A Trendy Retro-Rustic Wedding Open House at The Jam Factory

Hidden in plain sight and nestled in the trendy Riverside neighbourhood, The Jam Factory celebrated its first-ever open house this past weekend. Filled to the brim with character and in-demand rustic features, the historic venue featured oodles exposed brick walls and charming wooden beams. The 150 year old space was recently revitalized and has quickly risen to become one of the city's most desirable wedding and special event spaces. This venue checks all the boxes for couples in search for an intimate, unique, and non-traditional event space. Diego Moura Photography captures all the festivities and fun of the day. The team at Higgins Event Rentals featured multiple table decor options showcasing but a small sample of their beautiful rentals. Another huge selling point of the space is that it offers couples a blank canvas that works with just about any style, making is easy to personalize to any taste. No one went hungry at this afternoon affair with delicious food samples offered by the venue's preferred catering list. Starting with the savoury: Food Dudes brought an impressive lineup consisting of a stunning cheese tray, a delicious Asian chopped salad, and some I-bet-you-can't-eat-just-five General Tao Chicken bites. Chef Kevin Castonguay from ProvisionsTO delighted guests with their take on Korean Pork Pancakes: portably-perfect, melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork served on a petite, gently sweetened, warmed pancake. Absolutely delish! In the sweets department, Gusto 54 brought a deluge of desserts complete with tiramisu, decadent brownies and biscotti while en Ville Event Design and Catering delighted guests with delicious house-baked pastries. The event featured a good number of talented, local wedding artisans like Love in Bloom Cakes, June Bloom Events, and Floral Fetish (just to name a few) - all onsite to chat with the guests about their upcoming celebration. The team at Evolved Entertainment kept the crowd energized with live performances and music throughout the day. The Jam Factory delivered big time hosting an entertaining event complete with some of Toronto's top vendors! The retro-rustic space has that old world charm that so many couples are after, but with a modern twist - ideal for anyone looking to host a distinct and one of a kind event. If you're on the market for an intimate and historically unique event space, look no further than The Jam Factory!  

SNEAK PEAK: Toronto’s Top Caterers Share What’s to Come For the 2018 Catering Season!

Any foodie worth their salt will tell you, the start of a new year brings a totally fresh perspective on catering and special events! Whether you're a food-first couple, a purveyor of all things delicious, or a socially awkward eat-first-talk-never foodaholic, you'll definitely want to be in the know of what epicurean tastes await this coming season. So, in true EventSource fashion, we reached out to a handful of Toronto's favourite caterers to find out what's cooking for 2018. By the way, if the idea of eating and greeting your way through 12 of Toronto's best caterers throughout the course of an afternoon sounds like your idea of heaven, you'll absolutely want to check out our coverage of last year's Toronto Catering Showcase.

Wild Striped Bass Crudo - "Island Flavours"

 Sunchokes

You Gotta Thai This

King Oyster Mushroom Scallops

Elevated Classics

Plant-Based Eats

Sausage Meatballs

Ontario Whitefish Ceviche on a Wonton Taco

Chick Peas Three Ways

Homemade BBQ Pork, Shrimp

Build-Your-Own Buffet Bonanza

Ahi Tuna "Sushi" Bagel

Decadent Farm to Table Desserts

An Annual Open House at the Historic Burroughes Building

Known for its stellar loft space and stunning rooftop views, The Burroughes is a unique and popular event space found in the heart of downtown Toronto. Their annual Open House is always a killer party and this year did not disappoint! This 6,000 square-foot blank canvas space features exposed brick, original hardwood floors, post and beam, and large windows overlooking downtown Toronto. The venue is a versatile space that can be transformed into a dramatic backdrop for any type of event such as social, corporate, exhibitions, weddings and creative events alike. It was certainly a beautiful backdrop to this party! With delicious bites from some of the city's finest Caterers, trendy interactive stations and lush floral from Hunt and Gather, guests enjoyed all that this venue had to offer in one night. People were raving all night about the festivities and luckily Olive Photography was there to capture it all. [vendor_shortcuts]elle cuisine featured passed canapes and a beautiful station that was a feast for the eyes and belly. Their passed canapes packed a punch, including Jerk Marinated Prawns, Yorkshire Pudding, and Kung Pao Cauliflower. Their interactive station featured two types of Gnocchi - handmade herb-infused Gnocchi with house made Chicken Chorizo Sausage, and handmade Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi with San Marzano Tomato Sauce and house made Ricotta Cheese. Delish! en Ville Event Design and Catering brought some Asian flair with their Bao Slider Station. Fluffy fresh steamed Mantou Buns were filled with a choice of roasted Pork Belly or Fried Tofu. Accompanied by pickled Carrot Slaw, Hoisin Sauce, Scallion, Silantro, Sichuan Chili Sauce and Bean Sprouts, it was both fun and easy to eat. Mini bites are always popular at events. Marigolds & Onions had a beautiful display of bite-size treats, including a Smoked Salmon Medelaine and Mini Profiteroles filled with Blueberry, Raspberry and Vanilla Mousse. They were almost too cute to eat! Did someone say bacon? Encore Catering had fragrant mini bites to feast on. Their Jamon + Date was a crowd favourite, featuring a Bacon-Wrapped Date (so unique!). Guests also got to try a passed Vegetable Pakora with Mint Tamarind Chutney and Raita dipping sauces. Sometimes when you go to a cocktail reception, you worry there won't be enough substantial food. But Food Dudes did not disappoint! Their Lobster Queso and BBQ Burgers were a huge hit, especially when grilled to order. Poke Bowls have taken Toronto by storm, so it would only be appropriate to have a Poke station! Daniel et Daniel Catering & Events set up their own take on a Tuna Poke Bowl station, giving guests an elevated take on a popular, low-key dish. ProvisionsTO delighted guests with a deconstructed Tortilla bowl with Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs, garnished with Ginger Scallion Slaw, Kimchi and fresh Cucumber. Such a fun take on Asian-fusion! Presidential Gourmet treated guests to both savoury and sweet dishes. On the savoury side, their Huli Hulli Chicken on Hawaiian Fried Rice: a comforting dish with a nice crunch. For sweets, they showcased an oversized Macaron Petit Gateau with Raspberries and Pineapple Crème Fraiche Ganache. For those who wanted some greens, Sublime Catering's Live Salad Green Station was a fun take on the traditional salad. Harvested live greens were mixed with a wide selection of toppings to create the perfect salad, including Sous Vide Poached Egg, house made Salmon Gravlax, Maple Roasted Pork Belly, and puffed Wild Rice. Up on the rooftop, Drake Catering offered both food and drink. Their food station featured a vibrant Sweet Potato Crostini with Stracciatella, Persimmon Agrodolce, Raw Asparagus, and Fish Roe. Guests enjoyed a cocktail, featuring ginger beer, whiskey and custom mixed bitters. Some fantastic prizes were up for grabs, as is custom every year. The prizes were set against a tropical backdrop made up of different types of foliage, perfect for the summer! Absolutely stunning set up and the prize table by All That Jaz Weddings No party is complete without live music and great drinks. Magen Boys Entertainment provided the soundtrack for the night, with live musicians on saxophone and electric violin. Over at the bar, Leave It To Us kept guests happy with drinks from Pommies Cider Co. and Ace Hill Beer. After all the savoury foods, it was time for dessert. The S'mores station from Double Chocolate Fountainwas such a hit with everyone. Interactive food stations where guests have to get involved are always a good idea. And s'mores? A great idea! Photobooths have definitely had their days at events. But Event Circle continues to push the envelope with booths to come up with fun, interactive stations. Their boomerang booth was like a life-size version of the popular Instagram feature. It was a hoot! As an event planner (oh hey, that's me!), I'm always looking for great ideas to bring to my Clients, and this event is always a fantastic jumping off point. Clients are wanting the newest, trendiest and most unique ideas, and seeing them firsthand is amazingly helpful. Speaking of ideas, I loved the string lights and the vibrant colours featured on the sample table by Chair-man Mills. Olga Pankova - Live Event Artist clearly in the zone, doing her thing I can always count on The Burroughes to put on a great event. With so many tasty treats and and a handful of talented vendors on site (can't forget about Enduring Promises or Toronto Popcorn Company), you can be sure that everyone left happy and very full. Until next time!