Canadians looking for a campy Vegas-style wedding chapel elopement (but perhaps want to avoid travelling to the U.S. due to ongoing economic threats) will soon be in luck. BFFs Hannah Stein and Victoria Wild are cofounders of the soon-to-open ‘Two of Hearts Chapel’, a venue that will bring Sin City kitsch to Toronto.
The idea seems to be picking up steam and there’s certainly a following for elopement-style weddings (there’s already a waitlist for those interested in booking at the chapel).
Elopements tend to be a bit smaller, more intimate, and budget-friendly compared to larger, traditional weddings, which tend to be a bit more labour-intensive and a lot more expensive.
For Stein — when she and her fiancé, Liam, got engaged three years ago, they didn’t like the options presented to them in Ontario. For one, the costs weren’t within their budget. They considered getting married at Toronto City Hall and then throwing a small party with some friends and family members, but that would have still been pretty pricey — it costs $325 plus HST to marry at the Toronto City Hall Wedding Chambers (although this includes a marriage officiant), a booking fee costs $133.50 for 30 minutes, and a marriage license fee would set you back $160.
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“We just weren’t seeing anything we really liked,” Stein told Bradford Today. “We wanted something a little more intimate and beautiful but still affordable. After some time, we stopped thinking about getting married.”
The couple searched for a Vegas-style venue in Ontario — a place with a more eccentric vibe — but they were surprised that such a chapel didn’t exist.
So, Stein and Liam took the money they were going to use toward their wedding and teamed up with Wild (who’s a professional wedding planner) to start Two of Hearts Chapel — the venue will be more affordable as well as associated with the campiness of Vegas (a sort of middle ground between a City Hall ceremony and a traditional wedding experience). Expect a large, ceremonial stage adorned with a big lit-up heart and faux cakes (so perfect photo ops), drawing inspo from 80s cult-classics like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
They don’t have a building yet, but they’re working with a commercial real estate agent and expect everything to be secure by the end of 2025.
“People are saying they’re holding off on getting married until we get going, which is really exciting,” Stein told the publication.
If you’re looking for a Vegas-style wedding right here in Toronto, join the Two of Hearts Chapel’s waitlist. If you haven’t reached the engagement stage as yet (but would like to), then check out some of the most romantic spots to propose in Toronto!
