Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Fraser.
Hi Wendy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Northern Lights Ballroom and Banquet Center was built and opened in June 2007. We are a mother/ daughter team who started off-site catering 7 years prior to opening Northern Lights Ballroom. I (Wendy Fraser) am the head chef and owner along with my husband Chip Fraser. Our daughter Bryony Stark helps us to manage and runs the business.
Our customers kept requesting that we open our own venue so I devoted 3 years to research and worked with Sarah Lund with the SBA to create a business plan and obtain the financing.
My husband and I worked with Mark Baas Construction to design and build the building.
During that time our daughter Bryony went to school for business, and my husband Chip Fraser with Chip`s A/C, Refrigeration, and Appliance installed all of the HVAC and commercial equipment, and still continues maintenance to this day.
Bryony and I both truly love what we do and look forward to each and every event! Over the years our family has had the pleasure of helping our guests plan their weddings, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, graduation parties, fundraising events, school proms, dinner theater, dinner concerts, celebration of life services, and our annual “Fun! Car & Truck Show”.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Although it has been an incredible honor to serve our community, there have been some struggles along the way. The recession of 2008 began in December 2007, just months after opening and lasted through June of 2009. Then the covid pandemic shutdown began in March of 2020, lasting through May of 2023 forcing us to cancel scheduled events. Thankfully we were able to stay in business and help our customers reschedule their celebrations to a later date during that time.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Catering to large groups is our specialty!
Our venue can host both ceremony and receptions, or any of lives special events.
The room rental rates are very affordable and include all the set-up, clean-up, tables, chairs, table linens, dinnerware, skirting, portable staging, cocktail and dinner music, event planning, staff, and day of coordinator.
From there our customers just need to choose their food and beverage options.
We pride ourselves on offering delicious and affordable catering menus prepared fresh on-site.
Bar service is also available which includes the bartenders, cash or hosted bar, and liquor liability.
Our event planning consists of tools we have created help our customers to organize all the important details of their special day and ask detailed questions they may not have thought of.
The day of their event is fully staff along with the event coordinator to ensure all the plans and details are carried out.
We pride ourselves on no hidden fees. All of our menus and pricing can be found right on our website, and we are always happy to create estimates for our customers as well.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson our family has learned along this journey is gratitude. We have been so blessed to work with an incredible team of friends and family who have helped us over the years, and are so thankful the service we have provided has been so well received within our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.northernlightsbanquet.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northernlightsbr/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northernlightsbanquetcenter
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/northern-lights-ballroom-and-banquet-center-2523b523/
- Twitter: https://x.com/LightsBanquet
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgo7IS8B_ug
