Reviews for Carmens Event Centre by Carmens Group

Carmens Event Centre by Carmens Group

Hamilton, Ontario

4.6 out of 5 rating, 60 reviews

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4.6 out of 5 rating

4.6

Very good

60 reviews

Recommended by 92% of couples

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Quality of service
4.6 out of 5 rating
Response time
4.4 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4.5 out of 5 rating
Value
4.7 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4.7 out of 5 rating

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Katrina Sent on 15/01/2024

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Ceremony and reception site

We booked Carmen's for our ceremony and reception and were so happy we did! They were within the budget we were looking for and they included so much more than we expected! The food, an open bar, the cake, the DJ, the hotel honeymoon suite for the night of the wedding, decorations, centerpieces.. I barely had to life a finger! (In fact I didn't lift a finger the day of the wedding!)
We met with Hector in 2021 just after getting engaged and he was very pleasant to work with. He gave us a tour of the venue space and on overview of all the packages and what they would include. We were lucky to visit on a...

We booked Carmen's for our ceremony and reception and were so happy we did! They were within the budget we were looking for and they included so much more than we expected! The food, an open bar, the cake, the DJ, the hotel honeymoon suite for the night of the wedding, decorations, centerpieces.. I barely had to life a finger! (In fact I didn't lift a finger the day of the wedding!)
We met with Hector in 2021 just after getting engaged and he was very pleasant to work with. He gave us a tour of the venue space and on overview of all the packages and what they would include. We were lucky to visit on a day they were setting up a wedding so we got a sense of what it would look like for our day and it was beautiful.
We booked our wedding date for two years later so we really didn't have much to communicate the first year. Throughout the year leading up to our wedding we were in touch with Taylor and she was lovely. She answered every question we had and worked with us to create our vision. They were very professional through the entire planning process.
The day of the ceremony began right at the start time and in hindsight I should have asked that they give the guests a five minute window to trickle in as some people were still entering the hall when I was about to walk down the aisle, no big deal.
They quickly disassembled the ceremony space and opened up the reception area fairly quickly for the guests to enter. The DJ played all the music we requested, and we opted for the upgraded lighting system which was definitely worth it. (It allowed us to have a spotlight for our dances and it had moving lights around the room to at to the ambience).
The food was amazing. There was so much I couldn't even eat everything I wanted to!
The staff always checked in with us to make sure we had everything we needed and got us drinks from the bar so we didn't have to leave the head table too much during dinner.
Our coordinator Faye kept checking in on us as well to ensure everything was running smoothly and to keep our speeches running smooth and on time.
The cake was gorgeous and delicious! We didn't get to eat a full piece, just the small bit we fed each other but we have the top tier frozen and waiting for us to enjoy at our one year anniversary!
They provided a late night buffet which was a hit! They provided pizza, BBQ sliders, and poutine!
The bar staff was extremely friendly as well.
It was really a fantastic experience and I would recommend Carmen's to anyone getting married in Hamilton!
- +21 Photos
Hillary Sent on 31/03/2025

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They made my dream wedding come true, and under budget!

The Carmen's team is amazing. They all work so hard and really know their stuff when it comes to events. I loved the "all-inclusive" wedding package. It made planning my wedding so easy. My favourite part was the decor room where you can pick from their stock of decor items and then you decorate your table to how you want it and they just make it happen on your wedding day. No need to find a caterer, linen rental, cake etc. they take care of it all.

The Carmen's team is amazing. They all work so hard and really know their stuff when it comes to events. I loved the "all-inclusive" wedding package. It made planning my wedding so easy. My favourite part was the decor room where you can pick from their stock of decor items and then you decorate your table to how you want it and they just make it happen on your wedding day. No need to find a caterer, linen rental, cake etc. they take care of it all.
Jess Sent on 14/08/2024

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All-Inclusive Wedding Dream

The main reason my then-fiance and I were drawn to having our wedding reception at Carmen’s Event Centre was because of the all-inclusivity of their packages. Food, late night buffet, open bar, decor, cake, bridal suite, hotel stay for bride and groom? Less work for us? Sign us up!
We had a virtual tour of their banquet halls with Hector, and he was very forthcoming with all that was included in their wedding packages. Based on our wedding size, we were able to secure the Venetian Ballroom, which was a great choice because it included an outdoor terrace which was lovely (it was great for our guests to get some fresh air, and a great space for group...

The main reason my then-fiance and I were drawn to having our wedding reception at Carmen’s Event Centre was because of the all-inclusivity of their packages. Food, late night buffet, open bar, decor, cake, bridal suite, hotel stay for bride and groom? Less work for us? Sign us up!
We had a virtual tour of their banquet halls with Hector, and he was very forthcoming with all that was included in their wedding packages. Based on our wedding size, we were able to secure the Venetian Ballroom, which was a great choice because it included an outdoor terrace which was lovely (it was great for our guests to get some fresh air, and a great space for group photos). My fiance and I had already opted to have our ceremony at a different location, but our ceremony would’ve been held on the terrace if we wanted to!
Communication with the Carmen’s team was awesome. We initially had Jaseera as our wedding consultant, but she unfortunately became unavailable, so we were quickly and seamlessly transferred to Leah. Leah made sure all our decor details, food options, dietary restrictions, and floor plan were all up to date and to our desires. She answered and addressed all of our questions and issues, and was so lovely to work with.
Our food tasting experience was fun - there was genuinely so much food and they let us pack the leftovers home! The only disappointment was that some of the food (the chicken and short rib) were a bit dry during the tasting day. The sauces it came with helped with that issue. On the bright side, they also sent us home with packed cupcake samplers to determine our wedding cake flavour, which were delicious - more on the food later.
For the actual day of, our maitre-d’s, Arcel and Miko, were genuinely fantastic to work with. They were all smiles and incredibly helpful in making sure everything was running smoothly. We had dropped off some extra decor earlier and they made sure it was all set up; Arcel even ran around getting us batteries for some of our centerpiece fairy lights. The bartenders were great at making sure the drinks were being served (also their shots were delicious!) Our server Anthony was also very sweet and helped pack up extra food for us (my husband and I were running around with our guests and photographers a lot).
To our genuine surprise, our day-of food was much tastier than on the day of the food tastings - we had chosen the short rib and it was tender and not dry at all (also the potato gratin was a total hit with our guests). We were incredibly pleased. Another bright positive was that one of our guests couldn’t eat beef, and the kitchen was kind enough to prepare a chicken dish for her instead of giving her our pre-chosen vegan option! The late night buffet was amazing as well with super fun offerings of poutine, pizza, and wedding cake. Our guests definitely did not go hungry that night.
Overall, Carmen’s was a total delight to work with for our wedding. They were prompt at communicating, were open to all of our ideas and suggestions, and just genuinely a kind and caring team. Thank you all so much for making our dream day come true!

Harout Sent on 01/07/2024

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not what we paid for

Our event coordinator was replaced soo many times that I couldn't keep track of the names, they "upgraded" the DJ which we were not too happy about, the original dj was great and responsive but their DJ never responded to calls or emails and absolutely NONE of the songs we picked for the Playlist was played and he took off around 11:30 even tho he was paid to be there for the whole event. We had a couple not show up and when we asked of we could get their extra dessert we were declined even tho we paid for it! the wedding cake was taken away to be cut and brought back but it took soo long we...

Our event coordinator was replaced soo many times that I couldn't keep track of the names, they "upgraded" the DJ which we were not too happy about, the original dj was great and responsive but their DJ never responded to calls or emails and absolutely NONE of the songs we picked for the Playlist was played and he took off around 11:30 even tho he was paid to be there for the whole event. We had a couple not show up and when we asked of we could get their extra dessert we were declined even tho we paid for it! the wedding cake was taken away to be cut and brought back but it took soo long we had about a quarter of the guests already leave. It was the most expensive venue on our list and not even close to what we expected, fell short.
Christopher Sent on 28/01/2024

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We couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding day!

The staff at Carmen's from start to finish of our entire wedding process were so wonderful to us. We got married on our dream day in September of 2023 and every request was very easily accommodated. The food was delicious, and especially so for our guests with dietary restrictions. The venue is so charming and stunning and Carmen's just KNOWS weddings. Cannot recommend their services enough for your big day, as the photogenic venue, the acoustics, the outdoor ceremony terrace, the wonderful staff all contributed to making our perfect day possible. You won't regret hiring Carmen's!

The staff at Carmen's from start to finish of our entire wedding process were so wonderful to us. We got married on our dream day in September of 2023 and every request was very easily accommodated. The food was delicious, and especially so for our guests with dietary restrictions. The venue is so charming and stunning and Carmen's just KNOWS weddings. Cannot recommend their services enough for your big day, as the photogenic venue, the acoustics, the outdoor ceremony terrace, the wonderful staff all contributed to making our perfect day possible. You won't regret hiring Carmen's!
Bob S. Sent on 10/12/2023

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Horrible holiday party experience

Absolutely horrible. The food was disgusting slop, bartenders were extremely rude. Overpriced garbage. Avoid at all costs.

Absolutely horrible. The food was disgusting slop, bartenders were extremely rude. Overpriced garbage. Avoid at all costs.
Alex Sent on 19/09/2023

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Dominika to save the day!

Our experience with Carmen’s was phenomenal, Dominika was absolutely the best! She was there until the last minute and never rushed us, even when our florist left without finishing up our cake , Dominika went and did the cake herself to ensure we had everything we dreamed of, talk about going above and beyond!

I will absolutely recommend Carmen’s to all my friends that are or will become engaged!

Thank you Carmen’s for hosting such a beautiful day!

Our experience with Carmen’s was phenomenal, Dominika was absolutely the best! She was there until the last minute and never rushed us, even when our florist left without finishing up our cake , Dominika went and did the cake herself to ensure we had everything we dreamed of, talk about going above and beyond!

I will absolutely recommend Carmen’s to all my friends that are or will become engaged!

Thank you Carmen’s for hosting such a beautiful day!
Keily Sent on 24/07/2023

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Absolutely Amazing!

I had an amazing day! Carmens went above and beyond for us!! Very attentive, the maître d was absolutely amazing!! The servers were Soo nice and made sure we were well taken care of! All my guest would not stop talking about how much fun they had and of course they loved the bar! Our signature drink was the highlight of the night! If you are looking for a place to get married and almost everything included , the best people .. Carmens is the place to go! Thank you for an amazing night!

I had an amazing day! Carmens went above and beyond for us!! Very attentive, the maître d was absolutely amazing!! The servers were Soo nice and made sure we were well taken care of! All my guest would not stop talking about how much fun they had and of course they loved the bar! Our signature drink was the highlight of the night! If you are looking for a place to get married and almost everything included , the best people .. Carmens is the place to go! Thank you for an amazing night!
- +2 Photos
Denise Sent on 10/07/2023

2.8 out of 5 rating
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Wedding C Hotel by Carmens

Hosted daughters wedding in June 2023 and have to say I was really disappointed with the food. The appetizers served during cocktail hour were only chicken and beef skewers, not many passed around and were not that great tasting. The main course of Supreme chicken was cold and dry. The portion of veg and potatoes was extremely small(2 little mimi potatoes). The food served at the tasting was not the same as was served at the wedding. The quality and portion size was so much better at the tasting according to my daughter and son in law. The late night buffet was not left out long enough. Several guests didn't have a chance to sample anything. No annoucements were...

Hosted daughters wedding in June 2023 and have to say I was really disappointed with the food. The appetizers served during cocktail hour were only chicken and beef skewers, not many passed around and were not that great tasting. The main course of Supreme chicken was cold and dry. The portion of veg and potatoes was extremely small(2 little mimi potatoes). The food served at the tasting was not the same as was served at the wedding. The quality and portion size was so much better at the tasting according to my daughter and son in law. The late night buffet was not left out long enough. Several guests didn't have a chance to sample anything. No annoucements were made before staff cleared all the food away. The venue itself was great as well as the stay at the hotel. But at the end of the day the most important thing at a wedding is the food. Carmens response to my comments was there were no issues, no complaints etc. Who as.a guest would complain at the time. It's a wedding! I've been to several events at Carmen's and always enjoyed the food. I don't know what happened. All I can say, and I speak for a lot of the guests as well , would not recommend!
Judith Sent on 08/05/2023

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Disappointing Experience

First I’d like to talk about the good…the food, cake, waitstaff were all were great! The venue is beautiful and the wedding packages are excellent. Miko, our Maitre’D was amazing. He was accommodating and attentive. He made us feel welcomed and comfortable. Really, a special thanks to those listed above they made the event what it was along with our external vendors. If it was based on these elements alone I would give a higher rating. They deserve 5 stars.

We do thank the set up team , the following is just a reflection of management and who ever is actually in charge. (We actually have no idea who is we weren’t able to get their information.)...

First I’d like to talk about the good…the food, cake, waitstaff were all were great! The venue is beautiful and the wedding packages are excellent. Miko, our Maitre’D was amazing. He was accommodating and attentive. He made us feel welcomed and comfortable. Really, a special thanks to those listed above they made the event what it was along with our external vendors. If it was based on these elements alone I would give a higher rating. They deserve 5 stars.

We do thank the set up team , the following is just a reflection of management and who ever is actually in charge. (We actually have no idea who is we weren’t able to get their information.)

The bad…up until the last week before the wedding (which would be the most important week) everything was fine.

But then things got sour. The coordinator Taylor gave us an unnecessarily hard time with a fairly simple change that in the end we got done ourselves on the day of the wedding. The worst part is she did not even TRY to solve the issue we had.

We just needed 4 tables to be switched around. We had forgot to make this change earlier due to all that we had going on (wedding and closing on our home at the exact same time) We were more than willing to pay the fee for last minute changes because we understood we were past the deadline and it wasn’t like we were adding a whole new table or something crazy.

Apparently, it was too much work for her to execute. Taylor made it seem like it was a huge task that could not be done and complained that it needed to be re-set and kept saying she could not assist. My husband asked to get in contact with upper management multiple times to get the issue resolved because we really needed it done but she never gave us that info. Note: he had to go back and forth with her through email to even allow us to get it done ourselves. He told her he would willing do it himself if it had to be done since her and her team could not assist.

It’s ridiculous that this could not have been resolved 3 days prior. We weren’t asking for the change to be done the day of the wedding. We couldn’t understand why it couldn’t be done because to our knowledge there was going to be a room flip anyway as the ceremony and reception was suppose to be in the same room. But lo and behold, it was not communicated to us that the ceremony would be in a completely different room until we mentioned the had the issue of needing tables moved.

On the day of the wedding my husband, best man and a couple my cousins ended up switching the four tables around in 5 minutes. By lifting the tables and switching them without disturbing the place setting. Easily.

The day of the wedding Taylor did not greet us, see how we were doing or even congratulate us (after working with her for 4 months I just think that was was strange? Maybe that’s just me)

Also, there seemed to be zero communication between staff from the decor drop off day and wedding day staff. We still had a couple of things to bring back on the day of the wedding (Friday) because we did not receive everything on time for decor drop off (Monday). I’m not sure how a lot of things were missed as the staff member on decor drop off day wrote down 2 pages of instruction notes.

Day of wedding a staff member was under stress and venting to my brother and cousin when they came by to drop of the rest of our items and told them that they were dropping things into her lap last minute. It was unprofessional because it’s not our issue that staff is not communicating properly as it was always planned that decor items were going to be dropped off the day of the wedding. It was a little chaotic, decor items were not put in the correct spot, led candles were not turned on, among other things. When coming down for the ceremony I turned on a neon light we had set up myself because it was not done.

We wanted to enjoy the cocktail hour but found it hard to do so as these errors were annoying to correct and deal with when we arrived. It’s bad when the venue creates the stress on your day instead of relieving you of it.

During cocktail hour lines were very long for drinks.
I don’t believe 1 bartender was sufficient for 140 guests and not enough passed hor d’oeuvres.

There were a lot of other issues and I can’t pin point everything but just wanted to get the main points out. And I’m aware that not everything is going to go perfect but some of it was a mess. And some of the team need to find better ways to communicate and execute.

I never leave negative reviews and don’t let a lot of things bother me but when you’re spending THOUSANDS of dollars it’s unacceptable.

These things did not completely ruin our wedding, but there are definitely improvements to be made. I just wish we had a better experience.