Back to Hill Farm.
A couple of weeks ago we were back at Hill Farm Barns to cater for the wedding of D & Z. This was one we were specifically looking forward to because it meant we were heading back to our own wedding venue. We were excited to see someone else’s take on the space and their choice of colours etc as our wedding was the only one we had previously seen in this venue.
On Friday while Ryan set up the kitchen and bar areas, I set about helping Z bring her vision to life. For me one of the most exciting parts. Now having done it myself, I know that having an idea in your head and then seeing it come together in real life makes the sleepless nights wondering if its going to look good or not all worth while!
D & Z chose to have long banquet style tables and went for orange tones for their place settings and decor. With gorgeous dark orange table runners and burnt orange napkins folded with the cutlery inside, the tables were finished with large glass demijohns of dry flowers and feathers. We set wine and water glasses at each place and popped the napkin of cutlery in the centre. D & Z had made their own toffee vodka for their favours, a lovely personal touch. This all looked lovely against the backdrop of the barn, especially the top table with Z’s amazing deer antler centre piece!
Z also chose to have silk flowers for her bouquets and antler designs and they really did look amazing!
On the day, after the ceremony, we served bottled lager and fizz to guests alongside canapés. As always we had to wiggle through the crowd of hungry male friends who conveniently placed themselves close to the kitchen door, to make sure guests at the other side of the room were being well fed too! D & Z’s choice of canapés were our ever popular honey mustard sausages, tempura prawns with sweet chilli dip, roast beef mini yorkies and tomato and basil crostini’s.
Before everyone was seated D & Z cut the cake as this was being used as their dessert. Their cake was beautiful. Three tiers of classic Victoria sponge, iced in orange and white marble effect. On top sat two little rocking chairs, one with a cowboy hat hanging on it, to stay in keeping with their very subtle cowboy style theme. I didn’t realise until I saw some of the professional photos at a later date that Z wore cowboy boots under her dress!
The cake was carried away to be portioned in the kitchen. Tracy’s favourite job…! Guests were served a carrot and ginger soup to start with cobs of sourdough on the tables to help themselves. Bowls came back completely empty and to quote one of D’s groomsmen, “When D told me what the soup was I thought, carrot soup! That sounds disgusting! But it was absolutely lovely! I’d never choose to have that flavour but I really enjoyed it!”
Main course was our ever popular crowd pleaser, skin on chicken with sage and onion mash, petit pois a la Française and a creamy white wine sauce. For the vegetarians we served vegetable wellington with a red wine jus. This was then followed by the wedding cake for dessert. During this time staff also ensured the wines and waters were kept topped up.
Then the bar was open for people to get the party started! And get it started they did! D & Z spoke to us in the lead up to the wedding about us supplying their favourite tipple. So on the day we were able to meet this request and added Fireball and Apple juice to the menu for the night! Not one we had come across before but obviously we needed to try it for work purposes and had to agree it was pretty tasty!
Evening food for these guys was hog roast rolls, put together in the kitchen and laid out in takeaway boxes for people to grab and get back to the dance floor! Vegetarians were offered halloumi burgers.
It was great being back at Hill Farm so soon after our own wedding and amazing to watch someone else’s day from the other side. D & Z were a delight to work for and we wish them all the best in their future life as Mr and Mrs.
Sophie x
Venue @hillfarmmassingham
Photographer @ ewan_paton_photography (not the photos used for this post, these are my own, usually rushed, phone photos!)
Cake @jakes.kitchen11
Meat supplier @priorsofwestlynn
Bouquets @stylish_stems_floral_design
Disco @ stevebadrock
