A Plated Dinner for 320 at Bally Keal Estate

The day ran long by design. Our team was on site at 10:30 for a 1:00 ceremony, cocktail hour stretched a full two hours, and dinner service ran from 4:40 to 6:00. Champagne was tray passed through the cocktail hour, the bar pouring and our servers carrying, alongside a tray-passed lavender lemonade as guests arrived. One small thing we do at every wedding and did here: a plate of the passed appetizers was set aside and brought to the couple, who otherwise never get to eat any of them.

Five appetizers went out, among them saffron lime chicken skewers, whipped ricotta crostini with roasted stone fruit, local honey and fresh basil, and lamb chops with a mint and pistachio chimichurri. The first course at the table was arugula and burrata with stone fruit and a balsamic glaze.

Then the part that is genuinely hard. A plated dinner for 320 is not one dish 320 times, it is five different plates fired to the same minute:

• Braised short ribs with horseradish potato puree, broccolini and carrots, 79 covers
• Tri tip with chimichurri paired with lemon herb chicken and beurre blanc, potato puree, broccolini and buttered carrots, 161 covers
• Mushroom risotto, 10 covers
• Chicken tenders and fries for the children, 27 covers

Tiramisu came as the third course. Then, once the dance floor opened, strawberry shortcake was passed to guests still at their tables, which is a nicer solution than a dessert table nobody walks to while the band is playing. Coffee was passed and stationed from 6:00. Strike at 10:00.

The estate’s events team wrote to us afterwards inviting us onto their preferred vendor list, and they refer couples to us now.