Three tables have been set at Manoir Blackswan, and no two of them look alike.
The first was white from end to end: ivory satin, cut crystal, silver, and in the centre, dozens of candles standing directly on the cloth. The second was nearly black: a brown velvet cloth, midnight-blue plates on gilded chargers, rust-coloured candles in brass candelabras, and pears between the glasses. The third was set under the tent, in long rows, with olive velvet chairs and burgundy napkins.
Without captions, you would think these were three different venues. Yet it is the same address.
That is why the Manoir provides neither the plates, nor the linens, nor the chairs for the reception. A venue at this price that does not provide the table comes as a surprise. Here is why, and what it changes for your budget.
The Manoir provides the venue, you compose the table
Manoir Blackswan is in Châteauguay, 30 minutes from downtown Montreal. It hosts weddings with accommodation: the estate is privatized from Friday to Sunday, for one couple at a time, from May to October. The privatization starts at $15,000.
The rule is simple. The Manoir provides everything that is part of the estate: the buildings, the gardens, the tent, the pool. The period tableware is part of it too, which is why it stays indoors. For your part, you choose everything that goes on the reception table.
Why we do not own a hundred identical plates
A reception hall that owns its tableware has to use it. It bought its white plates, its glasses and its tablecloths, and it brings them out every Saturday. The couple chooses the colour of the napkins, sometimes the chair covers.
The model has its merits. It is simple, and it is reassuring. But two weddings held a month apart end up looking alike: their table photos could be swapped without anyone noticing, not even the couples.
The Manoir was furnished one piece at a time, and every object in it was chosen. The same goes for a table. A gold fork does not create the same mood as a stainless steel fork. A velvet chair is not as comfortable as a folding chair. Your guests will forget the size of the tent. They will remember the glass they held, and the chair they sat in for four hours.
So we made the opposite choice. The Manoir's decor is already rich: marble, a hand-carved fireplace, the black and white checkerboard floor, furniture found one piece at a time. It lends itself to opulence. The table is yours, because that is where your guests will recognize your story.
The Manoir's period tableware is yours all weekend
The Manoir does have its own tableware, and you are welcome to use it.
The cabinets hold period bone china plates, in several colours and several patterns. They also hold antique crystal glassware from France, and period silver: serving trays, presentation dishes, cutlery. All of it is yours from Friday to Sunday, for the arrival supper, Saturday morning coffee and brunch the day after.
There is one exception: these pieces do not go out for the outdoor reception. They are old, they were gathered one at a time, and they stay inside the Manoir.
These plates are all different. None of them exists in a hundred copies. On Sunday, your family will have brunch on china that has a history. On Saturday night, they will sit down at the table you imagined.
What it changes, line by line
| In a reception hall | In a privatized manor | |
|---|---|---|
| The table | The same plate and the same glass as last Saturday | The one you put together, rented for you alone |
| The floor plan | Already decided, usually round tables | Round tables, long tables or a cocktail reception |
| The caterer | The venue's own, with two or three menus | The one you choose, tasted here before the wedding |
| The schedule | An arrival time and a closing time | The estate is yours from Friday to Sunday |
| The end of the night | Everyone drives home | Your family sleeps on site: 14 people, 2 nights |
| The photos | Similar from one wedding to the next | Every wedding has its own table |
| The budget | A price per person, nearly all-inclusive | The price of the venue, then your choices |
| Your share of the work | A few boxes to tick | Choices to make and vendors to hire |
Take the floor plan. It changes the evening more than people think. At a round table of ten, you talk mostly to your two neighbours. At a long table, conversation travels from one end to the other and dishes pass from hand to hand. At a cocktail reception, no one has an assigned seat: people move around, and the groom's friends end up knowing the bride's aunts. With the same guests, these are three different evenings.
What this freedom costs you
It costs money and time. Better to know now.
The $15,000 pays for the venue, the tent and accommodation for 14 people. The table, the meal, the flowers and the music are added, and the total depends on your choices. A simple table and a table of crystal and silver do not cost the same.
Here, the only limit is the budget you set for yourselves. That works both ways: nothing obliges you to be extravagant, and nothing stops you.
There is also time. Choosing a chair, a glass, then the linen that goes with them: some couples love it. Others tire quickly. If your dream is to sign a single contract and arrive on Saturday, a reception hall that provides everything will serve you better than we will. That is a perfectly valid choice. We have compared five estates near Montreal to help you see which one suits you.
You are not organizing everything alone
Renting a mansion for your wedding does not mean organizing everything alone.
The estate's team is with you from the planning stage. We have select vendors to recommend. You can also introduce someone you care about. We speak with every vendor before the wedding, without exception.
The menu tasting takes place at the estate. For your guests, 75 parking spaces are available at Saint-Joachim church, close by, at the water's edge. Plan for a shuttle or a valet: it is what makes arriving and leaving pleasant for everyone.
One last piece of advice, for the visit. Bring a picture that inspires you: a table you saw in a restaurant, a painting, your grandmother's dining room. We will start from there.
Emmanuel HébertManoir Blackswan