Hampshire · England
Wedding paella catering in Ashley, Hampshire
Cooked live, served hot and made to share: paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Ashley and the surrounding area.
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
- Garden and marquee weddings
- Evening food for extra guests
Book wedding paella catering in Ashley
Wedding paella catering in Ashley, made fresh on the day
Paella suits relaxed, sociable weddings, long tables and garden or barn venues. It feels generous and celebratory. We cook Spanish desserts, table tapas and a paella wedding breakfast, and we are frequently booked for vow renewals and civil ceremonies and rustic barn weddings.
Weddings in a place like Ashley frequently feel personal: a local church, then a marquee in a garden or field. A giant pan on the lawn fits right in. Tell us about access to the field or garden. You’ll know exactly what’s included before you book: the menu, the staff and any extras.
The menu, dish by dish
Canapé tapas
One- and two-bite tapas on boards, ideal for the drinks reception.
Desserts
Spanish desserts from churros to crema catalana.
Ashley weddings: local tips
Ashley is about 4 miles west of Lymington, in Hampshire. From the centre of Ashley to the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Ashley is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. We cook right across the region, from Ashley to Southampton (15 miles away).
If you’re marrying at a church near Ashley, such as St. Peter's Church, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so the meal is ready when you arrive. Historic houses near Ashley include Highcliffe Castle (3.5 miles south-west). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking. The New Forest National Park is within about 5 miles of Ashley, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue. With the coast within about 5 miles, a seafood paella suits a seaside-style wedding. We’ll plan shelter from sea breezes.
Here we cover the BH25 and SO41 postcode area, so your wedding can be anywhere in it. Streets in the area include Franklin Road, Miller Close and Manor Road, and we can cook for a wedding on any of them. If your venue is just outside Ashley, we also cover New Milton (1 mile south-west), Hordle (1 mile east), Bashley (1 mile north-west), Tiptoe (1 mile north-east) and Barton on Sea (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Totton (12 miles north-east), Lymington (4 miles east), Hythe (13 miles north-east), Ringwood (8 miles north-west), Dibden Purlieu (12 miles north-east) and Marchwood (12 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum (1.4 miles west) and Lymington New Forest Hospital (4.3 miles east). Open spaces near Ashley include Milford on Sea LNR.
- Local schools include Ballard School (0.7 miles west) and The Arnewood School (1.1 miles south-west)
- Nearby, you will find The Plough Public House (0.9 miles north)
Occasions we cook for in Ashley
It fills the gap between ceremony and meal: gather round the cooking.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Garden and marquee weddings
- Evening wedding food
- Barn and farm weddings
Milford on Sea LNR nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos.
Questions to ask before you book
- When final numbers are due
- Travel and parking costs
- How bad weather is handled
- How long the team stays
Where we can cook in Ashley
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- A separate open-sided gazebo if the meal is in a marquee
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
What we offer
- Dessert
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
- Evening paella
Why choose live paella in Ashley?
A buffet can leave food sitting out. Paella goes straight from pan to plate when guests are ready. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Why choose Love Paella in Ashley
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- A quote that spells everything out
Take a look at How we price Or What paella catering costs.
Questions from Ashley
Can you cater a reception after a service at St. Peter's Church?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you cook at venues in the New Forest National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Do you do desserts?
We do. Churros, crema catalana and tarta de Santiago are popular choices.
Do you cater in Ashley?
Yes. We cover London and the South East, and Ashley is within our area and the rest of Hampshire. For a quote, fill in our quote form.
Is paella too casual for a wedding?
Served well, it feels generous and special: canapés, tapas, crockery and table service.
Do you offer tastings?
Ask us when you enquire and we will explain the options.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. Rice is naturally gluten-free, but stock and some ingredients may not be, so we make a separate gluten-free pan.
How many different paellas?
Typically two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Connect us with your coordinator
- Enquire early for peak dates
- Let us know about meals for your band or photographer
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
We clear our cooking area away afterwards; staff you’ve booked stay as agreed.
Sangria and bar staff can be added.
The process
Serving is fast: the paella goes straight from the pan to the plate, so even a long queue moves. Afterwards we clear our cooking area away. In Ashley, midsummer sunset is about 9:25pm, and by late September it’s nearer 7:10pm, so an evening paella for evening guests is normally served in daylight in high summer. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it is dark by about 4:05pm.
- Tell us your date, venue and numbers.
- We plan your menu course by course.
- We agree timings with you and your venue.
- On the day, we cook and serve each course.
- We pack down, and staff stay as agreed.
Before we arrive
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Make sure we can park close by to unload
Ask for a quote
Still deciding on the menu? That is fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll suggest a menu. Start when you’re ready: fill in our quote form.
Related guides
Working with your venue
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.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Doing it yourself saves money, but the host ends up stuck at the stove. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Places near Ashley
Other catering in Ashley
- 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