Venue Partners/UBC, Vancouver
Catering at UBC Botanical Garden
110 acres of botanical garden on UBC's Point Grey cliffs — multiple ceremony sites including the Nitobe Memorial Garden.
UBC Botanical Garden is a 110-acre living collection on the Point Grey cliffs at UBC's western edge. For outdoor weddings with an actual sense of place — not just a tent on a lawn — this is one of Metro Vancouver's most evocative locations.
Six distinct event sites are rentable: the Reception Centre (indoor), the Roseline Sturdy Amphitheatre (outdoor with tiered seating), the Contemporary Lawn & Arbour, the Main Lawn, Wharton Glade, and the Nitobe Memorial Garden (one of the top Japanese gardens in North America).
The Garden gives couples what they call a 'blank canvas' — creative control over design, setup, catering, and bar. That's ideal for planners and caterers who know what they're doing, which is why we have a standing relationship here. We bring mobile kitchen + bar infrastructure; the Garden provides the setting.
From our coordinators
Why we love catering here
Six genuinely distinct ceremony sites across 110 acres
Nitobe Memorial Garden is among North America's finest Japanese gardens
Blank-canvas approach lets us deliver the exact event design the client wants
Point Grey cliff location — ocean air and forest backdrop, not manicured lawn
UBC campus context removes downtown noise + traffic restrictions
Capacity
How many guests fit?
Menu & service
What works at UBC Botanical Garden
Grazing tables
From $15 / guest
Outdoor garden receptions suit a grazing-table approach — abundance, seasonal produce, naturalistic styling that complements the setting.
See menu →Passed canapés
From $22 / guest
Moving receptions across garden sites work best with passed service — canapés circulate with guests as they explore.
See menu →Family-style dining
From $61 / guest
Shared long-table dining in the Contemporary Lawn or Main Lawn echoes the garden's natural abundance.
See menu →The details
Event logistics
Operational notes from our coordinators — the things that affect how a quote comes together for this venue.
- Weather
- Most sites are outdoor. For Vancouver, a backup plan (tent or Reception Centre indoor option) is essential for shoulder-season bookings. We build this into every quote for UBC Botanical events.
- Power + water
- Garden sites have limited utility access. Our mobile kitchen + generator setup is standard for events here, already factored into the quote.
- Kitchen
- Many Vancouver venues have warming or prep kitchens only (not full hot-cooking lines). We bring our own mobile induction + convection units when needed — already factored into the per-guest rate for this venue.
- Bar
- For venues without an in-house liquor licence, we coordinate through our hospitality partners under a BC Special Event Permit — one itemised wine/beer/spirits line on your quote, no hidden markup.
- Rental items
- Garden provides no furniture. All rentals (tables, chairs, linens, dance floor) come in separately. We coordinate with the Garden booking team on access windows.
Plan your event at UBC Botanical Garden
Tell us about your event and we'll send a written proposal tailored to UBC Botanical Garden's kitchen setup, logistics, and guest capacity — usually within 48 business hours of our first call.
Smart Event Planning
Plan your event at this venue
FAQ
About catering at UBC Botanical Garden
Which site should we pick?
Depends on season and guest count. Summer: Main Lawn or Contemporary Lawn (most scale, best evening light). Shoulder season: Reception Centre for weather backup. Intimate: Nitobe Memorial Garden or Wharton Glade. We're happy to walk through site selection with you.
How do guests navigate the 110 acres?
Signage + a walking path from the parking area. For mobility-impaired guests, the Reception Centre and Contemporary Lawn & Arbour are most accessible.
Can we serve alcohol outdoors?
Yes, with a BC Special Event Permit which we coordinate. Outdoor bar setup is standard at UBC Botanical events.