Last month, we joined forces with Archers Marquees and Hartham Park to welcome in Spring with Fable – a seasonal experiential event. We love to cater networking events, retreats, workshops and away days, so to put on a gathering of our own for our fellow events professionals was very special.
Hartham Park is a splendid 19th-century Wiltshire wedding venue, situated in the Cotswolds close to Bath and Chippenham. New to the wedding and event market in 2025, we are proud to have been appointed as recommended caterers.
We invited some of the best wedding and event planners in the UK to experience a day of connection, relaxation and sensory indulgence before the wedding season got fully underway. Bringing together some of our favourite wedding suppliers, we curated a myriad of experiences in the stunning Georgian setting of Hartham Park and its glorious grounds.
Inspiring creativity through poetry and watercolour
Over welcome drinks, canapés and oysters in the Library, guests were invited to sit one-on-one with free-range poet Jen Feroze from Jackdaw Editorial. From the Grand Hall, The Lace String Quartet played from their delicately arranged modern and classical repertoire,
Then it was outside to the landscaped gardens to a sailcloth marquee from Archer’s Marquees, who were debuting a unique and colourful new roof lining. Guests got to explore their creativity through a session in watercolour painting and developed their own personalised table menus under the tuition of top wedding stationer Hunter Gatherings.
Delighting all the senses
Our friends from The Bartender then gave a sensational hands-on workshop where they incorporated local alcohol-free spirit Caleño into dazzling mocktails. We’re seeing a huge trend this year for low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks, and it was great to showcase how many innovative options there are for non-drinking attendees.
Ballet dancers from Ippa Dance showcased their ethereal talents as they pirrouetted across the gardens, leading us to the private historic church in Hartham’s grounds. Bonus fact – any ceremony, whether religious or not, can take place in its peaceful surroundings. A moment for reflection was provided as HMH Piano Collective played as we sat and relaxed in the ambiance.
After working up an appetite, guests retreated to the Ballroom, where tables were opulently decorated by Clementine Moon Floral Design, who incorporated seasonal produce into her dreamy installations. The Queen and Whippet waiting team served up plated starters of potato bread, confit duck, pomegranate, hummus, slaw, and chive, followed by a sharing main fest including the tenderest seared onglet, sauce vierge, West Country barbecue chicken thigh and miso-glazed oyster mushroom. Plentiful, colourful salads and the best sourdough in town from The Bristol Loaf were passed around the table. Following the main course, we were treated to a reading by Jen of the personalised poetry she had written earlier in the day.
The joy of music and community
Finally, we returned to the now-dusky garden to make the most luxurious of s’mores around the campfire, listening to a beautiful acoustic set from Tom Martin.
Fable was a treat for all the senses, and a chance to reconnect with so many of our network of wedding planners and suppliers before the rush of peak wedding season. We got to showcase local, seasonal produce in a menu that truly shows who we are as premium wedding caterers. Hartham Park were great hosts and we heartily recommend them for luxury weddings in The Cotswolds. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed, and especially to our Business Development Manager (and event planner extraordinaire), Olivia, who pulled all the elements together so beautifully.
See below for a gallery of gorgeous shots from the day by Bo Leray Photography, and for a full list of suppliers. We highly recommend them for weddings and events across Somerset, Wiltshire, Bristol and the Cotswolds.
If you’re looking for catering at a gathering, retreat or networking event in the South West, get in touch and let’s talk food.
Suppliers for Fable
Marquee – Archers Marquees
Venue – Hartham Park
Stationery – Personalised by Amy
Watercolour workshop – Hunter Gatherings
Ballet Dancers – Ippa Dance
Live Poetry – Jen Feroze at Jackdaw Editorial
Florist – Clementine Moon Floral Design
Photography – Leray Images
Social content – Wedding Luxe Socials
Mocktail workshop – The Bartender
Non-alcoholic spirits – Caleño Drinks
Strings – The Lace String Quartet
Piano – HMH Piano Collective
Acoustic guitar and vocals – Tom Martin
Equipment hire – The Luxe Collection
