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Event Design & Easter Entertaining | A Date With Hall & Co

Last month I had the pleasure of spending a day in St Ives with Hall & Co Event Design in honour of their Easter Feast launch. The experience was a very subtle lesson in entertaining. It channelled my inner Martha Stewart and since I’ve been itching to pass on some tips to make you the host with the most.

On arrival, I was immediately blown away by the ambience that had been created in their prop shop*. From the personalised table settings to the signature scent created by their very own Hall & Co candle, I soon learned that it’s all about the attention to detail. My few experiences of entertaining have been far from reenactments of breezy Pinterest ‘Home Entertaining’ boards. However, the event left me completely inspired and feeling far more capable.

* Which is an Instagrammers dream- I’m wondering if I can justify hiring everything just for the ‘gram?

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Entertaining Rule 1: Provide Cocktails

First on the agenda was a cocktail class with event manager, Kerry. Thankfully, cocktails are well within my hosting comfort-zone so I didn’t feel as though I was being thrown in at the deep end. We mixed up a Hendrick’s gin cocktail as well as a mocktail: both using similar flavours; refreshing and delicious in equal measure. The recipes are simple yet effective and are available within Hall & Co’s Home Entertaining guide which you’ll receive if you sign up to their newsletter.

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Entertaining Rule 2: Set The Scene

I’m a firm believer in the importance of seasonal touches and nothing sets the scene for spring like fresh flowers. I highly recommend hosting flowers around the house generally. However, I am guilty of picking up supermarket bunches and carelessly plonking them into a vase. Jo and Lisa taught us the basics of building a gorgeous bouquet at the event and it completely changed the way I arrange flowers. Not only did I learn some new flowers by name, but also how to best strip, arrange and present them.

Over a week later, my own arrangement was still going strong. You can rest assured that any floral arrangements from Hall & Co will not only look beautiful but will last well too.

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Entertaining Rule 3: Don’t Stress About The Food

Whilst I enjoy food, I’m far from a top chef. Juggling oven timings is not my idea of fun and honestly? I enjoy myself more if I’m able to leave the food to the professionals: Enter Hall & Co’s Easter Feast menu, created by head chef Dom Hall. The mouth-watering menu is full of options, all perfect for Easter entertaining and it’s also provided in 100% recyclable packaging.

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What’s On The Menu?

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At the event, I had the pleasure (really it was) of trying out their Easter Feast first hand. We were served with both a brined chicken and a joint of lamb, complete with sides. With exception to the red cabbage (I can’t stand it, sorry) I tried a little of everything and honestly couldn’t have been more impressed.

The star of dessert was the rhubarb and pecan buttermilk pudding. Interestingly it wouldn’t have actually been my preference (I’m a sticky toffee pudding girl) but I was very pleasantly surprised by how light and flavourful it was. Trying something a little different made a very nice change. In fact, my stomach is grumbling a little just at the thought of it.

 

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My thanks go to the whole team at Hall & Co who are clearly very good at their jobs and super friendly too. I had a lovely day and it was wonderful to meet so many lovely girls.

If you’re around the Cambridgeshire area I couldn’t recommend Hall & Co’s services (as well as their sister Little Acre Kitchen) highly enough. I have no doubt that I’ll be using them myself in the future- any excuse to host a party!

* This post contains information about a blogger event. I was gifted everything mentioned as a part of the experience. I was under no obligation to provide coverage and as always all words, images and opinions are my own. Please read my full disclaimer for more information.