The lovely Lourdes and David got married at one of our regular haunts, the beautiful Gildredge Manor in Eastbourne.
photo by jasonfryphotography.com
Gildredge Manor is situated on the edge of Gildredge Park in Old Town Eastbourne. The stunning property has been painstakingly renovated and restored by owners Mark and Emma and it’s now one of the most beautiful places to get married in Sussex.
Like so many other couples Lourdes and David fell in love with it and it was perfectly situated for a stroll back from Our Lady of Ransom Church where the couple tied the knot. And it was a beautiful day for a stroll; they were so lucky with the weather.
Sussex Smokie with Puff Pastry Lid
Once gathered in the grounds at the Manor, they kicked things off in the best way possible with Prosecco and canapé, consisting of Mini Toad in the Hole, Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Blinis. Sun-Dried Tomato & Parmesan Risotto Balls (Arancini) & Mini Chicken Satay Skewers.
After climbing the wonderfully grand staircase to The Long Room the guests took their seats and enjoyed the Wedding Breakfast which included Sussex Smokie Pot with Puff Pastry Lid, Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Tower with Pine Nuts & Pesto & Asian Lamb Fillet Salad with Pomegranate Seeds. And that was just for starters.
For main they enjoyed Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast Stuffed with Cream Cheese, Individual Steak and Ale Pie, Yorkshire Pud & a Red Onion Gravy, & Poached Salmon Fillet with a Caper & Dill Sauce. The vegetarians went for our delicious Mediterranean Roast Vegetable Lasagne. All served with Roast & New Potatoes, Buttered Julienne Carrots, Fine Green Beans & Red Cabbage.
Chocolate Gateaux
For desserts there was a choice of Strawberry & Cream Pavlova, Fresh Cream Chocolate Gateaux or Sussex Style Banoffee Pie. The eating continued later on with a Finger Buffet including a variety of home-made favourites, and John tells me he was almost mobbed by the eager eaters! That’s what we love, people who thoroughly enjoy their food and get stuck in…we’re so with you on that one! We’ve yet so see fisticuffs over the finger rolls but some of this lot were certainly marking their territory! And that was before they’d even started on the beautiful wedding cake made by Liz at Sylvia’s Kitchen sylviaskitchen.co.uk
Having received an email from Lourdes at 05:41 in the morning I was a bit worried that she might not be able to relax later on the day. It wasn’t enough for my Bridezilla alarm to go off but I was just hoping it hadn’t all got too much and she was having a last minute panic, especially as she also had a very detailed schedule for the day that started at 06:00am! In our experience the more detailed the time plan the more uptight the bride! ….but luckily I was unduly worried as the lovely, fun nature of Lourdes shone through for the whole day. In fact, wherever she was, I could always hear that she was having a whale of a time! She just went with the flow and seemed to enjoy every minute.
Lovely Lourdes
Lourdes certainly showed her playful side when she came into the kitchen, and replaced her bouquet for a cream bowl and whisk when I asked if I could take a photo of her! It’s now become my very favourite picture from any wedding we’ve done!
When we know the guests and more importantly the bride and groom are having a great time it makes our job so much easier, more relaxed and really satisfying. It’s hard, physical work, but it’s all made worth it when you go home still buzzing, & feeding off of their excitement – and above all knowing you’ve been instrumental in making their day truly magical….as it should always be.
To then receive a fabulous testimonial a few days later is priceless (see left). We rely on peoples’ feedback to give confidence to those that are contemplating booking us, or have already booked us and are waiting for their big day.
Thank you Lourdes and David for being such a stand out couple and loving every minute of it. We wish you both all the best for the future! Roll on that anniversary party at the Manor you mentioned….we would be honoured to cater for you again.
cake by sylviaskitchen.co.uk