Your Kent Wedding - March/April 2021 (Issue 95)

The main event While we all hold traumatic memories of the boring, mass-catering blandness of yesteryear, it’s time to put that all behind us. Wedding menus in the 2020s are creative, delicious, top-quality, personality driven, and even theme fitting. Whether your preference is for a seated traditional meal or for the informality of festival-style dining, you’ll find the priority for our experts is the quality of produce. Clare tells us, “We’re seeing couples focus on their true preferences – a kind of back-to-their-roots cuisine. We believe there’ll be more attention on seasonal and locally-sourced food, paired with local wines and bubbles.” Daniel agrees: “Two things we’re being regularly asked for are plant-based options and locally-sourced food, which we can do as three-course meals, bowl food or stalls. It’s great to work with local producers and farmers as there’s so much on offer in Kent.” As Daniel has already pointed out, the increase in demand for more vegetarian and vegan offerings has led caterers to develop a much wider range of tasty treats for the food-conscious. Rebecca and Cliff are similarly very aware of the ever-growing need to meet requests for vegan ice cream. They tell us, “We’re proud to be able to offer three flavours that are all free from dairy and gluten, as well as being clear of artificial flavourings and colourings. We feel it’s important to cater for all dietary needs and aim to provide a dessert for everyone, even those with a nut allergy. No one is left out! What’s more, thanks to our self-sufficient tricycles that don’t require an electric hook up or noisy generator, we can provide another tick for the environmentally-conscious couple.” With restrictions on guest numbers likely to continue into the foreseeable future, couples are finding they have more to spend on the important elements. Daniel explains, “We’re getting bookings for three-day affairs – dinner in a private let the day before, food on the wedding day, then a big family breakfast or brunch the following day.” Clare is experiencing a similar effect: “We’re being asked to design not three-course meals, but five-course banquets. We’re relishing the opportunity to get even more creative, elevating every dish and embracing the seasons. We plan to push the boat out for the grand finale, the dessert, combining exquisite flavours and aromas to make the mouth water.” With an intimate wedding comes the option to break from tradition while being practical in the face of restrictions. “Having an afternoon tea for your wedding breakfast and a barbecue in the evening avoids the need for pre-ordering, so couples can be sure about guest numbers,” Daniel explains. “Festival-style weddings are continuing to grow in popularity. In our packages we offer couples the option to choose three food stalls for the day and one for the evening, we also serve some of the dishes as bowl food. This gives them a great range of choice and fits well with a relaxed boho wedding,” he continues. www.cath reinehillphotography.co.uk for Treat s on a Tricycle www.pier ragphotography.com for Touchays 62