Here is a selection of Q&As from Your Sussex Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@your-sussex.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Winter warmers
Q. What are your suggestions for a warming winter wedding feast?
A. Kieron Robathan says: A warming winter wedding feast should be all about comfort and simplicity but most of all sharing. Think bold flavours, and something that's filling, delicious and moreish. For me, a slow-cooked pulled shoulder of lamb in a rich Moroccan-style sauce with smoked paprika, caramelised onions, chickpeas and wilted spinach, topped off with a minted yoghurt and pomegranate dressing really hits the spot. I love the melt-in-themouth, well-seasoned lamb served alongside a warm chilli spiced cous cous, and chargrilled garlic buttered flatbreads to tear with your guests around the table.
Dessert is easy! A white chocolate, caramelised orange and rosemary bread and butter pudding screams winter flavours and scents, served with cream Anglaise and dairy ice cream.
Serve everything around the table in large bowls for sharing, take as much or as little as you want surrounded by friends and family. Feast... the clue is in the title!
Kieron Robathan, Kieron's Kitchen Bespoke Catering
www.kieronskitchen.co.uk
Sharing is caring
Q. A three-course seated wedding breakfast isn't really us. Can you suggest any alternatives?
A. Jacquie Keeley says: We do offer the traditional wedding breakfasts, but out of choice I prefer big bold sharing platters that take centre stage on the tables. For these, I love to use home-grown herbs and edible flowers from my own cottage garden as well as locally-grown produce and meat direct from the farmer. As you can imagine, as a farmer's daughter I have many contacts in the field!
A less formal wedding breakfast featuring sharing platters is a much more naturally relaxed style of dining. They allow your guests to be interactive, sociable and offer plenty of choice to suit all tastes. Stunning rustic platters offer the wow factor and are sure to be a conversation starter too when they arrive at the tables, something that a three-course meal being served one plate at a time doesn't have the ability to do. By the very act of sharing family-style you're bringing people together across the table, unifying loved ones from both sides. After all, sharing is caring!
Jacquie Keeley, Fab Food For You
fabfoodforyou.co.uk
Fresh and fabulous
Q. How can we bring the feeling of springtime into our wedding food for the day?
A. Susan Quinn says: As winter closes its door, there's a sense of new beginnings, so what better time of year to celebrate your latest adventure together? Spring conjures up images of green and yellow hues with pastel shades, so why not incorporate these into your wedding theme? A delicious soup made from locally-sourced wild garlic is perfect for this time of year. Alternatively, you could opt for beautiful fresh asparagus with pancetta as your opening course.
Spring lamb is a favourite for this time of year and Sussex has some of the best organic grass-fed lamb in the country. Combine it with a medley of beautiful organic seasonal vegetables – steamed purple sprouting broccoli, roasted baby carrots and new potatoes. For dessert, delight in a delicious rhubarb Eton mess. The red stems of rhubarb will pop on your plate.
Finally, a magnificent grazing board for the evening will really bring your seasonal theme home. Select a vibrant colour palette with colourful and tasty red and yellow vine tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions with delicious Sussex artisan cheeses and meats – spring on a plate!
Susan Quinn, Quinn Events
www.quinnevents.co.uk
Eat green!
Q. We're keen for our wedding to be as sustainable as possible. How can we extend this to our catering?
A. Pippa O'Neill says: This should be straightforward as well as fun. Just consider our top three tips when you're planning:
- Use local: Choosing a caterer local to your venue is an effective way of keeping sustainability at the forefront. Not only will this reduce the mileage of their back and forths, it will also decrease the mileage of their staff, who likely also live locally.
- Ask about local produce: Caterers invested in championing local produce are reducing their carbon footprint and helping their local economy to flourish, both important commitments to sustainable working. Ask your caterers to also use seasonal fruits and vegetables for a delicious triple sustainability hit.
- Can you reduce your meat intake? Opting to serve your guests a vegetarian or vegan starter, or even making your menu fully vegan, will go a long way towards reducing the carbon footprint of your day. We have an incredible new vegan menu catering for your every need with absolutely no compromise on quality or quantity.
Pippa O'Neill, Tie The Knot Catering
www.tietheknotcatering.co.uk
