We ticked another big box off our wedding checklist this week: meeting the caterer and finalising the menu. The caterer and I have been in email conversation since around June last year so it was nice to finally put a face to a name. David and I are real ‘foodies’, so I’ve decided to share our choices and hopefully make your mouths water as much as mine will writing it!
My Dad, David and I originally started brainstorming different aspects of the wedding, and we were all very keen on a good, country Hog Roast with all the trimmings. I’ve been to garden parties with a hog and it seems such a celebration of food and company, and totally fits the relaxed atmosphere we’re hoping for on our day. One problem: my Mum is, what she calls herself, “a reluctant meat eater”. She has even attempted to become a vegetarian in the past, and as soon as my Dad and I broke the news of our idea her immediate reaction was “not in my garden, you’re not!” But after a few months of persuasion, Mum came round to the idea, and when we both went to meet the caterer a few days ago, and with a bit of compromise (a covered oven instead of a spit roast), it looks like we’re having what we initially envisaged.
Next, David and I worked through the sample menus and suggestions provided and composed our wedding breakfast. To accompany welcome drinks, we decided to serve an array of “the best of British” canapés, including smoked ham and honey mustard pamiers, Yorkshire puddings with beef, and steak and stilton on a whisky rosti.
As for the main course, we’ve taken to calling it “a luxe BBQ”. We decided upon a hog roast with all the trimmings, a feast of hearty marinated meats, potatoes, salads and all the traditional BBQ accompaniments; all perfect for a (hopefully sunny) Summer’s day.
Finally, and my favourite of some of the ideas we’ve had for the wedding, dessert will be a vast selection of homemade cakes and sweet treats on our very own ‘Cake Table’. When we started discussing making it a possibility, I knew my Grandma could make her famous chocolate gateux, Mum could make her passion cake, Carli from The Olde Young Teahouse would take care of a few, and David’s sister, Anna (domestic goddess), could make her mouthwatering strawberry cake. Little did I know that when I went back to talk ‘mission wedding’ with my Mum one day that many other people had, literally, stepped up to the plate! The following is the selection that guests will be able to choose from:
Grandma Yvonne’s Chocolate Gateaux
Mum’s Passion Cake
Marion’s Meringues
Mary N’s Sticky Ginger Cake
Mary N’s Lemon Drizzle Cake
Glenys’ Lemon Roulade
Anna’s Strawberry Cake
Carli’s Coffee & Walnut Cake
Carli’s Peanut Butter and Jam Cake
Carli’s Lemon and Passion Fruit Cupcakes
And all to be served with Mary’s mountain of summer berries and lashings of clotted cream!
So there you have it, and apologies it’s such a ‘foodie’ post, but my mouth’s watering just thinking about it and I had to share!
Eat, drink and be married!
Sally xx
