Let the Best Western Dorchester Hotel show you why weddings are our specialty Best Western Dorchester Reception Congratulations on your Engagement! If you choose the Best Western Dorchester Hotel for the most celebrated day of your lives, our tradition of hospitality will ensure your wedding day is filled with perfect, once in a lifetime memories! We would be pleased to invite you for a site inspection of our property, as well as a bridal consultation. We will tentatively block space for you until you are able to contact us with your decision, or until we receive another request for your date, at which time we would call and advise you of another inquiry. Located central island on downtown Nanaimo’s Inner Harbour, we are easily accessible by land, sea or air. We offer elegant surroundings and attentive service from friendly and professional staff. Parking Facilities With overnight guest accommodation the hotel will provide a complimentary parking spot for the duration of the stay. There is ample parking within a block of the hotel for 50 cents per hour or $4.00 per day. Room Rental Options Our Opera Room, which will hold up to 160 guests (including the head table) for a Dinner/Dance. Our upper dining room can hold up to 80 people for a dinner/dance and rents for $500.00 as is. There is an additional fee of $500.00 to switch the tables in the dining room from square tables to round tables when storage is available. We do require a $500.00 non-refundable deposit upon securing the reception space as well as a 50% of the total cost 6 months prior to your wedding date with the remainder to be paid 2 weeks prior to your wedding reception. Ceremony Options If you chose to have your ceremony on site it would pose an additional cost of $100.00. If you have more than 80 guests we would use the Opera room and less than 80 guests we would use the Harbour room. Decorations & Set-Up It would be the responsibility of the Bridal party to decorate and remove decorations that are not already listed in the package to follow i.e. balloons. We are again fairly flexible with regard to decorations, but this would need to be discussed in further detail at the time of booking. With regard to set-up and clean up, it is the Hotel Catering Staff’s responsibility to Set-Up Tables, Chairs, Plateware, Glassware, Flatware, Linen Tablecloths & Napkins, etc. We would also be responsible for the clean up in this regard. Reception Room Set-Up Options The Opera room has a large Hardwood dance floor in the centre of the room, with three antique crystal chandeliers suspended from a coffered ceiling. We would suggest the set-up be with our 5-foot diameter round tables (each seats 8ppl max) placed around the dance floor. At the front of the room we would provide 16” high staging, which holds 8-foot tables, skirted and would seat a head table of up to 10 people. In addition, if you were having a Buffet style dinner for 80ppl or more, we would give you the adjoining Harbour room to set-up the buffet. There would be no extra charge for the Harbour Room, subject to availability. Linen We have White tablecloths, with your choice of a variety of colours for your napkins. We have a sample sheet for you to choose from. There is no additional charge for this extra service. Sound System We do not provide a sound system, but would suggest that you hire a DJ. If you wish to have a live band it would depend on the size of your Reception. We may not have room for the band to set up. We do not have a Piano on site, but could arrange to rent one with the cost payable to you. We would provide you with the use of a podium and Microphone at no extra cost to you. With any music, whether a band or DJ, your event contract will include SOCAN Fees (society of composers, authors and music publishers of Canada), which the hotel has to collect and forward to SOCAN. Menu Selections With regards to our Food & Beverage service, our menu price is $25.95 per person. Children 12 and under would be charged a dollar per year if they chose to eat the buffet. Children’s menu selection (i.e. macaroni & cheese, chicken fingers etc.) would be $6.95 per meal requested. We can offer menus especially pre-selected for you by our Executive Chef. We will endeavor to meet and exceed your expectations! Wedding Cakes With regards to bringing in a wedding cake, this is a normal practice and would not present any extra charge from the hotel. We will gladly cut and place the cake on the dessert buffet for your guests to enjoy. You may also wish to have your cake cut and served to your guests. Each plate will be tastefully decorated. This service is an additional charge of $1.50 per person. Food & Beverage Gratuity A house service charge of 15% is added to all catered group food and beverage accounts. Liquor Regulations The Best Western Dorchester Hotel under the accordance of the British Columbia Liquor Control Board must purchase and serve all alcoholic beverages on the hotel property. The option of charging a corkage fee to bring in liquor is not available. Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact us, as your call is most welcome. The Best Western Dorchester Hotel looks forward to welcoming you and your guests and offering the very best in service and attention