THE GRAZING AFFAIR

Abundance meets artistry and functionality — this is the new language of wedding feasts today. Beyond the culinary delights, they've evolved to become statement spreads that tell stories of cultures and memories. Brides Today unravels the art of grazing tables and how they form an intrinsic part of celebrations today.

- By HUNAR BHATIA

From décor to hospitality services, the spectrum of wedding to-dos is seemingly endless. Yet, it’s often the wedding feast that lingers in memory, long after the celebration. Gone are the days of lacklustre, structured buffets. Reigning supreme, instead, are ostentatious grazing tables with creative menus, presenting food styling at its best.

A culmination of artistic presentation and inventive culinary curations — besides a whole lot of cheese — feasting tables offer epicurean delights that come together with theatrical practicality. Like a table washed entirely in orange — not through logos or gimmicks, but clementines, marigold-hued macarons, saffron-dusted crisps, and apricots piled high.

“Guests should feast with their eyes before taking a bite; the visual experience is part of the appetite,” says Maitri Shah, Creative Director of Mai Stories, an event designing firm, urging us to visualise tables that come alive with the rises and falls of landscapes — like a cascade of grapes spilling over silver, a tiny forest of herbs in ceramic pots, and so on.

“A table should feel so composed, so alive, that guests almost want to sketch it before they taste it.”

STAGING ANATOMY

A table well done will always be symbolic of two factors — levels and accessibility. While varying heights through platters and bowls creates a sense of flow to guide your eye, the dishes on offer should also be reachable from all sides of the table, with variety being key.

Ambika Seth, Director at Caara, anchors her spreads with a few factors in mind: only presenting items that are bite-sized and easy to handle, and in terms of styling, allowing the fare to shine by using other elements like fruits, flowers and colours to simply complement the food.