37
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 45
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 47
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 51
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 56
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 60
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 4
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 8
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 12
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 15
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 19
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 22
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 26
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 030
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 34
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 38
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 41
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 44
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 48
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 52
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 57
Black Creek Pioneer Village Wedding Photography 62