20,000 canapes, magnums of champagne... and a cheese twist

THE new Mr and Mrs Matthews celebrated their first moments of married life yesterday with a sumptuous champagne reception, just a short walk up the church path to Englefield.

Guests dined on the bride and groom’s favourite foods, from a cheese wheel to traditional fruit cake, with a special selection of finger food for the children.

When the time came for speeches, father-of-the-bride Michael Middleton, groom James Matthews and best man Spencer Matthews took turns to have the audience in stitches. Mr Middleton joked that he had now “lost both his daughters... but to great men”.

Select guests, who had all attended the church service, drank magnums of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs champagne as they relaxed after the ceremony.

The children tucked into far simpler fare, with a selection of crudites and finger sandwiches on offer for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and their fellow page boys and bridesmaids.

An array of canapes, said to number 20,000, were provided by high-end caterers Table Talk and Blue Strawberry, and included a muntjac carpaccio with mushroom, fresh langoustine served on langoustine claws, and asparagus spears with hollandaise sauce.

But though many of the canapes were very traditional, using thoroughly British ingredients, guests revealed the young couple created a more relaxed, modern feel with some “interactive” elements to the food. They said a table had been set up with chefs behind it slicing and serving serrano ham to order from huge legs.

A second table was laid with foie gras, little toasts and sauternes jelly, with guests invited to help themselves.

In one corner there was said to be a whole wheel of parmesan, which guests were able to hack into, taking little shavings or chunks of salty cheese to taste with their champagne.

Unusually, the wedding cake was cut during the early afternoon reception. A four-tiered fruit cake covered in white icing, it was described by a guest as a “very simple, elegant affair”.

After the initial reception, guests were encouraged to leave and freshen up before a second, separate evening event in the grounds of the Middleton home in Bucklebury. Housed in an enormous glass orangery, built especially, the evening reception was expected to include music, dancing, a five-course meal and a Spitfire fly-past.

Carole Middleton, the mother of the bride, was said by locals to have made considerable efforts to pre-warn them about any disruption, with a high-security lock-down around the home to prevent intrusion by unwelcome guests and photographers.