2018 Wedding Food Trends with Indulgence

Today Jo and Anthony are very kindly sharing their thoughts on what the wedding food trends will be for 2018… But before you scroll for more I must warn you, the delicious images by Lucy Davenport will have your mouth watering!

Magical

Magical weddings such as Midsummers Night or Enchanted Weddings are very much in vogue this year, and we believe they will still retain their popularity in 2018 with added greenery and sparkle. The Bodleian Libraries recently held an Open Evening where the Old Schools Quadrangle was transformed into an Enchanted Wedding party which was breath-taking, and guests simply could not get enough of the theme.

Magical weddings usually have an abundance of greenery, white flowers and twinkly fairy-lights. Look for a magnifying of this trend with extra twinkles and sparkles. When it comes to food think of dishes with pretty edible features such as micro herbs, berries, marigold, viola and dianthus petals – and desserts that sparkle that little bit more, such as a chocolate bomb with a sprinkling of edible gold stars.

Minimalist

Minimalist offers a clean, cool, simplistic vibe for weddings, and sees a nod to elegance and sophistication.

Minimalist can be reflected in different ways but more often than not the theme has a crisp, stylish, neutral feel. Venues that fit this trend tend to offer a blank canvas for couples to call their own. Look for open spaces with lots of light, floor to ceiling windows or rooftop terraces with breath-taking views – whether it be of a city or rolling countryside. Caswell House is a perfect example of a stunning Cotswolds wedding venue that can carry off this trend perfectly. The minimalistic vibe can also be reflected in the table décor and menu choices – with clean lines and chic elegant table pieces with single flower stems and sprigs of greenery such as rosemary or fern. Imagine white or ivory plates and tableware.

When it comes to food, luxurious elegance is what we aim for – think prosciutto and diver-caught scallop lollipops, fillet of lamb with heritage beetroot and blackberries, or Lemon Meringue Bombe – with the cake, clean iced cakes fit in well with this theme.

We are pleased this trend has gained momentum over the last few years, with people understanding the importance of locally sourced produce that is kinder to the environment and supports local businesses. We can only see this trend strengthening. This is part of our ethos and for years we have been creating dishes from locally sourced food, much grown from our own Kitchen Garden. We are now seeing more and more couples expect this, and request food sourced from within 20-30 miles of their wedding venue, which we love!

In 2018 expect to find more descriptive menus to connect guests with where the food came from, and an increase in local foraging within close proximity to the venue, to create a story and bring the dishes and drinks to life. Some of our Stately Home venues such as Holdenby House, have amazing historic kitchen gardens. At this venue, Indulgence works in collaboration with the Head Gardener to incorporate their home grown ingredients into our menus.  So the dishes are often garden vegetable centric, no longer is just the source of the meat important – the vegetables, edible flowers and garden herbs are just as important to adding to both presentation and flavour.

Feasting

This is a trend that is gaining popularity every year. Couples are moving away from the more traditional 3 course wedding breakfast and are instead turning to feasting or festival style eating to showcase food loves. Plates or boards are served to your table for sharing, which is a lovely way to get family and friends chatting to each other as the boards are passed around. Regards seating, banquet style tables lend themselves perfectly to feasting. We call this ‘Harry Potter style dining’ and feasting creates a fun, buzzy atmosphere – perfect for setting the scene for a celebration. Look out for an increase in fun when it comes to feasting, such as Guinea Fowl Lollipops and Saffron Pear with stuffed with Oxford Blue Cheese.

Create Your Own/Personalisation

In 2018 expect a surge in wedding personalisation, Indulgence love working with couples blending their favourites into bespoke wedding menus. 2017 saw the rise in the ‘Pimp Your Own’ drink stations – and 2018 will see that personalisation move even further… from cocktail hours offering paired snacks and shots of local craft spirits, through to couples bringing personalised alcohol creations for guests to try, such as their own blend of Gin from The Ginstitute. We also love a choice of ice-cubes with berries, herbs, and flowers to infuse your drink choice.

Food stations will continue to be in vogue although we are starting to see couples request that the stations stay in the main wedding party area rather than a different room, to retain the buzzy feel throughout the night. Whilst comfort food will still be a popular food station choice, we are starting to see more elaborate requests such as Cured salmon with the families’ home made Orange Vodka, Peruvian Ceviche – the bride and groom’s favourite meal reflecting their engagement in the Peruvian rainforest.  On the other end of the spectrum – sweet treats incorporated into evening grazing is becoming more and more popular, alongside the popular food trucks, 2017 saw doughnuts as a popular choice. We are being asked more and more for a patisserie table as a focal point for the evening reception, sometimes instead of dessert so guests can mingle for longer, with a lovely selection of smaller desserts and individual gateauxs, little meringues, macarons and eclairs.

For a simpler and more cost effective option ‘pimp your pancake’ is popular request for our 2018 couples!

Words Jo & Anthony at Indulgence Boutique Hospitality

Photography Lucy Davenport Photography