Founded in 2004 by Amanda Baird with a desire to see a more romantic soft look for wedding receptions with vintage china, rambling flowers and pretty food. This is a catering company with a difference, offering a number of services with an elegant vintage look. Styling with food, flowers and vintage china, it is as much about the presentation, decoration and display of the food as it is about the taste creating truly ‘Romantic Vintage Wedding Receptions’.

As the first catering company to offer vintage china hire, since 2004 they lead the fashion in style with beautiful food, flowers and china for this elegant look.

Vintage China Hire
Over 500 place settings of really pretty vintage china, silver, glassware and linen for Teatime and for Dinner, everything you could possibly want for a romantic decorative party from teacups to silver candelabra. Read on…

Eden Caterers are experienced, eco-friendly and ready to roll at just two days notice where required.

Brides with a longer lead time will love the mouth-watering menu options, while the price will delight whoever is holding the wedding purse strings.

“We believe we offer one of if not the most economical wedding catering offers in London, as well as being the most sustainable caterer in the south east,” said director Nick Mead.

These unconventional caterers are perfect for the modern bride, offering a ‘sparkling reception featuring wine and canapes from £11 per head, on-trend afternoon tea from £20 per head, cold buffet from £26.70 per head and hot buffet from £37.90 per head.

And those looking to book for 2012 can take advantage of the firm’s latest initiative – homemade honey from the Eden hive, which opens next week.
Read on…

If you are a foodie like me then catering is such an important part of the wedding planning process, with so many choices out there I wouldn’t even know where to start. Luckily this month I had the chance to sit down with Simon Goggin from Cooks & Partners and grill him on his tips and advice on wedding catering…

1. How far in advance should you book a caterer?

Ideally brides should be looking 10 months to a year ahead in order to book catering. As a caterer we can assist with not only the food and drink but the whole organisation of the day. Caterers also get booked up quickly so best to book early in order to guarantee your preferred date. Food, drink and service is one of the most important elements of the day and one that all guests will remember, so you are best to ensure you are happy with your decision and the menu you choose.

2. What are the signs of a good/bad caterer?

A good caterer will be prompt with the reply and professional presentation of proposals. They should ask the right questions to find out as much information about the wishes and desires of the bride and groom for the wedding day and ensure that they take this into consideration. Service, quality of the food, knowledge and presentation are all key elements to consider. You need to feel confident that the caterer will deliver as they promise.
Read on…

Choosing the catering for your big day can be a daunting experience.  In the current economic climate, many couples are trying to economise and financial situations are understandably shaping menus.  High quality food is still important however and this can be achieved on a relatively small budget with some careful thought and planning. John Hearn, Executive Chef of Tapenade shares his tips with The Wedding Girl’s SOS readers….
Start by selecting caterers at least six months in advance to give you time to discuss any requirements you have.  This also allows time to arrange tastings and tweak menus to ensure it meets your aspirations.

Most importantly, don’t panic!  Here are our top tips on shortlisting caterers and embarking on menu choices: Read on…

Hi Wedding girl, I am looking for a gift for all my bridesmaids (I have 6), I wanted to get them all a bottle of champagne but I think that is going to be too expensive, I want to spend about £15 for each. Have you got any ideas, maybe a small bottle of  liqueur or some coll chocolates or something?

Sarah

Hi Sarah

Buying bubbly for 6 bridesmaids could definitely end up being very expensive, but I may have just the answer, this month Harvey Nichols is to launch its own label Prosecco. It will be available at Harvey Nichols Wine Shops nationwide and priced at £13.50. This would make a lovely gift at an affordable price, also a great option for having at your wedding reception.

The London outpost of Parisian caterers, Nomad Food and Design, is bringing to the UK’s wedding market the super-luxe styling it is synonymous with in France.

Renowned as the caterer quite literally at the ‘cutting edge of taste’, Nomad Food and Design is adding molecular gastronomy and espuma dishes to its menus.  The experimental cooking techniques are sure to guarantee brides and grooms a day to remember and bring the meaning of a frosty reception to life!

The molecular dishes, using liquid nitrogen, add a theatrical wow to a wedding as head chef Patrick Collas dips the menu items into a ‘boiling frozen’ pool of liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -180C. Headlining Nomad Food and Design’s liquid nitrogen menus include; ‘Foie gras with maple syrup and pecan nuts’, ‘Salmon with cream and pea mint’, ‘Frozen ball of tangy lemon meringue pie’ and ‘English strawberry covered in a light tiramisu cream’.

Read more…

As most of you know I recently wrote about the 12 best places in London for afternoon tea. Well had the wonderful Tea, London & Sightseeing afternoon tea at the Swissôtel launched when I wrote that it would have definitely made my top 12.

I was invited to sample the fabulous TLSee afternoon tea that just launched this Friday and was not disappointed!

Under the guidance of Executive Chef Brian Spark, TLSee afternoon tea offers a bite-sized tour of the capital with each teatime treat exquisitely baked and designed to represent the vibrancy of the city. Traditional finger sandwiches and home-baked scones with clotted cream headline the afternoon tea menu before guests are treated to a selection of mouth watering macaroons, lemon drizzle cake and a scrumptious carrot cake to mention just a few. The highlight is the skillful presentation of the miniature London landmarks, my personal favourite was the replica 3D chocolate Big Ben filled with raspberry ganache and the Crown Jewels finished in gold leaf was also delicious, these are just two of the nine novel treats available. The other iconic patisseries include Tower Bridge, a London Cab, the London Eye, Temple Underground Sign, ER red post box, St Paul’s Cathedral and a London Routemaster.

TLSee is destined to be a stylish occasion! As guests take solace from the busy city for an afternoon of indulgence the only decision to make would be which tea to choose to accompany all the wonderful treats.

TLSee is priced at £28 per person and as a launch offer will include a glass of Alain Thienot Brut Champagne.

For reservations: +44 20 7300 1700 or www.tlsee.co.uk

What a genius idea! I would love to have this at my wedding….

Ice Angels, the brainchild of events entrepreneur Jill Davies, is on course to be the ‘must have’ accompaniment to Summer weddings. With the long-term weather forecast indicating sunny days and balmy nights, the achingly glamorous Ice Angels are set to add style and point of conversation to any style of wedding reception.

The premise: heavenly homemade ice cream, elegantly served by gorgeous Ice Angels adds a point of difference and an opportunity for guests to mix and mingle before, during or after the reception. Ice Angels can be used during the all-too-lengthy photography session, as a crowd cooler during the entertainment or simply as a palate cleanser during the meal.

Drawing on 1950s glamour the angels are styled on usherettes and are dressed in halter neck black and gold dresses. The Ice Angels serve a selection of flavours from deliciously understated clotted cream to fiery cracked black pepper, or honey and ginger to rib-sticking rich dark Belgian chocolate! The miniature ice creams are served in a crisp waffle cone, with the choice of paper sleeves which can be personalised with the names of the bride and groom.

Ice Angels are available throughout the UK; the angels can be dressed and styled to match any colours and style of reception. Minimum hire for the Ice Angels is £475 to include 3 flavours served to 100 guests and 1 angel.

Or why not go all out with the absolute wow factor! A complete ice cream parlour set up at your reception; chequerboard flooring, tables, chairs, parasols, uniformed waitresses serving full-sized ice cream sundaes! Perfect as an alternative to traditional sit-down deserts or a great way to keep your guests dancing the night away on a sugar-high!!

You can find out more Ice Angles on their website www.iceangels.co.uk

Girls, I have to tell you about these new mixers I have just come across, they are fab!!

Funkin ’10 second’ mixers are sweet little sachets that contain everything you need in a cocktail except for the alcohol! They’re a good fun, easy to use and no mess way to make cocktails at home, out at a summer picnic with your hens or try the peach bellini mix as a welcome drink at your reception.

They have a range of flavours – from my absolute favourite, white peach bellini to raspberry mojito, passion fruit margarita and many more – all you need to do is add the alcohol!! When I mixed up the white peach bellini, I thought the taste was familiar and I then realised this weekend that Funkin is actually what they use to make my favourite Bellini’s in my local bar!!

Prices start from £6.44 for 8 sachets which makes for a credit crunch friendly 80p per 120g sachet. All the sachets are 100% natural and contain nothing other than fruit puree and a touch of sugar for taste and they make the most simple and delicious cocktails or perfect alcohol free mocktails!

Funk is available at all the big retailers or via their website www.funkin.co.uk

Enjoy!!

Afternoon tea is a long standing English tradition and the perfect way to indulge with family and friends in the stressful lead up to a wedding. Whether you are looking to spend an intimate afternoon with your fiancé or a champagne filled afternoon with the girls, I have spent the last 2 months visiting all the best establishments in London so I can report back to you on the latest interpretations of this timeless treat…

Brown’s Hotel

From the moment I stepped in to this traditional tea room I knew I was in for a treat! The pianist was busy playing and the waiters were serving up the most delicious looking treats, I even spotted an old-fashioned cake trolley piled high with goodies.

For those of you who don’t know Brown’s Hotel is the original and oldest tea room and has recently been awarded the Tea Guild’s very prestigious ‘Top London Afternoon Tea 2009’. I have to say that it definitely deserves it, everything about the afternoon tea was fabulous from the extensive choice of teas, including their delicious own blend (they also have two tea sommeliers for those who would like a little advice, I had the gorgeous fresh rose bud tea), to the beautiful presentation of the cake stand! Read on…

I recently heard about The Utterly Sexy Café which I think sounds wonderful! It is a highly original catering company which caters for all celebrations including weddings. They can prepare delicious food creatively served using their pretty Vintage China which is available for hire along with silverware, embroidered or lace napkins, tablecloths, Art Deco glass jugs for Pimms, glass cake stands, silver candelabra and lots, lots more.

Your party or wedding reception will look breathtakingly beautiful with their styling and decorating service as guests sit at elegantly decorated tables adorned with the vast collection of very pretty vintage tea cups and saucers, lace table cloths, shiny silver, glistening glass, vintage napkins and mismatched tea plates. The marquee can be dripping with lanterns, twinkly lights and bunting. Read on…

Girls, you are in for a treat, this Saturday I visited the award winning chocolatier Melt. In the heart of Notting Hill, on trendy Ledbury Road, this little shop of wonders introduced me to what chocolate should really taste like… once you try their chocolates, nothing else will ever seem as good!

I tried many, many chocolates while I was there and each one was as delicious as  the last but I will start with my top 3 for favours:

Their Champagne Truffles are to die for, not too alcoholic, but beautiful balls of melty goo. Simply bliss!

The girls will love the Raspberry, Mint and White Chocolate Bonbons! They sound a little strange but when you bite in to the white chocolate ball speckled with crystallised mint leaves, a beautiful raspberry centre oozes out, it’s absolutely divine!!

I don’t know what it is about their Sea Salted Bonbon, but it works!! It’s their Award-Winning (as presented by the Academy of Chocolate) bestseller; a soft butter caramel made in their kitchen with fresh organic cream, light brown sugar and bourbon vanilla delicately seasoned with Maldon sea salt and rolled in fine quality cocoa powder. This is one smooth, irresistible bonbon!

Read on…

Liquid gifts are always a hit at weddings and Demijohn has created the most delicious range of wedding favours in personalised bottles!!

As a continental style liquid deli, Demijohn allows the bride and groom to choose the size and shape of the glass bottle and the delicious liqueur, whisky or spirit to go inside. They will also write a free message of your choice on the bottle.

The range of drinks is both huge and wonderful. I tried the summery Raspberry Vodka, with its brilliant red colour and smooth flavour of Scottish raspberries infused with vodka. The h2b tried the unusual Damson Gin Liqueur which he couldn’t get enough of! For a more Scottish wedding favour you could choose the Bramble Scotch Whisky liqueur which brings together the flavours of Scotland in a wonderfully rich and fruity tasting alcoholic drink.  Read on…