Reviews for The Commons Calgary

Reviews

• Lonneke G. Sent on 10/08/2023
  5 out of 5 rating

  5.0
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Professionalism
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0

  Beautiful space and helpful staff

  The Commons is a beautiful space that you can alter to your own vibe and style! We used the Hemingway room for our ceremony and reception, and the Parlour room for cocktail hour. We fell in love with the space and did not need a crazy amount of decorations to make it perfect for our wedding. It is an expensive venue, but it was comparable to other venues we looked at with a similar vibe. We mostly dealt with Shannon and Catherine, and both were super helpful and kind in answering all of our questions and when we were deciding whether or not to book the space. We had no issues coordinating pick up times for our items the next day and they were very flexible in working with our vendors. We did not do the turn key package, we had an outside wedding coordinator which worked great for us. Our only two things to note is that the venue did not seem to have working AC, just the ceiling fans and it was a hot hot hot day our wedding day (30+ degrees), so after dinner many of our guests needed time to cool off. We are pretty sure we were told the venue did have AC but it did not seem to be doing a great job the day of the wedding. The other item to note is as it is a heritage building, no shots or doubles were allowed. Even with these two things, we would still book here again because the overall look was everything we wanted, the space worked great, and all the staff we dealt with were very knowledgeable and kind, and we felt had our best interest in mind.
  Overall, a great experience!

  The Commons is a beautiful space that you can alter to your own vibe and style! We used the Hemingway room for our ceremony and reception, and the Parlour room for cocktail hour. We fell in love with the space and did not need a crazy amount of decorations to make it perfect for our wedding. It is an expensive venue, but it was comparable to other venues we looked at with a similar vibe. We mostly dealt with Shannon and Catherine, and both were super helpful and kind in answering all of our questions and when we were deciding whether or not to book the space. We had no issues coordinating pick up times for our items the next day and they were very flexible in working with our vendors. We did not do the turn key package, we had an outside wedding coordinator which worked great for us. Our only two things to note is that the venue did not seem to have working AC, just the ceiling fans and it was a hot hot hot day our wedding day (30+ degrees), so after dinner many of our guests needed time to cool off. We are pretty sure we were told the venue did have AC but it did not seem to be doing a great job the day of the wedding. The other item to note is as it is a heritage building, no shots or doubles were allowed. Even with these two things, we would still book here again because the overall look was everything we wanted, the space worked great, and all the staff we dealt with were very knowledgeable and kind, and we felt had our best interest in mind.
  Overall, a great experience!
• Brookelyn Sent on 14/11/2022
  4 out of 5 rating

  4.0
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Response time
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Professionalism
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Value
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Flexibility
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0

  The Commons Wedding Venue

  We had a beautiful wedding and every gusts could not stop raving about how unique the space was. They were flexible to provide exactly the vision we had for our big day. Unfortunately, one of the staff we had on the day of the wedding was really unpleasant to deal with. But other than that, the venue made our wedding dreams reality!

  We had a beautiful wedding and every gusts could not stop raving about how unique the space was. They were flexible to provide exactly the vision we had for our big day. Unfortunately, one of the staff we had on the day of the wedding was really unpleasant to deal with. But other than that, the venue made our wedding dreams reality!
• Jenn D. Sent on 26/03/2020
  2.6 out of 5 rating

  2.6
  • Quality of service
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Response time
    1.0 out of 5 rating
    1.0
  • Professionalism
    2.0 out of 5 rating
    2.0
  • Value
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Flexibility
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0

  Amazing space, but below average service.

  Venue - Amazing Venue, If you are looking for a industrial/brick/loft like venue this is the one. Nice and open, decent lighting and good location.
  Negatives about the venue .
  A/V system is not good enough, it's also pointed in the wrong direction so you will need to rent your own. You may end up using their projector but it is pointed in one direction and it really depends on which way you do your wedding.
  They don't have any supplies, so your rental costs will be quite high. Their chairs are disappointing so your will likely rent chairs and the tables are very narrow so you can't do much for decor in the centre of the table. We ended up renting our own tables and chairs.
  Catering will have issues with power and location of kitchen/storage so you will end up paying more for that.
  The overall cost of the venue is the highest for any venue we looked at and doesn't come with any extras, except the included A/V which you won't use. You will pay for everything.
  
  Contact/Events person
  The point of contact caused significant stress, confusion and disappointment during the process of planning the wedding. We both work in the events industry and were extremely disappointed with the lack of professionalism and the below average and sometimes non-existent communication.
  
  1/3 of the way into the process we had a major complaint with the owner of the facility and she promised to rectify the situation. It wasn't rectified. Then a little later in the process (about 1/2 way) we had another conversation with the owner and she ended up removing the point of contact person from our event and took over herself.
  From this point on things definitely got a little better and the staff worked to make sure our event was a good one.
  I can't stress enough that if you do not get the owner as your point of contact that you will have problems.
  The overall cost of the venue attached to the amount of money you will need to spend on rentals makes this venue very very costly. When you add in the fact that they don't really manage it very well as an events space it makes it difficult to recommend.
  If you have a large budget and can hire an events coordinator to take care of things for you and you love the look of the venue then it could work out for you.
  For the cost of the venue you expect a certain quality of customer service, and unfortunately it's just not there for the price.

  Venue - Amazing Venue, If you are looking for a industrial/brick/loft like venue this is the one. Nice and open, decent lighting and good location.
  Negatives about the venue .
  A/V system is not good enough, it's also pointed in the wrong direction so you will need to rent your own. You may end up using their projector but it is pointed in one direction and it really depends on which way you do your wedding.
  They don't have any supplies, so your rental costs will be quite high. Their chairs are disappointing so your will likely rent chairs and the tables are very narrow so you can't do much for decor in the centre of the table. We ended up renting our own tables and chairs.
  Catering will have issues with power and location of kitchen/storage so you will end up paying more for that.
  The overall cost of the venue is the highest for any venue we looked at and doesn't come with any extras, except the included A/V which you won't use. You will pay for everything.
  
  Contact/Events person
  The point of contact caused significant stress, confusion and disappointment during the process of planning the wedding. We both work in the events industry and were extremely disappointed with the lack of professionalism and the below average and sometimes non-existent communication.
  
  1/3 of the way into the process we had a major complaint with the owner of the facility and she promised to rectify the situation. It wasn't rectified. Then a little later in the process (about 1/2 way) we had another conversation with the owner and she ended up removing the point of contact person from our event and took over herself.
  From this point on things definitely got a little better and the staff worked to make sure our event was a good one.
  I can't stress enough that if you do not get the owner as your point of contact that you will have problems.
  The overall cost of the venue attached to the amount of money you will need to spend on rentals makes this venue very very costly. When you add in the fact that they don't really manage it very well as an events space it makes it difficult to recommend.
  If you have a large budget and can hire an events coordinator to take care of things for you and you love the look of the venue then it could work out for you.
  For the cost of the venue you expect a certain quality of customer service, and unfortunately it's just not there for the price.

  The Commons Calgary's reply:

  Hi Jen,
  
  Thank you again for choosing The Commons as the venue for yours and Lucas’ wedding.
  
  We are happy to hear that our venue aesthetically fit the vision you had for your special day and provided you with a beautiful backdrop to host your family and friends.
  
  We are sorry to hear that there were elements of your experience that did not meet your expectations. Our goal is to exceed client expectations and for all of the staff involved to provide a positive experience.
  
  As for the amenities, we aim to provide all the necessary information about what is included in our venue rental and on how our venue operates so that there are no unwelcome surprises for you later on in the planning process. We take your feedback very seriously and will continue to strive for the best possible experience for our clients, friends and family as well as the many vendors involved in helping you make your dream wedding come true.
  
  We wish you and Lucas all the best for your future together!
  
  Sincerely,
  The Commons Team
  
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• Owen W. Sent on 13/11/2019
  2.6 out of 5 rating

  2.6
  • Quality of service
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Response time
    2.0 out of 5 rating
    2.0
  • Professionalism
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Value
    2.0 out of 5 rating
    2.0
  • Flexibility
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0

  Beautiful Venue But Perhaps Not Worth the Hassle

  We booked our wedding at The Commons after touring the facility. The exposed brick is no doubt beautiful and the venue has a lot of very fitting furniture. There were a lot of nice things about the commons, such as the ability to run your own bar, a room to have cocktail hour in and just a very aesthetically pleasing venue. During the time between booking and the wedding the staff at The Commons were helpful, but perhaps a little slow to respond as I believe there were a few staff changes at the time. There is no doubt there are a lot of nice features about this venue, but also some hassles that come with. For one, their event insurance requirements took a while to figure out and our insurance broker even said “I have never seen requirements like this before”. Additionally, the night of the wedding, we ran into issues as the supervisor at the commons never gave us access for the next day’s take down. This could have potentially left us upon to large fines from our vendors as they had to pick up next day. It was only because we had a mutual friend that knows a worker there that we were able to organize access and luckily no vendors show up on time. This did add significant stress on the day following our wedding. Additionally, The Commons are able to change the pick-up date at any time prior to the event. This caused significant calamity as a communication error caused one of our vendors to pick up late due to a change within a week and left us losing some of our damage deposit. The venue has a lot of positives, but I would caution anyone looking at this venue as to the high price tag, lack of staff on weekends and increased costs that can occur due to policies and procedures between your vendors and The Commons. It may cost you big time and create a lot of unnecessary stress.

  We booked our wedding at The Commons after touring the facility. The exposed brick is no doubt beautiful and the venue has a lot of very fitting furniture. There were a lot of nice things about the commons, such as the ability to run your own bar, a room to have cocktail hour in and just a very aesthetically pleasing venue. During the time between booking and the wedding the staff at The Commons were helpful, but perhaps a little slow to respond as I believe there were a few staff changes at the time. There is no doubt there are a lot of nice features about this venue, but also some hassles that come with. For one, their event insurance requirements took a while to figure out and our insurance broker even said “I have never seen requirements like this before”. Additionally, the night of the wedding, we ran into issues as the supervisor at the commons never gave us access for the next day’s take down. This could have potentially left us upon to large fines from our vendors as they had to pick up next day. It was only because we had a mutual friend that knows a worker there that we were able to organize access and luckily no vendors show up on time. This did add significant stress on the day following our wedding. Additionally, The Commons are able to change the pick-up date at any time prior to the event. This caused significant calamity as a communication error caused one of our vendors to pick up late due to a change within a week and left us losing some of our damage deposit. The venue has a lot of positives, but I would caution anyone looking at this venue as to the high price tag, lack of staff on weekends and increased costs that can occur due to policies and procedures between your vendors and The Commons. It may cost you big time and create a lot of unnecessary stress.

  The Commons Calgary's reply:

  Hi Owen,
   
  Thank you very much for choosing The Commons as your wedding venue. We are so glad to hear that venue fit the ascetics for your special day and that our customizable package offered a variety of options for you.
   
  We are, however, sorry to hear about the issues you experienced with your insurance broker in regard to the Special Event Insurance . It is standard practice for large event venues to require occupants to obtain and show proof of $2 million in general liability insurance. This policy is in place to protect you in the event that there is accident with your guests or the venue. The insurance also grants us the ability to allow you to bring in your own alcohol without a corkage fee and for you to have a very “do it yourself” approach to your big day.
   
  We acknowledge and apologize for the mix up with your access card. Thankfully, we were able to grant you access remotely and you were able to get into the room for your booked time.
   
  One of the great features about our wedding packages is the flexibility offered for you to clean and pack up on the Sunday or Monday after your wedding. Here at The Commons we believe that newlyweds should be able to enjoy their big day and not have to worry about cleaning the space that night. We work with our clients to confirm exit times 10 days prior to the event so we can arrange access times for other events and vendors that are coming into the space. Additionally, communication about our timeline policy is standard in all of our contracts.
   
  As a company we do not like withholding any portion of our client’s damage deposit. We work to be fair, reasonable and accommodating when considering the cause and effect of having to withhold any costs. It is not something we take lightly. For our “DIY” events, we do not oversee or run any of your day-of wedding coordination – we leave that you. We entrust our clients (you), and the vendors that our clients choose to hire, to coordinate and communicate effectively and within the terms of the venue contract. We understand that when planning your wedding you are putting a lot of trust in the vendors you hire and for them to deliver on your agreement. For that reason, we sympathized with your situation and reduced the calculated cost of damages by over 50% for you.
   
  Your feedback is important to us as we can take this as a learning and can work to create a better process for our clients, their vendors and our space.
   
  We truly hope that, outside of the instances outlined, your wedding was an extraordinary day and wish you and Laura all the happiness as you build your life together!
   
  Sincerely,
  The Commons Team
• Meri P. Sent on 28/05/2019
  4.4 out of 5 rating

  4.4
  • Quality of service
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Response time
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Professionalism
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0

  Wedding Experience

  Had our reception at the Commons Calgary last weekend. This venue is absolutely beautiful. It take very very little decor to create a beautiful look. Location is great, free parking and easy for your guests to call an Uber. The staff was amazing. Gave me the chance to go in and review minor details as many times as I wanted. I always felt welcome. We had minor issues the day of the wedding which the staff dealt with absolutely wonderfully and very professionally. I would highly recommend using the Commons Calgary for your wedding!!!

  Had our reception at the Commons Calgary last weekend. This venue is absolutely beautiful. It take very very little decor to create a beautiful look. Location is great, free parking and easy for your guests to call an Uber. The staff was amazing. Gave me the chance to go in and review minor details as many times as I wanted. I always felt welcome. We had minor issues the day of the wedding which the staff dealt with absolutely wonderfully and very professionally. I would highly recommend using the Commons Calgary for your wedding!!!