Mildred's Temple Kitchen Wedding
Having a wedding at Mildred's Temple Kitchen is a perfect choice for the bride and groom who love love and culinary memories. The modern - looking restaurant is conveniently located in the Liberty Village yet secluded across the train tracks. One can pass by it thousand times without discovering this gem. I was first introduced to this intriguing open space industrial looking kitchen by a couple whose wedding I photographed. We had brunch and I was immediately hooked on the blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and the poached eggs. My wife and I having been devoted temple goers ever since, I crave not only their food, but the atmosphere as well, so when Corrina and Alex told me their reception would be at Mildred's, I was in heaven.
The bride and groom are some of the sweetest people I have met in my whole life. When we met, the couple mentioned that they were expecting a baby girl and as I had a 4 year old daughter myself at the time, I was very excited. What I did not know at the time was the amount of talent the couple had. Alex is a phenomenal dancer, plays the guitar and sings with Corina and surprise surprise, he is also a filmmaker. Imagine the pressure on the wedding photographers when we learned that many of the guests were accomplished cameramen. In fact, lately we have realized that many of our couples are either directors, graphic designers, architects or photographers themselves, which seems to prove that the imagery we deliver stands out. During our consultation at the Temple kitchen restaurant (where else?) The bride and groom mentioned they were looking for a pure photojournalistic coverage. As wedding photographers, such request poses a slight challenge because we are as good as our clients. In the bride and groom express their emotions freely, we are able to capture those beautiful moments and their love. However, if the couple is introverted, a documentary photography style might not be the best approach. Still, after chatting for a few minutes with the couple, I realized how deeply they loved each other and that I would have no problem immortalizing their genuine emotions on the wedding day. The couple mentioned they decided to tie the knot at the Gladstone Hotel and I was super happy because that venue has been on my bucket list forever. After our brunch we walked around the Liberty Village to scout the spots where we would take photographs on the special day.
Wedding Day
Both wedding photographers started shooting at Gladstone Hotel and, as the couple indicated, we focused more on emotions and guests rather than taking pictures of décor, wedding cakes and food. The hotel is one of those buildings that exudes romance and the open brick walls are a perfect backdrop for your wedding photos. The day went smoothly and we took a lot of candid images and family photos before the wedding ceremony. The couple did not want to have a first look though Liberty Village has plenty of spots just perfect for such occasion. After an emotional ceremony we went to the Carpet Factory where we took group photographs, then all the guests and family headed to the reception venue. I love the old buildings that give images a retro look and the fact this virtually unknown photography location is not crowded with tourists like other spots in Toronto. The couple and the photographers spent about half an hour taking photos of the bride and groom then we headed to the restaurant for the reception.
Venue
This event space is perfect for the couples who are having an intimate celebration with their close family and friends in a space with a modern look and feel. They have been in business for over 20 years and know what they are doing. You can relax and enjoy the big day without worrying about one thing. What I also love about this restaurant is the food of course, but also the open concept kitchen so the guests could see all the "action". When you visit the restaurant, take a few minutes to watch how the food is prepared: you will sense the staff's passion for food and will be amazed by their speed. Feeding about 100 guests during a sit down dinner is not a simple feat and the Mildred's ninjas do it without a glitch.
Why You Will Love Getting Married Here
To say that the food is delicious would be a massive understatement. The dishes are divine, prepared with their secret ingredient: love.
The restaurant is conveniently located, intimate and warm while looking modern and the space has a patio that can accommodate 45 guests
Mildred's provides table seating charts, menu design and printing, audio video equipment and offers extended bar and a satellite bar if you are planning a cocktail reception. The restaurant can accommodate up to 200 guests for cocktail receptions
The place is accessible by public transit and if your guests love dancing until closing, there are always Uber and taxis
The event space has a 4.3 star rating on google at the time when I wrote this article
To give you an idea how popular the spot is, generally the wait time is 1 to 1.5 hours, unless you arrive early. Fortunately, the staff will place you on a waiting list and then you receive a text message when your table is ready. If you are there for breakfast or brunch, try the decadent blueberry pancakes - everybody raves about them. Another popular choice is Veda's and the scones. At dinner time, my favourite dishes are smoked salmon, fried chicken, and of course, ice cream!
Slideshow
Enjoy this splendid slideshow with the most beautiful wedding photographs taken at Mildred's Kitchen Temple.