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A Queen’s Love Story: Returning to Kingston for Your Wedding

Ask anyone who went to Queen’s University and they’ll tell you: it was the time of their lives. There’s something about the Ivy-esque campus with its limestone buildings and lakeside location that makes it feel like a mini time capsule in the vibrant heart of Kingston. 

By Amanda Tryon

Published

For many couples, Queen’s University isn’t just where you earned a degree—it’s where your love story began. Between limestone buildings, leafy courtyards, and the sparkling waterfront, friendships blossom, communities form, and sometimes, romance takes root. Whether you met in lecture halls, at late-night study sessions, or during campus traditions, Kingston becomes a place of shared memories you’ll carry with you long after graduation. 

Even for those who move away, returning to Kingston to get married allows couples to celebrate their roots while creating new memories in the city that brought them together. For those still in Kingston, choosing Queen’s as the backdrop of your wedding day means reliving the moments that shaped your relationship—adding nostalgia and intimacy to your celebration. 

Queen’s University Wedding Venues & Photo Spots 

Queen’s University offers a range of spaces perfect for weddings of any size. From the elegant Ban High Hall to intimate courtyards and historic University Club rooms, alumni couples can tailor their wedding to reflect their style. Campus gardens, the arboretum, and waterfront pathways provide romantic, photo-ready settings, while iconic Queen’s buildings evoke the timeless beauty of your love story. 

Couples often take inspiration from campus traditions, recreating photos from nights out or strolling down familiar pathways for a personal, sentimental touch. Every corner of Queen’s, from ivy-clad lecture halls to lakeside spots, offers a romantic setting that’s uniquely yours. 

Extend Your Wedding into a Kingston Celebration 

Kingston’s charm extends beyond the campus. Historic downtown streets, waterfront restaurants, boutique hotels, and Fort Henry’s scenic grounds offer countless ways to complement your wedding weekend. Book accommodations on campus or downtown so your guests can easily explore Kingston, from charming cafés to lively cultural events, while staying close to the celebration. 

Many couples turn their wedding into a weekend-long reunion, welcoming alumni friends and family back to the city where their journey began. Kingston’s scenic beauty, vibrant culture, and historic venues make it easy to plan everything from rehearsal dinners to post-ceremony brunches. 

Romantic Memories That Last 

Your Queen’s wedding is more than a ceremony; it’s a continuation of your love story and a celebration of shared history. Capture portraits beneath sunlit arches, by the lakeside, or in gardens that have been part of your life together. Toast to your past and future surrounded by the city and campus that first brought you together. 

Returning to Kingston for your wedding or planning your celebration where it all began on campus, is a romantic way to honor your roots. And for years to come, anniversaries can be celebrated in Kingston, continuing the tradition of love, memories, and Queen’s University charm. 

Three Queen's venues to help you tie the knot

  1. Available from late April to August

    Nestled in the heart of the campus, Ban Righ can host parties from 100 to 400 large and can accommodate your ceremony, reception and banquet. 

    View the hall’s full package offerings here.

  2. Available from late April until August

    The beautifully designed, bright, open space of the Isabel is a gorgeous venue for your wedding of 100 to 180 guests. Let the sparkling waters of Lake Ontario be the backdrop of your special day as you let the party spill out to the lake-side patio.

    View the Isabel’s full package offerings here.

  3. Perfect for your intimate wedding for up to 120 guests, the Donald Gordon Centre offers a picturesque setting for your celebration. Take the ceremony to the manicured lawns of the property and bring everyone inside for the reception.

    View the Donald Gordon Centre package here.  

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