At The Boathouse Café, a wedding day can slip across the road to the historic Rideau Canal for a first look or photos as the sun goes down.
The café sits in the village of Burritts Rapids, directly opposite the Burritts Rapids lockstation, and guests can even arrive by boat. The property spans six acres of fields and forest, and the town of Merrickville is only a few minutes away.
Ceremonies can be held outdoors in five acres of open fields, which also suit a cocktail hour, or inside the café for up to 65 guests with the reception in the same room.
The newly renovated café is bright and open, with large windows, white walls, an extra large bar and a working fireplace in the main dining room. A 12 foot accordion door opens onto a new patio with its own bar, and an outdoor fire pit with Adirondack chairs keeps the evening going. Receptions seat up to 85 guests indoors, or 100 standing.
Rental includes tables, 120 bentwood chairs, patio furniture, bar service with the café's own bartenders, glassware and ice, built-in speakers and a wireless microphone, and floor plan help from the event manager. An on-site coordinator joins every wedding, starting four to six weeks before the day, and basic coffee and tea now come with wedding packages. Specialty coffee drinks, ice cream, a dessert buffet of house-baked treats and in-house decor can be added.
Upstairs, a private one-bedroom suite with its own fireplace, a balcony over the fields and views of the Rideau locks is a lovely place to get ready and stay the night, and it is included with many events.
The venue is heated and air conditioned, so weddings can happen in any season.
For couples who picture canal views, a crackling fire and a relaxed country celebration with the people they love, The Boathouse Café offers a wedding that feels like a getaway on the water.
We never use a venue’s photos without permission.
