The
Food of Love
THE RABBIT HOTEL & RETREAT’S CHEF DONNA HUGHES SERVES UP THE MOST POPULAR TRENDS FOR WEDDING FEASTS.
W
edding fever is in the air all year around, but there is something about the festive season, the prospect of Christmas proposals and the motivation of a new year that gets couples thinking about their magical day. Whether you are awaiting a proposal or are planning to exchange vows in 2023, it is important that you put thought into every element of your magical day to make sure that it is unique and individual to you and your partner. There are many aspects of a wedding day that might appear as a given – such as the bride wearing a white dress, or the men of the bridal party giving the speeches – but there are no hard and fast rules that say there is any one way to do a wedding. One thing in particular that is vitally important to your guest’s experience, and the perfect chance to showcase your distinctive style, is the food. Whether you desire the traditional threecourse evening meal, served as you sit at the top table, or you want to treat your guests to a quirky wedding banquet, Donna Hughes, Executive Chef at The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat has shared her insights on the food of love and popular wedding feast trends that will add personality and flare to the most important day of your life. Traditions That are Here to Stay “Having worked as a chef for over 20 years and catered for hundreds of weddings, I have seen considerable shifts in food choices and dining styles, especially in recent years. However, there are some traditions that are here to stay. One of my absolute favourite wedding traditions and one that I consider the most important part of the wedding reception is of course, the cutting of the cake, as it symbolises the newly-wed couple’s first ‘marital duty’. With that being said, over the past few years many couples have decided to move away from the expense of the traditional three-tiered cake, and we have seen cupcakes, macarons, donuts and cheesecakes grown in popularity. Here at The Rabbit, cakes can even be found hanging from a suspended structure, which of course matches the theme of the day. Remember there is no such thing as over the top when it comes to weddings.” Determine Your Style Another important aspect to consider when planning your special day is the style in which you choose to dine, with many now moving away from the formality of the top table set up. More
recently, we have even catered for weddings where the happy couple move around the room for each course, so that they can enjoy their food with different people throughout the meal, which I thought was a lovely idea! At The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat’s wedding venue, The Loft, we offer long banqueting style tables, which have proven popular with our newlyweds as it provides a more intimate dining setting and also takes away the pressure of designing a seating plan.” Rethinking Traditions The food and drink you choose to serve are an important element of your wedding party – so you can use this as another opportunity to show off your personalities and tastes. It may not seem like a big decision now, but it can really set the tone for the evening. The traditional four-course dinner will always be a popular choice, with vegan and vegetarian options becoming increasingly higher in demand. We have recently introduced a full menu to cater to these dining preferences at The Rabbit, as it is important that venues recognise that this is not a dietary requirement, but a lifestyle that should be given the same due consideration as others. In recent years, we have found that sharing food has grown in popularity. Couples are now opting for grazing boards, mixed platters and dessert buffets, removing the formality of a sitdown meal and creating an atmosphere where friends and family can come together and catch up over some great food. The mini dessert table at The Rabbit always goes down a treat as it offers guests a chance to sample all our sweet treats. The trouble is knowing when to stop! I’m sure that everyone has experienced the dreaded hunger that kicks in between the wedding ceremony and reception. Whilst some like to serve finger food and platters on arrival, food trucks are very on trend right now, serving everything from pizza and burgers to ice-cream and gelatos in the hotter months.”
Thinking Outside the Box Every happy couple desires a wedding day that their guests will remember for the rest of their lives and our couples always put so much extra thought into showing their guests a really good time from start to finish. To add a personal touch to the day, you can have a bit of fun with the food, using it to tell your story. Why not serve the wine you had on your first date, the champagne you toasted when you got engaged, or even create a bespoke cocktail with meaningful names - the sky really is the limit. At The Rabbit lately we have had some very quirky ideas that really elevate the guests’ experience, and one in particular that springs to mind is the trending ‘Build Your Own’ craze. We have seen prosecco bars where guests can personalise drinks with toppings of their choice, grazing cones to fill with your preferred meats and cheeses and my personal favourite, a crisp wall to build your own crisp sandwiches - a true Irish delicacy!” Your Wedding Your Way “I bet you didn’t think there was so much to consider when it comes to the food choices for your wedding day, but it really can set the tone for the day and it is always one thing that sticks in your guests’ minds. If you want to create a laid-back day that has very little traditional structure then go all out with grazing platters, dessert tables or perhaps even food trucks, to make it personal to you. If you want to serve the traditional wedding feast that you have always dreamt of, then go for it and perhaps we have inspired you with a few ideas on how you can use food and drink to tell your love story.” The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat is part of Galgorm Collection, Northern Ireland’s premier group of wedding destination hotels, bars and restaurants.
For information about weddings at The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat visit www.rabbithotel.com/weddings.html , email wed@rabbithotel.com or call +44 (0)28 9443 2984. 87
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