Happy New Year everyone! Last year was host to many fantastic weddings and events that have made the year such a special one. However, we're extremely excited to see what 2014 has in store for us. We are using this post to sum up the themes and trends of last month, and speculate what exciting themes are to come in the new year.

Winter warmers seemed to be the main theme throughout wedding breakfasts and canapés. During the winter months, our guests seemed to crave comforting game and familiar, traditional dishes. Venison was very popular and often teamed with a classic - creamy dauphinoise potatoes. This often had our mouths watering! Clare and Dave's wedding at North Hidden Barn featured big rustic dishes of venison and dauphinoise on each table for their guests to share.

Venison and shallots with rosemary at Clare and Dave's wedding

Crispy and creamy dauphinoise potatoes

Another favourite was pork belly. Whether this be as a canapé with black pudding and apple sauce, or paired with caramelized apple as a hearty main course. Daisy and Martin's Japanese themed wedding also kept with traditional winter themes, and they too had pork belly and braeburn apple as an option for their guests to enjoy at the wedding breakfast in Ufton Court's Tithe Barn.

Pork belly was a popular option for guests at Daisy and Martin's wedding

Cheese towers were definitely very fashionable the whole way through 2013, but especially during the winter months. Everybody knows how important cheese is during December, we just can't get enough can we! Who doesn't love a great selection of local cheeses with a great red wine? We witnessed some truly artistic towers and hope that the theme doesn't die down in 2014, because we loved it!

This cheese tower was beautifully decorated with brightly coloured fruit

If you haven't witnessed the naked wedding cake of 2013, we're not quite sure where you've been? Especially popular over the last month, this cake doesn't feature any icing on the outside, just different flavoured sponges layered with butter cream and jams. We think this cake was so popular in the winter months because it is so beautiful to decorate in Christmassy decorations. We saw many dressed in icing sugar and winter fruit, and also some sprinkled with edible glitter and cream roses. At Daisy and Martin's wedding, there was a naked wedding cake that featured a spiced apple sponge; perfect for a winter wedding.

A stunning example of a naked wedding cake at a wedding at Wasing Estate's walled garden

Daisy and Martin's Christmassy naked wedding cake

Location, location, location. One of the first things on the to do list. During the winter we found ourselves very often in beautiful countryside barns. Yes, they are a fantastic venue for all months of the year. But they really do come to life in the winter, and there is something so comforting about enjoying each other's company in a barn covered in fairy lights and rustic timber.

Ufton Court's Tithe Barn is somewhere we found ourselves often in the winter months of 2013. Their Christmas tree and fairy lights are a stunning backdrop for your winter wedding.

Festive strings of fairy lights at Ufton Court's Tithe Barn

Sally and Lisa's ceremony at Ufton Court's Tithe Barn

Ufton's beautiful Christmas tree

2013 has been a very busy and exciting year. We have seen many trends that have held on throughout the whole year - including shabby chic crockery, pick n mix sweet tables, cheese towers, naked wedding cakes, vintage reception drinks and traditional game and British cooking. We are left wondering what this year will hold. Will we shy away from the whole 'shabby chic' craze or will it be so popular that it shines through 2014 too. Will we dress our naked cakes back up, or keep them going throughout the next year. A little birdy gave us a heads up for all the future brides and bridesmaids; this year, mismatched shades and styles of bridesmaids dressing are going to be very popular, so get ahead of the game!

We feel there are going to be big changes in the year to come, visit our twitter @potkilnanywhere and tweet us the changes you think are coming to the wedding and event scene of 2014.

Daisy and Martin's Wedding

Yesterday we spent the day at Ufton Court to cater for Daisy and Martin's special day. 

Daisy and Martin invited their guests with a unique 'save the date' canvas bag

This couple shied away from a traditional Christmas themed wedding and instead followed Martin's roots to Japan. The whole of Tithe Barn was full of 1000 paper cranes which the couple had made together as a Japanese tradition to represent hope and happiness. Some were hung on the tree decorations in the middle of the tables, others hung on strings from the barn's rustic beams and individual cranes were given as favours. 

Paper cranes hung from the big rustic beams of Tithe Barn

Beautiful Japanese paper was used in the origami cranes

Tithe Barn decorated with festive fairy lights

At the back of the barn was a 'best wishes' cherry blossom tree which lit up and featured all the guests best wishes for the couple. Cherry blossom was also featured on the table plan as the guests entered and brought the whole theme together beautifully.

Instructions for the guests to use the 'best wishes' tree

The 'best wishes' tree before the guests decorated it with their messages

The 'best wishes' tree covered with guests wishes for the bride and groom

Beautifully decorated tables and chairs

The mother of the bride knitted unique napkin rings for the place settings

Canapés were served in Ufton's lovely Archery Hall whilst champagne and mulled wine were served for reception drinks. The guests enjoyed teriyaki beef, edamame beans in a soy and chili glaze, tempura vegetables with a chili dipping sauce, salmon blinis, duck and hoisin pancakes, lime and garlic king prawns, lamb koftas and pork belly with black pudding all cooked by our wonderful chefs.

Our delicious canapés

The guests made their way into the barn for the speeches before their three course meal. It was one of the most touching and heartfelt speeches we'd heard and the groom had everyone in tears, including us! A starter of seasonal gnocci garnished with pine nuts was served and followed by a traditional Japanese rice wine called Sake. The bride stood up and made a small speech in Japanese and everyone toasted to the couple with their Sake in hand. The meal continued with pork belly, braised cabbage, roasted baby carrots finished with caramelized braeburn apple. Vegetarians could enjoy the option of carrot fritters with halloumi cheese. 

Gnocci with ricotta and pine nuts

Pork belly, baby carrots, braised cabbage and caramelized apple

For dessert the naked wedding cake was cut and presented on platters with beautiful roses and festive cranberries. There were two different flavours; spiced apple or a traditional Victorian sponge. Our chefs served the cake with cinnamon and vanilla icecream.

Naked wedding cake with origami paper cranes and roses

After the three course meal, space was cleared to make way for dancing to a live band. The bar was opened for the evening and included a Japanese Lager called Asahi which was very popular with the guests and went down a treat. 

Festive Favours!

The tradition of distributing wedding favours is an old one. The first wedding favour was said to have been known as a bonbonniere which is a small trinket box made of crystal, porcelain and/or precious stones. Sugar or delicate confections were given in these boxes which were a symbol of wealth and royalty. Sugar was an expensive commodity at this time. Luckily times have changed, and now there's hundreds and thousands of ideas out there for your own wedding favours...

We've searched high and low for the perfect festive favours for your winter wedding, whether it be this year, next year or any date in the future! On our pinterest board you can find the perfect favour for you from edible Christmas treats to miniature grow your own trees. http://www.pinterest.com/potkilnanywhere/festive-favours/

We know that in amongst all the wedding chaos, favours for your guests may seem like another thing to get your head around. But a lot of the favours we've included in our mood board can be easily sourced, or created yourself! Christmas cookies are a great, simple wedding favour and are extremely popular this year. They can be as unique for your guests as you like, you could even decorate them with your guests names and use them as a table names! If you're not a DIY kind of couple, Etsy is a fantastic place to source really unique wedding favours for your guests.

Beautiful wedding favours make a beautiful wedding table. But what's a wedding table without food? For the perfect winter menu for your Christmas wedding, head over to https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pot-Kiln-Anywhere/273751529394166 and get in touch with us.

Christmas Party at Well Barn Estate

On Thursday we catered for a Christmas Party at Well Barn Estate. Deeply in picturesque countryside the shooting lodge boasts a large reception area ideal for weddings, parties and corporate dinners. The barn is decorated with a mixture of country, luxury and modern fixtures from all over the world.

The roaring fire set the Christmas mood perfectly last night, as the evening started with pink champagne and canapés which included devils on horseback and salmon gravlax on a bed of cucumber with dill. After the reception the guests were seated for their festive feast.

The food was served onto tables named after Christmas icons, including Santa Claus! Each of the tables were decorated with tinsel, Christmas crackers, holly, cinnamon and baubles.

Each guest had a choice of starter, main and dessert; with a festive choice within each course. This included a traditional smoked salmon starter, Christmas dinner with all the trimmings for the main course and Christmas pudding with custard for dessert. Other choices included a deliciously rich Chicken Liver Parfait to start and a Mandarin and White Chocolate Trifle for dessert. Delicious!

For those daring to shy away from the Traditional Turkey Christmas dinner, venison was on offer. If you feel that you don't know where to start when it comes to venison, The Full Venison Course at The Mike Robinson Game and Wild Food Cookery school will ensure you can to try something new in your kitchen. Visit http://www.gamecookeryschool.co.uk/our-courses/the-full-venison for details.

This Week's Winter Weddings

Today, we are at the wonderful Ufton Court, celebrating Sally and Lisa's big day.

This weekend marks the first of the winter wedding season and we're all very excited to be involved! Ufton Court have already decked the halls with a beautiful traditional Christmas tree complete with magical fairy lights and red baubles. Tithe Barn now has the perfect atmosphere for the perfect Christmas Wedding.

Check out our 'Christmas Wedding' Pinterest board for the latest Christmas Wedding trends; http://www.pinterest.com/potkilnanywhere/christmas-wedding/. You'll find everything you need from decor to dining so you can create your perfect day! Here is a sneak peek at what you can expect. 

Berries are very popular this winter, you can even incorporate them into your wedding menu, perfect with poultry dishes.

Sally and Lisa's menu is certainly not straying from winter themes! With the options including Rosemary Roast Chicken with Roast Garlic Mash, Winter Greens and Red Wine Gravy, followed by a comforting Apple and Blackberry Crumble with Madagascan Vanilla Custard. Winter comfort food executed with the upmost quality by our wonderful chefs!

Take a look at our twitter and website and browse through our favourite winter recipes and wedding breakfast menus to tantalize your taste-buds this Christmas. Ufton Court have posted a festive photo of today's happy couple and we're excited to post about tomorrow's winter wedding and our delicious food to be served.