A new Vegas-style wedding chapel has opened in Baldwin Village
And it comes with enough kitsch and camp to satisfy John Waters himself
Hannah Stein has opened the doors to a place Toronto couples have been hankering for: a cheap and cheerful spot to tie the knot. Her new Vegas-style wedding chapel, Two of Hearts, is dripping in red and pink decor and retro heart motifs and feels like a Valentine’s Day fever dream. It’s just down the street from the AGO in Baldwin Village, and along with places like Love Shack Chapel, it’s one of the few venues in the city where lovers can book a zippy, kitschy and legally binding ceremony with an ordained officiant without a hefty price tag or meddling in-laws.
The idea came from Stein’s love of camp and desire for an affordable but cute wedding. In 2025, she and her fiancé were toying with the idea of getting hitched at Toronto City Hall—where her grandparents eloped in the 60s—but the grey, minimalist vibe didn’t exactly match their maximalist personalities. Instead, they dreamed of the pizzazz one might see on the Vegas strip, but they couldn’t find anything in Toronto or even Niagara Falls that felt right. So Stein, a serial side hustler with a background in the performing arts, opted to build her own chapel, where she’d be the first one to tie the knot. “Instead of putting my savings toward my wedding, I thought, Hey, maybe I’ll just start my own wedding business,” she says.
Related: Inside an ultra-kitsch Vegas elopement
Stein floated her concept on TikTok last February, asking people if they’d be interested in an elopement chapel and what they’d want the space to offer. In under a week, she heard from over 100 couples who wanted to join her wait list—many of them hoping to stay in Canada rather than try for the Vegas experience and have to cross the dreaded US border. She also heard from a a slew of officiants, photographers, florists and caterers who were keen to take part too. It became clear that there was a whole market of lovebirds who wanted to skip banquet-hall bills without sacrificing an intimate moment with a side of celebratory spectacle. That’s when Stein recruited her best friend Victoria Wild to be a co-owner.
The business plan began to take shape over the winter, but then Stein was blindsided: her fiancé dumped her. Suddenly, it seemed like the place she’d been building to host her own vows would never hear them. She went dark for a month, spending days in bed watching Grey’s Anatomy like the heartbroken lead in a ’90s rom-com. But creating the chapel was no longer just for her—it was for all of the couples who believed in the project—and her realtor convinced her to brush her hair, ditch the sweatpants and get back to finding a venue.
The women fell for the first place they looked at, a lofty rectangular space at 190 McCaul, and took the lease at the beginning of May. Stein spent months hunting down vintage treasures, outfitting the space, sorting out vendors and booking ceremonies. “I grew up in Toronto, and I miss the warm energy that places like Honest Ed’s used to have,” she says. “When I was decorating Two of Hearts, I wanted to give the city a new treasure chest.”
There are now three main spaces: a ceremony hall outfitted in silky pink and sage curtains with a sparkling bridal walkway and rose-coloured seats for 30; a private salon-style reception lounge; and a glam ’70s dressing room enveloped in red and pink velvet.
Two of Hearts started hosting brides and grooms in August, and couples can now legally tie the knot on site (as long as they already have a wedding licence in hand) with a variety of packages to choose from. The signature offering is “The Quickie,” where just the couple and two witnesses can attend. For $593, you get a 20-minute service with a basic ceremony led by an officiant, legal post-nuptial filing and about five minutes for phone photos. For those who want more time, more guests and professional photos, there’s the “Full-Elopement Package” for $4,000. Couples who sign up for this package will get a 60-minute service, legal filing, professional photography using a mix of film and digital images, access to Two of Hearts’ costume trunk of accessories (think vintage veils and faux bouquets), and seating for up to 30 guests.
While the requirement to have a marriage licence prior to the ceremony means that a fully impulsive Vegas wedding isn’t possible, Two of Hearts does allow walk-in bookings if there’s space. Stein also plans to expand the packages to include commitment ceremonies beyond couples. “I’ve had many inquiries from solo folks asking if they can do a commitment ceremony with their pet or to themselves,” says Stein. “It wouldn’t be too different from a wedding ceremony, and it wouldn’t need a legal licence. It’s sweet—a grand public announcement shouldn’t be limited to love for another person.”
After Wild started a new full-time job, she and Stein agreed to part ways professionally, and now Stein is the sole operator. “I love this city, but I’ve always had trouble trying to find my place. Now I feel both proud of what I’ve built and at peace,” says Stein. “Seeing every kind of couple mark a big moment in their relationship here has been so special to me.”
It turns out that what happens in Vegas doesn’t have to stay in Vegas—it can actually move to Toronto.
