Here's What the Royal Wedding's 600 Lunch Guests Feasted On
Plus, beer pong and cotton candy machines at the dinner reception.
Image: Kensington Palace
The wedding of the year logically would be followed by the receptions of the year, and that logic was confirmed on Saturday, when Harry married Meghan.
After the royal wedding ended with “one small kiss for man, one giant kiss for mankind,” on the steps of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, 600 guests moseyed on over to St. George’s Hall for a lunchtime reception featuring a long list of luxe bites and bowls, music performed by Sir Elton John—a friend of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana—and the famous Lemon Elderflower cake.
The invitees dined on canapés that included Scottish langoustines wrapped in smoked salmon with citrus crème fraîche, croquettes of confit Windsor lamb with roasted veggies and shallot jam, pea panna cotta with quail eggs, and English asparagus wrapped in Cumbrian ham. In larger bowls, guests could choose from slow-roasted Windsor pork belly with apple compote and crispy cracklings, pea and mint risotto with truffle oil and parmesan, or chicken fricassee with morels and leeks. All this was washed down with Pol Roger Non-Vintage champagne.
The cake, which was make with Amalfi lemon sponge cake and elderflower buttercream, was drizzled with elderflower syrup made from elderflower from the Queen’s gardens in Sandringham. Breaking from many-tiered tradition, the cake was presented in three pieces and decorated with white peonies and roses.
That evening, a star-studded black-tie dinner party reception was held at the Frogmore house. The 200 invitees drank “When Harry Met Meghan” cocktails (made from rum and ginger), according to Vanity Fair, and ate burgers and cotton candy. Idris Elba manned the DJ booth, while George Clooney danced with both the bride and the Duchess of Cambridge. Guests also partook in drinking games, most notably beer pong.
A fireworks display capped off the evening, meaning that the press will have to wait a very long 20 years or so for the next important royal wedding to roll around. Which is about how much time we’re sure you’ll need to recover from this one.
Still hungry? Follow Genius Kitchen on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for even more fresh food news, served daily. Use #GeniusKitchen to let us know what you're sharing!