Yorath House

Last reviewed: August 12, 2026. Business status: Active.

Last reviewed: August 12, 2026. Yorath House is a City of Edmonton rental facility in Buena Vista Park, adjacent to Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park and the Edmonton Valley Zoo. The City explicitly lists weddings among the events the historic residence can host, making “Yorath House wedding venue Edmonton” the most precise search phrase for this page.

This is a City-operated venue rather than an independently branded wedding business. Its official page describes a redeveloped, two-storey 1949 residence with event rooms, terraces and an outdoor event space. Couples should use the City’s current availability and booking process before treating any date as confirmed.

Services and specialization

Yorath House is rented as an event facility for weddings as well as corporate retreats, community programs and family-friendly events. For a wedding, the documented offering is venue rental: renters have use of the main floor and second level, with one facility host included subject to the City’s stated rental terms.

The building includes a main-floor event space, a second-floor multi-purpose space with a large terrace, a second-floor meeting room with a small terrace, and a large outdoor event space. The City does not describe an in-house wedding-planning, décor, food-service or audiovisual package, so those services should not be assumed.

• Full venue rental includes the main floor and second level.
• A servery, upper-level terrace, tables, chairs and free onsite parking are listed amenities.
• The City identifies the house as a rental facility for weddings.

Service area and who it may suit

The venue is in Edmonton’s Buena Vista Park, beside Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park and the Edmonton Valley Zoo. It is a fixed-location rental, so its relevant service area is Edmonton and the surrounding region for couples able to hold their event at the property.

It may be relevant to couples planning a wedding with a smaller indoor footprint, since the City lists the main floor at 56 people and the second floor at 48 people. Fire-regulation maximums are 60 people on the main floor and 50 on the second floor, and the City says those figures cannot be combined. Confirm the preferred ceremony, meal and reception flow with the booking coordinator rather than assuming both floors can be used as one combined capacity.

• Location: Buena Vista Park in Edmonton.
• Room rental hours are listed as 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
• The facility is available for bookings Monday through Sunday.

Spaces and event setup

The main floor has seven round tables that seat up to eight, plus a break-out space with four cocktail tables and stools. The second floor has eight banquet tables seating up to six. These published layouts give couples a starting point for discussing seating, but they are not a substitute for a final floor plan approved by the venue.

Renters can rearrange the City’s equipment themselves at no charge if it is returned to the standard layout before departure. If the venue removes or rearranges equipment, the published setup/take-down fee applies. The official page also says that all items brought into the building must leave by the end of the scheduled event time.

• Main floor: listed capacity of 56 people.
• Second floor: listed capacity of 48 people.
• Large and small upper-level terraces are documented.

Confirmed strengths and practical limitations

A documented feature is the venue’s historic setting: the City says the Yorath family occupied the 1949 house until 1992, when it was sold to the City. The property also has a large outdoor event space, an upper terrace, free onsite parking, wheelchair-accessible washrooms and a wheelchair-accessible building.

The clearest practical limitation is the venue’s equipment scope. Apart from tables and chairs, the City does not provide additional event equipment or services; linens, dishes and audiovisual items must be brought in. The official capacity limits also require couples to plan around one floor at a time. Availability remains subject to the City’s assessment even when a date appears open on the calendar.

• Wheelchair-accessible building and washrooms are listed.
• Tables and chairs are provided.
• Linens, dishes and audiovisual equipment are not provided.

Pricing

Current pricing is explicitly published on the City of Edmonton’s Yorath House page. The main-floor-and-second-floor rental is listed at $728 for eight hours or $104 per hour. A weekend package of 24 non-consecutive hours is listed at $2,000, and rentals require a minimum of five hours.

The City also lists possible additional charges: $25 per hour for alcohol-event security, with a three-hour minimum; $25 per hour for an additional event host when required by event evaluation, also with a three-hour minimum; and $180 for venue equipment removal or rearrangement. Music events may also require SOCAN and Re:Sound licence fees. Couples should confirm the complete invoice, taxes, staffing requirements and any licensing costs for their specific event.

• Published base rate: $728 for eight hours or $104 per hour.
• Published weekend package: $2,000 for 24 non-consecutive hours.
• Minimum booking length: five hours.

Contact and booking

The official booking route is email: yorathhouserentals@edmonton.ca. The City instructs couples to check venue availability first, then send the event date, time and event name. An event booking coordinator will follow up to discuss the request.

The City asks that rental inquiries be submitted at least two weeks in advance so it can process the request, invoice and confirm whether an event host is available. The availability calendar is useful for date research, but the City cautions that dates can change and that other bookings, maintenance or construction may affect whether an event can be booked.

• Check the City’s venue availability calendar before enquiring.
• Email the event date, time and name to the City’s Yorath House rentals contact.
• Do not treat an unhighlighted calendar date as a booking confirmation.

What couples should confirm

Ask how the guest count will be managed across the two floors, including the proposed room layout, ceremony location, dinner seating and accessibility needs. If the outdoor field east of Yorath House is part of the plan, confirm the separate park-space requirements: the City says it can complement a facility booking but needs an event licence in addition to the Yorath House booking.

Catering must come from a licensed establishment. On-site cooking or food preparation, home-cooked food and home-prepared items are not permitted. For alcohol, confirm the bartender arrangement, ProServe requirements, liquor licence, security staffing and resulting fees. Also confirm what outside rentals are needed, the setup and removal schedule, and whether the planned music requires licensing.

• Confirm indoor capacity and a room-by-room event plan.
• Confirm whether an outdoor-field licence is required.
• Confirm catering, alcohol, music and outside-rental requirements in writing.

Continue planning

• Canada Wedding Directory
• Wedding Bridal Guide

Frequently asked questions

Can guests be counted across Yorath House’s two floors for one combined capacity?

No. The City lists fire-regulation maximums of 60 people on the main floor and 50 on the second floor, and states that these numbers cannot be combined.

What is included with a Yorath House rental?

The City lists use of the main floor and second level, one facility host, tables, chairs, a servery, terrace access and free onsite parking. Linens, dishes and audiovisual equipment are not supplied.

Can a couple serve alcohol at Yorath House?

The City permits bar service when alcohol is managed by a bartender through the caterer or by a bartender with ProServe certification, with a valid liquor licence required. Security and additional-host charges may apply.

How should couples request a Yorath House wedding date?

Check the City’s venue availability calendar, then email yorathhouserentals@edmonton.ca with the event date, time and name. The City requests at least two weeks’ notice for rental inquiries.

Sources checked

• Yorath House | City of Edmonton
• Venue Availability | City of Edmonton
• River Valley Outdoor Weddings Guidelines and Locations | City of Edmonton
• Wedding & Reception Venues | City of Edmonton

Address: 13110 Buena Vista Rd NW, Edmonton, Alberta

Website: https://www.edmonton.ca/activities_parks_recreation/parks_rivervalley/yorath-house