Your local Thrifty’s is more than a grocery store.
Serving Vancouver Island for over almost 40 years, Thrifty Foods has six locations in the mid- and north-Island area and may just be the hidden gem you need for your wedding or next event.
“We are definitely proud to be a part of the communities everyday life,” says Katie Pierini, head cake decorator at the Crowne Isle location in Courtenay. “So it’s an absolute thrill when one of our customers comes in and involves us with their wedding.”
Pierini has been in the bakery department for 25 years and works with couples to create custom cakes for their weddings.
“I like to meet in person and get an idea of their overall theme and colours, often they will bring in some ideas they’ve found online or in magazines and then we go from there.”
The bakery department accommodates everything from smaller gatherings to weddings that have upwards of 300 guests and can also provide a variety of tasty treats including cup cakes, chocolate dipped strawberries and dessert platters.
READ MORE: VIDEO: Hitched wedding event on now at Courtenay’s Filberg Centre
“Our staff is very experienced and able to produce a beautiful product at a reasonable price,” says Pierini. “Additionally, we deliver to the location and myself or one of my colleagues always accompanies the cake to make sure it arrives safely and is set up correctly, so the couple has one less thing to think about on their day.”
Mindful of relieving stress for her clients, Pierini also co-ordinates with other departments inside Thrifty’s, around delivery. Debbie, as she is known to her loyal customers in the floral department, agrees that having access to the different services in one store can take a lot of the pressure off the couple.
“We are a trusted business with a good reputation in the community and that alone can help put our clients mind at ease,” she says. “You know we will stand behind the quality of our work.”
Weddings and events are a large part of what happens in the floral department with the most popular requests being for bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages.
“Of course all wedding parties are different so we have a wide variety of flowers we’re asked for and it’s so much fun creating a style to fit the couples vision,” said Debbie. “We’re happy when our bride is happy, it’s a favourite part of the job.”
“And if that’s not enough, we have great deli platters,” said Pierini. “We’re here for the wedding guests as well, one of our staff can put together a lovely themed gift basket that you can pick up on your way to the ceremony.”
For a location near you: thriftyfoods.com
The Black Press Hitched Wedding Show takes place Jan. 26 at the Comox Community Centre, 1855 Noel Ave. The show runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Visit the Hitched Wedding Show page on Facebook for more information.
For more information about the event and the exhibitors, click here.
