Hi there,
We are planning a winter wedding on a budget and are trying to decide between Chandni (Gateway) and Woodbine Convention Centre (South Hall). We have also visted Candles and Payal and have pretty much ruled them out (don’t like the idea of a shared lobby). We are waiting to hear back from Le Jardin but are concerned they will be out of our price range.
Our feelings about the halls so far are:
Chandni Pros: Appears to have a very client-centred approach and willingness to accommodate requests, beautiful lobby area (important for pictures in the winter), relatively good reviews online
Chandni Cons: Ugly paintings/decor in the hall itself, a bit pricier than Woodbine, difficult to get the manager to say exactly what he will provide (says that he will include all sorts of things and take care of us, but it is difficult to get details of those things)
Woodbine Pros: A bit cheaper than Chandni, very elegant looking hall, manager is very upfront about what he will do for us (not much), attached hotel is convenient for our many travelling guests
Woodbine Cons: Does not appear to be client-centred, the lobby area looks run-down, Cheaper cost may be offset by less inclusive package (additional costs for centre pieces, bartenders, etc), can not find very many reviews online
We will be planning most of the wedding from outside of Toronto, which is why being able to trust the manager is so important to us. There seems to be a contrast between a person who we trust to take care of us but are not really sure what exactly he will do (Chandni) and a person who is very clear about where his responsibililities end but will cause significantly more work for us to do (Woodbine).
If anybody has any reviews or experiences of Chandni or Woodbine, we would sincerely appreciate hearing them. We are looking for any information you may have, including experience with the staff, quality of the food, opinions on the halls themselves, etc.
Thank you very much for your help!