Planning a Fraser Valley Wedding? Start With the Food
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You've just gotten engaged. Congratulations! Now comes the fun part—planning a wedding that feels uniquely yours, in one of the most beautiful regions in British Columbia.
If you're like most couples, you'll start with the big decisions: the venue, the date, the guest list. But here's something most wedding planners won't tell you upfront: your food choice should come much earlier in the planning process than you think.
Let me explain why, and how thinking about your wedding food early will actually make everything else easier.
Why Food Matters More Than You Realize
Your venue is gorgeous. Your flowers will be stunning. Your dress will be perfect. But here's the truth: your guests will remember two things most vividly—how they felt, and what they ate.
Food is the one element of your wedding that engages all the senses. It's the conversation starter during cocktail hour. It's what people gather around. It's what they'll still be talking about at brunch the next morning.
In the Fraser Valley, where we're blessed with incredible local farms, artisan producers, and a genuine food culture, your wedding food can be more than just fuel—it can be an experience.
The Logistics Nobody Warns You About
Here's where starting with food early becomes practical, not just philosophical.
Your catering style affects your venue choice. That stunning barn venue you love? Make sure it has the kitchen facilities your caterer needs. That outdoor garden space? Consider where food prep and service will happen. Some of our most beautiful Fraser Valley venues are limited in their kitchen capabilities, which doesn't mean you can't have amazing food—but it does mean you need a caterer who knows how to work with those limitations.
Your food budget is bigger than you think. Most couples budget 40-50% of their total wedding budget for food and beverage. If you don't nail down your catering approach early, you might fall in love with a venue that doesn't leave enough budget for the food experience you want.
Peak season books fast. Summer and early fall are gorgeous in the Fraser Valley, but they're also when every couple wants to get married. Quality caterers book up 9-12 months in advance. If you wait until after you've booked your venue, photographer, and florist, your food options might be limited to whoever's still available.
Fraser Valley Weddings Deserve Fraser Valley Food
One of the most special things about getting married here is that you have access to incredible local ingredients and artisan producers. The Fraser Valley isn't just a backdrop—it's a food region with heritage and character.
When you choose catering that reflects this—whether it's charcuterie made using 50-year-old family recipes, cheese from local creameries, or produce from farms you can visit—you're not just feeding your guests. You're giving them a taste of place. You're telling a story about where you got married and why it matters.
This is especially meaningful if you have guests coming from out of town. They don't just want generic wedding food—they want to experience what makes this region special.
What to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Food Style
Think about your wedding vibe first. Are you having a formal seated dinner? A relaxed outdoor celebration? An intimate gathering? Your food should match that energy. A grazing table with artisan charcuterie works beautifully for a relaxed, interactive vibe. A plated dinner suits formal elegance. There's no wrong answer—just make sure they align.
Consider the season. Spring weddings in the Fraser Valley are all about fresh starts and lighter flavours. Summer celebrations can embrace outdoor dining and vibrant seasonal produce. Fall weddings? Rich, warming flavours work beautifully. Winter weddings deserve comforting, substantial food that feels celebratory. Let the season guide your choices.
Think about guest experience, not just presentation. Instagram-worthy food is great, but will your guests actually enjoy eating it? Can they navigate it easily? Is there enough? Some of the most beautiful wedding food is also the most impractical. Find the balance between stunning presentation and genuine hospitality.
Ask about sourcing and quality. This is where many couples don't dig deep enough. Ask your caterer where their ingredients come from. Are they making things from scratch or buying pre-made? Do they have relationships with local producers? Quality ingredients cost more, but they make a massive difference in taste—and your guests will notice.
Questions to Ask When You're Interviewing Caterers
- Do you make your charcuterie yourself, or buy it pre-made? (Most caterers buy commercial products—we actually make ours using 50-year-old family recipes)
- Where do you source your ingredients? Can you name the farms?
- What's actually in your charcuterie? (Read the ingredient list—if you can't pronounce it, your guests are eating it)
- How far in advance do you need to book for my wedding date?
- What kitchen facilities do you need at the venue?
- Can you accommodate dietary restrictions gracefully?
- Do you have backup plans for weather (if outdoor)?
- How do you handle timing with other vendors?
Here's the truth most caterers won't tell you: The majority buy their meats and cheeses from the same commercial distributors. The salami on most wedding grazing tables comes from a factory, sliced at a warehouse, packaged in plastic. There's nothing wrong with that—but it's not artisan, and it's definitely not local.
If you want food that reflects the Fraser Valley, ask where it actually comes from.
What Makes Artisan Charcuterie Different at Your Wedding
When you choose a caterer who actually makes their charcuterie from scratch using local meats, here's what changes:
The ingredients are real. Our salami contains pork, salt, spices, garlic, wine, and natural casings. That's it. No sodium erythorbate, no artificial smoke flavoring, no corn syrup solids. If you can't pronounce it, it's not in our food.
The sourcing is traceable. Every piece of pork we use comes from Fraser Valley farms we know by name. Not a distribution warehouse. Not the cheapest supplier. Farms where we know how the animals are raised.
The taste is different. When charcuterie is properly aged for weeks (not rushed through in days with chemical accelerators), you taste the difference. It's deeper, more complex, actually flavorful—not just salty.
Your wedding tells a story. When your guests eat charcuterie that was made here, using meat from here, by a family that's been doing this for 50+ years—that's a story. That's not just catering, that's celebrating your place.
Most wedding caterers are buying the same products from the same suppliers. If you want something different, ask the questions that reveal what you're actually getting.
Why We Encourage Couples to Start Here
After catering dozens of Fraser Valley weddings, we've seen what happens when couples prioritize their food experience early versus as an afterthought. The couples who start with food make better venue choices, have more realistic budgets, and end up with weddings that feel more cohesive and intentional.
Your wedding food isn't just a checkbox on the planning list. When done right, it's the thread that ties your celebration together—the thing that slows people down, brings them together, and creates the warm, convivial atmosphere you're actually hoping for.
And when that food is made by hand, using real ingredients from farms you could visit—that's when your Fraser Valley wedding actually tastes like the Fraser Valley.
Start with the food. The rest will fall into place more easily than you think.
Planning a Fraser Valley wedding and want artisan charcuterie made the traditional way? We'd love to talk with you about creating a food experience that reflects real craftsmanship and local quality. Contact Graze by Gunthers to discuss your wedding.