Our
Story
#COOLERTHANCITYHALL
We’ve mastered what it means to get married in a way that feels modern, meaningful, and more intentional than ever. By centering love over convention, we create experiences that reflect who you are and how you live.
Why “The Pop-Up Chapel”?
A chapel is, at its core, a sanctuary, somewhere set apart for something meaningful. We take that feeling and pop-up at epic venues, transforming them into spaces filled with meaning, music, and celebration.
We believe in wedding experiences that reflect real life right now. Flexible, intentional, beautiful, bold. Whether you're skipping the big white wedding or hunting for a cooler alternative to City Hall, you're in good company. This is the era of intimate weddings, intentional choices, and celebration that feels right.
The idea was simple. Disrupt the wedding industry. Make it joyful again.
The Pop-Up Chapel Co. started with one bold question:
What if couples didn’t have to choose between a rushed City Hall ceremony and an overpriced, overproduced banquet hall bash?
In 2017, we launched our first Chapel in Toronto — and it sold out in three weeks. That moment sparked a movement. Powered by local sponsors and an incredible crew of vendors, we’ve now married hundreds of couples across Canada and raised hundreds of thousands for local charities, donating a portion of every Chapel spot sold. It’s joy with a ripple effect.
Today, our Chapels pop up in cities like Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, in iconic spaces like the Globe and Mail Centre, Evergreen Brick Works, Hycroft Manor, and beyond. From garden pavilions to rooftop views, we bring the magic wherever we go.
In 2023, longtime Chapel photographer Alicia Thurston stepped into the role of Owner and Creative Director. After capturing nearly 50 couples behind the lens, she now leads the next chapter — building a bold, joy-filled, and socially conscious future for Pop-Up Chapel. You might still catch her with a camera in hand, but now she’s behind every detail of the experience.
We’re proud to be the original shared wedding company and leaders of a growing movement. Because it shouldn’t be all or nothing. You don’t have to choose between something stuffy or something that feels like less.
We exist to celebrate the beauty of the in-between — spontaneous, stylish, and full of meaning.
This is modern wedding planning, done differently.
This is your sign.
#CoolerThanCityHall
Our Team
At The Pop-Up Chapel we’re dedicated to our work and love to share a laugh. While we take our roles seriously, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, expect a healthy dose of shared memes, teasing, and funny videos between us!
Alicia Thurston
CEO & Creative Director
Innovative Designer, Entrepreneur, Joy-Driven Leader, Quick Friend-Maker.
Big fan of: Fancy coffee, creative projects of all kinds, a scoop of Haagen Daz ice cream, brightening someone’s day, and relaxing by the backyard pool with my neighbours and kids!
Interested in design collaboration? Let’s chat! alicia@popupchapel.ca
At The Pop-Up Chapel Co., we recognize that our work takes place on the traditional territories of many Indigenous Nations across what is now called Canada. We are grateful to live, create, and celebrate love on these lands, and we acknowledge the enduring presence and stewardship of Indigenous Peoples.
As we build modern wedding experiences from coast to coast, we hold space for the histories that came before us and commit to ongoing learning, listening, and acting in ways that support reconciliation and justice.
We encourage our community to do the same, to learn about the land they are on, listen to Indigenous voices, and take meaningful steps toward allyship.