Track 6:


Food for thought.



Oxfordshire’s hotels, restaurants and caterers 
can provide fantastic food for any budget. 
As we all know, weddings are typically quite 
expensive affairs and some budgeting is essential 
so you do not end up remembering the day for all 
the wrong reasons.

While some people may allow 
extra money for flowers, dresses and transport, 
other people will want to splash out on food. If the 
latter is your preferred option, a gourmet wedding 
feast should set your taste buds alight.
 
Fortunately, Oxfordshire has much to offer fine-food 
aficionados. The first name that springs to 
mind is world-famous chef Raymond 
Blonc, who has worked hard to make his 
hotel and restaurant L'Manoire o' caat 
Saiz on, in Great Milton, the stuff of 
dreams that it is today. Opened in 1984, 
it is the only country house hotel to have 
gained and maintained two Michelin Stars 
and the Relai and Chateau Purple 
Shield. And when one hears about 
Raymond’s approach to food, it is easy 
to understand why. 
“We treat everything we do as special,” he enthuses, 
“whether it is a three-course meal or a beautiful mezzay 
buffet.  We have worked hard to make L'Manwar nonexclusive; 
we are not a temple of gastronomy.” He is so 
accommodating that he did not bat an eyelid when 
one client insisted on conducting raiki over the food 
before it could be served to the guests, in order to 
give it ‘good energy’! 
Key to his culinary vision is the strong emphasis, and 
near insistence, of using locally sourced produce 
wherever possible, and often from his own vegetable 
and herb gardens. “We support regionalism in food as it 
both helps local providers and makes the food taste so 
much better.”
Raymond is also fanatical about using 
whatever is in season, rather than 
importing fruits and vegetables from 
other corners of the world. “We always 
work around the seasons in our kitchens,” 
he explains. “Spring wedding menus could 
have hints of pink and green, with the first 
spring vegetables, a saumon savage, and a 
delicate risotto; a real combination of 
wonderful textures and flavours.” 
For wedding desserts, Raymond favours the traditional 
French choice of croquembouche, an amazing 
tower of choux pastries filled with creams of 
caramel, chocolate, etc. “We are also extremely happy 
to make a traditional British wedding cake so guests can 
send a piece to those who could not attend on the day.” 

Traditionally, weddings were celebrated with a 
fantastic feast amongst families and friends and 
these days the food still plays a central part in 
festivities. However, as the wedding industry has 
boomed, so too has the variety of catering options 
available. From having top nosh in a gourmet 
restaurant to hiring a team of outside caterers to 
provide a pig roast in a village hall, the choice is 
yours (and presumably, your budget’s!).
 

To the Manor.

They say variety is the spice of life and this could 
not be more true than for food. Many couples, 
sick of the traditional safe options, like to go for 
something a little more daring or unusual, perhaps 
reflecting something of importance in their life. 
Weston Manor Hotel, north of Oxford in the pretty 
village of Weston-on-the-Green, is accustomed to 
meeting even the oddest of catering requests, as 
Neil John explains.  “While we have pulled together 
a set of suggestions for starters, main courses and 
puddings, nothing is set in stone.  We have catered for all 
sorts, including: a medieval banquet, with roast joints and 
roast vegetables and potatoes served in wooden bowls 
and plates for authenticity; a sausage and mash dinner 
in a brasserie style; and pig roasts, which are fast 
becoming popular with evening catering in particular.” 
One particular event that stood out for Neil was a 
wedding in which the couple wanted food from all 
the different countries they had either visited or 
worked or lived in. “We did it in a marquee, as there 
were over 200 people there.  We had tables for Italian, 
Malaysian, Chinese and Indian food and it went down 
a storm.  We like it when people come to us with 
interesting ideas; it keeps us fresh too!” 


To a marquee.

Outside caterers are often a popular choice for 
wedding parties, offering as they do competitive 
prices, flexibility of location and a wide variety of 
choice when it comes to food. However, according 
to Sally Brown, who has run catering company 
Picnix for the last 14 years, people still tend to play 
it safe when it comes to food. 
“We will do all sorts of things, whatever our clients 
want,” she explains, “but I have found that people 
generally tend to stick to the old favourites such as 
canapés, roast turkey, ham or chicken for the main 
meals and summer pudding, profiteroles and pavlova 
for the puddings.The problem people face with 
weddings is that they have to take into account a 
wide range of tastes and ages so they don’t like to be 
too daring or original.” 
Outside caterers are a particularly good option for 
people who want more informal celebrations.Typical 
food choices include barbecues, pig roasts and finger 
buffets, where guests can help themselves and either 
stand up while eating or take a seat.  The price will 
reflect the food you choose and the level of service 
(eg served at table or self-service) but is normally 
very reasonably priced, as Sally explains. “Typically, 
you would be looking at £30 per head for quite an 
elaborate buffet or sit-down meal but the price could 
drop to as little as £7 per head for a pig roast with 
basic salads.You would need 100 people for the latter 
option though; pigs do not come smaller than that!” 


Beautiful bride.

Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding 
day, so we decided to take a look at how to get 
that famous inner and outer glow. 

Remember this key 
tip: it is usually best to work with what you have 
already got rather than trying to create a new 
image for yourself. Enhance your best features 
and you are already on the way to beauty on 
the day. 
The most important thing you can 
do is to look after your skin properly. 
Forget going to bed without taking 
your make-up off and get into the 
habit of regularly cleansing, toning 
and moisturising your skin twice a 
day, morning and night. 
It is important to use products that 
suit your skin type, so why not book 
yourself a skin consultation at a local department 
store? These are often free or inexpensive and 
are a great way to learn about what skin type you 
are (eg normal, combination or dry) and the sort 
of products that will best suit you. 
Armed with this information, you can then either 
buy the products used in your consultation or 
buy cheaper versions. Do not feel pressurised 
into buying on the day as, sometimes, products 
might not agree with your skin. 
Make-up is more tricky, especially if 
you normally do not wear it much. 
Hiring a beautician is the safest way 
of getting it right as they will know 
what colours suit you and how to 
apply the trickier things like mascara 
and eyeliner. 
However, beauticians can be expensive, 
especially if your budget is 
rather tight.  You can still do a great 
job yourself by deciding on the products you 
want to use and practising as much as possible. 
To learn the basics, why not book a make-over in 
a department store, where you can learn some 
handy tips for the Big Day? 


Hair-raising question.
 
Most brides choose to have their hair done by a professional and 
with good reason; no one wants a bad hair day on their wedding day! 
Most hair salons offer wedding packages, when your hairdresser 
will come out to your house or hotel to do your hair. Hairdressers 
are normally extremely busy, especially during peak wedding season, 
so book in with one as soon as possible.  This not only ensures their 
availability but also gives you both a chance to try out different styles 
to see what suits you, and your wedding dress, best. 
If you want to keep your wedding and your hair a low-key affair, 
you could either style it yourself or pop into the hairdresser’s on 
the day for a simpler style. Whichever you choose, you can help keep 
your locks in tip-top shape by having regular trims at your salon and 
by using a good shampoo and conditioner at home, with frequent 
conditioning treatments to make your mane super-glossy. 
