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Weddings

About

A beautiful location on an island on the Bow River in the middle of the city. All you need to add is love. At River Café they have created a beautiful place in an extraordinary setting and have tended to the details that make you feel at home with staff who care, chefs who are passionate about quality and the regional seasonal ingredients that bring to your palate a taste of place. River Café sits in the heart of Prince’s Island Park - a unique restaurant housed in a space that felt as though it had always existed and belonged naturally in its setting along the Bow River. The restaurant has the feel and nostalgic appearance of an old Rocky Mountain fishing lodge with its open-hearth fieldstone fireplace and orchard wood burning oven. The outdoor patio provides an opportunity to step out and enjoy the panoramic views of the park and Calgary’s dramatic cityscape beyond.

Facilities and capacity

River Café can accommodate up to 100 guests for a seated lunch, brunch or dinner event and up to 150 guests for a standing cocktail reception Whether you choose a Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall wedding, it’s the ideal environment for couples that want to experience the natural beauty of Prince’s Island Park. Enjoy the sun-washed garden and trees blossoming in the spring and summer, glowing orange leaves and crisp air during a cozy fall day in the park, and the snow dusting the ground and branches in a winter wonderland setting. Numerous vistas offer many breathtaking backdrops to your perfect day and magnificent photo opportunities abound both inside and out. Celebrate your special day surrounded by friends and family in the unique elegance of River Café.

Services offered

The venue has an amazing team of staff who will help you plan your day. The services they offer include:

  • Event Manager/Day of Event Manager
  • Floor Plans and Function Orders
  • Food and Beverage
  • Liquor License
  • Wedding Cake
  • Chairs, Tables and Furniture
  • Flatware and Glassware
  • Linen Napkins
  • Table Numbers
  • Card Basket
  • Seating Chart
  • Candles
  • Dance Floor

.

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Frequently asked questions

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

1

Describe your venue:

Restaurant

Describe the style of your venue:

City
Rustic

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal shower
Engagement party
Rehearsal dinner

What event services do you offer?

Cake
Catering / bar
Clean up
Set up

What catering services do you offer?

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

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
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?

Audio equipment
Dance floor
Furniture
Chairs
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Wheelchair access

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

No

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

No

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

$85

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$85

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

$85

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?

$40

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

Limited bar
Open bar
House beer
Specialty beer
House wine
Specialty wine
Champagne toast
House liquor
Premium liquor
Signature drink
Bartenders
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Reviews for River Café

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
21 reviews
100% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
Anton
Anton O. Sent on 05/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating

River Cafe: The Perfect Venue for Our Intimate Wedding Ceremony and Reception

We recently celebrated our intimate wedding ceremony and reception at River Cafe, and it was an absolutely magical experience. This beautiful venue has always been one of our favorite spots, and now it holds an even more special place in our hearts.

The setting of River Cafe is stunning, offering a picturesque backdrop that made our day truly unforgettable. The staff were exceptional, ensuring that every detail was taken care of seamlessly. Our guests couldn't stop raving about the delicious food – the empty plates after each dish spoke volumes about how much everyone enjoyed their meals.

A special “Thank You” goes to Jessica Hitzer, the Events Manager, whose dedication and expertise made the planning process smooth and stress-free. Jessica and her team went above and beyond to make sure our day was perfect.

We are deeply grateful to everyone at River Cafe for making our wedding day so memorable. If you're looking for a venue that combines breathtaking beauty, outstanding service, and exquisite cuisine, River Cafe is the place to go.
Emma
Emma A. Sent on 02/04/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Exceptional food, drinks, space, location and service!

We held our wedding at the River Cafe on October 9, 2022, and had an absolutely incredible time. We would recommend the River Cafe as a venue to anyone! Carla and her team were so on the ball, they were totally organized and fun to work with, and of course the food and drinks were spectacular. We heard from so many people afterward (including our fanciest relatives) that this was the best meal they had ever had at a wedding. We are so grateful to the River Cafe team, and keep wishing someone would invite us to another wedding there so we could just enjoy as guests! Thank you, Carla and team!
Cheyanne
Cheyanne B. Sent on 04/03/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Exceptional venue

Months later, friends and family are still raving about the wedding ceremony and lunch we hosted at the River Cafe. Obviously, this is a stunning location. They were also a joy to work with. I was looking for minimal planning/stress, and their team handled literally everything to execute a flawless event. The food was truly a highlight. I wouldn’t change a thing about our day. Thank you River Cafe!!
Rachel
Rachel C. Sent on 20/03/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Our Dream Wedding

We wanted a wedding that was focused on good food, great friends and a casual atmosphere and the River Cafe was able to achieve this!

We had an evening ceremony and cocktail reception in the beautifully romantic space. Guests were wow'ed by the food and were amazed at how much there was! We were nervous that as a cocktail style reception, guests would not get enough to eat and this was definitely not the case - our guests left feeling full and satisfied!

It was all hands on deck when it came time for the quick turnaround from the breakfast and lunch service and we only had a few hours to get the space ready so I would definitely recommend having a clear plan and someone who is ready to delegate tasks on the day of. The whole River Cafe team was pitching in to ensure our what we had planned for decor was accomplished and they were ready with warm apple ciders and hot chocolates as guests started arriving!

The wait staff were absolutely amazing throughout the whole evening, explaining every dish they were passing around with detail and even began to remember those with food allergies or intolerance's and made sure they were getting the options they needed. They were warm and friendly and we were completely amazed at how their energy never seemed to falter even late into the night!

You'll get to have great planning sessions with their events coordinator and get to try a few drinks too - we booked a table for dinner just before the wedding as well so we could get a better sense of the seasonal menu and what our guests might experience.

This space is great for a smaller wedding and with our 95 guests the space felt really comfortable and definitely not too tight. There were some small issues with the mic they had provided but luckily our ceremony singer had her own and we used that - would recommend renting if you will be using a mic for speeches. This I would say was a small hiccup in our most perfect day!

We were able to have our dream wedding because of the River Cafe!
Katie
Katie Sent on 25/01/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Above and beyond expectations- delicious, classy, beautiful

River Cafe is a true gem. A mix of rustic and vintage decor, delicious food and beverages offerings, and impeccable service on a beautiful island downtown. It was an easy decision for us to make. Planning was a breeze and we felt very comfortable leaving our wedding day in the hands of this team. The location is great with hotels nearby and we were easily able to coordinate a golf cart rental for transport our guests on and off Princes Island. Though you are in the center of the city, you can easily forget you are. There is no shortage of beautiful places to take photos.
Everyone had a great time and could not get over the food, the service, the beauty of the restaurant, and the general ambiance. It was perfect!
Marcela
Marcela R. Sent on 15/01/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Great Wedding

Our experience with the River Cafe was exceptional. The food, atmosphere, and service exceeded expectations.
Brittany
Brittany M. Sent on 10/01/2020
5 out of 5 rating

June 2019 Wedding

My Husband and I had our wedding at River Cafe in 2019, if you want a venue that has it all, this is the place. June the coordinator provided us with a list of vendors and helped organize the whole wedding with us. We didn't need a wedding planner at all because they had what they needed and most of the vendors had worked together in the past. The day of was perfect. I actually planned the entire wedding from another country and on the day of was the first time I saw everything for the first time and it was a fairy tale for us and our families. The River Cafe staff were very professional and delivered everything as we had asked. I would highly recommend this venue if you want a downtown park experience with 10/10 food options. All of our guests raved about the food and the venue and we had people attend from all over the world. Great job River Cafe!
Esther
Esther Sent on 22/12/2018
5 out of 5 rating

River Cafe Fall Wedding

The River Cafe was the perfect venue for our fall wedding. The River Cafe had exceptional food, service, and atmosphere. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone getting married in Calgary!
M
Melissa D. Sent on 10/09/2023
5 out of 5 rating

The perfect venue!

We are so happy we chose the River Cafe to host our wedding! Everything about the venue was perfect, and our guests are still raving about the amazing food and drinks, the beautiful scenery, and the incredible service.

We had a late afternoon ceremony on their beautiful and private patio, followed by our indoor reception (although we still had access to the patio). We hosted 97 guests - the space was certainly cozy for this many people but we loved the atmosphere!

A number of our guests commented on the prompt and attentive wait staff service, and of course the food was incredible.

The River Cafe was very helpful through the planning stages, and they are able to take care of so many decor / day of coordination items which we really appreciated!

Thank you to the River Cafe for making our day so perfect!
C
Crystal L. Sent on 24/06/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Everything we wanted!

When initially looking for a wedding venue, our topmost priority was a place with good food - and we got it! It was fantastic working with Carla and everything went so smoothly, we are so thankful to the Chef and all the staff for making our afternoon wedding so wonderful and memorable!
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Awards

21

River Café Real Weddings

Stacey & Ryan
42 Photos · 11/Jun/2016

Meet the team

Carla Paradis
Carla Paradis
Event Manager

Graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce, Management Degre from Humber College in Toronto, Carla went straight into Event Managment and has been executing both corporate and wedding events ever since. She is currently enrolled in Ryerson University's Public Relation program to futher her business and writing skills. Carla joined the River Café in the summer of 2021 as Event Manager and is excited to further her career with the organization.

Map

25 Prince's Island Park T2P 0R1 Calgary (Alberta)
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