WHAT’S COOKING

WHAT’S cookingThe latest hot trends in wedding catering for the year ahead

The ever-shifting landscape in 2021 has fostered a whole host of new and emerging trends in the world of wedding catering, some born out of necessity and many led by a commitment to greener, more sustainable living.

In the year ahead choices are likely to become even more varied and personalised, with locally produced, organic, vegan and vegetarian options high on couples’ wish lists to reflect their lives and loves. The provenance of the food served is high on the agenda, with newlyweds-to-be increasingly looking for regional dishes and treats in a nod to their family roots. Old favourites and comfort foods for a touch of childhood nostalgia continue to be popular too – think doughnut walls, gooey marshmallows roasted over a firepit or old-style school puddings, reinvented with a contemporary modern edge. Burgers, bacon sarnies or fish and chips served straight from the van to keep the late-night munchies at bay, are another hit, especially for chilled, outdoor weddings. The options are as big as your imagination and budget allow.

Pea and mint puree, feta, popped peas and smoked duck, polenta, orange chutney and marjoram. Beetroot and horseradish gazpacho with hung yoghurt, nasturtium, heritage radish, pickled radish and amaranth.

The feelgood factor

Norfolk-based Oystercatcher Catering offers bespoke wedding menus for foodie fans and prides itself on its ethos of local, seasonal catering with a conscience. Run by husband and wife team Jackson, head chef, and Fiona, front of house, being kind to the planet is integral to their business. Their list of eco credentials includes running their prep kitchen on 100 per cent renewable energy, sourcing local produce as well as growing their own and only using sustainably sourced seafood and low-impact meats. What’s more, their endeavours in championing sustainability recently earned them a Corporate Social Responsibility Award.

“We enjoy building personal relationships with our couples as we plan their special meal together, tweaking things until they’re just right. By the time the big day comes around, it often feels like we’re feeding friends, rather than customers, ” explains Fiona. While planning menus with their 2022 couples, she’s noticed a number of trends emerging. She says: ♥ People have missed connecting with family and friends during the pandemic, so looking forward to brighter times ahead many are opting for sharing-style meals for their wedding guests. Great as an ice-breaker as people pass bowls of food around and start chatting. ♥ With growing concern about climate change, local and seasonal sourcing is increasingly important and many couples are trying to reduce the carbon footprint of their big day as much as possible. ♥ In line with this, we’re noticing more couples appear to be less focused on meat feasts for their weddings and instead are increasingly interested in celebrating the veggie sides.

Visit www.oystercatchercatering.uk

Chocolate and almond torte, white chocolate crème pat, chocolate veloute, raspberries, pistachio crumb.

Ana Cerdeño, owner of Cambridgeshire-based HoneyShed Bakery & Catering reports a marked increase in demand for grazing tables for weddings. Great for the evening celebration, think live music combined with mouth-watering foods, merging sweet and savoury treats to snack on throughout the night. She says, “They’re ideal for relaxed dining as guests can enjoy a wide range of fresh food at their own pace with no rush or formal table service. They can be used as the main wedding breakfast, the post-ceremony reception to help guests mix and mingle before the formal sit-down meal or for the evening party. Not only that, but the tables can be fully personalised to couple’s individual tastes and specifications, plus they look incredibly inviting too!”

Visit www.honeyshedbakery.co.uk

Sharing is caring

After all the restrictions of the past 18 months, mixing and mingling is a high priority for many newlyweds-to-be. “Sharing platters are becoming a huge trend especially for marquee weddings as couples want their guests to get together and be social,” says Emma of North Norfolk’s Bayfield Catering, www.bayfieldcatering.co.uk

Top picks for the platters are seafood and mixed barbecue meats all very local and fresh including fish from their nearby smokehouse and home-bred meat from the butcher.

Dessert-wise it’s tempting trios al the way. “Our customers love them!” she adds.

www.vickyplum.co.uk

CHECK OUT…

As a nation of tea-lovers The Teapod, ticks a whole lot of boxes for the big day. As well as delicious organic teas, it offers a range of goodies, including milkshakes, vegetarian sweet and savoury crêpes and vegan waffles, all made-to-order. The supply chain is kept as close to home as possible, so it’s kind to the planet too. What’s more the cute mobile trailer provides a great backdrop for the wedding photos. Owner Therese Coyne says, “The trend towards eco-friendly weddings fits well with our offering and we cater for special dietary requirements.”

She’s also noticed that in line with growing demand for more intimate weddings, couples are wanting to focus more on the things and people that really matter to them, their nearest and dearest, not forgetting their pets too! In response to demand for eco-friendly favours, she recently set up a sub-brand PODcrafts offering custom tea blends so guests can take home the newlyweds’ signature tea as a memento of the day. To complete the full wedding offering, Therese is also a certified wedding celebrant, so is totally in tune with all aspects of the big day!

Visit www.theteapod.co.uk

Take your seats

Whatever trends may come and go, the sit-down wedding breakfast remains a enduring favourite. Traditional, certainly doesn’t mean boring though, far from it! There’s a multitude of ways to add your personal touch and create a magical atmosphere for a dining experience to remember. Imaginative tablescaping and layouts are becoming ever more creative with fabulous centrepieces and decorative details to reflect the season, wedding theme and colour scheme. As well as the evergreen three-course meal, there’s a range of alternatives from tasting menus, tailored to your personal likes, to contemporary twists on old favourites like toad-in-the-hole, pie and mash or fish and chips. Vegan, vegetarian and special dietary needs are also catered for in tasty and imaginative ways, rather than a sorry afterthought. Be inspired by the time of the year when choosing your menu. Your caterer will be able to advise on what’s in season.

Cheers to that!

Gone are the days of the basic bar for your big day, nowadays there’s a wealth of options to suit the style and theme of your celebration. We’re talking drinks stations, converted horsebox mobile bars and more. Tempting tipples are in the limelight, adding extra style and fun throughout the day, from the post-vows drinks reception and beyond. Sassy Pimm’s and ‘pimp your prosecco’ stations, tempting cocktails and mocktails with all the trimmings, great for summer weddings, are all vying with the customary glass of bucks fizz for the welcome drinks. You could even have your very own signature cocktail, pop a twist on a classic name or work with a mixologist to create a personalised drink for you. The beers, wines and spirits can complement your lives, loves and wedding theme too. Think local and artisan gins, craft beers, or wine from a regional vineyard to reflect your home, travels, favourite places or family roots. For a winter evening reception, mulled wine, hot toddies or steaming mugs of hot chocolate for sipping around a firepit make great festive options and fab photo opportunities too!