Like many Kitchener locals, the team at The Ring knew Elements and Wax to be hot spots on the night club scene. They open to the public on Saturday nights and then play host to chart-topping celebs like Lady Gaga, Our Lady Peace and Collective Soul at select dates throughout the year. It wasn't until we were scouting locations for The 2009 K-W Brides' Ball that we saw for ourselves how fabulous these locations could be for a multitude of different types of events - including weddings. From the dark, almost-vintage style space of Elements (which was once a theatre, complete with neon marquis in front), to the multi-level, more intimate space of Wax, the doors are open for glam-style wedding receptions, after parties, engagement parties and more. In fact, both Elements and Wax already host corporate events (from Manulife to Rogers), fundraisers and charity events - one of which, in the summer of '09, was The Brides' Ball. We sat down with Stephanie Van De Ven, Marketing & Events Coordinator at the company behind the club-style wedding locales, KW Guelph Weddings, to find out exactly what a bride can and will love about Elements and Wax. Check it out…

The weddings & events team

KW Guelph Weddings handles the coordination of all weddings at Elements and Wax (in addition to Dallas in Kitchener and Opus in Guelph and Kitchener). They are an extension of CMG Entertainment and say they've been planning and coordinating weddings, events and everything in between for over twenty years in their venues in Kitchener and Guelph. Stephanie is the Marketing & Events Coordinator for KW Guelph Weddings and will be brides' first contact when they check out the Elements or Wax venues. Stephanie has a degree in Marketing & Event Management and meets with couples from start to finish throughout the planning process. She says, "KW Guelph Weddings has been involved in events, weddings, marketing, concerts, and more… It’s what we do best!" Between all of the team members, KW Guelph Weddings has over twenty years of combined, on-premises experience with events, weddings and catering.

A big contributor to the team is Executive Chef Tim Halley, who has his Red Seal Chef's papers and works with Stephanie on each event. Tim also personally meets with couples to discuss the food aspect of the event and prepares a menu that's scripted just for them. "We have enough experience and passion to make any event perfect," explained Stephanie, who assures couples that event staff and venue managers are always present on the big day to help make sure everything runs according to plan.

Weddings at Elements

Elements has been the host of hundreds of events from concerts to galas, and now, they want Kitchener to envision weddings in their chic venue. Since it can host concerts, you can be sure that's it's a large enough venue for couples with big families.

Elements fronts onto King Street, close to The Walper, Kitchener City Hall and one very big parking lot (a rare find in downtown Kitchener). Walking in through the front doors and underneath the theatre-style marquis sign, a long hallway allows guests to check their coats, view seating charts or place cards, sign the guest book and ultimately be lead into the main area of the venue - a large, open concept space with high, cathedral-like ceilings. Here, you'll find a long, chic bar, booths, and space for round tables to be set up, a stage for the head table, disc jockey, or live band, and of course the dance floor where friends and family can dance with the bride and groom into the wee hours of the morning.

There's also tons of room for dining, dancing, speeches, and, as Stephanie described, "a place where decoration and inspiration make your day perfect!" For The 2009 K-W Brides' Ball, hosted by The Wedding Ring, we enlisted the help of some of our favourite local decorators and let them loose on the space. We were blown away with the transformation that the space took on when we turned it from a night club to a chic and glamorous space for a fun and fancy night. Kim Rasokas of The Creative Bride took full advantage of the height of the room with a large, chandelier that was encrusted with crystals and hung a full six feet from the peak above. Just the right mix of linens (in black damask, white and pink from Julia Weddings) and centrepieces from The Event Firm did the rest. Just check out the photos to the right and see for yourself!

Some of the most popular features of Elements that Stephanie told us about are their enormous Guinness-book-of-records-sized disco ball, huge dance floor, and spacious stage with state of the art sound and lighting.

Elements is also a multi-level space, so even large weddings have tons of space to move around. A private room creates the opportunity to design your own private VIP room, either to use for the wedding party to catch their breath and a bit of VIP service, or to open up to guests who'd like to lounge and talk. The Ring used the room for a VIP/Tuxedo Lounge at The Brides' Ball.

Weddings at Wax

Wax is located above Bobby O'Brien's, also on King Street (only about a block down from Elements) and is best suited for smaller, more intimate events. Since they're used to catering to the vibes of DJs, Wax has an amazing sound and lighting system. An upper level allows guests space to mingle and talk and look down over the dance floor.

Check out the KW Guelph Weddings website for photos of this venue, and inquire within for specific details on their seating, catering, and more.

Budget-friendly for brides

Stephanie says that Elements and Wax are flexible when it comes to budgeting with brides. KW Guelph Weddings doesn't really have pre-set packages or prices. Instead, they told us that the average couple spends between $5000 and $8000 on their reception at Elements or Wax (taxes and gratuities extra). Stephanie's objective is to work with couples' budgets, offering everything from venue to menu, determined entirely on what the bride and groom are looking for. And we believe her - Elements and KW Guelph Weddings were fabulous when it came to The Brides' Ball budget, going far and beyond to help us make it happen.

Sound check

Many disc jockeys love the opportunity to work in a night club atmosphere because of the production-style sound and lighting systems that often come with them. Wax and Elements are each one of those venues. Their high quality sound and lighting is ready and waiting for your DJ, offering plenty of options for dinner lighting, speeches, and of course the dance.

Whatever a bride wants…

With all of the events that Elements and Wax host, Stephanie finds reward in making their clients happy. Striking the perfect balance of options, services, spaces and budget flexibility is an ongoing process. "We have a variety of unique venues and packages to suit everyone… We also follow trends, work with our affiliates to keep in the know, and work with the brides and bridal parties to give them whatever they want." And she means it - whatever you want. "We offer everything from venue to menu," Stephanie says. Whether that's sound, lighting, DJ, décor, or more, Elements and Wax uses a list of preferred vendors to help couples with any detail they need. "We help you secure and explore options with the extras like flowers, music, favours, etcetera. We are your one-stop shop!"

Walking you through it...

As soon as you know you want to host your wedding reception at either Elements or Wax, Stephanie says to contact her by email. You can set up an appointment to meet at the venue, check it out, ask questions, and tell Stephanie all about your wedding day plans. She recommends booking at least six months before your wedding, but sooner is even better since they're always busy with events and weddings.

"From the moment you decide to work with us for your wedding day, we provide non-stop, constant support, help, advice, suggestions, and complete organization from start to finish," says Stephanie. "We can meet as often as you like." Aside from checking out the venue before the big day, you also get to sample the menu!

To secure your day a deposit is required, but, like most of KW Guelph Weddings' services, this is also flexible. "We’re always willing to work with you," says Stephanie.

Throughout the process, even after the wedding, Stephanie says she likes to keep in contact with couples. During, Stephanie makes sure everyone is on the same page, and after the wedding, she follows up to make sure everything went smoothly.

With venues this unique and glam taking over in the world of wedding fashion, we wouldn't be surprised if Elements and Wax soon became the hot spot in chic, local weddings.

Contacting KW Guelph Weddings

Stephanie Van De Ven, Wedding Specialist at KW Guelph Weddings can be reached by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 519-743-5657. You can also visit KW Guelph Weddings online at www.kwguelphweddings.ca.

KW Guelph Weddings also offers other venues in the area: Dallas and Opus