Not every job sticks with you, but this one did.
Last summer, Hog Roast Bury catered a wedding for Eloise and Matt. Lovely couple. The kind that smile and light up a whole room, you know? Fast forward a year, and out of the blue we get a message. It turns out they’re planning a little something for their first anniversary. Not just dinner-for-two. Nope, they invited a full guest list of 70-odd friends and family and wanted to recreate their wedding day menu. That’s not something we hear every day, and honestly, we were chuffed.
So we loaded up the van and headed out to the same venue, a bit more relaxed this time around. No dress rehearsals or confetti stress, just good people ready for a good time. And food. Lots and lots of food.
They went with our Southern Slow Roast again. Same as before: BBQ pork butt, Texan beef brisket, pulled minted lamb. And for the vegans in the crowd (there were a few more this time), we had jackfruit rolls that were popular across the board.
Sides? Fries – sweet potato and regular – plus creamy coleslaw and mac and cheese guests dug into with gusto. It’s always fun seeing which dish gets emptied first.
The weather held out too. Bit of sun, bit of breeze. It was the perfect mix. Everyone just kind of spread out across the garden, chatting, eating and grabbing seconds one they realised their plates were getting a little too empty.
About midway through the evening, just after we cleared dessert plates (the couple had commissioned a cake inspired by their original wedding cake from the same bakery), Eloise and Matt gathered everyone. The crowd went silent, waiting with anticipation. Even our Hog Roast Bury crew was holding their breath. Then the big news – Eloise and Matt announced they have a baby on the way! The cheer that went up, and let’s just say it wasn’t quiet. Some teary eyes, plenty of hugs, and a whole lot of smiling faces.
Hog Roast Bury has done a lot of events, but not many where we’ve seen the same couple a year apart, same menu, same crowd (more or less) – and now a new chapter beginning. It was pretty special.
Anyway, happy anniversary to these two lovebirds. We were proud to be part of day one, and even prouder to be there for day 365. Here’s to whatever comes next.
