Still to pick the right person to cater your day? We’ve spoken to a few more of the best in the biz to help you narrow down your search
Gill Hamilton, owner, Artisan Weddings
What makes your company stand out from the rest? We believe Artisan Weddings provides a unique service. We offer bespoke menus planned with our clients to give them the very best food they really want to eat. The process always starts with our clients.
How did you get started in wedding catering? We started in Troon about 15 years ago when we opened a deli cafe there and then went on to have a restaurant in the town. We were soon asked to cater weddings and, after a few in Troon town hall, we got hooked on it.
How do you manage to cater to all dietary requirements? When we plan our menus with our clients, we always make sure all dietary requirements are discussed at the outset – and, because we use herbs and spices and our own stock to flavour our food, we know exactly what is in every dish.
What styles of food do you offer? We do a very wide range. Our menus include sharing feasts, grazing tables, sweet stations, à la carte meals and vegan options.
Brogan Dempster, owner, Bloom and Graze
What got you into wedding catering? I used to organise weddings as part of my work in hotel management. In fact, one of my last jobs was coordinating Michelle McManus’s wedding, which was good fun! I have a real love of food and I like a bit of everything, which is where the grazing concept came from. I started my graze box and event catering business last June and it became clear very quickly how much people loved my bright and vibrant food.
What sets your business apart? I try to work in a non-traditional way. I am fully flexible and creative when it comes to each client’s wedding. It has to be personal to you, so I theme my offerings around your colours and favourite food. I also don’t like to work with a strict price-per-head system: weddings are expensive, so I would rather find out what your budget might be and let you know what I can offer for your package.
Why do you think grazing-style food has become so popular? It’s true that in the last two years this way of serving food seems to be the most popular and modern way of catering at weddings. It makes for a beautiful feature in the room and always gets the guests talking. The other fantastic thing about grazing tables is that it is really inclusive – I can add in gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options as there are up to 35 different varieties of food involved.
Katie Davidson, Glen Urr Ice Cream and Sorbets
Why did you start making ice-cream – and what got you into weddings? Our ice-cream business began as a way to add value to the milk produced by our prize-winning Ayrshire cows on the family farm in Dumfries and Galloway. We invested in a traditional ice-cream cart to serve our products at events and now keep it for special occasions – it’s perfect for parties and weddings. We’ve been catering weddings for 14 years now. We can serve outside the venue, during the drinks reception, as a dessert, or at the evening buffet. We have also made personalised individual pots and even ice-cream wedding cakes [shown above]!
How do you manage to cater to all dietary requirements? We work with our couples to help choose flavours to suit any dietary requirements. As well as offering gluten-free cones, we do a wide range of sorbets which are egg- and dairy-free. These sorbets are packed with fruit, giving them a smooth consistency that is very close to the texture of ice-cream.
Why should a couple pick you to supply their wedding? We are a small family business offering a friendly service and are always delighted to work with you to achieve your ice-cream dream. We are happy to offer tasting visits before you choose your flavours too…
Dawn Harley, owner, The Boozie Coo
Tell us a bit about your business We are a drinks-only supplier. During lockdown, we bought a 1978 horsebox trailer, stripped it back to the bare metal and completely rebuilt it over the course of three months. It was fantastic to see the end product after all the sweat and tears, and we are so proud of how it looks now it’s finished. It has a vintage look from the outside but is brand new on the inside – people are always amazed at how modern it is when they get a proper look.
How long have you been catering weddings? Only since February this year. We are a new business but we’re loving every minute of it so far. People love the vintage styling of the trailer – we have had a great response and so much interest. And a lot of our bookings have been in some amazing-looking locations.
Tell us one thing a couple should know about you before they book? We need 28 days’ notice for licensing purposes, and for every booking we try to add a personal touch. We aim to provide everything you could possibly need for your drinks, along with high-quality service and great value for money.