Hampshire · England
Wedding paella catering in Ashley, Hampshire
Treat your guests to live paella at your wedding in Ashley. Everything is cooked fresh on the day, then served hot from the pan.
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
- Rustic barn weddings
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
Wedding paella catering near Ashley
What’s in the pans
Desserts
Churros with chocolate, crema catalana or tarta de Santiago, or your cake as dessert.
Table tapas
Sharing tapas breaks the ice.
Wedding paella catering for your wedding in Ashley
Timing is everything with paella: the rice needs about 20 minutes and is best served immediately. We time it around your speeches and photos. We’re frequently asked to cater sharing-style wedding meals and big weddings with every diet, serving evening paella, table tapas and Spanish desserts.
Near Ashley, weddings are often in fields, barns or gardens. That’s exactly where live paella shines: no kitchen needed, just a level, sheltered spot. Tell us about lanes, gates and ground conditions. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Diets, allergies and planning
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. Here are a few tips for planning:
- Give us separate day and evening numbers
- Send us the running order and speech times
- Collect dietary needs on the RSVP
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
Evening guests can be served from fresh pans later on, timed for after the first dance.
Table tapas make a sociable starter.
Step by step
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, which we agree with you beforehand. For a summer wedding in Ashley, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, so an evening paella for evening guests is normally served in daylight in high summer. For autumn and winter weddings, when it’s dark by about 4:00pm in December, plan lighting for the cooking area.
- Send us your wedding date, venue and numbers.
- We plan your menu course by course.
- Timings are agreed with your venue.
- We cook live on the day and serve each course.
- We clear our area; staff stay as booked.
Before we arrive
- Pick a flat, firm spot for us to cook
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
Thinking about wedding paella catering for your wedding in Ashley? Tell us what you have in mind and we will reply with a menu and a clear price. To contact us, fill in our quote form.
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Ashley weddings: local tips
Ashley is about 6 miles north of Romsey, in Hampshire. Whether your wedding is in the middle of Ashley or on the outskirts, wedding paella catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cook in all 683 towns and villages in Hampshire, from the larger towns to small villages. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 11 miles away.
Put the station on your invitation: Mottisfont & Dunbridge station is about 5 miles away. Nearby historic houses include Mottisfont Abbey (4.3 miles south-west). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking.
This part of Hampshire takes in SO20. Other places close to Ashley for wedding paella catering include Little Somborne (1 mile north), Up Somborne (1 mile north-east), King's Somborne (1 mile west), Lower Slackstead (3 miles south) and Braishfield (4 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (6 miles east), Eastleigh (9 miles south-east), Andover (9 miles north), Totton (11 miles south), Chandler's Ford (7 miles south-east) and Hedge End (13 miles south-east).
Well-known places in the area include Royal Hampshire County Hospital (5.4 miles east).
More for events in Ashley
Where we can cook in Ashley
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We look for:
- A cooking spot outside the marquee, not inside it
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
What we offer
- Evening paella
- Table tapas
- Canapé tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Sangria & bar staff
- Dessert
Planners, venues and businesses
Organising a club, school or community event in Ashley? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
For larger events, we plan the number of pans and serving points around your timings, so everyone eats promptly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Common questions in Ashley
Do you come out to small places like Ashley?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
What’s the nearest station to Ashley for guests?
Mottisfont & Dunbridge station, about 5 miles south-west of the centre.
Can paella feel formal?
Served well, it feels generous and special: canapés, table tapas, good crockery and staff serving the tables.
Do you offer tastings?
Ask us when you enquire and we will explain the options.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so get in touch early.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes, and they’re popular with everyone. Each is cooked separately, with its own stock and utensils.
Do you do canapés and evening food too?
We can. Canapé tapas, table tapas, a paella wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts, or any part of that.
Do you cook inside?
Usually we cook outdoors or under a ventilated cover, because we use gas burners. We will check whether your venue has a suitable space.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, keep the stock hot, and leave the rice alone once it is in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
Why choose wedding paella catering in Ashley?
Sharing food gets tables chatting, which suits a relaxed wedding.
Whatever the occasion, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
- Destination-style celebrations at home
- Relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts
Couples marrying at local churches such as St Mary's Church often hold the reception nearby: the paella can be cooking while you have photos taken, so it’s ready as guests arrive.
Before you book anyone
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How bad weather is handled
- How late numbers can change
- Payment terms and deposit
Is live paella right for your wedding?
A plated wedding breakfast needs a kitchen and a large team. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission, and feels more relaxed. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
Why us?
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- We cover Ashley and the whole of Hampshire
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Read How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
- 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