Your Devon and Cornwall Wedding - Page number 66 - September/October 2021 (Issue 33)

Can you suggest some ways for us to plan a sustainable winter wedding? Meet the expert: Gemma Halliwell is the owner of West Country Wedding Planner with more than 16 years of experience managing weddings in any location, from marquees on the grounds of a country estate to beautiful barn celebrations, keeping within budget. Along with her team, she also offers on-the-day coordination Gemma says: As wedding planners located and operating throughout the South West, it’s really important to us to help couples plan a more sustainable event. Our top tip is to think reusable - whatever season you’re planning for, hiring items such as glassware can cut down on waste. It’s also a great idea to arrange to collect and recycle wine and champagne bottles which is a service we have been offering to our clients as part of our post-wedding clear-up. Winter is a great season to display plenty of candles on the tables to create a romantic atmosphere. Vintage candlesticks and cylinder vases can easily be hired and they cut down on having lots of cut flowers on the tables that can go to waste. As well as making sure you can reuse everything from your wedding, you need to consider purchasing a sustainable dress. We work with some amazing pre-loved suppliers that not only offer beautiful gowns and the full boutique experience, they’ll also save you money. 01392 758 220 | www.westcountryweddingplanner.co.uk www.facebook.com/westcountryweddingplanner ECO-CHIC CELEBRATIONS Decor image of West Country Wedding Planner courtesy of Laura Dillon and team photography courtesy of Vintage Wedding Photographer. FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD Can you suggest some ways for us to create a sustainable winter wedding menu? Meet the expert: Sarah-Jane Payne is the owner of West Country Caterers, a family-run business offering home-cooked cuisine located in Umberleigh, Devon. Sarah-Jayne says: At West Country Caterers, we pride ourselves in embracing both seasonal and local produce wherever possible. Our suppliers are all based in the West Country which minimises the food travel time. Our menus are designed around using local suppliers and embracing a very British style. Food at this time of the year needs to be warming and packed with flavour. Winter vegetables and herbs from our garden add to the flavour of our home-cooked fayre. We pride ourselves in using suppliers that help to reduce our carbon footprint but still supply great local produce of the best quality. A sample menu for a winter wedding would be caramelised red onion tart with West Country goat’s cheese, Red Ruby Exmoor beef in beer served with a selection of seasonal vegetables, our own sticky toffee pudding recipe for dessert teamed with homemade ice cream, and coffee and Devonshire fudge to finish. 01769 560 473 | www.west-country-caterers.co.uk www.facebook.com/WestCountryCaterers 66