An Essex Wedding - May/June 2024 (Issue 116)

A WINNING MENU We’re having a relaxed and informal barn wedding and, as we’re both real foodies, would love to wow our guests with a tasty menu. What do you suggest? I’d recommend sweet chilli chicken skewers with mango and coriander salsa to start. These have a very colourful aesthetic with layers of flavours. I’d of course have an alternative for vegans and vegetarians. For this, we’d suggest red onion jam and goats cheese tartlet, (this never fails to disappoint). For mains it would have to be a meat sharing platter. All salads and accompaniments including Greek salad, herb roasted new potatoes, Moroccan couscous salad, red cabbage slaw, and leaf salad will be placed on the tables after the starter is cleared. Platters will then be served to the tables on wooden boards consisting of pan-fried lamb rump, slow roasted belly of pork, roast chicken and sliced sirloin steak. Vegetarians and vegans would be presented with slow roasted peppers filled with rice and feta cheese, mushroom and Mediterranean vegetable wellingtons and Mediterranean vegetable and halloumi skewers. For dessert I’d recommend a plated trio of desserts comprising of Belgium triple chocolate brownie (which comes as gluten free as standard), lemon posset shot, and classic Eton mess. This menu invites itself to create sharing and engaging conversations between the guests at a wedding, enabling more connections and an overall greater sense of togetherness. Sarah Walsh | Coggeshall Catering Company www.coggeshallcateringcompany.co.uk MONEY MATTERS We’re thinking of getting wedding insurance. How do we go about this? Whilst everyone, of course, hopes that their wedding day will go without a hitch, unfortunately, things can, and do, go wrong. And when they do, it can leave you significantly out of pocket if you don’t have insurance! With the average cost of a wedding coming in at around £20,000, it’s a major financial commitment that you want to make sure is protected. Wedding insurance covers you for things such as cancellation and rearrangement, failure of wedding services suppliers, personal liability, damage or theft of your ceremonial attire, wedding gifts, wedding rings, photography … and more. Here’s a few things to be aware of when you’re shopping around for a wedding insurance policy that’s perfect for your big day. 1. Getting the right amount of cover. Many wedding insurance plans offer different levels of cover. So, work out the cost of your wedding and then choose the level of cover that covers this planned spend. 2. Don’t delay Whilst the wedding to-do list may seem never ending, it’s important to not delay when it comes to buying wedding insurance. 3. Cheap isn’t always best! Make sure to shop around and compare policies. Look at things like the details of the cover, customer reviews and the reputation of the insurance providers. 4. Double check the cancellation policies Cancellations are never fun, but they unfortunately do happen, so reviewing the cancellation policy is important and ask questions if needed. Protecting your special day is a small price to pay for peace of mind. The team at Wedinsure Wedding Insurance www.wedinsure.co.uk REST ASSURED What can I do, the night before to make the best use of my time on the big day? For the bride the night before it’s important to definitely enjoy the build-up, take some relaxation time and look forward to a wonderful wedding day with a glass of bubbly. It’s always a good tip to hang the bridal parties dresses out the night before (if possible) ready to be steamed the next day so they can breathe. Personally, the night before the big day, I’ll always check in on my bride to wish her a wonderful evening, to double check my arrival time and also just to make sure everything is ok. I like to keep in regular contact with my bride in the run up to the wedding to do last minute requirements such as first looks and what time the bride would like to be ready. Nicola Worrall www.instagram.com/nicolaworrallbridaldressing 86

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