Skip to main content
Weddings
This venue is popular with couples. Start a conversation

About

On WeddingWire since 2021

Last update: April 2023

A contemporary West Coast restaurant in a beautiful Heritage Mansion, overlooking Deer Lake in Burnaby. Since opening as a restaurant and wedding venue for 30 years, it has been the location of unforgettable ceremonies & receptions. Hart House Restaurant is close to Burnaby Village Museum. Vancouver International Airport is half an hour away from the venue.

Facilities and Capacity

The main restaurant accommodates 80 guests seated, and 100 guests reception-style. An exclusive booking of the restaurant can be combined with an outdoor ceremony (rainy day ceremony option: our Rosedale Room located on the 2nd floor).

Starting in mid-May of each year, the marquee tent can accommodate up to 200 guests with a seated reception. Wedding ceremonies are performed on the lawn overlooking Deer Lake. The tent features crystal chandeliers, a draped ceiling, a dance floor and stunning views of the grounds and water.

Evening bookings start at 5:00pm and conclude at 12:00am. Tented daytime bookings are available on Sundays with a seven hour timeframe anytime between 12pm and midnight.

Extensions of bookings are available but are subject to additional rental fees or minimums.

Couples that want to book a ceremony only (without food and beverage reception) can do so on Saturdays between 10:30am and 12pm.

Deer Lake Park offers a wide variety of beautiful backdrops for wedding photography. Enjoy a photo session in the park while your guests mingle by the lake with cocktails and delicious canapés.

Services Offered

The experienced event planners will help couples in planning their entire event. The event manager of Hart House Restaurant will take care of every detail to ensure your celebration is flawless and enjoyable. In addition, venue is happy to provide couples with a list of vendor referrals for decorators, wedding commissioners, DJ, and more. Services provided by the venue include the following:

  • Round Tables and white padded folding chairs
  • Ceremony set up with white chairs and clothed signing table
  • White square linens, including cloth napkins (floor length linens available with extra charge)
  • China, flatware, and stemware
  • Dance Floor
  • Set up and cleanup (restaurant's own equipment only)
  • Guest book table, cake table, gift table with white linens
  • Complimentary bride’s waiting room with floor length mirror for tented and restaurant weddings
  • Planning assistance and vendor recommendations
  • Podium
  • Microphone and background music (indoor only)
  • Free parking

Cuisine

Their Executive Chef creates menus that are sustainable and sourced locally. He believes that quality ingredients are essential in creating a fantastic dining experience. Their menu features Mediterranean Inspired Cuisine with a focus on the freshest regional and seasonal produce. Hart House Restaurant is a proud member of Oceanwise.

Hart House Restaurant provides all food and beverages, with the exception of wedding cakes. A fee will be charged for the cutting and plating of wedding cakes. No charge will apply to cupcakes or faux cakes. Food and beverage minimums apply to all bookings.

All menu details are finalized one month prior to the event. If a plated menu is chosen, main course choices must be pre-ordered and submitted to Hart House no later than 10 days prior to the event. They recommend scheduling at least one face to face meeting with one of their planners before invitations are printed and mailed. Menu prices are subject to change; the availability of menu items can vary depending on the season. In lieu of menu tastings, they offer a complimentary a la carte dinner for the bride and groom in their restaurant, once the wedding is confirmed. This offer is subject to a minimum size of the planned event, and applies to food only.

History

New Westminster businessman Frederick Hart purchased the 13-acre estate in 1906, and leading architect Frank Macey designed the Tudor revival building. The Montague Moore family purchased the estate in 1916 and developed the garden. Standard Oil executive Ralph Baker purchased the property in 1950 and started the process of modernizing and improving the facility. The modernization process was continued by the Charles Riley family after they purchased the estate in the mid-1950s. In 1979, the Corporation of the District of Burnaby purchased the property, and it was occasionally used as a film set for productions starring personalities such as Bette Davis and James Brolin. The District approached Paul Smolen, Hart House's current owner, about considering the prospect of opening a restaurant at the estate. Paul Smolen, along with his partners, opened Hart House in 1988.

Messages sent successfully.

Bundle and save time!
Contact Hart House Restaurant and their preferred vendors

Frequently asked questions

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

5

Describe your venue:

Mansion
Manor
Restaurant

Describe the style of your venue:

Classic
Garden
Vintage
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Covered outdoor
Indoor
Uncovered outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal shower
Engagement party
Rehearsal dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bridal suite
Catering / bar
Event planning
Event rentals
Liability insurance
Lighting / sound
Outside vendors
Set up

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail reception
Dessert
Family style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash bar
Champagne toast
House beer
House wine
House liquor
Limited bar
Liquor license
Open bar
Premium liquor
Signature drink
Specialty beer
Specialty wine

What event items are available?

Dance floor
Furniture
Lighting
Chairs
Tables
Tents

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair access

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$4,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$200

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$3,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$1,500

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Set up
Clean up
Event planning
Chairs
Parking

What is the average catering price per person for plated service?

$70

What is the average catering price per person for buffet service?

$75

What is the average catering price per person for stations?

$60

What is the average catering price per person for hors d'oeurves?

$25

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake cutting
Server(s)
Dessert

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$10

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Limited bar
Open bar
House beer
Specialty beer
House wine
Champagne toast
House liquor
Signature drink
Bartenders
illustration question

Any other questions?

Request pricing
4.9 out of 5 rating
25 reviews
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
92% Recommended by couples
E
Elsa W. Sent on 22/08/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely Seamless!

I couldn't recommend the Hart House enough. From the planning process to the actual day, everything was just seamless and stress free. We had so many guests give overwhelming compliments for the food and the service which was very important to us! I couldn't of asked for a more wonderful day and a lot of that is owed to the Hart House. Sonja the coordinator at the Hart House, seriously makes weddings look easy, she is so organized and was such a huge help throughout the whole planning process. She really was a huge part of this all going so smoothly! We are so grateful to her and the Hart House!
Karina
Karina L. Sent on 04/08/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Everything we wished for

Hart House gave us everything we wanted in a venue: great food and drinks, large private outdoor space, well-kept heritage house, convenient location, free parking, and most importantly, professional and supportive staff.
Katharine
Katharine J. Sent on 30/09/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Burnaby Wedding

We had our wedding at Hart House this past weekend and everything exceeded our expectations. They accommodated our every request, set up meetings to go over our decisions, helped for hours on the day of with set up and directing our vendors so we didn't have to worry, and made us feel confident that everything would run smoothly.

The food - We had several guests tell us that the food that was served at the buffet was the best wedding food they had ever had! It was amazing. We had four vegan guests as well and they were served their own entre - which was delicious as well! The bar made amazing signature drinks and everything went seamlessly with dinner and dessert. Everyone was fed very quickly and no one felt rushed.

The view - The location, right on Deer Lake, was stunning! We had amazing weather so got to enjoy an outdoor ceremony with the lake as a backdrop. The garden and lawn were kept perfectly as well.

The staff - Sonja and the night of help were amazing. Sonja worked with us since day one of looking at the venue and reassured us with every decision we made. She was quick to respond and figured out a solution to every need. She made us feel so welcome on the day of too and helped all of our vendors get set up. The night of help was there making sure we enjoyed everything all night, everyone was attentive and so friendly.

Venue - The venue was perfect because it is all in one place so your guests don't have to travel around from ceremony to reception. They have a plan B as well if it rains, and it would be just as beautiful inside the tent. They also have a bridal room to store belongings and get ready in which was perfect. The reception tent is heated as well, even with our end of September wedding we were warm all night.

All in all I would highly recommend Hart House - we didn't have one bad experience!
Marie
Marie L. Sent on 11/08/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Most amazing experience

If we could give more than 5 stars, we would. Sonja helped us plan and get through our day with such care. She was amazing to work with, and made sure our day was special. The team at Hart House was phenomenal. They even made sure our dogs always had lots of water throughout the day! Food was out of this world! Until today, we keep getting compliments on how perfect the whole day was. Thank you so much to everyone at Hart House for your amazing services!!!
Vivian
Vivian D. Sent on 23/07/2019
4.6 out of 5 rating

Perfect venue for a smaller wedding

We used the actual restaurant for our reception and had the ceremony on the lawn. It was a great find for a smaller wedding (60 guests)
Don't let the big tent used for the larger weddings keep you from booking the venue. The staff are very used to juggling the staggered weddings and I really didn't even notice it on the wedding day.
Also, it's a beautiful location and has some great places for wedding party photos.
Anita
Anita Sent on 10/07/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful Venue

Sonja is an amazing sales manager. She was with us since day one! She helped us plan our wedding and coordinate our ceremony. Who needs a wedding planner when you have Sonja ;)? Jokes aside, this venue is beautiful. We would highly recommend a wedding here.
Nicole
Nicole K. Sent on 24/07/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing!

The Hart House did a truly spectacular job of our wedding day! Working with Sonja and her expertise made the planning portion so easy. She offered advice, gave us great recommendations on vendors to use and really set us up for a wonderful day! Besides the beautiful venue space and location, the food was one of the reasons we choose the Hart House. We'd heard great things and they delivered! Our guests are still raving about about the amazing time they had and how good the food was! Overall, they made our day incredible! Thank you!
Donna
Donna Sent on 04/12/2018
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful venue, great food, great value, excellent staff

Our experience working with Sonja and her team has set the benchmark high. They are on time, on point, and know how to make their clients feel cared for.

Background – We thought of Hart House because it’s one of the first Western restaurants my mom took me to. I have fond memories there as a child.

Why we chose Hart House – We spoke to a number of other venues, but in our first meeting with Sonja, we knew that this was the place for us. Besides the obviously gorgeous physical setting (the hardware), Sonja was organized, had answers to all our questions, and gave us fantastic recommendations for other vendors (the software that makes the hardware sing). All of whom were of similar quality and professional standard.

Location-wise it was also perfect as it’s right off the highway for easy access from the Metro Vancouver region, yet is nestled between the restaurant and the lake for a serene and intimate experience.

A commitment to service – I’ve seen endless television commercials and blog posts about the haphazard disasters that strike on one’s wedding day and always rolled my eyes in exasperation. “Yeah right …” I would think to myself. Low and behold, on my multi Google-doc’d / “you are the most organized bride I’ve ever worked with” / calm and mindful wedding day, I realized I forgot how to pin the back of my wedding dress which would make it difficult for me to dance (an important part of the evening for me personally). With one ring to the restaurant from upstairs on my cell phone, Sonja’s team sent one of her team members straight away and she helped me figure it out (after me and three other people tried).

A small anecdote perhaps but it’s one that I feel represents the Hart House’s commitment to service: they showed up and they followed through.

Food, venue, servers – The food was excellent and the menu was thoughtfully designed. For example, the steak was perfectly cooked, moist, tender and was actually warm when it reached my lips: a key mark of a good kitchen. The atmosphere was absolutely spectacular with the golden sun setting on the lawn and lake. I had three different servers checking in on me who looked me in the eye to made sure I ate. And while it might sound incredible, my husband and I actually enjoyed ourselves.

Thank you Sonja and your team for making this a five-star experience for us. You helped make this important day feel special, we’ll never forget it.
Emma
Emma Sent on 21/11/2018
5 out of 5 rating

An Absolutely Seamless Event

Hart House Restaurant was the perfect place to host our wedding ceremony and reception. While the entire staff was extremely helpful, Sonja went above and beyond to make it the perfect day for us. From discussing options with us more than two years in advance to coordinating every detail day-of, we couldn't have had a better experience. The food and drinks were phenomenal - all our guests still talk about dinner. They were extremely flexible with our requests and made changes accordingly. The "fancy" lemonade was a hit. Overall, we had a fantastic experience at Hart House.
D
Doris Y. Sent on 08/06/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Dream Venue !

From the inital email to Sonja to the days leading up to the wedding, she was responsive and detail-oriented. We were the first wedding in the tent at Hart House. The string lights and chandeliers made our vision come true. Good food and good drinks ! Made it a memorable night. The buffet was amazing and staff were friendly! The event manager of the evening ensured everything ran smoothly. Overall, if you are looking for a dreamy garden wedding ! Hart House is the place to be :)
illustration stars

Are you interested?

Request pricing

Awards

25

Hart House Restaurant Real Weddings

Kevin & Christie
26 Photos · 20/Aug/2023
Hayley & Antony
35 Photos · 29/Aug/2020
Amanda & Bryan
36 Photos · 16/Feb/2020
Colin & Natalie
41 Photos · 15/Sep/2018
Rula & Christian
7 Photos · 24/Apr/2018
Hayley & Rasmus
48 Photos · 11/Aug/2017

Meet the team

Sonja Muller
Sonja Muller
Sales Manager

I grew up in Africa and Germany, and moved to Canada in 2001. I got my first taste of the hospitality industry working at restaurants and hotels in Germany while attending university. I later became a flight attendant for Lufthansa airlines. I was a front of house instructor at Vancouver’s Dubrulle International Culinary & Hotel Institute as well as Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. My interest in fine wine led me to become a certified Sommelier through ISG.

In 2004 I joined Hart House Restaurant. I was initially attracted to Hart House by the fact that the restaurant is uniquely West Coast, yet it also reminds me of my European roots because of its old world charm, dedication to fabulous cuisine, and romantic setting. Since then I have planned and produced more than a thousand weddings. My goal is to help plan the most perfect day for my couples, while keeping everything as simple, fun-filled and easy for them.

I loves yoga, spending time with my dog Willa, movies and my husband's fabulous cooking.

Preferred vendors

Hot Wax Entertainment
5.0 out of 5 rating , 225 reviews
· Wedding DJ
Blush Wedding Photography
5.0 out of 5 rating , 43 reviews
· Wedding Photography
A Unique Boutique
5.0 out of 5 rating , 76 reviews
· Wedding Flowers
The Apartment Photography
5.0 out of 5 rating , 12 reviews
· Wedding Photography
Bespoke Decor Rentals
4.8 out of 5 rating , 106 reviews
· Event Rentals
Garden Party Flowers
5.0 out of 5 rating , 23 reviews
· Wedding Flowers

Map

6664 Deer Lake Avenue V5E 4H3 Burnaby (British Columbia)
illustration visit

Would you like to visit?

Request a visit

Other vendors in British Columbia for your wedding

Wedding Venues