Your Kent Wedding - Nov/Dec 2019 (Issue 87)

SWEET TREATS What seasonal dishes can we serve at our winter-themed wedding? I’ve noticed that while couples are nodding to the festive season by opting for a crowd-pleasing seated traditional Christmas dinner complete with rich, local flavours, seasonal vegetables and comfort food with a gourmet twist, their desserts are taking centre stage. Rather than opting for classic puddings though, couples are getting more creative and incorporating their wedding cake into an exciting dessert station, also replacing the post-wedding breakfast tea and coffee with a hot chocolate bar. Food stations add a classy wow-factor to buffet-style dining. Using the best of the county’s seasonal ingredients you could choose to have a cheesecake, pie and tart bar including the best of Kentish traditional desserts like the deliciously sweet gypsy tart, Canterbury apple tart made with fruit picked from local orchards, and Kentish cherry batter pudding and ginger cobnut cake that we love to serve alongside delicious wines, also made with locally grown grapes. Clare Smith | touchays.com LET IT SNOW We‘re hoping to have a cosy Christmas wedding. What do you recommend we look for in a venue to make sure we can still enjoy our day to the fullest without the use of outside space? You need to be particularly discerning when planning a Christmas wedding – I recommend that your tick list include a venue that seamlessly combines the old with the new. Somewhere that enables you to have cosy experiences, like a beautiful old house with roaring fires where guests can relax with a glass of mulled Kentish cider and a splash of brandy, which always goes down a treat here. Then the new element of the venue, like a bright orangery, should enable you to bring the outside in, with grounds full of romantic hot-spots beautifully illuminated with festoon lighting and fairylights to keep your photographer and videographer happy! In order to maximise the daylight it’s important that you work with a dedicated wedding team that allows you to be flexible with your timings, as the best time to marry in the winter is at around 1pm, sitting down for dinner no later than 3.30pm – somewhat earlier than a summer wedding. Ideally you want a venue that enables you to achieve a romantic dinner illuminated by real candlelight to dazzle and inspire. This year, couples are working with their wedding stylists to create their own cosy winter wonderlands with a frosted sugar look that requires a white box background, and a sparkler send-off. We’re so excited we can‘t wait to get festive! Fleur Record-Smith | haynehouse.co.uk CHRISTMAS MINIMALISM How can I tie my stationery into my Christmas wedding theme without being tacky? Less is more! When it comes to wedding stationery think Christmas colours, imagery, sparkle and snow, then choose one or two, and let the main message be about your wedding day keeping the seasonality in the background. Modern twists on traditional Christmas colours work really well – rich mulled wine hues, teal and gold. Pair with a small nod to the festive season in the form of an icon such as a cute little reindeer and this is all you need. Alternatively, keep it classic with a white card, traditional typeface and winter flowers, not necessarily holly, but red berries, pinecones and foliage. Red foil also makes a lovely addition. For something simple, consider a winter wonderland theme with white, silver, and snowflakes. The key is to keep the focus on you and your partner. Concentrate on what Christmas means to you and use that as inspiration to create the perfect tone for your wintry wedding. Heather McMillan | byblossomweddingstationery.co.uk olegssamsonovsphotography.com nataliedphotography.com 90