IS 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 OIS 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 P IS 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 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 in and you’re on the right track! www.facebook.com/MilestoneswithClarkes QIS 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 to any couples committing,” says Bridie West from Brentwood’s Bridie’s Cakes. “If the tables 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 N 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 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 www.sandkhospitality.com www.tiptree.com www.facebook.com/MilestoneswithClarkes www.beaufromage.co.uk www.facebook.com/STEELSMOKING10 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 T CATERING 61
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