Creating extraordinary event concepts is my passion – weaving together every detail to captivate and excite, while also working creatively within budgets by thinking outside the box. It’s not only about the food; it’s about engaging all the senses – taste, smell, sound, light – for a cosy, joyful atmosphere. Every element is essential.
The first step is vision. We consider the season, the brand, and the location, assembling a mood board that captures the essence. Our Harvest Moon event embodied this: celebrating the shift from late summer to autumn, honouring the Autumn Equinox, the Harvest Festival, and the full moon. The concept evoked the raw beauty of the season – a blend of warmth, nature’s bounty, and a hint of the wild wolf inside. It was both familiar and uniquely bold.
Aligning food design with the concept is vital. For Harvest Moon, we envisioned an abundant bounty board as a centrepiece, highlighting seasonal British harvest produce – wheat, corn, pumpkin, honey, game. Each dish offered diverse textures and flavours, from spicy to sweet, bitter to umami, in tones of jet black, pure white, silver, and gold. Playful elements brought the theme to life, like mini risottos served in tiny pumpkins, charcoal buns with corn chowder, and ‘cocotails’ of hot chocolate with Baileys, topped with marshmallows.
Once the food was set, drinks took centre stage. Seasonal, British flavours informed our choices, including gin, whisky, and honey mead. Signature creations like cucumber gin, honey whisky, and orchard fizz mocktails added a seasonal touch. We introduced a “moon” effect with a flavour-blasted bubble for drama and set up a self-serve station with a vintage oak barrel for our ‘Sneaky Pete’ whisky, coffee, oat milk shots, adding a playful, interactive element.
The venue is crucial to realising the concept. Often, we build ideas around a chosen space, but for Harvest Moon, we sought a setting to match our vision. An arched, moody space was essential to create an inside-out, untamed atmosphere. After viewing various options, we found the perfect fit at Kachette in Shoreditch – its structure and ambiance complemented our concept in every way.
After securing the venue, lighting became the next priority. For Harvest Moon, we created a giant, projected moon over the harvest table with overhead strip lights and subtle uplighting against exposed brick – a striking, immersive effect. Halo Lighting perfectly captured the vision, proving how essential dramatic lighting is to an unforgettable event.
The team’s look is essential to the event experience, bringing both elegance and personality, so styling is key. It goes beyond the usual uniform of black or white shirts and different coloured aprons, it’s about aligning with the concept’s character. For Harvest Moon, our team wore grey grandad shirts and braces for a sophisticated “farmer chic” aesthetic – ideal for the rustic yet elegant vibe.
For other occasions, we style to fit the theme, for example we chose crisp white tees and blue and red aprons for the WSGR Independence Day BBQ, and cable-knit jumpers with tartan aprons for a warm luxe vibe at our Scottish Highlands event at Grove House.
Styling allows our team to embody the event’s spirit, making them an integral part of the atmosphere and enhancing the overall experience.
Music must reflect the theme, venue, and season. At Harvest Moon, we featured the talented violinist Matthew Glossop under the arches, paired with DJ Mike Flowers, who played moon-themed tracks with touches of owl and wolf sounds for added drama.
For Harvest Moon, we skipped traditional floral displays, opting instead for rustic elements like bark platters, silver trays, hay bales, and a black and silver palette. The centrepiece was a ten-foot tree trunk board, sitting on a metallic base to enhance the lighting’s effect.
Each event combines rented items with unique purchases and handmade elements. We source from local suppliers, browse for stylish platters, and find fabrics online. We gather flowers, foliage, and natural materials from markets and forage locally for authentic touches. Upcycling is key – from repurposing tins and bottles to painting materials to fit the theme.
Budget constraints are an invitation to be inventive. Our Harvest event was built around affordable, seasonal ingredients and locally foraged foliage, creating magic through resourcefulness. Running with a trailer full of quirky finds, I can transform what I have into something fresh and unique – that’s where true creativity unfolds.