Surrey Homes | SH22 | August 2016 | Wedding supplement inside

Magic
Anything’s possible for your
big day, if you choose a venue
willing to rise to the challenge
SH Wedding Supplement sponsored by
Moments
Bloomsburys
Biddenden
Our favourite wedding of this year
was the challenge of a 1980s-themed
wedding for Steph and James Potts.
This 1980s retro couple had a very
strong vision of what they
wanted for a tremendously
ambitious wedding.
The biggest challenge for
us was how to deliver their
traditional sit-down wedding
breakfast as requested in the
form of a TV dinner in a
branded box, without losing
the Bloomsburys stamp of
simple food cooked to our
exceptionally high standard.
Then we had to figure out how to get
90 of the box meals from our kitchen
to the tables in the dance lodge where
the guests were seated, in a stylish
and efficient manner – and we were
definitely helped by the specially
commissioned aprons they gave us for all
the staff to wear, emblazoned with the
words: ‘Steph and James say, RELAX!’
After a prawn cocktail starter, the box
meal contained boeuf bourguignon,
‘Smash ‘(alias creamy mash potatoes
…) and diced carrots and peas (garden
vegetables). Dessert was home-made
profiteroles served as a croquembouche,
made with fresh local whipped cream
and Belgian dark and white chocolate.
The main course at the evening buffet
was chosen to complement the newly
married couple’s name - the chef
created his version of the 80s classic
pot noodle, with kebabs, followed
by Black Forest gateau cheesecakes,
served in the gardens at Bloomsburys.
bloomsburysbiddenden.com
01580 292992
Eastwell Manor
Boughton Lees, near Ashford
We were very touched to host the wedding
of a couple who had been lifelong friends
and godparents to each other’s children.
They’d each celebrated golden weddings
with their original spouses, but had then
both been sadly widowed. Their kids
– who had known each other all their
lives - got together and said: You live on
your own in a big house – and you live
on your own in another big house… why
don’t you get married and live together?
The groom said he was even more nervous
than he’d been for his first wedding and
asked Eastwell Manor’s owner Mr Turlow
Parrett to straighten his cravat, which he
did – and then gave him a glass of brandy.
It was a beautiful wedding followed by a
very smart dinner and it was a privilege
to be part of such a special occasion.
eastwellmanor.co.uk 01233 213025
weddings@easthillmanor.co.uk
15 wealdentimes.co.uk