Reading · England
Wedding Hog Roast for Gallowstree Common
Slow-roasted, carved in front of you and served hot: a hog roast for your wedding in Gallowstree Common and the surrounding area.
- The day after the wedding
- Farm weddings
- Marquee weddings
Wedding hog roast in Gallowstree Common
Wedding hog roast near Gallowstree Common
As a main meal, the hog roast is served on plates: carved pork with salads, new potatoes or roast potatoes, on china if you’d like. Typical bookings include wedding breakfasts and weddings in a family garden, serving carved roast pork, rotisserie chicken and new potatoes.
A wedding in a small place like Gallowstree Common frequently means a field, a barn or a family garden. A hog roast is made for that: no kitchen, just level ground and cover. Let us know about access and ground. We bring the people to serve and clear up, so nobody in your party has to serve.
What the cooking area needs
The roaster needs space, cover and a safe distance from anything that could catch the heat. Things to check:
- A serving area close to where guests eat
- A level, open cooking spot outside the marquee or barn
- Space well clear of tents and trees
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
From the roaster
- Rotisserie chicken
- Halloumi skewers (V)
- Salads
- Spit-roast lamb
- Crackling
- Vegan option (Ve)
- Roast or jacket potatoes
- New potatoes
- Hog roast rolls
- Stuffing and apple sauce
Working with your venue
Event organisers often ask caterers for paperwork such as a risk assessment. Tell us what you need and we will tell you what we can send.
For workplace bookings, ask your facilities team about outside caterers and gas cooking. We work to the site’s rules.
How the day works
When we arrive, we position the roaster under cover and get the hog cooking. From there it cooks low and slow for hours, worked back from your serving time. In Gallowstree Common, evening wedding food often coincides with dusk: sunset is around 8:55pm in late May, 9:25pm at midsummer and 7:10pm in late September. A few lights by the serving table help guests and photos alike.
- We start with your date, venue, numbers and running order.
- We check the venue’s rules and the date, then send a quote.
- We agree arrival, cooking spot and serving times with you and your venue.
- We roast during the ceremony and drinks, then carve at the agreed time.
- We clear away once everyone has eaten.
Before we arrive
- Gather dietary requirements early
- Check there is a route to wheel the equipment in, without steps
- Give us a contact number for the day
Get a quote
Every wedding is quoted on its own, based on numbers, menu, timings and distance. Tell us about your wedding for a quote: send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Weddings in Gallowstree Common: venues, ceremonies and travel
Gallowstree Common is about 3 miles north-west of Caversham, in Reading. We cater weddings across Gallowstree Common and nearby. We bring hog roasts to 34 places across Reading, from the larger towns to small villages.
Couples marrying at local churches such as Church of St John the Baptist frequently hold the reception nearby, with the roast cooking through the ceremony. It’s worth telling train travellers that the closest railway station is Tilehurst station, roughly 3.3 miles south of the centre.
We cater weddings across RG4 and the streets around it. That could mean a wedding in a garden on Reades Lane, Hearns Lane and Horsepond Road or the roads around them, wherever there’s an outdoor spot for the roaster. For weddings just outside Gallowstree Common, we cover Cane End (1 mile south-west), Hook End (2 miles north-west), Stoke Row (2 miles north), Checkendon (3 miles north-west) and Woodcote (3 miles west). We also serve nearby towns such as Caversham (3 miles south-east), Norcot (4 miles south), West Reading (4 miles south), Tilehurst Within (4 miles south), Shinfield (8 miles south) and Arborfield Garrison (10 miles south-east).
Nearby you will also find Battle Hospital (4.1 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Hartslock.
- Local schools include The Warwick School (0.6 miles south-east) and Kidmore End Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles south-east)
- Pubs nearby include The Reformation pub (under half a mile west)
Should I cook it myself?
The hardest part of a DIY hog roast is timing: a whole hog takes hours, and it needs to be cooked through safely. If that sounds stressful, choose the catered option.
A barbecue is the other obvious choice, but someone has to stand at the grill all day. With a hog roast, one roast feeds everyone at once.
Diets, allergies and alternatives
Allergies and dietary needs are easy to manage if we know in advance. Tips:
- Ask for gluten-free rolls for coeliac guests
- Share the menu with your venue coordinator
- Confirm final numbers a week or so before
- Put a dietary question on the invitation
On your wedding day, the food should look after itself. We arrive hours before serving, roast through the day and carve on cue.
Festoon lights by the carving station look lovely in evening photos.
A hog roast compared with other options
Compared with a barbecue, a hog roast feeds everyone at once from one roast without batches coming off a grill. Cost depends on numbers, menu choices and service time, along with distance and how easy the site is. There is no one-size price, which is why each one gets its own quote.
Why book with us
- All the equipment comes with us
- No surprises: everything in writing
- Fresh carving at the serving station
- Halloumi skewers and a vegan option too
See how we price and what a hog roast costs.
Events we cater in Gallowstree Common
It feels generous and relaxed, which suits informal weddings.
However big or small the event in Gallowstree Common, a hog roast feeds a crowd well. Bookings often include:
- Late-night wedding food
- Rustic barn receptions
- Blessings and renewals
- Marquee receptions
Among the historic houses close to Gallowstree Common are Mapledurham House (2.6 miles south-west) and Greys Court (2.8 miles north-east). Grand venues like these typically set rules for outside caterers, so ask before booking.
What to look for in a quote
- The full menu and the sides
- Travel and any London charges
- Allergen information for every dish
- What crockery is supplied
What a hog roast costs
The biggest factors are:
- The serving time and how long we’re on site
- Which meats and sides you choose
- The date and time of year
- Access to the cooking area
Travel matters for the price: we include travel in the quote. Give us the address so the quote is accurate.
What to tell us
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what’s useful:
- Where the event is
- Anything the venue has asked for
- Your menu choices
- Any dietary needs or allergies
Numbers not final yet? A rough figure is fine for a first quote, then confirm closer to the date. Send us your details through our quote form.
Also near Gallowstree Common
More for events in Gallowstree Common
Questions from Gallowstree Common
Which station is closest to Gallowstree Common?
Tilehurst station, about 3.3 miles south of the centre.
Can you cater after a service at Church of St John the Baptist?
Yes, at a home, hall or venue nearby with an outdoor spot for the roaster. Food is normally served at the reception venue rather than the church. Send us the address.
How big a hog will we need?
Quantities are based on your numbers, and we’ll talk it through when we quote.
What about guests who do not eat pork?
We can add lamb or chicken, plus halloumi skewers for vegetarians and a vegan burger or sausage. We do not provide halal meat.
Do venues allow outside hog roasts?
Check with the venue first: some welcome outside caterers, others don’t. We’ll sort the details with them.
Can we offer lamb too?
Add lamb or rotisserie chicken alongside the hog.
What space does the roaster need?
Roughly the footprint of a gazebo or two, on level ground, well clear of walls, tents and branches. We will check it with you before booking.
Do you serve the food?
You do not need anyone else: we carve, serve and tidy up.
- Roasted slowly at your venue, outdoors and under cover
- Our chef carves the pork, with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling on the side
- Not just pork: spit-roast lamb, chicken and vegetarian choices
- Staff to serve at the agreed time, then clear away