Kent · England
Wedding Paella Catering in Benenden
We cook paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Benenden and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Evening food for extra guests
- Barn and farm weddings
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
Live wedding paella catering in Benenden
Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Ask about diets and allergies with your RSVPs
- Give us separate day and evening numbers
- Tell us about suppliers who need feeding
- Choose pan-side or table service
On the day, we liaise with your coordinator or toastmaster, so you can enjoy yourselves.
Spanish desserts, or your own wedding cake, finish the meal.
How our wedding paella catering works in Benenden
A paella wedding makes mixed diets simple: each paella has its own pan, so every guest gets a proper hot main. We cook canapé tapas, evening paella and a paella wedding breakfast, and we are regularly asked to cater big weddings with every diet and receptions after an intimate ceremony.
There’s something special about a country wedding near Benenden, and an open-air paella adds to it. Plan for access and a wet-weather cover. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Perfect for your wedding in Benenden
It gives guests something to do between the ceremony and the meal: watch the pans.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Benenden, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Spanish-themed and destination-style weddings
- Evening food for extra guests
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Barn and farm weddings
Couples marrying at local churches such as Church of St George often hold the reception nearby: the paella can be cooking while you have photos taken, so it is ready as guests arrive.
Questions to ask before booking
- What the price includes, item by item
- The deadline for final numbers
- If the price includes VAT
- The wet-weather plan
Step by step
From set-up to serving, we look after the food, so you are free to enjoy your wedding. If you’ve chosen tapas or canapés, they go out first as the rice is cooking. Golden-hour photos in Benenden at midsummer come around 9:15pm, so we can time the evening paella around your photos. In late May, sunset is about 8:50pm, and in late September about 7:00pm.
- Tell us your date, venue and numbers.
- We plan your menu course by course.
- We agree timings with you and your venue.
- We cook live on the day and serve each course.
- We pack down, and staff stay as agreed.
Before we arrive
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Get the venue’s permission for cooking
Getting a price
To get a price, use our quote form. Tell us about your wedding in Benenden, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Planning help
What’s in the pans
Desserts
A sweet finish: churros, crema catalana or your wedding cake.
Table tapas
Bowls and boards set down in the middle of each table, from bravas to croquetas and Manchego.
Your questions about wedding paella catering in Benenden
Do you come out to small places like Benenden?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you cater in the High Weald National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will follow the site rules.
Can you cater the whole day?
We can. Canapé tapas, table tapas, a paella wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts, or any part of that.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we will plan for them.
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.
What about supplier meals?
Yes. Add your suppliers to the final numbers and we’ll plan for them.
How much does wedding paella catering cost in Benenden?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Give us your date, numbers and menu ideas and we will reply with a price.
When do you arrive?
It depends on the menu and numbers. We agree the timings in advance so the paella is ready when you want it.
What affects the price in Benenden
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- The length of service
- Guest numbers
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Starters, canapés and desserts
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we will suggest a menu.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Please include:
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- A photo of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- The date and rough timings
- The venue or postcode
We need only a few details to quote: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can use our quote form.
Getting married in Benenden?
Benenden is about 13 miles west of Ashford, in Kent. From the centre of Benenden to the outskirts, wedding paella catering works the same way: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. We cook in all 922 towns and villages across Kent. Our nearest city page is Canterbury, about 26 miles away.
Historic houses near Benenden include Great Dixter (5 miles south). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking. The High Weald National Landscape is within about 3 miles of Benenden, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue.
Wedding paella catering in TN17 is planned around your venue and timings. Streets in the area include The Street, Hortons Close and Iden Green Road, and we can cook for a wedding on any of them. Being close to the B2086, Benenden is easy for us to reach with everything for your wedding. If your venue is just outside Benenden, we also cover Iden Green (1 mile south), Coursehorn (2 miles north-west), Baker's Cross (2 miles north-west), Swattenden (2 miles north-west) and Cranbrook (3 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (14 miles north), Ashford (13 miles east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles west), Foley Park (15 miles north), Paddock Wood (11 miles north-west) and Tenterden (5 miles east).
A little further out are Mervyn Quinlan Museum (2 miles north-east) and Sissinghurst Castle (3.2 miles north).
- Local pubs include King William IV Public House (under half a mile south)
Towns and villages near Benenden
Also in Benenden
Space, weather and the venue
No two venues are the same, so we’ll ask about yours when you contact us. In general, we need:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before booking.
Menu ideas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Dessert
- Canapé tapas
- Evening paella
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
Live paella or other catering?
A hog roast is popular at weddings, but harder for vegetarian, vegan and halal guests. Paella covers them with separate pans. Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
Why book with us
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- A clear, itemised quote
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
Take a look at Our prices page Or Our guide to catering costs.
DIY paella versus live catering
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
- 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