I recently attended a wedding at the Nakoda Lodge. I couldn't believe how beautiful the location was. I have been past this area many times, but didn't realize that a large facility was there for events such as this. It's located east of Canmore and is only about an hour drive from downtown Calgary.
The buffet dinner was really quite good, compared to some wedding buffets that I've been to! Some of the highlights were the grilled cedar plank salmon and the mediterranean fatoush salad (cucumber, red onion, olives, tomatoes, chick peas and thinly sliced hearts of Romaine in an olive oil and lemon vinaigrette).
Where this experience stood apart was with the excellent service that we received. Someone was always around when we needed something, and immediately went above and beyond to make us happy. I was helping decorate the cake in between the ceremony and reception. We had forgotten to take the icing out of the fridge before the ceremony, and I thought we were going to be stuck trying to ice the cake with cold, stiff icing. Instead, the chef jumped in and helped us by heating it in his large industrial sized warmer. Crisis averted!! The staff for the remainder of the evening stopped by each table frequently to see if anything was needed. They did a great job.
The room rates weren't cheap but they certainly weren't too outrageous either (~$170 plus tax per night). The rooms were clean and functional, although we didn't spend much time there with all of the wedding festivities that were going on. For guests wanting to save some money (or have a more unique experience), there were also tipis available. Many guests also brought trailers and just camped for the weekend.
We had a great time, and I would look forward to attending another wedding at this venue. read more