West Sussex · England
Wedding Paella Catering in Ardingly
Treat your guests to live paella at your wedding in Ardingly. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Parties after a register office wedding
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
- Informal wedding breakfasts
Live wedding paella catering in Ardingly
Wedding paella catering in Ardingly, cooked live
We can add sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff, so the catering fits the way you want your day to feel. Typical bookings include big weddings with every diet and evening wedding food, serving Spanish desserts, evening paella and canapé tapas.
There is something special about a country wedding near Ardingly, and an open-air paella adds to it. Plan access and cover in case of rain. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
- Area
- Ardingly (RH17)
- County
- West Sussex
- Diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Diets, allergies and planning
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Introduce us to your venue coordinator
- Ask about diets and allergies with your RSVPs
- Tell us about suppliers who need feeding
- Confirm the venue’s catering rules early
Paella can be served at the pans or carried to the tables by staff.
Add sangria, or bar staff to serve your own drinks.
Wedding venues and ceremonies near Ardingly
Ardingly is about 3 miles north of Haywards Heath, in West Sussex. Wherever your wedding is in the RH17 area, we can bring the pans to you. Ardingly is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex where we cook. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 15 miles away.
If you’re marrying at a church near Ardingly, such as St Peter's Church, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: the paella can be cooking while you have photos taken, so the meal is ready when you arrive. For outdoor photos, Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow is close by. With the High Weald National Landscape within about 7 miles, there are country venues, barns and gardens nearby. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue.
We cook at weddings all over RH17 and the streets around it. We can cater a wedding on streets such as High Street, Munnion Road and Price Way. Nearby, we also cater weddings in Little London (1 mile north), Highbrook (1 mile north-east), Lindfield (2 miles south), Horsted Keynes (2 miles east) and West Hoathly (2 miles north-east). Further out, we also cater in Crawley (6 miles north-west), Horsham (10 miles west), Haywards Heath (3 miles south), Burgess Hill (7 miles south), East Grinstead (6 miles north-east) and Broadfield (6 miles north-west).
Nearby you will also find Waterbury Castle (2 miles east) and Princess Royal Hospital (3.9 miles south). Not far away are Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow.
- Nearby, you’ll find The Ardingly Inn (within half a mile north-east)
What we need at the venue
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- Confirmation that open cooking is allowed
- A cooking spot outside the marquee, not inside it
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Ardingly
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Evening paella
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
- Dessert
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and do not stir once the rice goes in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
A closer look at the menu
Table tapas
Sharing tapas breaks the ice.
Desserts
Churros with chocolate, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago.
Paella compared with other options
Plated wedding meals need a kitchen and more staff. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission, and suits a relaxed style. The cost per head generally falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Tell us your numbers for an accurate price.
Why book with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Events in Ardingly and across West Sussex
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
Read How we price Or Our guide to catering costs.
How we price wedding paella catering
Live paella pricing is straightforward once we know the basics:
- How many guests are eating
- Your choice of paellas
- Parking and unloading
- How many staff you need
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The courses you’d like
- The date and rough timings
- Any dietary needs and allergies
Getting a quote is simple: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We’ll send a clear, itemised quote.
FAQs for Ardingly
Can you cook at venues in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Can you cater a reception after a service at St Peter's Church?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Is paella smart enough for a wedding?
With the right presentation, it feels special: canapés, table tapas, good crockery and staff serving the tables.
Will there be enough food?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Tell us what else is being served. Our guide to portions explains more.
How long do you need on site?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We’ll agree arrival, cooking and serving times with you so the paella is ready when you want it.
What about supplier meals?
Yes. Include suppliers in your numbers and we will plan for them.
Do you do canapés and evening food too?
Yes. We can do canapés, tapas, the wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
Towns and villages near Ardingly
What else we do in Ardingly
Why choose wedding paella catering in Ardingly?
Sharing food gets tables chatting, which suits a relaxed wedding.
We are booked for all kinds of occasions in Ardingly and nearby. Popular bookings include:
- Blessings and vow renewals
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Rustic barn weddings
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
Historic houses near Ardingly include Priest House (2.2 miles north-east) and Gravetye Manor (3.1 miles north). Historic houses and estates often have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that is your venue.
Before booking anyone
- The deposit and payment dates
- Whether VAT is included
- How bad weather is handled
- The deadline for final numbers
Step by step
Expect a friendly, organised team. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up our cooking area, and cook and serve without fuss. At midsummer, sunset in Ardingly is about 9:20pm, so we can time the evening paella around your photos. In late May, sunset is about 8:50pm, and in late September about 7:05pm.
- First, we check your date.
- You pick the courses and dishes.
- We confirm everything with your venue.
- The pans cook while guests enjoy the drinks.
- We serve, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Check the venue allows live cooking
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Read more
- Cooked live in giant pans at your event
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options
- Paella, tapas, canapés and desserts
- Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff