How do you display food nicely?

There are many ways: Create height on the plate, play with textures, use contrasting colours, edible garnishes and decorations. “There’s a strong shift toward grazing tables at wedding receptions” says Granny Mouse Country House & Spa GM Sean Granger.

At first glance, grazing tables look like a pile of food thrown together for everyone to pick and choose what they like. They actually require a bit of planning and preparation, though it’s a fairly easy and fun task. And colour is key. Find colourful or natural-looking sets of plates, bowls, and boards that could be matched together for a stunning result. Use seasonal herbs and flowers to make your grazing table a unique piece of art. Play with textures that will elevate the table and make it look more interesting. Use contrast to visually section the different elements on the table.

For wedding receptions, there’s really only one way to do a grazing table – go big and bold. Fresh fruit and raw vegetables provide all the colour and texture you could wish for. Throw in cheeses, charcuterie boards and more traditional fare- all mixes and matches if you play around with colour.  Don’t forget flowers – preferably edible flowers- as they can elevate your colour scheme beautifully.

Even vegetables on their own make a stunning centrepiece and grazing table. From cucumber, carrot, cherry tomatoes, to exotic additions like beetroot hummus. There’s something for everyone- carnivores, omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, etc.

Some other options for themes that can make for notable foodie memories and can be high end comfort foods and was quite the trend a few years back – mini grilled cheese sandwiches with crayfish and cheese. Comfort classics with decadent ingredients. Weddings are the perfect time to take your favourite dishes and make them even more special. Think mini versions of tomato soup, tapas snack items to enjoy yet not feel heavy after eating.

Buffets are now a lot more relaxed way to cater. Easy to serve and can look so beautiful if you include the right mix of dishes. They can be bright and vibrant with colourful foods that become a feast to the eye.

Focusing on veggies, where you have a good selection of delicious vegetarian and vegan options that make sure that vegetarians don’t feel like they are an afterthought, as well as those wanting to cut down on meat consumption. There is a new trend now to use vegetables as a focal point of dishes, bringing so much flavour, colour, and texture.

Then, of course there are desserts. Here, you can really let your imagination take over. This could be laid out as a buffet and, in addition to the wedding cake, it is a fun and colourful way to offer something sweet to suit everyone’s palate. And with many small desserts, like sweets, cupcakes or macaroons, they can also be packaged as take aways for guests to enjoy after the event.