There is no doubt that you will be wowed by wonderful winter wedding inspiration on the internet; fur stoles to team with your wedding dress, glistening tableware and festive favours. But what about food?

We've been chatting to the Total Hospitality team, who have told us their favourite canapés for a winter wedding.

There's nothing quite like the earthy taste of wild mushrooms. Total Hospitality have presented their rich and luxurious ragout on handy little pastry spoons for a mess-free mouthful!

The classic combination of scallops and peas will never go out of fashion. A light and delicious canapé with vibrant colour, this is the perfect choice for your guests before a large wedding feast!

These bites of Sunday roast in miniature will have your guests going wild. We can say from experience that a mini yorkie with rare beef is a favourite amongst wedding guests, we can just hear that crunch of the Yorkshire pudding, can you?

Walnuts, one of the warming tastes of Winter and topped with a festive fig there's no way you could miss these from your December wedding canapé line up. These bad boys were captured by the wonderful Benjamin Stuart Photography and we just adore the rustic service style!

Crisp crostini meets mellow roasted vegetables. Vegetarian canapés can be the star of the show too dressed with brightly coloured micro leaves to finish.

The Wild Fork share with us their thoughts on the important subject of sustainability on your wedding day.

​There is no denying that climate change is real, and with the media coverage of the subject ever increasing there is a huge movement of people trying to do the right thing. From small steps at home to enforcing rules in the workplace, we’re learning how to right our wrongs and do what we can to reduce our impact on the planet’s climate change.
 
Weddings are described as ‘the big day’ or ‘the best day of your life’ and so it can seem as though one day is a small blip in the world of sustainability. One day of not focussing on your impact on the environment is not going to make a significant difference, but actually, the wedding industry is enormous! If everybody thought a little more about how their one big day can be that little more sustainable, it could make a huge difference.

​To us, seasonality is key, and that is why you don’t see a long menu list to choose from. By choosing produce that is in season not only can we be confident it’s going to be at it’s prime and the most tasty product, but it will also be locally sourced with minimal food miles.
 
We work with our clients to understand their needs before our creative chefs craft a fully bespoke menu using the finest ingredients of the season. Rather than choosing from a set list of menus, ask how your caterer can include seasonal produce.

​Agriculture is a contributing factor toward climate change through both emissions of greenhouse gasses and the conversion of forests and natural landscapes to agricultural land.
 
Swapping some farmed produce with wild and foraged foods can help to reduce your wedding’s impact on the environment. We have a wonderful connection with deer management across Berkshire and so wild venison appears on many of our autumnal wedding menus.
 
Other items to look out for include blackberries, wild garlic and game birds, but ensure your big day is in the correct season otherwise you cannot ensure these British delights have been not been farmed.

Emphasis on your wedding being the best day of your life means people assume that you should offer what we deem as the most lavish and ‘special’ ingredients for your guests. For some reason, this means meat, and that our fresh and delicious vegetables have often been overlooked.
 
However, now that there is a huge rise in vegetarian and veganism, we’re hoping to see an increase in vegetarian options being chosen throughout canapé selections and the wedding breakfast.
 
Our head chef Anthony appreciates the flavours, textures and beauty of the humble vegetable and is often experimenting with exciting new combinations to point our clients in a less meat-filled direction! This season we’re making the most of the creamy and intriguing celeriac in purées, as crisps and warming soup shots for an autumnal canapé.

​As caterers, it isn’t just the food side which sees opportunity for reducing our environmental impact. Your wedding drinks are surrounded by tempting and low priced one-use items which perhaps seem like an easy and fuss-free option, until you consider the environmental connotations.
 
Know your true disposable paper straw – the patterned, colourful variety that often catch our eye may not be fully recyclable, so it’s advisable to check the packaging!
 
Consider your soft drink option! You’ll be focussing primarily on your traditional bubbles or swanky cocktail arrival, but overlooking your soft drink option can leave you frantically throwing litres of plastic pop into your shopping trolley. Glass bottles add so much to your arrival drinks, circulated on trays with pretty paper straws. Although the supermarket has a limited selection of one portion glass bottles, ask your caterer what selection is available to them! We often can provide glass bottles of all your retro favourites, as well as flavoured lemonades and exciting new tonics.
 
 
 
 

The Wild Fork have kindly shared with us a blog post about food related trends and how being yourself and portraying your story is the best way to ensure your big day is full of unique details.

"When planning your wedding you’ll no doubt find the word ‘trend’ plastered, well, everywhere. Pinterest will tell you what evening treats are dubbed to get your guests excited in 2019 and you’ll find various articles persuading you to copy the most recent celebrity wedding. Extravagant ideas will be labelled as exciting and unique, but unique doesn't necessarily mean lavish or trend-setting, it's about you.

​Although trends are generally inspiring and can ignite your own passion and exciting ideas, it’s nice to be different, isn’t it? With food playing such a large part in cultures, relationships and history, dare to be different!

From the moment your guests step foot into your reception, you can begin to inject personality into your food and drink. We love cocktails, and signature fruity concoctions will always be a popular choice among Wedding guests, but how about exploring your local or childhood town and scouring their beverage offering? Go back to basics with a traditional English Sparkling Wine, and for the beer lovers why not provide kegs or bottles of your father’s favourite locally brewed ale.

​Canapés can tell a story too! Instead of heading straight to Pinterest for the most recent idea in miniature food (I think we’ve all seen those mini burgers and beers… rolls eyes)… think about how you can tailor food that tells YOUR story to generate a social buzz at your reception. We love the idea of circulating grazing boards which portray your heritage or your favourite travel destination as a couple.

Choosing the food you LOVE is the best way to say a little something about yourself. Often couples can get carried away worrying about pleasing all of their guests’ tastes for the Wedding Breakfast, and although a sushi banquet might be a step too far, focus on pleasing yourselves. You must have a go-to starter, or a guilty pleasure dessert that would be on your last supper menu, tell us about it and we will work with you ensure your menu is YOUR menu. There is nothing better than enjoying the food you love with the people you love.

​All-out evening food is already written in the papers as the ‘trend of 2018’ and some of the ideas out there are wonderfully exciting (everyone’s eyes will light up at the sight of a doughnut wall, for sure) BUT if you and your fiancé are known for your all time love of the humble bacon sarnie then you go for that bacon sarnie! Maybe you first met on an embarrassing night out and shared a romantic kebab? Our posh kebab station is our answer to your midnight munchie prayers, featuring local top quality meats marinated in traditional spices with various toppings and sauces.

The internet is a fantastic hub of inspiration for both couples and caterers, and we love to read about what foodie delights are gaining popularity. What we love most, however, is being inspired by our brides and grooms’ family quirks and traditions to create a truly unique day."

​At a beautifully quiet and secluded barn in West Berkshire, we had the pleasure of coming together with some brilliant suppliers for Sam & Steff’s wedding day.

Guests made their way to the venue through the most stunning floral arch way before being handed fruity, refreshing bellinis.

​Mellow jazz music filled the air whilst guests enjoyed lawn games and some delicious canapés including Cured Salmon Tartare & Crisp Cucumber and Quail Scotch Eggs with Apple Chutney.

​After a beautiful reception, everyone entered the barn to be wowed by the fantastic décor awaiting them.

​Jo Wise at Floral Circus had spent an astonishing amount of time and effort putting together breathtaking floral arrangements. The tables were adorned with our elegant crockery and glassware which looked truly lovely.

​For dinner, guests enjoyed Poached & Smoked Salmon with Caper Berries, Chives and Micro Salad followed by a main course of Haunch of Venison, Pommes Sarladaises, Garlic Purée, Greens Beans and a Red Wine Jus.

​For dessert, Sam’s sister Rosie created perfect little cupcakes and a stunning ruffle style cake. Each guest chose their flavour cupcake, and were given them on a wooden board to enjoy throughout the speeches.

​Throughout the evening everybody was thoroughly entertained by The Revue Trio who kept every single person partying on the dancefloor. Sam & Steff cut their wedding cake outside the barn before enjoying a late night snack of Mezze with Houmous, Beetroot Houmous, Baba Ghanoush, Olives and Chorizo.

It really was a perfect Wedding day, with even the weather playing ball. The sunshine was out, glasses were clinking and lots of smiles were to be seen. The day was absolutely flawless and for that we have the fantastic suppliers to thank. They had all worked so hard to make everything special.

A very special thanks to Hannah McClune at Hannah McClune Photography for her beautiful photographs that captured every lovely moment from this special day.