Everything You Need to Know about Alex Head’s, Founder of Social Pantry, Wedding Day
After founding Social Pantry over a decade ago and catering hundreds of weddings since then, the day finally came for our founder Alex Head to tie the knot. On 21st October 2022, Alex Head and George Hampson got married, marking one of the most significant moments in Social Pantry history!
Having spent her career ensuring every wedding client that comes to us experiences their dream day, it’s fair to say Alex had seen it all, knew exactly what she wanted, and the pressure was on! However what unfolded was a truly unforgettable wedding made possible by the boundless dedication, hard work and creativity of our team at Social Pantry and all of the amazing collaborators and brand partners that contributed to the day.
All of these photographs were taken by Rebecca Clarke of Bex Clarke Photography who has photographed Alex’s family on a number of occasions over the years, so was the unquestioned choice of photographer for the day. Each & Every Moment also captured the entire day on video and we can’t wait to share that footage with you soon. Here is a round up of everything that happened, and everyone who made it happen!
The wedding ceremony took place at Kensington & Chelsea Registry Office – just a stone’s throw away from Design Restaurant by Social Pantry and in an area where Social Pantry is established as the go-to local, luxury caterer.
Alex’s mini-length couture wedding dress was designed by British bridal designer Kate Edmonson and commanded attention with exuberant puffed sleeves forming a playful, romantic statement silhouette. The over-sized matching bow added an ultra-feminine touch and expressed Alex’s playful, youthful, effortless style.
Alex’s eye-popping bouquet and George’s brightly-coloured pink and orange buttonhole were designed by sustainable paper florist Pom Pom Factory. Bridesmaids made a sustainable statement in outfits loaned from fashion rental company Hirestreet, with Alex’s children also seen in ”something borrowed” wearing clothing handed down from one of the bridesmaids, Nikki.
The newly-wed couple and their guests travelled across London in a double-decker vintage red bus from The Vintage Red Bus Company. As well as making a style statement, the bus imbued the event with a sense of place and heritage, and as a mode of mass transit and emblem of public transport and British social life, it brought Social Pantry’s ‘social’ nature to the fore as the party made their way to lunch at Social Pantry Cafe.
Alex’s wedding lunch took place at Social Pantry Cafe on Lavender Hill, bringing the party full circle to the place where Social Pantry began. Guests were greeted with welcome drinks and an elaborate array of canapés such as Yuzu & Soy Beef Tartare, Hot Smoked Salmon Truffle Cheese Choux Buns and Butternut Squash & Crispy Sage Arancini.
Long tables extended back into the room with the natural, rustic chic aesthetic of the cafe and table setting enlivened by bold, vibrant floral arrangements by sustainable paper florist Pom Pom Factory and tall wax candles in complementary shades of pink, orange and green.
Each table place was set with beautiful illustrated menu cards from Papier and personalised napkins from Initially London monogrammed with the names of each of the guests, guiding them to their seat at the table and providing a meaningful Wedding Favour for guests to take home.
Alex’s wedding lunch menu began with a mouthwatering selection of freshly baked breads: Rosemary Focaccia and Seeded Rye served with a choice of Whipped Brown Butter, Confit Garlic Butter, or Zero Waste Herb Oil. For the main event, Social Pantry chefs served elegant plates of Halibut with Caramelised Celeriac Puree, Artichoke and Sea Beet, or Charred Leeks with Smoked Almond Romesco, Ricotta Salata & Crispy Leek Tops, with Roasted Potatoes and Hollandaise passed around family style, combining Alex’s twin loves of relaxed, sociable dining and high-end, impressive food.
For dessert, Salted Honey Tart with Mascarpone Ice Cream, Roasted Plum and Caramelised Lemon Rind provided a memorable salty-sweet finish. Meanwhile a vegan alternative of Blackberry Ice Cream, Meringue, Macerated Blackberries and Pine Nut Praline surprised and delighted guests who marvelled at the ingenuity of this plant-based dessert.
The evening reception took place at 100 Barrington – a beautiful events space with exposed brick walls, characterful beams and high glass ceilings that began life as a furniture factory in another nod to Social Pantry’s affinity with the creation and curation of style.
Some Voices Sing performed spine-tingling choral arrangements of popular songs whilst guests indulged in a limitless array of enticing canapés – the final touches applied by Head Development Chef Sarah Turner whose longstanding close relationship with Alex was celebrated this summer when they cooked together at Wilderness Festival.
These were washed down by fabulous cocktails by The 43 Club such as Lime & Ginger Kombucha Mule, Zero-Waste Negroni and Pisco Sour. The charisma and theatricality of the bartenders was a performance not to be missed in and of itself!
International award winning 8-piece band Salut Band delivered top class entertainment throughout the night, fusing superb musicality with slick choreography and charismatic personalities. Those dusty pink velour suits also made quite the impression!
Their presence animated the room and it wasn’t long before everyone was dancing with joyful abandon. Alex and George were treated like royalty, surfing the shoulders of the groomsmen for many an anthem!
Hours of dancing were fuelled by luxurious bowl food by Social Pantry – Pulled Mushroom Bao Buns with Fermented Plum Sauce; Beef Fillet with Truffle Mash and Fried Chicken with Seasonal Slaw and Black Garlic Mayo were transformed into easy-to-eat bowls that could quite literally be taken onto the dance floor without putting pause on the partying. The elaborate dessert station by The Proof in collaboration with Social Pantry did, however, momentarily draw people away as they succumbed to sweet temptation.
Alex’s wedding was the culmination of a career spent delivering exceptional weddings and events; months of meticulous planning, dedicated hard work and limitless creativity on behalf of the team at Social Pantry plus all of the collaborators and brand partners; and a very special relationship between two people, Alex and George, who deserved the party of a lifetime. We like to think that’s exactly what we gave them.
If you would like to plan your wedding with Social Pantry, please get in touch. You can follow our founder Alex on Instagram @alexhead_sp and Social Pantry at @social_pantry.
