The Venue: Graydon Hall Manor

We found it!  The perfect spot.  We actually found it a while ago.  Before the rings were on fingers and questions were popped.  Stacey and I have been together for 7 years now.  We just celebrated our anniversary in Feb 2010.  A while back, we figured out we were eachother's "the one."  But we were in university and working on our degrees (Stacey - two at a time!) and couldn't focus, or really, fathom a wedding at that point.  But we still could dream.  We subscribed to wedding magazines, picked out themes, invitation ideas, came up with guestlists, blah blah blah.  Then one day, just browsing through venue ideas, we came across Graydon Hall Manor.  OMG!!!!!!!!  This is in Toronto!?  No way!  We knew there were tons of banquet halls in Woodbridge and outside the GTA, but that's not what we really wanted.  We looked at this place, and immediately, I mean seriously, we knew right then and there this is where we wanted to get married.  It magic! Pure magic.  I mean, its grand and all, but still holds a quiet intimacy and romance.  The old stone, the garden, everything about the manor spews with elegance.  Maybe its the whole fairy tale feeling, but what girl doesn't want to feel like a princess on her wedding day.  I saw Stacey's eyes light up and I knew we HAD to get married here.  We didnt even bother looking anywhere else.  Some people say its smart to shop around.  But c'mon.  When you know - you know!  

So the idea is:  Garden ceremony. Cocktail hour around the fountains.  Dinner along the terrace under the trees.  Reception inside the main hall.  We have the whole manor to ourselves the whole day, from getting ready in the separate Bridal and Grooms suites, til the very end of the night.  

Funny story...we were still just dating when we came across Graydon Hall.  We wanted to see the place, but would look ridiculous booking a consultation without any proper engagement.  No one would take us seriously without no ring on the finger.  So we drive up one summer day.  Quetly parked the car.  There's some movement on the property.  Looks like an event is wrapping up.  The big gate at the entrance is open, so we tip toe in.  We walk along side the house to get a peek at the garden in the back.  Wow!  It literally took our breath away.  My hands got clammy, I got nervous, butterflies (maybe a moth or two) were all up in my stomach.  And we looked at eachother, and just knew.  It was quiet.  A couple of people putting chairs away.  No one noticed us, hidden behind a stone wall and some trees, like some sort of wedding ninjas.  We took it all in and left just as quietly as we came in.  We had to get out of there before we got caught.  After coming back from Europe, we knew we had to book right away.  It was so quick.  The coordinator didn\t have to show us much, or convince us.  We just asked, "Where do we sign?"  

Check out some more pics below in the slideshow or check out their site at graydonhall.com

 ...it reminds me a bit of the We Belong Together video