Skip to main content
Weddings
This venue is popular with couples. Start a conversation

About

On WeddingWire since 2021

Last update: July 2023

The Walper Hotel is a hotel and wedding venue located in Kitchener, Ontario. Since its inception in 1893, the hotel has been a staple of the downtown cityscape. This historic venue specializes in hosting luxurious weddings that balance style, elegance, and sophistication with the modern comforts of a contemporary full-service hotel.

The building is home to many stories that make it an exciting place to exchange vows. For example, Louis Armstrong played his trumpet off the Oak Lobby balcony and Al Capone used to run spirits from the hotel to Prohibition America. One of the terraces is named after Eleanor Roosevelt because she took her tea there and Lennox Lewis’s first boxing match took place in the ballroom. Duke Ellington, Bob Hope, James Brown, Lady Gaga, Sarah McLaughlin, and several Canadian Prime Ministers are just some of the notable figures who have frequented the hotel. To say it’s one of the most sought-after locations for an individual to host their dream wedding is an understatement!

Facilities & Capacity

From larger celebrations of up to 190 guests to smaller, more intimate gatherings, The Walper Hotel is an ideal venue for customized occasions. It offers 6,000 square feet suited to weddings. You can choose from one of their many enchanting ceremony locations, such as the grand and spacious Crystal Ballroom. It offers hardwood floors, Victorian architectural features, and sparkling crystal chandeliers. The Oak Room is rich in character thanks to dark wood panelling and oodles of charm. There is also the bright and airy Oak Lobby, with its crown moldings and antique gold chandeliers that create a sense of romance. The hotel also features:

  • Two interior courtyards
  • The restaurant, TWH Social
  • The Lokal, a cocktail lounge
  • Gym

Services Offered

The Walper Hotel’s complete wedding packages offer many services, including setup to your specifications - they create so you can celebrate! On the special day, dressing rooms are provided for your convenience. The hotel’s on-site catering services, led by a dedicated and seasoned culinary team, offer a number of customizable options for your wedding menu. Meals can be served as plated dinners, food stations, and more, and dessert options are available. Additional services include:

  • Complimentary wireless internet
  • Pet-friendly accommodation

Frequently asked questions

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

8

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet hall
Historic
Hotel
Inn/B&B
Restaurant

Describe the style of your venue:

City
Classic
Eclectic
Glamorous
Modern
Vintage

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal shower
Engagement party
Rehearsal dinner

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Bridal suite
Catering / bar
Clean up
Event rentals
Outside vendors
Set up

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail reception
Dessert
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
Tastings

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash bar
Champagne toast
House beer
House wine
House liquor
Limited bar
Liquor license
Open bar
Premium liquor
Signature drink
Specialty beer
Specialty wine

What event items are available?

Altar/arches
Audio equipment
Centerpieces
Decor
Drapery
Furniture
Chairs
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair access

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$1,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$1,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$1,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$1,000

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Set up
Clean up
Chairs
Tables
Linens
China
Flatware
Glassware

What is the average catering price per person for plated service?

$115

What is the average catering price per person for buffet service?

$70

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$50

What is the average catering price per person for hors d'oeurves?

$10

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Server(s)
Dessert

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$25

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Limited bar
Open bar
House beer
House wine
House liquor
Bartenders
illustration question

Any other questions?

Request pricing
4.8 out of 5 rating
68 reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.6 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
92% Recommended by couples
Catherine
Catherine C. Sent on 26/08/2023
4.8 out of 5 rating

The perfect venue for an intimate and elegant wedding

The staff at the Walper Hotel made the entire wedding planning and event seamless. The food was amazing (so much better than your typical catering food). We had loved having our ceremony in the Oak Room, then had our reception in the Oak Lobby, and the Lokal Lounge was perfect for guests to relax and chill. They were also so accommodating and provided us with everything we needed for our wedding, including some decor and coordination for our ceremony. We love how they answered all our questions. Overall, we had a magical wedding that turned out better that I could imagine.
Richard
Richard K. Sent on 13/02/2024
4.8 out of 5 rating

10/10 Wedding Experience at the Walper

We loved our wedding here and could not have hoped for a better experience. The space at the Walper is beautiful and the staff was fantastic. In particular, our wedding coordinator (Caely) and hotel staff went above and beyond for us and we felt like VIP's during our 2-night stay (night before and night of wedding). On our wedding night, we had our cocktail hour in the Lokal Bar, then opened the Oak Lounge and Oak Room for dinner, speeches, and mingling. We did our first dance in the Oak Room. We did not have a plated dinner but rather had food served in the Barrister's Lounge connected to the Oak Room. We wanted a "downtown" wedding that wasn't too high maintenance and this delivered that, and then some. We had 70 guests and thought the pricing was very reasonable considering the quality of the venue, service, and the food.
Katarina
Katarina P. Sent on 22/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Most beautiful venue with AMAZING staff!

All our wedding guests had so many comments to share with us about our venue whether they were commenting about how amazing the hotel/venue was or raving about the food (especially the short rib)! They served lots of appetizers during cocktail hour, the staff were incredibly helpful and kind (from serving, to answering questions, to cleaning up at night). It made me feel so happy hearing all the guests say these things throughout the night.

12/10 venue coordinator. She did such an incredible job bringing our wedding vision to life! Always listening in great detail, always on the same page, always pushing to make sure we got everything we asked for.
Laura
Laura J. Sent on 26/12/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Venue For The Best Day Of My Life

This was the first Venue we toured and I was sold right away. No other Venue compared to the beauty, pricing, or the inclusiveness of the staff. While the 2 main coordinators we worked with are no longer working here, our wedding day was made extra special because of all the staff as a team. They worked hard to give us everything we wanted while trying to stay as close to our budget as possible. They were always willing to tweak things and offer us the best deals they could.
Kendra
Kendra S. Sent on 29/08/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Modern, clean, excellent staff

The staff was so helpful when they we're walking us through the venue and explained the packages well. The venue is gorgeous, so full of history and they've really kept to the vintage theme while adding modern elements. I would absolutely recommend!
Kristine
Kristine Sent on 03/01/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Venue

We had to postpone our wedding like many others due to COVID. Andréa and Ashley were amazing to work with, and very flexible in answering all of our questions and concerns and accommodating with our requests.
Kayla
Kayla Sent on 29/12/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Above and Beyond

First of all, this has to be hands down the best customer service I have ever experienced. Andrea was so incredibly accommodating and understanding I truly felt valued and heard. She is so incredibly enthusiastic and made planning so much easier than i ever thought possible. No request, question, or even comment went without an answer, and if she didn't know, had no problem searching until she did. I was absolutely blown away.

The food at the walper is AH-MAZE-ING! We went for our complementary tasting and ended up adding a few things to our menu since we just had to have them. Andrea, of course, was happy to oblige. I changed my mind so many times and not once did I feel like an inconvenience.

Then you have the overall splendor that is the walper itself. A perfect one stop shop since you can have the ceremony, dinner, and reception all on one place. No need to go outside at all, unless you want to take gorgeous pictures in the many amazing locations around Kitchener. This also makes this venue perfect for a winter wedding which is what we chose. So gorgeous. So spacious. So affordable. They were happy to work with my budget and never made me feel like I needed to spend more or wasn't spending enough.

They are surely a team of experts that will happily go the extra mile to make your day everything you hoped and in my experience, even more. Do not overlook them. They will wow you!
Kristen
Kristen R. Sent on 05/07/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Excellent experience

My husband and I initially choose The Walper Hotel after Covid hit and we needed to postpone our wedding. Not only is the venue itself beyond beautiful, Andrea who was our main wedding coordinator, was beyond amazing to work with - there are so many amazing things I could say about her. She was great through the whole process, even when we had to postpone our wedding one more time. She listened to what we wanted and gave many creative suggestions along the way. Her and her team were so flexible, it made the planning easy. On the day of the wedding, the girls were great. They checked on me throughout the day, setup the ceremony, super responsive to my request. I can’t thank The Walper Hotel enough for how wonderful they are. I highly recommend them!
Marilyn
Marilyn Sent on 01/05/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Exceptional service

This is a beautiful venue with really wonderful staff! We unfortunately, had to postpone our event due to COVID-19 but the Walper Hotel has been incredibly accomodating and responsive. The professionalism is actually exceptional and I have had zero anxiety throughout my time working with them. The communication has been timely and clear during the process and they have really made an effort to create the vision that you have in mind.
Christina
Christina M. Sent on 18/02/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Gorgeous wedding shower and excellent customer service

The Walper hosted my wedding shower in October 2020. The staff are phenomenal, the rooms are gorgeous and the food was delicious! Our main contact Andrea was fantastic, and worked with my mom for several months to figure out the details for my shower as it kept having to be rescheduled due to covid. We had originally planned for the Walper to host all of our wedding guests, but unfortunately after rescheduling from May 2020 to May 2021, we just decided to fully cancel our wedding due to covid. Andrea was very understanding, empathetic, and cancelled our guests' rooms with no questions asked. We hope to visit the Walper again when it is safe to do so!
illustration stars

Are you interested?

Request pricing

Awards

68
WeddingWire Wedding Awards 2016 Winner

Walper Hotel Real Weddings

John & Ray
50 Photos · 21/Aug/2022
Jessica & Trevor
21 Photos · 15/Sep/2018
CANAPES
ENHANCEMENTS
APPETIZERS
MAINS + SAUCES
SIDES
DESSERT
LATE NIGHT
STANDARD BAR
PREMIUM BAR

Meet the team

Laura Meikle
Laura Meikle
General Manager
  • 36+ years of experience in hospitality and customer service
  • A keen eye for unique experiences
  • Always seeking out fresh ideas to bring to the table

“Let’s just say that I know a thing or two about exceeding expectations each time, every time! I take pride in ensuring your satisfaction, and will be coordinating across our team to ensure your Walper wedding is a memorable one.”

Map

20 Queen Street South N2G 1V6 Kitchener (Ontario)
illustration visit

Would you like to visit?

Request a visit

Other vendors in Ontario for your wedding

Wedding Venues