West Sussex · England
Wedding Paella Catering in Crabtree
Bring the theatre of live paella to your wedding in Crabtree. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
- Evening wedding food
Live wedding paella catering in Crabtree
How our wedding paella catering works in Crabtree
Sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff can be added, to suit the style of your day. We cook a paella wedding breakfast, Spanish desserts and table tapas, and we’re regularly asked to cater spanish-themed and destination-style weddings and civil partnerships and vow renewals.
There’s something special about a country wedding near Crabtree, and paella cooking in the open air adds to it. Plan access and cover in case of rain. We plan the timings around your day, whether that is speeches, a lunch break or a festival schedule.
- Location
- Crabtree (RH13)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Extras
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning the cooking area
Most outdoor spaces and many venues work for live paella, but there are a few things to check:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- An open-sided catering gazebo next to the marquee
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
Menu ideas
- Evening paella
- Sangria & bar staff
- Table tapas
- Canapé tapas
- Dessert
- Paella wedding breakfast
Nearby places to Crabtree
What else we do in Crabtree
What affects the price in Crabtree
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Timings and hours
- Parking and unloading
- How many courses
- How many staff you need
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A garden party lunch and a full wedding menu are very different jobs. Your quote spells it all out.
Getting an accurate quote
You do not need everything decided to ask for a quote, but these help:
- Diets and allergies you know about
- A picture of where we’d cook
- The date and rough timings
- Anything your venue supplies
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We’ll come back with a clear quote.
Your questions about wedding paella catering in Crabtree
How far is Crabtree from London?
Roughly 34 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Could we have live paella in Leonardslee?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, generally the council. Ask them first, and we will send any information they need.
Do you come to Crabtree?
Yes, we do. Crabtree is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
What do you need at the venue?
Not a lot: a level spot clear of fences, hedges and branches, with room for a serving table. If in doubt, send a picture.
Do you cook inside?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, since the burners are gas. Some venues have suitable spaces; we will check with you and the venue.
Can you supply plates?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables are available.
What does wedding paella catering cost?
Every event is quoted individually, based on what you actually want. Tell us your date and numbers and we’ll reply with a price.
Do you do canapés and evening food too?
We can cater as much or as little of the day as you like, from canapés to evening food.
What happens on the day
A typical event goes like this: we arrive, set up and start cooking, your guests watch the rice cook, and it is served hot from the pan at the agreed time. At midsummer, sunset in Crabtree is about 9:20pm, which helps us time evening food around your photos. In late May, sunset is about 8:50pm, and in late September about 7:05pm.
- You tell us your date, venue, guest numbers and how you picture the day.
- We build the menu course by course and send a quote.
- Timings are agreed with you and the venue, around speeches and photos.
- On the day, we set up, cook in front of your guests and serve each course.
- Afterwards we clear our area; any staff you’ve booked stay as planned.
Before we arrive
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
- Tell us when you want to eat
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
Get a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Read more
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, keep the stock hot, and do not stir once the rice goes in. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Perfect for your wedding in Crabtree
Paella feels relaxed and generous, which is why couples choose it, and because guests remember it.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Rustic barn weddings
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Parties after a register office wedding
- Weddings with mixed diets
Knepp Wildland nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos, and the countryside around Crabtree suits an outdoor reception.
Questions to ask before booking
- If the price includes VAT
- When final numbers are due
- How long the team stays
- What the caterer needs from your venue
Getting married in Crabtree?
Crabtree is about 5 miles south-east of Horsham, in West Sussex. Wherever your wedding is in the RH13 area, we can cook for your guests. We cook in all 371 towns and villages in West Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Crabtree to Brighton (14 miles away).
For guests travelling by train, Horsham station is about 4.6 miles away. If you are hoping for photos in Leonardslee, check whether the park needs permission for photography or gatherings.
For wedding paella catering in RH13, we plan around your venue and timings. Whether your wedding is on Mill Lane, Peppersgate and Long Hill or a nearby road, we can cook there. We also cook at weddings in Lower Beeding (1 mile north), Colwood (1 mile south-east), Monk's Gate (2 miles north-west), Plummers Plain (2 miles north-east) and Mannings Heath (2 miles north-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Crawley (7 miles north-east), Horsham (5 miles north-west), Worthing (14 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (7 miles east), Burgess Hill (7 miles south-east) and East Grinstead (13 miles north-east).
Well-known places in the area include Horsham Hospital (4.9 miles north-west). Open spaces near Crabtree include Knepp Wildland.
Catering for every guest
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Collect dietary needs on the RSVP
- Put us in touch with your venue
- Check the venue’s rules for outside caterers
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
After service, we pack down our cooking area; staff you’ve booked stay as agreed.
Spanish desserts, or your own wedding cake, finish the meal.
For planners, venues and organisers
If you’re organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
What’s in the pans
Canapé tapas
Small bites carried round on boards while guests mingle, perfect during the photos.
Paella wedding breakfast
Two or three paellas, served from the pans or brought to the tables, with bread and salad.
- 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