The last time we discussed the culinary artistry at work at The Watermill, we touched upon the main wedding menus in great detail. But there was one section that only mustered a brief mention because of the sheer variety of the offerings. It’s the Enhancement Menu and, as you’ll see, it certainly earns its own focused examination.
Menu enhancements can be subtle additions or grand displays. These food-centric “extras” serve to add another layer to your special day in the form of unpredictable morsels that your guests might not expect to see at a wedding—unless, of course, it’s a Watermill wedding.
From the cocktail hour to the after party, it’s the “wow factor” your nuptials need to go from special to remarkably memorable.
Cocktail Hour
It’s not unheard of for the cocktail hour to be guests’ favorite part of the wedding—in terms of food. With a varied collection of culinary curiosities, the cocktail hour’s benefits are twofold: it gives finicky eaters plenty to choose from, while also generating buzz with any of your guests who happen to be adventurous foodies.
Adding to the already voluminous cocktail menu at The Watermill, the Menu Enhancements give you the opportunity to raise the stakes during the first portion of the evening in ways that are savory and stunning.
One deceptively simple enhancement is our Butler Passed Shrimp Cocktail, featuring a minimum of four trays, each overflowing with 50 shrimps. Cool and refreshing, these fun-to-eat, yet refined seafood bites add an immediate layer of sophistication to the cocktail hour, especially when delivered by our white-gloved staff.
Delicious denizens of the deep make another appearance on the Smoked Fish Platter. This classical and elegant offering cultivates smoked salmon, rainbow trout, herring in white wine, and whitefish salad, all garnished with eggs, onions, horseradish, capers, and an assortment of crackers. It's salty, smoky, assertive finger food that sets special cocktail hours apart from the rest.
Back on land, The Watermill’s Roasted Suckling Pig might be the showstopper of the entire affair. Marinated and slow roasted to achieve a level of flavor that will shake guests to the core, the suckling pig is tender and unbelievably juicy, with crackling skin that take the concept of pork rinds to unchartered territories. For events with more than 200 guests, The Watermill suggests two pigs.
Another tender trap to fall in love with is the herb-crusted and slow-roasted Bone-in Prime Rib. Cut from the most supple part of the animal, the prime rib is melt-in-your-mouth delicate, but also delivers a robust, beef-forward flavor thanks to the intact bone. For events with up to 200 guests, The Watermill recommends two prime ribs.
In the realm of comfort food, the Ravioli Bar expands the pasta-bilities with three varieties of the classic cheese-filled pockets: lobster, porcini mushroom, and a seasonal offering, each accompanied by the chef’s special sauce.
Dive back into the ocean with the Seafood Market, which displays a custom-designed ice plateau, in The Watermill’s signature rowboat, with poached Gulf shrimp, littleneck clams, and oysters on the half shell. You can also go the extra mile and add lobster at market price. As part of the enhancements, you can also add an additional Hampton Menu station.
As for beverages to imbibe, enhance the menu with a Craft Beer Station, where you can select one IPA, one porter, and one seasonal lager, served from a kegerator that travels with you from the cocktail hour and into the dining room. Also, add a Martini Luge for a dramatic take on cocktails. Here, a variety of imported and domestic vodkas and gins flow from a customized ice sculpture.
Dessert
The dessert enhancements menu is a sweets overload, with decadent confections mingling with time-honored traditions, playful favorites, and, of course, ice cream.
First, the white-gloved servers return with a selection of mini desserts passed butler style, with inventive desserts like s’more shots, rice pudding shooters, mini margarita mousse, pecan bourbon bread pudding, and much more. There’s also Viennese Tables spread with fresh fruit, mini pastries, mousses and an assortment of desserts like napoleon, tiramisu, carrot cake, cannolis, rainbow cookies, and freshly baked sfogliatelle.
As for the chocolate lovers that you know will be at the reception, they will go crazy over the Chocolate Fountain, featuring a cascade of warm Belgian white or dark chocolate. Chocoholics can arm themselves with skewers to dip goodies like marshmallows, rice krispy treats, cookies, pretzels, and an array of fruits into the silky smooth deluge.
Guests looking to cool down will get a kick out of the Ice Cream Sundae Bar, with a choice of vanilla bean, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. It’s a build-your-own-sundae party, with such toppings as Oreo cookie crumbs, M&Ms, Reese’s Pieces, sprinkles, chocolate syrup, and more.
And in a display that would make Willy Wonka blush, The Watermill presents Candy Land, with all of your childhood favorites displayed in apothecary jars. The sweetest of treats include Twizzlers, Gummi Bears, Laffy Taffy, Milk Duds, Sour Laces, Sour Patch Kids, Crunch Bars, Swedish Fish, Whoppers, and then some.
What would dessert be without coffee? We don’t want to know, so The Watermill offers an espresso, cappuccino, and cordial table presentation that features an authentic copper and brass machine that makes individual cups of Italian coffees, along with more than 20 premium cordials and brandies.
Exit Stations
Dancing and smiling for hours on end can sap the energy from the best of us. Help close out everyone’s evening with a snack, courtesy of an Exit Station. Here, your guests will find everything from fast food to more coffee.
There’s Starbucks hot and cold brews and even a hot dog cart with all the requisite condiments like sauerkraut, chili, onions, relish, nacho cheese, mustard, and ketchup. If that’s not enough, how about a piping hot slice? You can do that too with fresh pizzeria style pizza replete with an array of toppings, served in convenient to-go boxes.
Other snacks include hot pretzels, churros—along with French fries and nachos with toppings like chili, cheese, bacon, brown gravy, sour cream, flavored salts, and house-made aioli. Meanwhile, branded favorites McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, and White Castle satisfy that fast food crave with to-go options.
For anyone who didn’t get enough sweets during dessert, a Donut Wall offers a variety of fresh signature donuts, while an assortment of cookies and brownies deliver a sugary wallop. And finally, cool it down with authentic, house-made gelato.
After Party Packages
The Watermill knows you don’t want this party to end, so it offers the opportunity to extend your celebration by one hour with unlimited open bar and your choice of stations including pizza, nachos and fries, sliders, and hot dogs.