Hidden Valley Resort

Some weddings are a single evening. At Hidden Valley Resort, a wedding can become a whole Muskoka weekend by the lake.

The resort sits on the shoreline of Peninsula Lake near Huntsville, about half an hour from Algonquin Park and roughly two hours north of Toronto. It is a four-season resort, which means couples can plan around summer on the water, autumn colour or snow on the nearby Hidden Valley Highland Ski Hill.

Hidden Valley offers 100 guest rooms and 6,500 square feet of meeting and event space all under one roof, with four function rooms ranging from a 200-square-foot boardroom to the 2,350-square-foot Highland Ballroom. The resort can host anything from an intimate gathering to an elegant dinner for 200 people.

Ceremonies can be held on site, indoors or outdoors. Cocktail receptions can take place on the outdoor patio with hors d'oeuvres, before guests move to the large ballroom for dinner and dancing. The banquet rooms are filled with natural light and look out to Peninsula Lake and the ski hill.

A dedicated wedding planner works with couples from the beginning, and the resort can help with catering, accommodations, decor ideas, entertainment and referrals. Menus include plated or buffet dinners, a choice of house or premium wines, and late-night coffee, sweets, platters or pizza. On-site audio visual services are available, and rehearsal dinner options can be arranged as well.

Guests can stay right at the resort, with special wedding room rates offered based on availability. Between celebrations there is a sand beach, canoeing and kayaking, indoor and outdoor pools, a hot tub, tennis courts, a spa and an on-site restaurant and bar.

The resort is also well suited to an exclusive buyout, giving families the chance to have the whole place to themselves.

For couples who want a lakeside Muskoka wedding where the ceremony, dinner, dancing and the morning after all happen in one place, Hidden Valley Resort offers a celebration that can unfold at an easy cottage-country pace.