Since Venue 308 opened up its doors in October 2019 it has been embraced by the wedding, event, photography and local maker communities/industries; as a place to learn, grow and celebrate. And, if you’d like to do a little bit of a social media deep dive, you can check out their Instagram and watch the design and construction process progress in real time. That way you can appreciate the time, effort, passion and je ne sais quoi – “An indefinable quality that makes something distinctive or attractive.” – that went into making venue 308 the world class Calgary Event Venue it is today.
The Space
“…a place to gather people, ideas, creativity, knowledge, and memories.” – The Venue 308 Team
Photo Credit: Worn Leather Media
With design that is inspired by the original character of the gorgeous 1910 historic building in Victoria Park, the event space also incorporates modern and eclectic design elements from far away places like Palm Springs and Japan. The end result is a unique gathering space that is equal parts, modern, minimal, traditional, eclectic, light and airy, and dark, vibrant and maximalist. Then when you add in the perfectly and uniquely decorated ‘getting ready suites’, you have a perfect backdrop for all your wedding day or event photos from start to finish! They truly got the mix right! Chef’s kiss!
And, as for size, Venue 308 is perfect for weddings and events with groups of up to 100, and was, in fact, the winner of Avenue Magazine’s Best Wedding Venue under 100 category, for 2023!
The Dream Team
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” – Phil Jackson
You could say that the team at Venue 308 is like family! But, plot twist, it really is a family affair at Venue 308, with both a Mother-Daughter and Wife-Husband team at the helm.
Starting with the Mother-Daughter team, we have Penny Dyte who brings 37 years of experience in sales, marketing, client service, board governance, team and event management, to the table. And, Bretton Grassie who adds an impressive wealth of networking contacts to the business, from her experience in the International Marketing and Photographic industries, being a former creative local product maker, as well as working with and learning from some of the best event planners in our city. You can even take a peek at her photographic work on her website brettongrassiephotography.com or her Instagram @brettongrassie.
Next up we have Chris Grassie, who brings an old school work ethic, with the enthusiasm and modern ideas of a millennial, epic skills with tools, and a downright likeable and grounded personality, into the mix. Chris also happens to be the general manager of Venue 308 as well as managing their second venue location, The Brownstone. Chris also happens to be Bretton Grassie’s husband, and an amazing Dad to their two littles!