When Hannah Stein was planning her Toronto wedding last year, she started questioning whether the big day was worth the big price tag.
“The costs were just racking up. And the stress as well,” she recalls.
Her relationship ended before she walked down the aisle, but there was a silver lining: the 28-year-old took the money she’d saved and in August opened a Las Vegas-inspired “micro-wedding” space called Two of Hearts Chapel near the Art Gallery of Ontario.
“The financial burden should never stop someone from wanting to get married, because that’s what was happening with me,” says Stein, whose event space offers packages that won’t break the bank.
If you got engaged over the holidays, you might already be panicking about the cost of making it official, especially as the bills of the festive season roll in.
Traditional formal weddings can be expensive — running upwards of $100,000, according to Toronto wedding planner Karina Lemke. It’s now about $80,000 to $100,000 for the average wedding of 100 to 140 people in Toronto, she says. A luxury version will set you back a quarter of a million dollars.
But there are ways to keep spending down, from cutting the guest list, to buying a set-price wedding package at one of a handful of local venues — even thrifting your wedding gown.
Enter the micro-wedding
The vibe at Two of Hearts is maximalist TikTok-worthy kitsch.
The building is painted hot pink, with old VHS tapes like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” playing in the reception, “glitter sparkle pink” chairs, and a giant cupid hanging from the ceiling in the ceremony room.
Their signature Two of Hearts Full Elopement package is $3,999, including taxes, and comes with an hour-long private chapel rental, an officiant, one hour of professional photography and some photos, plus a sound system, in addition to some other small thrills.
Their “Quickie” is a true Las Vegas-style elopement, “perfect for the couple who values simplicity and authenticity,” according to the website, and costs $593 for a 20-minute ceremony with up to two witnesses. The chapel can accommodate up to 30 guests seated, and 50 standing.
Stein says many of her couples want to organize a small dinner after the ceremony, so she’s partnered with the nearby Drake Hotel. Newlyweds and their guests can get room discounts as well as priority booking and special perks for a celebratory meal or after-party, she says.
One of her brides recently came from Ottawa — she’s noticed the chapel is becoming a bit of destination in true Las Vegas style — and made her own cake topper.
“There are ways that you can keep costs down and still have those traditional things. But I feel like the wedding industry has really tried to brainwash a lot of people into being like, no, you need it this way,” Stein says.
Permission Slip Studios in the Junction also offers micro-wedding packages, as does Toronto Micro Weddings.
The latter has a “luxury all-inclusive micro-wedding package.” It includes a legal ceremony with an officiant, followed by a cocktail reception for 50 guests, as well as florals, a DJ, a wedding cake and a photographer, to name a few. Upgrades are available if you want to add more people or time.
Now through April 2026, it’s $9,038.87 including HST for three hours and up to 50 guests, and from May 2026 on it’s $11,298.87 and up to 70 guests, including HST, a spokesperson confirmed.
The Pop-Up Chapel also offers all-inclusive wedding packages, at rotating sites across the city. The “classic,” or “the one that started it all,” is from $5,999 plus tax, according to the website.
With no-frills weddings growing in popularity amid a cost-of-living crunch, new venues are always making their way onto the scene, and this is by no means an exhaustive list; you can search Toronto micro-weddings online to see what’s out there.
What about the dress?
The budget-conscious movement doesn’t end with the event — of course a bride still needs her gown.
Stein says more brides are embracing second-hand dresses, pointing to places like Vintage Bride at Bloor and Ossington. While it’s by appointment only, the “salon,” as it bills itself, boasts some 300 “sustainably sourced, authentic vintage and antique wedding gowns” dating from 1867 through to the early 1990s.
The Brides’ Project at Rogers and Dufferin sells gently used dresses, including several options for less than $500, with all proceeds going to support cancer charities.
If you don’t mind handing it back at the end of the big day, you can rent a gown for the occasion from places like The Fitzroy near Bloor and Dundas, which offers a selection of designer dresses for a fraction of the cost.
Check your local consignment stores to see if they carry a selection of used wedding gowns; many vintage stores across the city will often have some in-store options. Keep in mind you may require alterations and that will come at a price, too.
Other ways to save
The ongoing tariff wars and inflation have played a part in rising prices, impacting everything from flowers to wedding cakes, wedding planner Lemke adds. If you simply can’t afford a huge wedding, start by adjusting your expectations, she says.
Other than keeping the guest count small, getting married during the week, as she did, is one way to cut costs, as is a winter off-season event.
Another idea, she says, is a brunch wedding, complete with bottomless mimosas. “If you can sort of stomach the idea of not having a dance party, it is tremendously financially intriguing.”
And if you only have $15,000, the best thing you can do is “find a beautiful little restaurant,” hire an officiant, and have a dinner with as many people as you can afford, she says.
At the end of the day, you don’t have to do much more than get a marriage licence, a ring and an officiant, Lemke adds.
In Toronto, you can apply for a marriage licence online at a cost of $160, according to the city’s website. That’s for the licence only, you still have to arrange for a separate marriage ceremony.
It’s $337.95 (including HST) on top of that for a 30-minute wedding ceremony at Old City Hall in the former Council Chamber, which can accommodate up to 25 people, and includes an officiant.
You can also get hitched at Toronto City Hall at 100 Queen St. W. for slightly less. It’s $325 plus HST, according to the website.
Lemke stresses you don’t need to put your life savings toward a wedding. Her own parents tied the knot at New York City Hall in the late ‘60s — her mom wore a crocheted white mini dress — and they’re still together.
“There’s zero correlation between what you spend and the outcome of your relationship,” she says.
