Silver Back Muzik

In the past, a young couple looking to tie the knot in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) may have kept their choices to such fabled downtown locations as the gazebo at the Music Garden. But couples these days know that they don't have to limit themselves to downtown locations or catering services. In Oakville, for instance, there are a wide range of services for weddings. So, what's changed?

1) The accessibility of farmers markets

Farmers markets are no longer the once-a-week, downtown affairs of yesteryear. Now, it seems, each community has its own market - and Oakville is no exception. Catering services in Oakville can easily pick up farm-fresh produce for their wedding clients at the local market.

2) Outlying areas are actually closer to farmer's fields

Many brides and grooms of today express a preference for local food. Although "local" can be hard to define, it often refers to the number of kilometers food travels from field to plate (or from field to banquet catering in Oakville!). Viewed in this light, the decision to host one's wedding, catering and all, in an outlying area of a major urban centre, can be viewed as a socially conscious decision, making suburban weddings more attractive to some.

3) The urban exodus

We hear constantly about how the average family with young children can no longer afford to live downtown, where the price to quality ratio has long posed a problem. As families move to the suburbs, our wedding catering and overall event planning practices may need to change as well. Depending on where guests live, it may be more central for a GTA couple to use wedding and catering services in Oakville, or another suburb, rather than in Toronto proper.

4) GTA's stellar public transit system

On the same note, the GTA is blessed with an extensive public transit system. The Oakville GO Station is undergoing a major renovation, which may in turn benefit users of catering services in Oakville next spring and summer.

5) Space

Downtowns are eclectic and fun, but also crowded. In a suburban setting, wedding guests may not have to jostle for parking or a seat on the bus. The wedding catering service may have more space to set up. Couples can choose from a wider variety of settings in which to celebrate, including Oakville's greenhouse garden and extensive network of Heritage Trails.

6) Waterfront, waterfront, waterfront

Most Canadian provinces and territories are surrounded by oceans, bays, lakes and other bodies of water, which explains why it has become somewhat of a tradition to get married by the waterfront. To this end, many wedding catering services in Oakville have waterfront facilities.

7) History

We sometimes forget that many of our suburbs were once separate farming villages. For instance, Montrealers used to vacation on the West Island, which was seen as an idyllic rural retreat. Likewise, Oakville has a long history of its own, separate from Toronto's. Wedding, catering and other plans can take advantage of its unique heritage.

These are just some of the factors that explain why some young couples today prefer to avail themselves of the wedding, catering and other services on offer in Oakville and other suburbs, rather than opting for a major urban centre like nearby Toronto.