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Case Studies

Key Trends – Party Time 1024 618 Four Gables Group

Key Trends – Party Time

Before the event

Planning a party for 2019?  We asked our event managers, John and Nigel for their top tips for a successful event…

Firstly, pick your date and let intended guests know as soon you can. Early communication is key to a successful and well attended party.  Next, choose the theme as this will set the direction for everything else. Your choice will dictate the type of food or drinks you may wish to serve and should be reflected throughout all aspects of your party.  So, make sure it suits the occasion and don’t be scared to make it personal and go funky.

Once you’ve settled on a theme, clever use of props like flowers, lanterns, awnings, uplighter or coloured linen can really set the tone of your event.

The next thing to do is identify what will make your event unique. For example, serving drinks from a VW Van, a silent disco or quirky food stations.
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On the day

The key ingredient to a successful party is to ‘keep it flowing’. Start by welcoming guests with a glass of something special before taking them through to the party venue. Serving canapés will help keep the party mood flowing before introducing the main event. Looking after your guests is paramount. Timings are key and so it will definitely help to have a rough plan of events. Consider having a toastmaster who will help to direct guests and manage behind the scenes freeing you up to enjoy your party.
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Make sure you have sufficient and varied drinks for all guests. When catering for an event budget for two drinks in the first hour and then one drink for each subsequent hour after that. Some people will drink more than that but it should even out over all. If you are going late into the evening then think about getting bottles of beer (which lasts longer than draught beer). Also, don’t forget the ice for chilling wine and including in peoples drinks.  We would suggest around half a kilogram per person.

The Four Gables touch

Hiring a company to help with the organisation of your event will save you having to negotiate with several suppliers and free up your time to spend with your guests.  ‘Food theatre’ is one of our specialities at Four Gables and as such we can take your concept and bring your party to life through food and drink to ensure you and your guests have the time of their lives.
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The event trend for 2019 is individuality, especially when it comes to serving drinks to your guests. Key stories include sustainability and provenance in cocktail ingredients, increased choice of virgin cocktails and the continued rise of local craft gin and flavoured tonics. Bespoke cocktails are really cool right now. Our mixologist can help talk you through options for designing your very own cocktail.
Christmas at Bombay Sapphire 1024 619 Four Gables Group

Christmas at Bombay Sapphire

Background

Sitting in the leafy conservation area astride the River Test near Whitchurch in Hampshire, just 60 miles from London, lies Laverstoke Mill – the home of Bombay Sapphire. Laverstoke Mill’s legacy is as chequered as it is intriguing; the site was once owned by infamous monarch, King Henry VIII and was also the place Henry Portal manufactured bank notes for the British Empire in the 18th century. Now, following renovations by Heatherwick Studio, Laverstoke Mill is the spectacular location where every drop of the world-famous Bombay Sapphire gin is produced with the utmost care, skill and artistry.
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Brief

The venue at Laverstoke Mill is fabulous and lends itself beautifully to glamorous, sophisticated events. The compelling element to this event was ‘Christmas celebration’ epitomised by stunning food and great cocktails. We were asked to create a menu that reflected a funky take on a classic Christmas dinner.

The Four Gables Touch

Bombay Sapphire gin is famous for its inclusion of exotic botanicals and so we focused on picking out and threading those flavours through a traditional Christmas menu.  89 guests were treated to canapés of anchovy stuffed Kalamata olives with orange and rosemary and smoked salmon and cream cheese roulade with caviar before sitting down to a three course dinner.  A starter of gin cured salmon with citrus flavours set the tone and was followed with turkey, featuring mixed herbs and juniper running through the ‘trimmings’ and strawberry crumble with black pepper syrup and clotted cream.  Obviously, we couldn’t be in the home of gin without offering a few cocktails. The team at Bombay served up drinks from  their winter 2018 cocktail menu including a ginger, lime and mint infused ‘The Laverstoke’ from mixologist Sam Carter (which our guys confirmed was delicious!)
Luxe Bride 1024 683 Four Gables Group

Luxe Bride

Background

The bio for Luxe Bride is very clear on the direction and ethos of the company. ‘Luxe Bride Boutiques and Luxe Brides are on the same page, we love Luxury and innovative Brands. Our member Boutiques sell beautiful and out of the ordinary wedding outfits, we demand impeccable quality and we expect great provenance. The member Boutiques offer the best shopping experiences out there and the best Wedding Dress Brands. We have our own style and our own opinions. Our speciality is styling the Luxe bride. We know her, for she is us’.  
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Brief

After being introduced by wedding planner (and friend of Four Gables) Susie Evans, we were commissioned to provide lunch for a two day digital workshop. The brief of the workshop was to provide a training experience the directors at Luxe Bridal would want to attend – something unmissable and compelling. The clients were the creme de la creme of bridal retail, you can view the full list here. The food would be eaten as a working lunch and so needed to be clean and easy to eat but delicious and funky. No buffets here!

The Four Gables Touch

The food needed to be beautiful and practical. We put together ‘bento boxes’ styled with edible flowers. Day one was a beautiful Asian styled box bursting with vegetable sushi; hoisin duck; luscious soy marinaded salmon and bok choy. Lime and mint posset with sesame crumble served as a finale. Day two showcased all things ‘traditional’ wedding with smoked salmon and crab mayo ‘pillows’; parmesan scones with blue cheese and poached pear; duck egg, spinach & cucumber roulade; four cheese and chive quichettes and a pudding of lemon & pistachio drizzle cake and fresh strawberries and clotted cream. Leonie Clare co-founder of Luxe Bridal said, ‘Thank you so much again. There is still much talk of thoroughly enjoying the bento boxes among the attendees. Superb food beautifully presented’.

Images by Hayley Bray, www.hayleybray.com