Wedding Spotlight: An Intimate Backyard Gathering
While we love the excitement of a lavish, over-the-top wedding celebration, there’s just something so special about an intimate ceremony with just friends and family. The Savoury City team was honoured to play a part in Rachael Sider and Wes Dutcher-Wall’s late-summer backyard wedding reception in August 2021.
After exchanging their vows at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Westminster, the bridal party and their guests gathered nearby for a simple and elegant outdoor reception in the backyard of the Sider family home. And when a forecast of rain showers threatened to disrupt the bride and groom’s vision of an open-air dinner party, Savoury City’s quick-thinking event professionals were able to adjust our service style and set up to keep guests warm and dry.
“It was a perfect day! While the threat of bad weather added to our stress, Donna and the Savoury City team handled it beautifully by adapting on the fly and ensuring that we didn’t even notice the rain showers,” said mother of the bride Wendy Sider. “If anything, the clouds and dimmer lighting in the afternoon furthered our goal of a cozy, elegant wedding dinner.”
The sentimental affair was set against a lush natural backdrop of verdant hedges and flower beds. The bride and groom opted for minimalist décor throughout the reception space, which featured homemade signs, romantic floral arrangements, and a simple white tent strung with large white paper lanterns.
As guests arrived for the late-afternoon reception, they were invited to sip flutes of sparkling wine while listening to a smooth lyrical soundtrack provided by saxophonist Steve Hilliam. Savoury City’s culinary team prepared an array of artisanal grazing platters and delicate canapes to keep everyone satiated while they mingled, including ceviche tostada; Coquille St. Jacques; charcuterie boards topped with premium pates, prosciutto, and salami from Granville Island’s Oyama; and grilled vegetable platters of colourful crudites accompanied by yogurt-dill ranch dip.
Following the cocktail hour, guests took their seats at a long communal table adorned with classic white pillar candles, potted greenery and herbs, white linens, and natural accents. Savoury City worked with the couple and their families to design a bespoke dinner menu for the evening that blended both plated and family-style dishes to showcase an array of seasonal late-summer ingredients.
The meal began with Dungeness crab cakes in addition to homemade breads with whipped sea salt butter, which were packaged in personalized brown paper bags tied with twine at each place setting. A roasted beet salad was followed by the family-style third course, which featured a spread of wild salmon filets, smashed potatoes, roasted and grilled brassicas, Parisienne gnocchi and charred carrots.
Following dinner, Wes and Rachael enjoyed their first dance as husband and wife beneath the setting sun. The romantic evening came to a sweet finish as friends and family shared heart-warming speeches over a dessert of seasonal fruit and berries and a custom two-tier wedding cake from The Cake And The Giraffe that was sliced and plated by Savoury City’s professional service team.
In looking back on their intimate backyard celebration, groom Wes noted, “the food was perfect and beautifully presented; we really appreciated Donna’s keen design eye and were seriously impressed with how everything looked and tasted. The Savoury City staff were so wonderful to work with and everyone brought such a pleasant and calming presence to what can be a high-stress and emotional day.”
Whether you’re hosting a small al-fresco dinner party or a large-scale feast for a crowd, Savoury City Catering can work closely to help you design the perfect personalized menu for your big day. Click here to learn more about our bespoke wedding catering services.
All photos courtesy of John Bello Weddings