Palais Royale Ballroom

A wedding at Palais Royale means dancing in a historic lakeside ballroom where big band legends once played, with Lake Ontario stretching out beyond the deck.

For close to a century, Palais Royale has stood on Toronto's waterfront, hosting musicians such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie. A revival in 2005 restored it as one of the city's premier event venues, with views of the lake and the skyline.

Only one event is held at a time, so couples have the whole venue and every available room to themselves.

Outside, a landscaped two-tiered deck of about 4,000 square feet overlooks the lakefront, a lovely spot for a ceremony, cocktails and photos by the water.

Inside, the main ballroom blends cream and platinum tones with aged wood under a soaring barrel-vaulted ceiling, with art deco furnishings throughout. The famous dance floor sits before a stage framed by art deco railings, and two bars flank the original stone fireplace. Behind the stage, the private Red Room offers a quiet retreat.

A professional kitchen on site handles the catering, and the lower level includes a private suite where the couple can get ready, a cozy lounge and marble washrooms. The venue welcomes weddings of every kind, including same-sex weddings.

For couples who picture vows beside the lake and a night on a legendary dance floor, Palais Royale offers a wedding that feels glamorous, historic and full of music.