FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Food for thought Want to wow guests with delicious food and drink on your big day? Our A-Z guide has got you covered

AIS FOR ALLERGIES “One of the first questions we ask new and prospective clients is whether anyone www.instagram.com/_flamingolush_ in the party has any allergies,” says Joshua Shakes-Drayon from Brentwood food truck Flamingo Lush. “We believe that food is a journey and an experience, and we want everyone to be included. We want to make your experience with us as simple as possible, so we would suggest getting this information from your guests as soon as is feasibly possible, so that we can ensure that all dietary requirements are met.” www.instagram.com/_flamingolush_ BIS FOR BBQ Fancy a pile of BBQ food for your big day? Head over to Danbury’s Aussie Barbecue Company and check out their wide range of menus available. They’ve a huge selection of options to choose from, however, their Bushman’s Supper Hog Roast, at £13.35 per head, looks sensational – spit-roasted for a minimum of eight hours and served with apple sauce, homemade stuffing, baked potatoes, coleslaw, cheese and beans. www.aussiebbq.co.uk

CIS FOR CANAPÉS A wedding breakfast doesn’t have to mean a sit-down affair. “Make sure when picking your canapés that they give your guests the wow factor,” says Elizabeth Joyce from Hastingwood’s Magpie Catering. “They also need to be easy to eat so friends and family can eat one without the danger of spillage! Canapés should always have a mix of colour and flavour. For example, they shouldn’t all be deep fried or all bread-based, and should include meat, fish, vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and glutenfree options. Guests love anything mini, so a mini toastie, mini Yorkshire pudding or a mini cone of fish and chips are always winners, but the King of canapés has got to be going www.aussiebbq.co.uk for an excellent quality honey and sesame sausage!” www.magpiecatering.com IS FOR DRINKS Why not book a drinks’ supplier with a difference? Outside weddings will welcome a giant inflatable pub from Colchester’s Port-A-Pubs! Their Party Pub Full Package includes the pub and all the essentials, plus party accessories such as their Port-a-Booth, personalised pub name sign, garden games fog machine, booze buckets and more! www.port-a-pubs.com Dwww.port-a-pubs.com

EIS FOR ENVIRONMENT Before you commit to a caterer consider their procedures for minimising their carbon footprint. Do they use plastic cutlery or wooden? Do they offer more meat alternatives – and do they shop sustainable and local to reduce the impact on the environment? If you’re passionate about how what you do affects the planet, head over to Ingatestone caterer Seasoned’s website, who offer delicious food while taking climate crisis issues very seriously. www.beseasoned.co.uk

www.perfectdaycaterers.co.uk F IS FOR FINE DINING You want fine dining? You got it! “Now we’re able to properly party again we’re finding that people want to go big and celebrate in style,” says Beverley Matthews from Great Leigh’s Perfect Day Caterers. “Couples want their day to be really special – and fine dining is exactly that. Why not serve dishes oozing serious style and sophistication? Some of our most popular options include blanched asparagus with lemon and thyme ricotta; poached egg and Gruyère crumb; and braised beef cheeks with buttered mash and a red wine jus. And, of course, the best way to finish a fine dining-style feast is with a trio of desserts, including chocolate and pistachio mille-feuille, vanilla cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding.” www.perfectdaycaterers.co.uk

GIS FOR GRAZING Grazing tables are still as popular as ever when it comes to feeding your guests. “We’re a family run business that love to make your wedding seriously Insta worthy,” says Scarlett Harkin H IS FOR HERITAGE There’s no better way to show off your cultural roots than with an array of delicious food and treats. After an Indian feast to wow from Dedham’s The Cinnamon your crowd? Shenfield’s Tastefully Yours

Roe Co. “We artistically curate our graze tables to give offers a range of traditional Indian dishes your guests that wow factor, one that will be talked catered to your palate, plus they have about long after the day. We offer a variety of sweet and a wide range of vegan and vegetarian savoury grazing styles, from our ever popular signature options too. Their menu is ever-evolving, cheese and charcuterie graze, to afternoon tea. If you with catering dishes including Aalu Pyaz want to treat your guests to something sweet as well, we Bhaji, Aalu Tikki Chole, mint and coriander can provide anything from macaroons to personalised and tamarind chutneys, butter chicken, rice cake pops.” www.instagram.com/cinnamonroeco and naan. https://tastefully-yours.co.uk

https://tastefully-yours.co.uk

https://tastefully-yours.co.uk

www.instagram.com/cinnamonroeco

IIS FOR ICE CREAM Summer wedding? Consider an ice cream van, complete with lots of luscious flavours for your party to enjoy. Romfordbased Mr Softee’s packages start from a negotiable base rate of £100, plus £2 per head. Guests can choose from classic soft JIS FOR JUDGEMENT Google ‘Essex Wedding Caterers’ and you’ll be hit with over SIX MILLION results – so where do you start in your quest to find the perfect supplier? “You don’t want your guests talking about your catering for the wrong reasons,” says Holland on Sea chef Tomo Kembery. “Start by looking online for good catering reviews, and speak to other couples getting married on social media to see what their recommendations are. My food is vanilla ice cream with a flake, or a variety of scoop flavours including strawberry, chocolate, mint chocolate chip or lemon ice, plus a selection of flavoured ice lollies. www.instagram.com/mistersoftee99 fuelled by passion, flair and innovation – gone are the days of prawn cocktail or sausage and mash! We offer fabulous, stylish and tasty dishes for your big day. Choose from our set menus, or instead opt to mix and match to create the perfect fine dining feast that you and your guests deserve.” http://tomokembery.com

www.instagram.com/mistersoftee99

KIS FOR KIDS No matter how much a parent will try to tell you that their little one will ‘eat anything’, there’s bound to be some fussy eaters amongst the younger guests within your wedding party. You therefore can’t go wrong with pancakes, choosing Southend-based Crêpe de la Crêpe for their traditional French crêpes, baked Belgian waffles, savoury snacks and more. https://crepedelacrepe.co.uk

www.daisygrazeessex.co.uk L

IS FOR LOCAL “There is a huge array of reasons to buy local food for your wedding,” says Lindsay Dawson, the owner of North Weald catering company Daisy Graze Essex. “It supports local farmers and growers and reduces the distance the food travels – did you know 13% of the UK’s total fuel consumption goes on packaging and transporting food? It even reduces packaging, which cuts down on the use of valuable natural resources. I prefer to shop local as I like to see and pick the produce for my tables and platters, which means I know exactly where it has come from. I handmake most of my delicacies and where I don’t handmake, I use local producers and suppliers who do!” www.daisygrazeessex.co.uk

MIS FOR MUNCHIES Munchies come night-time are very much in order to help your guests soak up any excess booze and ensure their heads aren’t too sore come the morning after. Clacton’s The Mob Pizza & Bar offers grazing tables, canapés and starters and some seriously mouthwatering pizzas. We’ll take delivery of your Cary Grant creation, please – tomato sauce, grated mozzarella, pepperoni and chillies… www.themobpizzaandbar.co.uk

NIS FOR NUMBERS Catering per head for your daytime guests comes as standard, but you might find some of your evening party are still full enough to not want to pick at your evening buffet. “Expect to cater for around 75% of your total guests,” says Amanda Watson from Chelmsford’s

Beau Fromage. “However, options for evening food that have a greater wow factor are becoming more popular. Street food trucks bring just that, and tend to entice even more friends and family into a late night treat! Here at Beau Fromage, we suggest catering for 90% of guests so there’s no disappointment – I mean, who can resist the sight and smell of sizzling cheese?” www.beaufromage.co.uk O IS FOR OUTSIDE Planning an alfresco wedding? You’ll need a caterer for that. Westcliff-on-sea’s Steel Smoking is a family-run American-style BBQ caterer that offers a selection of smoked meat platters and sides. Enjoy your food cooked on-site, as well as larger cuts smoked off-site. From hog roasts to their fantastic burger menu, they definitely have something for everyone. www.facebook.com/STEELSMOKING10

www.beaufromage.co.uk

PIS FOR PUDDING Want to feed your guests something sweet in the evening? Consider Basildon’s Milestones’ fivetier chocolate fountain, which comes with a fully illuminous LED acrylic base Q IS FOR QUESTIONS Remember to have a list of questions to ask a caterer before you sign on the dotted line… “I get asked a lot of questions prior that can colour change between 20 different hues. All hires come fully equipped with glassware and jars, all dips, skewers, napkins and paper plates. Imagine strawberries, shrimps, marshmallows, wafers, pretzel sticks and mini chocolate eclairs to dip to any couples committing,” says Bridie West in and you’re on the right track! from Brentwood’s Bridie’s Cakes. “If the tables www.facebook.com/MilestoneswithClarkes were turned, I’d always ask a supplier if they’ve ever created a style similar to what I was after. You also need to agree on a price to ensure they’re within your budget, and always make sure that your cake-maker – or caterer – has the right certifications. I’d ask to see their level 2 food safety and hygiene certificate, along with their hygiene rating and public liability insurance.” www.bridies-cakes.co.uk

www.tiptree.com

RIS FOR REGIONAL One word. TIPTREE. If you haven’t heard of their range of sweet and savoury conserves and liqueurs then we don’t know what rock you’ve been hiding under! Their personalised mini jars are a fantastic wedding favour that provides a unique table gift, coming complete with high quality back labels with your chosen text printed on. There’s plenty of choice, too, from Morello Cherry conserve and Strawberry with Champagne conserve, to fine cut Orange

Marmalade, Pure Clear Honey and

Onion Relish. www.tiptree.com/personalised-mini-jars

www.sandkhospitality.com

SIS FOR SEASONAL Why not ask your caterer to include seasonal produce in your menu? “We always try to buy seasonal,” says Katrina Roe from Brentwood caterer S&K Hospitality. “However, it’s worth noting that in the current climate buying seasonal will not necessarily reduce the cost of a wedding breakfast. Running costs are much higher than they were even six months ago, and we usually try to price for a wedding that’s in a year or two without being caught out by inflation. For example, the price of chicken and lamb has gone up around 30 to 40% in the last year alone! Having said that, seasonal food tastes amazing, so do consider opting for lamb, lobster, seabass and asparagus in spring; beef, new potatoes, salmon, beetroot and tomatoes in summer; guinea fowl, potatoes, rocket and squash in autumn; and turkey, Brussels sprouts, duck and fennel in winter.” www.sandkhospitality.com

T

IS FOR TAPAS While you can’t bring the Spanish sun to your wedding it’s good to know you can still enjoy the country’s food! A selection of tapas is a great alternative from a more traditional three-course affair, so why not consider heading to Hadleigh’s Latino’s restaurant for a post-ceremony feast? Their patatas bravas and king prawns in garlic had us at ‘hola!’ www.latinosrestaurant.co.uk

UIS FOR UNIQUE Want something a bit different? “Afternoon tea is a great feast to consider,” says Chelmsfordbased Anna-Maria Hawke from Very Vintage Tea Party. “We host events from 25 up to 350 guests, offering a range of menus for you to choose from. Whichever option you go for, there will always be a selection of dainty finger sandwiches, freshly-baked scones with Tiptree jam and clotted cream, plus a selection of specially chosen seasonal cakes – alongside tea,

Pimm’s or prosecco!” www.veryvintageteaparty.net

https://laurajanephotography.co.uk www.veryvintageteaparty.net

VIS FOR VEGAN Vegans are catered for in style thanks to Chelmsford caterer Greedy Vegan. “I absolutely love catering for weddings, as each one is different and it allows me to release my inner chef,” says founder Adrian Matthams. “What we do for weddings in terms of vegan catering ranges from typical festival style burgers with skin on fries, right through to seasonal grazing board and canapés on arrival. We can even fire up the pizza oven for hand rolled sourdough pizzas. Our truck is a dairy, lactose, nut, meat, fish and egg free zone, so we already have a massive advantage over a ‘meat’ truck. Our food will amaze your carnivores – some don’t even realise it’s vegan!” www.instagram.com/greedyveganvan/

WIS FOR WEATHER Don’t forget to feed your party with food they’ll want to feast on depending on the time of year. “Enjoy traditional classics throughout the colder months – something hearty to keep your guests warm from the inside out,” suggests Anna Phipps from Barnston’s Premier Crew Events. “Beef bourguignon, roast dinners and winter vegetable casseroles are all very strong contenders when it comes to winter – whereas our suggestions for summer couldn’t be more different! Sharing platters, tapas, paella, grazing boards or even a cold fork buffet which contain a variety of salads and protein are great options, making use of the wonderful seasonal ingredients available.” https://premiercrew.events Y

https://goyo-events.co.uk www.essexsweetcart.co.uk

Z

IS FOR YORKSHIRE PUDDING Yorkshire puddings are awesome. Fact. So why not have them as part of your spectacular day? “Our wraps are the perfect choice for your wedding,” says Matt Brown of Colchester’s Gourmet Yorkshire Wraps. “We offer a roast dinner served within a Yorkshire Pudding, filled with roast meat, roast potatoes, vegetables, sage and onion stuffing, gravy and condiment.” https://goyo-events.co.uk X IS FOR X-TRAS Sweet tooth? Get yourself a candy cart! “Our sweet cart has become a highly popular addition for wedding receptions, with a variety of sweets on offer being enjoyed by all ages,” says Garry Hartgrove from Basildon’s Essex Sweet Cart. “Our staff can set the cart up in under 30 minutes, including the sweets and colour decoration of your choosing. We then remain with the cart to assist with the younger customers, top up the sweets and generally keep the cart tidy. Plus any sweets remaining at the end of the night are bagged for the bride and groom!” www.essexsweetcart.co.uk

IS FOR ZZZZZ Worried heavy food may make guests nod off in a chair when they should be bopping away to ABBA at your evening disco? Cheese could be the answer! According to a Benenden Health survey, stronger cheeses contain high levels of the amino acid tyramine, which increases alertness. With this in mind head over to Kelvedon’s Field Of Cheese, who can offer bespoke cheese cake creations and table spreads to suit whatever you are looking for. www.fieldofcheese.com

www.fieldofcheese.com

A family-run business that caters for all Jewellery services such as Bespoke, Repairs, New and Preloved Jewellery and Preloved Luxury Brand Watches.

9ct, 18ct Yellow or White Gold, Platinum, Sterling Silver, Diamond and Precious Gemstone Set Jewellery.

We offer a One To One PERSONAL JEWELLERY CONSULTANCY service for ALL Jewellery Enquiries. Our Rings are Plain or Diamond set and we will aim to provide UNBEATABLE PRICES.

With over 40 Years’ experience in the industry, our Aim is to turn Your Jewellery Dreams into a Reality whilst offering Unbeatable Prices. MANOR JEWELLERY looks forward to working for YOU!

manorjewellery@gmail.com | 0208 050 3469 | www.manorjewellery.co.uk | /manorjewellery

Weddings & Events

Imagine holding your special day in a 200-year old barn, with its exposed beams, large open replace, many other original features, and beautiful fairy lights, which gives that extra special and romantic touch. At Maylands’ Golf Club, Romford, we understand every wedding day is di erent, therefore, we have a full time, experienced Wedding Co-ordinator to assist with your planning and help build the perfect package created just for you. We can help you select everything from your food to your photographer, owers and much more. Whether you would like to keep things traditional or would prefer to host a more relaxed a air, we have packages and prices to suit your requirements. We are licensed to hold civil ceremonies, enabling us to host every aspect of your day from start to nish.