From the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony and reception, and following up with a post wedding brunch, the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo can host any or all of your wedding events. The long-standing reputation of the Delta chain is likely one of the reasons brides love and recommend this venue, not to mention the immense size of their ballroom, impeccable service, on-site accommodations, and the flexibility to customize a menu to suit your tastes.

Kate Wight, Wedding Specialist at the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo, knows how important great service and quality food are to the bride, groom and their guests and she puts her experience to good use at this popular wedding location by helping each couple make plans for a dream wedding day. Staff at The Ring sat down with Kate at the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo to find out more about what they can offer for your wedding...

A story of success

The Delta has gone from a chain of sixty-two-room motor inn style locations in 1962 to having over forty city-centre and airport resort properties, claiming a "Canada's leading first-class hotel management company" title. They also say they are the largest hotel in K-W, with Kate adding, "The service and the food have always set us apart from our competition. We have a long-term, consistent team who is passionate about providing great service."

Kathleen Parker held her reception at the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo on June 14, 2008, and she says, "I truly believe that the staff at the Delta is the best there is." She says the staff were hard working and good at their jobs. "They totally blew me away with the service they provided." Another past Delta bride, Nicole Dimeck, who was married July 12, 2008, says the outstanding service is what stood out most in her memory about her reception at the Delta.

Personally speaking...

Kate has been the Wedding Specialist at the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo for six years. In that time, she has worked with hundreds of couples. She was once a bride herself so she understands the importance of your day. "It's the food, the service and the experience that your guests remember." Kate is inspired to go beyond your expectations and to make sure your reception is everything you hoped for (and more), which is why she works with you every step of the way. "Since most couples work when I work, it's sometimes difficult to meet. I try to accommodate schedules whenever possible," says Kate of her flexibility.

The best part of choosing the Delta for Rosanne and Riaz Jiwa's August 2009 wedding was working with Kate. Rosanne told us, "I have never met someone so polite, kind and enthusiastic about their job. There was never any request too little or too big that Kate wasn’t happy to take care of for me." She adds that Kate was professional and prompt when returning calls.

Michelle Frey and Craig Bell held their wedding reception at the Delta in July 2009. They told us that "Working with Kate and her team was super. Kate is very organized and was ready to answer any questions we had." Michelle adds that "You could tell Kate really cared about making sure the Delta gave us the wedding day we dreamed of. Her attention to detail and prompt help with anything we needed was very evident and made the days before our wedding enjoyable and memorable."

What Delta offers

If you're expecting a lot of out-of-town guests, the Delta might be exactly what you need - they can accommodate overnight guests and the on-site restaurant, botaniCa, could host your rehearsal dinner. Or you may wish to hold your rehearsal dinner in one of their private banquet rooms for a more intimate atmosphere. If you're planning an entire wedding weekend, your guests would be hard-pressed to run out of entertainment options - the Delta has an on-site bowling alley, squash courts, table tennis, indoor pool, hot tub, sauna and mini-golf. The Delta's location in downtown Kitchener means that you can find the Children's Museum, market, shops, eating establishments and Victoria Park (which could also be a great place for your wedding photos) only minutes away.

Rosanne and Riaz's biggest reason for choosing the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo for their wedding ceremony and reception was accessibility and location. "Many of our guests were coming from out of town so we wanted a venue that would be easy to locate, somewhere that could provide overnight accommodation for our guests and would be able to host both our ceremony and reception."

After the rehearsal and before the photos comes the ceremony, and if you want it to be in the same place as your reception, the Delta features the Trillium Suite which is a poolside ceremony room. And they close the pool, add a floating fountain and set up chairs for your ceremony.

Choosing your space

The Delta's wedding spaces have all been newly renovated and local bride Nicole says, "The changes that have occurred are amazing. The ballroom has been totally redone and it's beautiful! Very roomy, extremely comfortable, huge dance floor and very versatile colours that work well with whatever colours you have in your wedding." Kate told us, "The Delta is one of the last traditional wedding spaces in the area. The Ballroom has received all new carpet, wall treatments, wall sconce lighting and a refinished dance floor."

Michelle adds that the newly renovated ballroom was clean and spacious. "We were looking for an elegant ballroom atmosphere and we definity got that. Our colours were different shades of pink and went quite nicely with the new colours of the ballroom."

The Grand Ballroom holds 300 people, the Kitchener Suite holds 200, the Viking Suite holds up to 100 guests and the Trillium Suite, which is poolside, holds 90 for dinner and dancing.

The newly redecorated Grand Ballroom
• Holds approximately 280 guests for dinner and dancing.
• Has over 15 foot ceilings! Also features new wall sconce lighting, wallpaper, paint, carpeting and a newly refinished dance floor.
• Complimentary with 200 or more guests.

One of the biggest reasons that Michelle and Craig picked the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo for their wedding reception was because of the Grand Ballroom. "The size of the room was able to accommodate our wedding guests quite comfortably," says Michelle. "We were also looking for a venue where our guests didn't have far to go to sleep if they were visiting from out of town. Having the hotel accommodate our wedding guests was very convenient and a safe way to go."

Kitchener Suite
• Holds approximately 200 guests for dinner and dancing.
• Features a unique and stunning ceiling with multiple lights and an outside balcony located directly off the room.
• Complimentary with 100 or more guests.

Viking Suite
• Holds approximately 100 guests for dinner and dancing.
• Features neutral, light colours to offer an ideal backdrop for any style. Warm, natural light comes in through the windows.
• Complimentary with 60 or more guests.

Trillium Suite
• Used primarily for ceremonies by the poolside, and can hold up to 200 ceremony guests.
• $300 for your ceremony.
• Complimentary with 60 or more guests for your dinner.

Rosanne and Riaz held their ceremony at The Trillium Room and told us it was "the perfect size for the number of guests we had attending." Rosanne adds that "The Grand Ballroom had higher ceilings, which is something that was important to me for the full effect of my décor."

Click here for room capacities & layouts.

Spending the night

After your reception, you and your new husband get the luxury of simply taking the elevator to your upgraded guestroom for some complimentary champagne, both of which are included when you book your wedding at the Delta. You can also reserve a block of 10 or more rooms (averaging from $109 to $119 per night) for your guests to receive a discounted guestroom rate.

The Delta's botaniCa restaurant can also take care of your post wedding brunch before you flit off to your honeymoon. You and your guests can enjoy their long-standing popular Sunday brunch in their botaniCa restaurant on your wedding weekend for $18.95 per person, plus taxes and gratuities. When you book your wedding, you'll receive 10% off for that Sunday.

Packages & amenities

All wedding packages include a suitably sized banquet room with centrepieces, white linen table cloths and napkins, all the white china, silverware and glassware you need, custom table menus with your engagement photo, on-site parking for your guests and a menu tasting for two prior to your wedding.

Because the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo knows that wedding planning can sometimes be a hectic process, they offer all-inclusive wedding packages. The Celebration Package includes: a pre-dinner fruit punch reception, a traditional four-course meal with your choice of soup, salad, entrée and dessert, house wine during dinner, coffee and tea, host bar for four hours and a late night coffee station. Some traditional meal choices the Delta offers are mandarin orange salad, potato and leek soup, the always favoured chicken breast supreme, and specialties like apple chutney pork loin or herb-roasted turkey, plus several cheesecakes and other delectable desserts. This package starts at $89 per person, including taxes and gratuities.

The Royalty Package includes the same choices as above with an assortment of cold hors d'oeuvres added to the fruit punch reception, host bar for five hours and a deluxe four-course dinner with more exotic choices, such as Portobello mushroom salad, butternut squash soup, surf & turf, tortilla and herb-crusted salmon and tiramisu and truffle as just a taste of the deluxe desserts. This package starts at $109 per person, including taxes and gratuities.

"The Delta's prices were very resonable and the quality of food and drinks was definitely worth every penny," say Michelle and Craig.

"The menus provided by the Delta are guidelines but you are welcome to create your own menu to suit your taste and budget," says Kate.

What Rosanne and Riaz liked best about the options the Delta provided was that there were really no boundaries. "They did provide sample meal selections that were fabulous but I still was able to customize my meal to what I wanted," says Rosanne. "When it came down to it, the service and food we received were spectacular so of course it was worth every penny," they add, saying they would definitely recommend the Delta for other couples planning a wedding. "I am already trying to find another reason to have a party there," adds Rosanne. "Maybe a vow renewal down the road?!"

The Delta can also custom design an ice carving for your reception, complete with setup and lighting, and they have an on-site audio visual specialist that can accommodate your rental equipment requirements for a slideshow.

Wine corkage fees are $8 per 750 mL bottle and a Special Occasion License is required for homemade wine brought in.

Walking you through it

Kate recommends booking one year in advance, but they can, and do, accommodate last minute bookings (subject to availability) up to two weeks before the event. Once it has been determined that the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo is available for your day, book an appointment to tour the facility, discuss your needs and review the packages. When you decide that the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo is right for you, meet with Kate to take care of the contract, deposit and figure out your plans.

Every couple also enjoys a complimentary sample meal about two months prior to their wedding, which is based on the meal you selected for the reception, including portion sizes. You have an opportunity to meet the chef and fill out a feedback form to make sure the meal is exactly what you were hoping for.

Whatever package you end up choosing from Delta's selections, Kate advises that you and your groom "make sure that you take a few minutes during the day to just savour it. It's gone before you know, and you worked so hard on it; take a step back and just enjoy the fruits of your labour."

Overall, Michelle & Craig say they were thrilled with everything the Delta had to offer for their wedding. "The service, treatment, food quality, and especially the attention to details to make it our own special day, was wonderful."

Details, details, details

• Kate recommends booking 1 year (or more) ahead of your desired wedding date. If the Delta is available, they can accommodate last-minute bookings up to 2 weeks before the day of the wedding.
• A $1000 non-refundable deposit holds your date at the Delta.
• 90% of your balance is due 1 week prior to the wedding.
• Your full balance is due 72 hours before the wedding when you provide your final guaranteed number of guests.
• Friday or Sunday weddings receive special discounts.
• Refer your friend or family member to the Delta for their event and receive $250 cash following their wedding date.

Bride recommended...

Kim & Nick Dorken hosted their cocktails, dinner and reception at the Delta Kitchener-Waterloo on June 21, 2008. They also spent their wedding night in the Master Suite. In an interview, Kim told us why they loved their wedding location and why she recommends them to other local brides.

One of the biggest reasons they chose the Delta was its location. "The location in downtown Kitchener was fantastic! Guests as well as my groom and I were able to spend the night." Kim and her bridesmaids had a fun night before the wedding, and got ready in their hotel room the morning of the wedding. About working with Kate, Kim told us, "Kate was organized, had all the answers, was able to make suggestions about other areas of the wedding and she was very energetic!"

The happy couple hosted their reception in the Grand Ballroom, which Kim noted was beautiful, classy and elegant. Above all, what stood out for Kim and Nick was "the amazing service, prompt and done to perfection! On our wedding day they pulled everything together effortlessly, or at least that is how it looked!" When asked if they would recommend the Delta to local brides looking for a wedding venue, Kim enthusiastically told us, "Without a doubt!"

For more on Delta Kitchener-Waterloo...

Call or email Kate Wight, Wedding Specialist at Delta Kitchener-Waterloo at 519-744-4141 ext. 578 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You can also check them out online at www.deltakitchenerwaterloo.com. The hotel is located at 105 King Street East in Kitchener.