FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD

Food glorious food CATERING AND SWEET TREATS Local caterers share their top tips

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to your big-day food and drink, this A-Z guide will help you out! We caught up with Kate Bassett, Boulevard Events; Zoe Rafah, Zoe’s Heavenly Creations; Gwen Johnson, Sweet Sensations; Cynthia Akinsanya, Delights by Cynthia and Tom Lissimore, Hire the Bar, for the low down…

BBISCUITS Biscuits in sugar clothing! What a perfect delight for your guests. These would make great favours. – Zoe

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ASK! Your chosen caterer is here to make your day as much about YOU as possible – if you’ve got a favourite dish that you’d love to serve, then ask if they can do it! Popular restaurants have their own cookbooks or recipes available, so why not have Dishoom’s Gunpowder Potatoes as your side dish, or serve duck and waffle as your starter from our range of mouthwatering options? – Kate

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DESSERT TABLE For a vibe that’s a bit more relaxed, a dessert table works wonders. It allows plenty of choice and the opportunity for your guests to sample a selection of sweet treats. – Gwen

EEVENING SNACKS Gone are the days of couples requesting the typical buffet for evening guests – now we’re serving fish finger sandwiches, salt beef bagels, falafel kebabs, and mochi to keep the energy levels high for dancing. – Kate C CAKE AND COOKERY CLASSES Master your cake making or cookery skills whilst enjoying afternoon tea with your hens. – Zoe

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GGIFTS Treat your loved ones to a BouqCake gift. A range of beautiful floral cupcakes wrapped like a bouquet of flowers. Perfect as a table centrepiece or for those all-important thank you gifts. – Gwen H HEART FAVOURS We like to fill our delicious hearts with chocolate brownie. They’re perfect on your dessert table or as a wedding favour. With so many designs, they can fit your theme perfectly. – Gwen

IINSTANT SPARKLE Glittered fruit adds an instant sparkle as an edible table decoration. – Cynthia K KEEP A SLICE With everything going on during your day, the biggest mistake couples make is not getting to eat any of the cake! To avoid this, ask your caterers to keep a slice from each tier and box it up for you to take home. – Gwen JJACOBS LADDER This slow-cooked short rib of beef served with parmesan potato, celeriac croquette, butternut squash puree, wild mushrooms and a thyme jus is a winner main course option. – Kate

LLIME AND PISTACHIO CAKE You don’t have to stick to traditional cake flavours. Be adventurous and have something fresh and contemporary. – Zoe M MODERN Contemporary designs, which are bespoke, yummy and moist. – Zoe NOSTALGIA What old-time favourites evoke memories from your past. Make your food options meaningful. N OOREOS Chocolate-covered Oreos will go down a storm with guests of all ages. – Cynthia PPOST-CEREMONY Many couples are embracing the American-style cocktail hour post-ceremony, opting to serve substantial canapés or bowl food in place of a starter – this way you can work more of your favourite foods into Q BBQ! Outdoor events are made whole by the aroma of a barbeque in the air. Consider the your day. – Kate delight on people’s faces when they smell the sizzle of a homemade lamb and rosemary burger. It’s certainly one of the most popular options when it comes to pleasing your guests and we have some truly delicious menus to choose from. – Kate

RRELAXED AND INFORMAL Shared menus are growing in popularity. With this family style dining, each table immediately bursts into conversation, creating a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Think beautiful cuts of meat, wonderfully healthy salads, and a delicious array of side dishes. – Kate

SSUPPLIER MEALS Always check your supplier contracts and see if you’re required to provide a meal, especially if your venue isn’t close to any shops. Nobody can work on an empty stomach, so it’s nice to give them something even if it isn’t a requirement. – Kate

UUNDERSTAND YOUR INGREDIENTS The last thing you want to do is make one of your guests ill, so raise any allergies with your baker at your earliest opportunity. Your supplier will be able to give you a specific list of all the allergens your cake will contain. – Gwen

YYUMMY AWARD WINNER Our Hunters’ Gathering was the Winning Canapé of the Square Meal Canapé Cup 2014. Smoked venison with wild mushroom, celeriac and truffle puree, pancetta, fresh blackberry and a sweet Rioja jus collected in a crisp potato basket – what’s not to love! – Kate TTIMINGS Timings are so important for your caterer, so delays in service are always a logistical nightmare. We recommend speeches occur either before the starter’s served, or after the dessert's cleared away. The last thing any caterer wants is to serve sub-par food, which can happen if a ‘quick’ speech rolls over into 15 or even 30 minutes. – Kate

VVEGAN AND VEGETARIAN We’ve seen a rise in fully vegetarian and/or vegan weddings in the past two years. Getting creative and drawing on popular flavours, like our Miso Glazed Aubergine, we’ve found that guests don’t miss the meat. – Kate W

WOW-FACTOR You spend a good amount of money on your cake, so make sure it’s displayed with a fabulous cake stand for maximum impact and not stuck in a corner. – Gwen X XTRA CAKE Minimise waste. Often cake’s left over at the end of the day, so ask your caterers to wrap any leftovers and take it home to freeze it. You can then have edible memories of your wedding for up to three months after. – Gwen RAISE YOUR GLASS Thinking about a mobile bar? Here, Hire the Bar’s Tom Lissimore answers those burning questions…

Q - If we hire a bar, do we need to provide anything ourselves? The beauty of hiring a bar is that you don’t have to worry about glassware, ice, fruit, the team. When using Hire the Bar we include everything related to serving drinks to you and your guests.

Q – Do we have to follow a set menu? You know your guests best, so let us know the drinks they love along with your favourites and we’ll make it happen. You can even choose your favourite shot for your toast – the choice is yours.

Q – Will we need to worry about the legal stuff? We take care of all legalities including the license and insurance as if our life depended on it.

Q – Can we add our own styling to suit our theme? This is your wedding bar so feel free to add your personal touches. As long as it’s not dangerous or permanent!

Q – How do we know if we’ll like the wine on offer? We’ll send you samples to make sure it’s perfect for you. Our most popular wines are Sauvignon Blanc Voigner, Chardonnay, Picpul, Shiraz, Merlot and Malbec.

Q – We want our day to be all about the cocktails. Can we create our own? We offer a separate cocktail bar. Let’s face it, who wants to be waiting for cocktails to be made if they’re over after a pint. We’ll work with you to create your favourites.

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ZOE’S HEAVENLY CREATIONS To take care of your hen party, wedding cake and wedding portrait!! – Zoe SUPPLIERS

Kate Bassett, www.boulevardevents.co.uk Zoe Rafah, https://zoes-heavenly-creations.com Gwen Johnson, http://sweet-sense.co.uk Cynthia Akinsanya, www.delightsbycynthia.co.uk Tom Lissimore, www.hirethebar.com Q – Do we go for a cash bar, open bar or a mix? Whether you want a free bar all night, for a few hours or a straightforward pay bar; we have a variety of options to suit all budgets so you and your guests can enjoy themselves.