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About

On WeddingWire since 2015

Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, this restaurant offers a relaxing ambiance, casual elegance, and charming garden vistas to create a modern wedding experience. Shaughnessy Restaurant is an exceptional choice for couples seeking a sophisticated alternative to more traditional wedding venues. Make your wedding dreams a reality at the Shaughnessy Restaurant in the famous 55-acre VanDusen Botanical Garden. Shaughnessy Restaurant is located minutes from downtown Vancouver. It is approximately 13 minutes away from Vancouver International Airport.

Facilities and capacity

Shaughnessy Restaurant’s slate and wood floor reflects old-world charm and warmth. The beauty of the room, which can hold up to 200 standing guests, is enhanced by floor-to-ceiling pure drape swaths. Skylights, white gravels on the walls, and potted plants give the feeling of the lush botanical garden indoors. The beautiful dining room can seat up to 160 guests, and the heated covered patio offers lovely views of the garden which makes for a stunning backdrop for any wedding ceremony. In addition, the venue features plenty of space for a dance floor. While Shaughnessy Restaurant at Vandusen Botanical Gardens can be booked for wedding ceremonies and receptions, it also offers services for engagement parties and bridal showers.

Services offered

The passionate and energetic team of Shaughnessy Restaurant will guide couples throughout the planning process to ensure a hassle-free and memorable event. Couples have the flexibility to bring in their own vendors for additional services. Complimentary provisions include the following:

  • Wedding cake table and cake knife
  • Guest book table and gift table
  • Printed menus for plated meals
  • Tented table numbers
  • Standard background house music
  • Tea light candles
  • Votives

Cuisine

Shaughnessy creates seasonal, innovative, and contemporary West coast inspired comfort food. We offer special menus for weddings, and the culinary team is happy to customize the menu to suit unique needs and requirements. The wedding packages include hors d’oeuvres, canapes, plated dinner, a half bottle of house red or white wine, a sparkling wine toast, and a one-hour open bar for cocktail hour.

History

Shaughnessy Restaurant was named after two Vancouver landmarks; the old golf course that sat on the VanDusen Botanical Garden site in the 1940s and '50s and the surrounding neighbourhood. Renowned interior designers, including Wade King, helped in creating its vivacious yet intimate ambiance and decor.

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Frequently asked questions

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Historic
Restaurant

Describe the style of your venue:

Classic
Garden
Rustic

What kind of settings are available?

Covered outdoor
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?

Bridal suite
Catering / bar
Liability insurance

What catering services do you offer?

Cocktail reception
Dessert
Family style
Hors d'oeuvres
Plated
Server(s)

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?

Dance floor
Furniture
Lighting
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?

No

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

$12,000

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

$10,000

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?

$1,650

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
Parking
Bridal suite

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

$65

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

$65

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$65

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

$22

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?

$7.50

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

Limited bar
Open bar
House beer
House wine
House liquor
Bartenders
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Any other questions?

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4.9 out of 5 rating
56 reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
98% Recommended by couples
Beverly
Beverly Sent on 20/04/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing venue!

From the planning process, to the night itself, the team at Shaughnessy were so attentive to our needs and extremely easy to work with. They were very supportive in helping us make decisions, and customize their restaurant to how we wanted it to be for our wedding.

The night of the wedding was incredible, management and service staff went above and beyond to ensure we were taken care of. All of our guests were raving about the staff and the food and drinks at every chance they got. The team seamlessly executed everything, from ceremony set up, into cocktail hour, into dinner, into late night partying.

They know how to throw a good wedding!
Claire
Claire T. Sent on 05/02/2024
4.8 out of 5 rating

December Wedding During Van Dusen Gardens' Festival of Lights

The Short Story: Shaughnessy is a beautiful, warm venue with top quality service. Making Shaughnessy the hosts for your wedding reception will make your life easier and make your guests feel honoured and appreciated.

The Detailed Version:
To start, the event planning staff at Shaughnessy offer trustworthy advice and guidance to make your reception a success. They do not upsell, they do have a genuine interest in making your event a success, they will work with you to make your day feel special by adding personal touches. They take care of all the details and have the experience and knowledge to make planning your wedding much easier. Shaughnessy's prices are also transparent and predictable - our bill matched the contract with no surprises.

The quality of food and drink set Shaughnessy apart from other weddings we have attended. Our guests appreciated having their choice of dinner on the day of the wedding. We elected for the highest end menu (sablefish, lamb, duck) and our guests are still raving to us about the food. However, in the planning process we also tried one of the dishes in the base level menu and it was superb. You really can't go wrong with the food there. Every appetizer was delicious, and the late night snacks hit the spot after a few hours of dancing. The drink menu included quality beer, wine, and spirits. The father of the bride had particular wine choices which Shaughnessy sourced for us. Of note, the mocktails and seasonal drinks were a hit (drinks were another way that Shaughnessy differentiated itself from the other venues we considered).

The restaurant venue is beautiful in December and no additional decorations were required (although we did bring in flowers for the tables) and the Garden's lights provided a magical backdrop. The foyer, dining area, and sunroom were cozy and warm during the cocktail reception, the space naturally encourages mingling and conversation: my heart was filled with joy when my wife and I arrived to the sounds of laughter and connection throughout the space. Shaughnessy recently finished a bridal room adjacent to the foyer, we used this room for the bride to change in but also for younger kids and parents to chill out and get some quiet time. We had our wedding ceremony at a nearby church so we did not use the venue for the ceremony, but understand that many other couples do.

Most importantly, the staff at Shaughnessy are professional, personable, and engaging. They worked hard to make our evening special: changeover from dinner to dancing was quick and seamless, last minute requests (boxing-up cake for a friend who was in hospital and creating a birthday cake for the father of the groom) were easily accommodated. Every staff member was tuned in to me, my wife, and the other VIPs. All I had to do was look up and someone appeared to see if everything was going the way we wanted. The staff were incredibly attentive and made every guest feel special - they are true professionals and master hosts.

If you're considering Shaughnessy, my wife and I recommend making a date night of dinner at the restaurant, we did, and choosing Shaughnessy for our wedding was the easiest and best decision we made.
Renée
Renée C. Sent on 15/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating

wonderful wedding experience!

My partner and I chose Shaughnessy for an early October wedding, and couldn't be happier with our experience. We had excellent communication with restaurant/venue staff from the beginning. Carlle was a fantastic resource and helped make our vision come true! We asked for a slightly different meal set-up (family style vs. traditional buffet or plated meal) and the restaurant and chef worked together to make that happen seamlessly. The staff at the event were fantastic, and we felt so welcomed. Our guests are still raving about the food and the beautiful ambiance of the venue. The service during cocktail hour was excellent. Extra touches such as the venue printing the menu and having a cake stand/plating service was an added touch. On top of that, they were flexible in allowing my dad to bring in his own AV system for musical performances.
Overall an amazing experience and we wouldn't change a thing if we had to do it again!
Natasha
Natasha T. Sent on 11/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Warm and positive

The staff are incredible genuine people who have clearly enjoyed a lot of the events they've hosted.
Would 100% book another event here and recommend it to everyone.
Kelsey
Kelsey M. Sent on 03/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful venue for an amazing wedding!

When we chose Shaughnessy Restaurant as our venue, we could begin to see the big picture. But even with what we had in mind, they knocked it out of the park. The amazing turnaround time, and very quick dinner service made our wedding dreams a reality even we didn't think possible!
Marissa
Marissa D. Sent on 16/09/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Spectacular wedding experience

From day one, we were incredibly impressed with the team at Shaughnessy. They were easy to work with as we planned for our big day, and the service they provided at our wedding was exceptional. We had many compliments on the food, and the staff were incredibly attentive. Our guests enjoyed ordering their meal at the wedding, as opposed to months in advance, and it made our logistics much easier.

Overall, we were thrilled with the experience that Shaughnessy provided and highly recommend them.
Tyler
Tyler M. Sent on 10/08/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Flexible, adaptable, and caring

Carlle and the entire Shaughnessy team were wonderful. From working with us to edit details right up to the day of the wedding, to letting us access the space when we needed it, to Terri (sp?) ensuring we were taken care of on the night of the wedding - I would highly recommend them as a venue for your big day.
Hillary Cheng
Hillary C. Sent on 30/06/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Highly recommended

We are so glad we chose to host our wedding at the Shaughnessy restaurant. The entire team there is great. We received many compliments from the guests about how great the food and service were. The space itself is beautiful and worked well for the flow of the party (ceremony to cocktails to dinner and dancing).
Special thanks for Carlle for her professionalism and responsiveness during the planning process as she fielded dozens of my emails. It really helped the planning go smoothly.
abianca
Anjela B. Sent on 01/06/2023
5 out of 5 rating

T'was absolutely amazing!

We hosted a reception party to celebrate our wedding at the end of May 2023. If we could give Shaughnessy more stars we would. Everything from initial communication to day of service, was easy, smooth and an overall great experience. We had a great time including our guests and we've gotten a lot of compliments for the fantastic venue and food. Much appreciation to Carlle and the Shaughnessy team! They provide all your venue needs, minus the extra decorations, but tbh you don't need a lot decorations for a place like this. 100% recommend to anyone looking for an intimate, elegant, and giving that warm-loving vibe venue/event.
Leila
Leila D. Sent on 21/04/2023
5 out of 5 rating

The most lovely day

Well my wedding day was a rainy cold vancouver day, but is that a surprise? But luckily I was in the cozy comfort of the Shaughnessy restaurant!
Food: out of this world, every single person absolutely loved it! I even had time to eat as the bride which went against what everyone had been warning me - that brides never eat on their wedding day!
Service: speedy!! My parents especially noted that their drinks were never empty :D and the servers were on it, professional and very courteous.
Dance floor: another slight difference with this venue is they don't have a proper dance floor, they clear tables away and let you set up a DJ or your own system. I thought they were also very fast at moving things, I didn't even notice that 3 tables were missing!! So make sure you put the young people at those tables!
communication: only one person runs the wedding events at Shaughnessy and it is a popular and busy place! sometimes it would take a few days for her to respond via email, Yet she was professional, thorough and adaptable to my needs and questions.
Gardens: unfortunately we were not able to use the Van Dusen gardens to our advantage, but the scenery of the gardens in the background all lit up for a January wedding still was beautiful - also parking is free and very available, there was absolutely no issues there!
Setting up: this is the only part that was difficult for me to coordinate as you can only set up and take down on the day of the event, yet if you hire a separate vendor and/or put your family and friends to work (thanks y'all!!) the restaurant staff and management were very accommodating letting us get access asap, and come the day before to use a storage room to drop off decorations and things!

Overall I was very satisfied with the service, venue and cost of the event. I thought the basic package of $80 a meal with table service was fair, and we didn't even go over our alcohol budge, altogether a memorable affair.
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Awards

56

Shaughnessy Restaurant at Vandusen Botanical Gardens Real Weddings

Amy & Mike
18 Photos · 15/Jul/2023
Bill & Cherry
94 Photos · 01/Oct/2020
Shevon & Riley
40 Photos · 27/Sep/2020
Yvonne & Maurice
38 Photos · 03/Sep/2020
Angela & Eli
41 Photos · 11/Aug/2018

Deals

Tier 1

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Map

5251 Oak Street V6M 4H1 Vancouver (British Columbia)
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