Wedding tea for two

19/7/17

Everyone loves a good wedding and, as you can guess, so do we. Weddings make up a lot of our business and much care and attention goes in to making sure the day, and the food, is as perfect as it can be. Not all weddings are the same and, although many people opt for a traditional sit down, three course wedding breakfast followed by an evening finger buffet, not everyone has the same idea.

We were recently invited to cater a wedding at Hampton Court House for a lovely couple who wanted something a little bit different when it came to the food. After much planning and preparation, the day came and guests were welcomed with a traditional glass of champagne and then invited to enjoy a beautiful old English tea party. We offered an assortment of dainty sandwiches such as cream cheese and cucumber (the classic), roast beef and horseradish (Great British combo) and egg mayonnaise (the favourite) followed by a selection of delicious sweet treats. The kind of fare any Mad Hatter would approve of.

Scones were plentiful as was the jam and the clotted cream (or clotted cream and jam if you prefer) and served on tiered cake stands for everyone to enjoy. All washed down with cup of tea or coffee (or something a little fruitier if guests desired).

As with many a tea party, lawn games entertained the guests, who whiled away the afternoon basking in the sunshine with Giant Jenga and general wedding day fun. In the mean time we completely cleared and re-laid the tables in preparation for the second, and much anticipated part of the day, the evening BBQ.

BBQs have become much sort after for many events, especially weddings in the last few years. Offering a great choice of food and seemingly simple for the guests to enjoy, they always go down well no matter what the weather does. On this occasion the happy couple got what they ordered, a hefty dose of sunshine, so the BBQ ambiance was as perfect as it could have been. Chicken and red pepper kebabs complemented burgers and prawn and halloumi skewers, while the salads provided the final touch to a sumptuous savoury feast. Of course, no BBQ would be complete without a selection of summer desserts, so we served up Summer Pudding, banoffee pies and (one of our favourites) churros with a chocolate dip.

Altogether it was a perfect day for a perfect couple and the food complimented their theme and venue beautifully. So, if you’re thinking about catering for a summer wedding or any other special event, then we hope this gives you a little inspiration. Food is an important aspect of any party plan and it’s always nice to have a few ideas to mull over. Check out the menus from the day below and hopefully they will, dare we say it, give you some food for thought!

Tea party menu

Assorted Sandwiches
Cucumber and cream cheese on white bread
Roast beef, horseradish and capers on granary bread
Smoked salmon with wholemeal bread
Egg mayonnaise and mustard cress on white bread
Honey roast ham with caramelised onion jam on granary bread

Dessert

An assortment of macaroons
An assortment of cream and iced cakes
Assortment of plain and fruit scones offered with clotted cream and a selection of jams

Beverages

English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea
Fresh coffee

BBQ menu

Chargrilled Chicken & Red Pepper Kebabs
Beef burgers offered in a soft bap
Prawn and halloumi skewers
Greek vegetables skewers
Halloumi, cherry tomatoes and courgettes
Grilled corn on the cobb with jerk butter
Roasted parmesan new potatoes
Walnut and creamy blue cheese salad
Greek salad