Get Inspired: 2022 Wedding Season In Review
One-of-a-kind menus, breathtaking venues, and beautiful couples in love – this wedding season had it all and more. We always get a bit nostalgic towards the end of the year, and as the 2022 wedding season comes to a close, we thought we would take a walk down memory lane and reflect on some of our favourite moments – and more importantly, favourite menus! – of the season.
2022 was a wonderfully wild year as a return to normalcy brought back the larger weddings we’ve missed the last few years. With a total of 35 weddings, 3,160 guests and 10,866 canapés served (and one day that was 42 degrees!), we had the absolute pleasure in helping to celebrate dozens of incredibly beautiful love stories this past year.
Find inspiration from some of our wedding highlights from this past wedding season.
First Wedding: D & A at Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
On April 23, we kicked off the wedding season celebrating D and A at the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens. It was mid-spring, the flowers were blooming, and the sun was out – the stage couldn’t have been set more perfectly. Alongside La Vista Events, we worked collaboratively with the couple to customise a menu reflective of their personality. As a well-travelled pair, we quickly found they had developed a taste for cuisines from all around the world.
Keeping it simple, yet elegant, we worked with our clients to design a worldly four-course plated dinner consisting of dishes paying tribute to the groom's Polish heritage and some of the couple's favourite places to visit around the world.
After nibbling on Asian and Latin American-inspired canapés during cocktail hour, guests were seated and began the reception with Mizeria, a traditional Polish cucumber salad with sweet sour cream. For the mains, we served a fresh East Coast Lobster Linguine inspired by their travels out East, followed by a Thai Green Chicken Curry with coconut rice and ribbons of toasted coconut. We saved the best for last – Crêpes Suzette, accompanied by vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Best Plated Menu: J & S at a Private Residence
With over 100 guests, it can be difficult to design a wedding menu that accommodates everyone’s unique tastes and dietary restrictions. But for J and S, this was one of their main priorities while selecting their dishes. With thoughtfulness, we worked together to design an elegant menu, complete with passed canapés, a vegan grazing station, two-course menu, and late night snacks.
Before the ‘I Do’s, our team circulated with a selection of canapés, including Smoked Salmon Lollipops, Italian Beef Carpaccio and Cucumber Cups, and set up a simple vegan antipasto grazing station with Tofu Bites, grilled vegetables, Yam Hummus, and more.
After the ceremony, guests were treated to a two-course plated dinner, featuring their choice of Pan-Seared Halibut, Grilled Tenderloin, or Roasted Kuri Squash Pave; and when late night arrived, guests indulged in Gluten-Free Fried Chicken, Truffle and Parmesan Fries, and Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Deep Fried Pickles.
From the first initial planning stages with our clients, to seeing their satisfied guests around the dining room on the wedding day, this was a menu that we were so proud to design and serve.
Best Family-style Menu: J & S at the Permanent
There’s not much that can beat having the opportunity to design a wedding menu for a dear friend. While Joyce and Sam actually tied the knot last year, they celebrated their one-year anniversary this summer with the party of their dreams.
As an ode to their family’s heritage, Joyce and Sam’s menu featured a mix of Chinese and Middle Eastern flavours. During cocktail hour, we passed three unique canapés, including Asian Duck Crêpes with hoisin and enoki mushrooms, Halloumi Zucchini Fritters with harissa yogurt and tzatziki, and Persian Beef Kebabs.
The couple opted for a family-style dinner, which created the perfect opportunity for their guests to sample the many delicious items they’d selected for their menu. From a Shirazi Salad and Ghalieh Mahi to Whole Pig with Mantou, Cantonese Crispy Chicken, and E-Fu Braised Noodles, this was definitely a wedding dinner to remember.
Last Wedding: K & A at UBC Boathouse
Our final wedding of 2022 ended on a high note with a breathtaking ceremony between Katie and Adam at UBC Boathouse on October 22. With uncharacteristically beautiful fall weather, Katie and Adam said their ‘I Do’s next to the water in front of all their closest family and friends.
With a large selection of canapés to graze before the dinner, the couple wowed guests with a large, fantastically fun buffet-style menu and surprise potato chip bar. The menu featured a 5-Spice Duck Confit, Miso Lingcod and a selection of side dishes including, Parisienne Gnocchi, Roasted Seasonal Vegetables and Panzanella Salad. It was a fitting way to finish off a wild and exciting wedding season.
Favourite New Venues: The Garden Strathcona and The Red Barn Southlands
With so many weddings this year, we had the pleasure of working with several new, beautiful venues. An industrial space complete with lush greenery, The Garden Strathcona has a beautiful juxtaposition and quickly became one of our favourite venues to work with. Flushed with natural light and with the option of booking the downstairs, this versatile space is perfect for both small-scale weddings and large events. We can’t wait to be back!
Set on a charming and lovingly restored century-old dairy farm, The Red Barn at Southlands is a historic barn that provides all the modern amenities a caterer needs to serve up to 120 seated guests. Surrounded by gorgeous mountain and farmland views, the property is also home to a naturally landscaped amphitheatre, a lovely orchard and paved patios, providing an abundance of creative settings for cocktail hours, late night snacks and al fresco grazing.
Weddings are a special and emotional time for couples and their guests, and there is nothing more rewarding for our catering team than knowing that we have played a supporting role in these milestone moments. We’re currently accepting consultations for weddings in 2023. Contact us today to book a consultation.