Who: Me (Ms Floral) and leading celebrity chef and restauranteur Luke Mangan – well, I didn’t actually get to meet him, but I did sample more than my fair share of his tasty, tasty food!

What: Weddings By Luke Mangan Open Day

When: March 31, 2012

Where: glass brasserie at Hilton Sydney

Why: To experience Luke’s wedding cuisine, check out the classy venue, and catch up with some awesome wedding suppliers.

When I arrived at the door, I was handed a little canvas mood board, and was told to go around and pin on it samples of everything I saw inside that inspired me. What a wonderful idea! Although, I think they needed bigger canvases because if I could have, I would have pinned EVERYTHING I saw that day. Two words to sum up the occasion? Stunning and delicious.

This is the ultimate Sydneysider reception venue. If you’re getting married in or around the CBD, then glass brasserie will be the elegant cake topper on top of your big day. Illuminated by natural light from a floor to ceiling glass wall that frames the most magnificent view of the Queen Victoria Building, you’ll first notice how striking this venue is. If you’re after contemporary design, high ceilings and interesting architecture, consider those boxes ticked.

As I moseyed around taking in all the details and being wowed by all the lovely suppliers (like GM Photographics, Planet Cake, Ermenegildo Zegna and Bunda), samples of Luke’s exquisite food were never far from reach. This stuff was addictive! If you want to give your guests a memorable foodie experience, seriously consider a Luke Mangan wedding. Think fresh, think seafood, think classic French with Asian influences, married with simple, clean flavours. Is your mouth watering yet? Princess Mary of Denmark’s sure was – yep, she had Luke create her wedding banquet. There were also wine tastings hosted by Kim Bickley, Group Sommelier at glass brasserie. These wines purposely (and definitely!) compliment the food. They’re the perfect couple.

Anthony Del Col of Staging Connections was responsible for the staging on the day. You can tell he definitely put a lot of thought into what was right and what worked well for the space – everything was light and airy and looked like it was simply meant to be. And just quietly, how amazing are the table setups? Totally unique and the booths are oh-so-cute!

A few lucky couples went home with some downright fantastic prizes – two honeymoons were given away (one to Hilton Surfers Paradise and one to Hilton Queenstown in New Zealand). And Luke, obviously swept up in the excitement of the day, even gave away a dinner on him at glass brasserie. Needless to say, I was jealous of all the winners but very happy for them at the same time!

What a way to spend an afternoon! I felt very welcome, the venue captivated me, the suppliers offered some valuable insights, and of course, you couldn’t ask for a better menu. A big thumbs up from me.

Photography by Weddings By Luke Mangan Open Day

Ms Gingham says: I’m definitely jealous of you here Ms Floral! That food looks amazing and the venue is gorgeous!