FAQ
CEREMONY
Is there parking at the ceremony location?
No, all outdoor ceremony sites in Banff and Canmore have extremely limited parking, and mostly resident permit only. Private transportation will need to be booked externally by client to get guests there and back. We can provide our recommended vendors for this for external quotes.
Outdoor wedding location- what décor (arch and chairs etc) is included, and is there a speaker for music?
Included in the ceremony cost is the site booking and insurance (required), white folding chairs, signing table, Bluetooth Bose S1 speaker, cordless microphone, delivery to site, setup of our items only, and pickup following ceremony. No additional setup/teardown is included by our staff. If a rental arch is added from our rental inventory, delivery and setup of this will be included in the ceremony price.
Where are the outdoor ceremony venue options located?
Rundleview Parkette in Canmore (capacity 120 seated), and Tunnel Mountain Reservoir in Banff (150 seated capacity). Both are a 10/15 minute drive from The Gem.
If the weather is bad can we use the indoor venue option, and will we get a refund on the off-site ceremony cost?
Does the venue allow access to the space the night prior to the event for rehearsals?
A backup ceremony at The Gem is already included in the fee to book the outdoor site. Once the off-site ceremony is booked, this fee is non-refundable (we pay the Town of Canmore/Banff for the site and reserve the rental white ceremony chairs for your day).
If moved indoors, there will be no additional charge on top of the fee you paid, the venue backup plan is included in this. The venue chairs would be used instead of the white folding ones.
Any additional decor booked externally is the responsibility of client/coordinator to get to the venue and setup/teardown in the case of bad weather.
We can accommodate rehearsals free of charge for a 1-hour window, however these will get confirmed 14 days ahead with other bookings in mind. No setup the night before is permitted unless prior permission is granted. Access is from 10am on the day of.
Do we do rental packages (the decor) through you, or do we only deal with Rocky Mountain Weddings and Events?
Do we need to let you know exactly how many guests we will be having now in order to reserve the decor package?
All decor packages and additional rentals for The Gem are booked with the venue coordinator. These options are subject to availability and get booked out well in advance. Unless on-site coordination is added through RMWE, a setup/teardown fee of $500 applies to all decor packages booked through The Gem.
Just an estimate count! We balance numbers with your final RSVP's 30 days from the event date and charge the difference remaining.
For reception décor, what is included (Chairs, tables, linens etc.)
Round or rectangle tables seating 8 each (can be a mix of both), white linens, wooden vineyard chair, venue water and wine glass, venue cutlery, white napkin.
We do not provide a printed dinner menu but this can be added at request (fees apply).
I saw the decor package section of the website, can you give me pricing for florals as well?
Florals are subject to options chosen. We will connect you with Alpine Blooms who can create custom quotes based on inspiration or budget. There are decor package floral
add-ons available at each budget range, please inquire for further information.
ENTERTAINMENT
Are there any other costs associated with music?
Additional SOCAN fees will apply to all events with music played.
All of our house DJs have upgrade options available, such as booth choice, additional lighting, extended playing time beyond the 6 hours provided by this add-on service.
What is the cost for your in-house DJ?
Our in-house DJ option is $1400 for reception only, $1600 for on-site ceremony + reception, $1800 for off-site ceremony + reception (all + GST). This service is subject to availability, and if our house DJ options are already booked elsewhere, client will need to provide own entertainment option.
All DJ bookings require a 50% deposit at time of booking.
Do we need to rent a DJ or sound system?
There is a built-in house speaker system to allow 'plug + play' for events, but all licensed DJ's and entertainment are welcomed. Any guests playing own music without a DJ booked will be subject to SoCan fees.
DECOR
Can we leave our own items there overnight and collect the following day?
Depending on what storage requirements are needed, items may be left with prior permission overnight at the venue and collected the following day by 9am. No food items can be stored overnight. All items must be packed up and not hinder the cleaning process. Anything left more than 24 hours following the event will have storage fees applied.
The reception is catered through our choice from your catering partner, with bartenders on site?
Correct! The caterer you choose from our options supply all food service staff ($), the venue provides all bar service and bartending staff at no additional cost.
Besides selecting meals or add-ons are there any additional charges for staff, bartenders?
Venue staff responsible for the venue setup/teardown and beverage service are included, with a venue coordinator managing the service side of your event. Staffing for food service/catering is charged in addition to the food price per head and will be quoted based on service style and guest count.
A day-of coordinator is highly advised to oversee your event-specific logistics and coordination including decor setup/teardown that is booked externally to the venue.
What would the cost range be for catering and drinks?
We advise budgeting ~$100-120/person for food and ~$50-100/person for beverages. This is an average cost for wedding venues in the Bow Valley, prices may fluctuate based on the options you select and guest consumption. We do not offer discounts on food or beverage services.
What is the catering menu?
Are children and our vendors counted in the guest count? Do children's meals cost the same as adults?
We have 2025 catering menus linked on our Investment Guides for 2025. Please inquire for details. Clients have a choice from local catering partners who are all Canmore based and highly experienced in events.
All our catering partners have a kids menu available. Kids are between 2-12 years of age and will count towards final numbers for seating. We have high chairs available at request for infants under 2.
Your vendors such as photographer, DJ and coordinator will all require vendor meals as part of their booking contract. We can set a vendor table and these will not count towards your final numbers.
Is the venue accessible for someone mobility impaired? Can someone with a cane or walker move easily between the indoor area and outdoor?
Is the venue now open? And when a tour would be possible?
Is there a getting ready area on site?
Do we need a wedding planner or coordinator?
The venue space has an accessibility elevator to access both levels of the building easily. The outdoor patio are easily reached at the front of the venue without any stair access.
The first weddings at The Gem started in July 2024. We are actively booking for 2025 and 2026, and can schedule venue tours anytime that you plan to visit the Mountains! Reach out to us on the inquiry form below to set this up with the venue coordinator.
There is no getting-ready room inside The Gem itself, however there are 10 condo units available for rent adjacent to the venue and we highly recommend booking these for yourself, guests and designated wedding party rooms. These accommodations are booked externally from the venue.
This is not something we require, however highly advise! The venue takes no responsibility for setup or teardown of any external items that are not booked through us. Any ceremonies booked with us do not include cueing of music, decor/floral setup, seating arrangements, or guest logistics.
If you are interested in adding coordination services, this can be provided by Rocky Mountain Weddings and Events. Please inquire for pricing and availability.
Is it possible to get some pictures from inside the venue?
Check out out instagram account for up-to-date photos and videos, our highlights reel is full of past events! http://instagram.com/thegem.ca.
In-person venue tours can be scheduled for any day of the week in advance.
Can we push the closing time to later?
Closing time is firm at 2 am as per town bylaw and cannot be negotiated. Last call is 1:30 am, all guests have to be off site at 2 am latest so the cleaning team can come in. With prior permission, we can allow certain items that are packed up to be left overnight and collected by 9am the following day as long as it doesn't prohibit or limit the post-event clean. No food items can be saved on site.
SERVICE
MISCELLANEOUS
ACCOMMODATION
Are there rooms available to get ready in on-site or do we just rent all the rooms and decide on our own?
They can definitely be used for getting ready, your booking would need to be a 2-night stay as check in only opens at 4pm.
How do your onsite rental rooms work?
We connect you directly to the management company who oversee these properties, the booking is made through them and they work on a first-come-first served basis for booking
Could they be included in a package or are they separate?
Currently we are not affiliated with these accommodations, or any other location, so all bookings are made externally to the venue and are subject to availability
TRANSPORTATION
What about ceremony logistics? Do you provide transportation to off-site ceremony locations?
We do not currently offer this package, however recommend reaching out to Banff Sedan, Patagonia Chauffeur or Three Sisters Taxi for a quote. There is no parking permitted at either outdoor ceremony location we offer and private transportation must be booked.
How do the shuttles into Banff and Canmore work? Would it be one shuttle at the end of the night or would it be available more often?
We have a partnership for a late-night shuttle with Patagonia Chauffeur - Up to 4 Hours (10pm-2am) = $900 Flat rate. 1 evening shuttle, up to 120 guests
Evening/night Shuttles:
Up to 4 Hours = $900 Flat rate. 1 evening shuttle, up to 120 guests
Up to 4 Hours = $1,500 Flat rate. 2 evening shuttles, Over 121 to 220 guests
Usually, our evening shuttles operate from 10:00pm to 02:00am, these runs back and forth unlimited times, between the reception to multiple hotels/airbnbs within the Town of Canmore. Extra fees may apply for Banff.
