Last summer, The Wild Fork catered for Kate & Ben’s beautiful DIY wedding in the grounds of Hambledon House. We had a catch up with Jaz, Event Manager, to find out how couples choose their perfect menu! Scroll down to see more gorgeous photos by Andrew Leo Photography alongside a Q&A with our wedding menu guru. For a full list of suppliers, head to The Wild Fork's original blog post here.
We love Kate & Ben's festival vibe! How did you incorporate the theme into the menu?
Their family style dining menu reflected the social nature of their festival themed wedding. The sharing aspect let guests really get ‘stuck in’ chatting away as they served themselves and each other.
What did the lovely couple choose for their wedding breakfast? How did they choose?
After a meeting session, we invited Ben & Kate to try a selection of starters, mains and desserts at our kitchen in Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire. They were certain they wanted a sociable aspect to their menu, so we suggested a selection of our sharing dishes. They opted for a plated starter of Caramelised Onion Tart with Goat Cheese Mousse, followed by a sharing main course of Rolled Pork Belly, Crisp Cheeks, Garlic Roasted New Potatoes and an English Garden Salad with Apple Sauce. For their dessert, they chose a super summery and berry covered Lemon Tart. This was served whole to the table for guests to slice up!
How were their guests welcomed?
They chose ‘signature’ cocktails. Kate chose a sophisticated Blackberry Banchee, with Prosecco, Homemade Blackberry Brandy and Skewered Blackberries. Ben went for a Sloe Gin Cooler, with Homemade Sloe Gin and Ginger Beer. They went down swimmingly, and went so well with the festival feel. They chose a selection of summery canapés to serve alongside the drinks too.
The tables looked beautiful, how did you set them up?
We had discussed with Kate the colour scheme that she was opting for, and we knew our cornflower blue napkins would be the perfectaccompaniment for the floral arrangements. The napkins were topped with some lovely Homemade Marshmallow Favours and a pebble that Kate had chosen. The luxury crockery, cutlery and glassware was all hired through us, finishing off the table-top look perfectly.
Any signature cocktails for the evening bar?
No signature cocktails, but the evening bar featured kegs of homemade ale and ciders, decorated with hay bales and orchard fruits. There were neon signs above the bar specifically made for the Wedding, as Ben’s company creates bespoke neon signage!
How did the guests fuel their boogying? Did they have an evening menu?
They were fuelled with the ULTIMATE evening feast - gourmet hot dogs, served with all the trimmings.
What was your favourite element of the day?
We absolutely loved the venue and setting, it felt so secluded and personal with lots of different aspects that created the perfect backdrop to their day. The walled rose garden, pond, Elizabethan Manor House and glorious fields with meandering rivers were all breath taking to absorb!
Describe the day in three words only!
Wow, how difficult… Beautiful Festival Feast!