With the Queen's Platinum Jubilee just around the corner, Royal Warrant holder and Party Architect to the stars, Johnny Roxburgh, is showing how we can prepare for the perfect party during the Queen's celebration next month.
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After planning over 9,000 events in his time, including annual Christmas parties for the Queen, and Prince William's 21st birthday, Johnny is now dishing out his top tablescaping tips and serving skills to ensure shoppers have all the know-how they need to wow guests over the special bank holiday break.
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With the help of Aldi, items such as afternoon tea sets, quirky G&T pots, delicious cakes, succulent British strawberries and premium rich conserves will be high on everyone's shopping list.
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Johnny tells HELLO!: "It's the first time the nation will be celebrating a monarch's Platinum Jubilee, so many Brits are likely to want to go all-out with their parties over the long bank holiday weekend."
Noting his expertise in planning royal parties, he added: "I have organised many royal events at Buckingham Palace, Holyrood, Highgrove and Windsor - for several years I provided the catering and decoration of the wonderful parties that The Queen hosted every Christmas for her staff - huge dinners for between 800 and 1,200.
Johnny Roxburgh is a Royal Warrant holder and a party architect to the royals
"When planning a party for the royals everything must be considered, the finer details are incredibly important. There is also the endless issue of protocol - who arrives when. The arrival of our Royal Family is managed in meticulous order and the timing must be flawless.
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"Of course, the next big party for the royals is the Queen's Platinum Jubilee so many of us are likely to want to go all-out with their parties over the long bank holiday weekend. It offers the perfect opportunity for hosts to flex their table-laying muscles to serve impressive, yet simple and affordable spreads that even the Queen would be proud of.
"I'm delighted to be showing shoppers how easy it can be to bring a touch of Buckingham Palace straight to their home at incredible value for money thanks to Aldi."
Johnny's top 10 tips on creating the perfect Jubilee tablescape:
Use flowers and herbs to make your party table stylish
Take your presentation from beautiful to extraordinary without breaking the bank, simply by adding some fresh foliage. To keep your table looking beautiful for longer, make sure your flowers and herbs are all well-hydrated. I like to place pots of herbs like Parsley down the centre of the table so guests can snip the herbs to add finishing touches to their dishes.
Kick off with a champagne cocktail
As your guests arrive, place a raspberry and a sugar lump into a champagne flute. Top up with Aldi's delicious Jubilee English Sparkling Wine – for extra oomph add a splash of brandy to create a Jubilee cocktail.
Gold details
Nothing says royal glamour like gold cutlery. It is as sophisticated as it is contemporary.
Serve cheese on a platter
Cheese is always a winner. On your spread should be a selection of cheeses, ruby red radishes and glossy black grapes (the colour of the black pearls in the Queen's jewel collection). Add crunchy celery and little bowls of sundried tomatoes to really bring a freshness to the display. Delightful!
Show off your cakes on a cake stand
Add height to your table with cake stands - they don't need to be expensive. I like to mix all the cakes up so that everyone can choose their favourites, from Angel Cake to Eclairs and a classic Victoria Sponge – and don't forget the Tea Cakes (my favourite!).
Make a show out of the sides
Bowls of clotted cream and jams may not be showstoppers, but they add that touch of decadence and their display doesn't need to be boring. Select a range, including vibrant blackcurrant, classic strawberry, and rich raspberry and tie a bunting flag around the jars, then sit them on a tray of rose petals and sprigs of mint to create the wow factor.
Serve foods you can all tuck into
Jubilee celebrations will be all about sharing, and Aldi’s delicious Summer Traybakes are perfect for this. Sit your guests at a long table and serve the traybake for everyone to enjoy. For little ones (or even the big ones), serve Crestwood Scotch Eggs and Snack Sausage Rolls.
Pour it up with a range of drinks
I like to offer guests a variety of drinks. My must-haves are sparkling white and rosé – even better if it's in a magnum so it looks as though you have really pushed the boat out.
Don't forget the little details
To make your drinks royally special place a raspberry in each compartment of an ice tray, freeze in water, add to a glass, and pour over your drink of choice. And don't forget to pop juicy strawberries on top of a Victoria sponge or cheesecake to add an extra touch!
Prepare the good old fashioned sing song tunes
All parties need music. Ask someone to type up the words, and print them out on paper covered in Union Flags – this is the time to really celebrate each country in the United Kingdom, everything from The Lambeth Walk, Auld Lang Syne, We'll Keep A Welcome to Danny Boy. Nothing will unite us more than celebrating the extraordinary life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
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