Greater London · England
Wedding Paella Catering for Downe events
From the first sizzle in the pan to the last crispy spoonful, paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food makes the food a highlight of your wedding in Downe.
- Blessings and vow renewals
- Sharing-style wedding meals
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
Planning an event in Downe?
Why choose live paella in Downe?
Compared with formal catering, live paella is relaxed and sociable, but with canapés, table tapas and good crockery, it still feels special. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why us?
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- We cover Downe and the whole of Greater London
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Read Our prices page And Our guide to catering costs.
Wedding paella catering in Downe, made fresh on the day
Saffron and garlic in the air has everyone looking forward to dinner long before it’s served. Whether it’s sharing-style wedding meals and wedding receptions after a small ceremony, we’ll put together a menu of a paella wedding breakfast, canapé tapas and Spanish desserts and more.
London weddings around Downe often mean a ceremony at a church or register office, then a reception at a hired venue or a family garden. Paella suits either, given a ventilated cooking spot. Plan parking and loading early. Every pan is cooked in front of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
- Area
- Downe (BR6)
- Region
- Greater London
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What we need at the venue
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
As a London location, Downe is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly.
On the menu in Downe
- Sangria & bar staff
- Evening paella
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Dessert
- Canapé tapas
The menu, dish by dish
Canapé tapas
Canapé tapas fill the gap before the meal.
Table tapas
A tapas starter gets tables talking.
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what makes the biggest difference to the price:
- Waiting and bar staff
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- The length of service
- Guest numbers
The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Details that help
The more we know about your wedding, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- 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 Downe?
Downe is about 4 miles south-west of Orpington, in Greater London. Tell us where your wedding in Downe will be, and we’ll plan the journey and set-up before the day. Downe is one of 764 towns and villages in Greater London where we cook. Our events stretch from Downe to London (13 miles away).
For outdoor photos, Downe Bank Nature Reserve is close by. For guests travelling by train, the nearest station is Chelsfield station, about 2.6 miles north-east. With the Kent Downs National Landscape within about 6 miles, there are country venues, barns and gardens nearby. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules.
Anywhere in BR6, we can bring wedding paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Whether your wedding is on High Street, North End Lane and Belle Vue Road or anywhere nearby, we will bring the pans to you. We also cook at weddings in Farthing Street (1 mile north-west), Hazelwood (1 mile east), Luxted (1 mile south), Leaves Green (1 mile west) and Single Street (2 miles south). Larger places within reach include London (13 miles north-west), City of Westminster (15 miles north-west), Marylebone (15 miles north-west), St Pancras (15 miles north-west), Shoreditch (14 miles north-west) and Hoxton (15 miles north-west).
Other landmarks nearby include Crofton Roman Villa (2.7 miles north-east) and Princess Royal University Hospital (1.8 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Downe Bank Nature Reserve and Betsom's Hill.
- Schools near Downe include Charles Darwin School (1.8 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Queens Head pub (under half a mile south)
Common questions in Downe
What’s the nearest station to Downe for guests?
Chelsfield station, about 2.6 miles north-east of the centre.
We are having a ceremony at St Mary's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Send us the reception address.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, on request. Crockery, cutlery and napkins, or good-quality disposables are available.
Can paella feel formal?
It can be dressed up or kept relaxed, depending on presentation and service.
Will you talk to our venue?
Yes. We’re happy to talk to your venue about access, timings and requirements.
What happens if it rains?
We cook under cover, like a gazebo or open-sided marquee. We plan for rain with you in advance.
What if photos overrun?
We adapt. We stay in touch with your coordinator and time the rice so it’s served at its best.
Do you cater for suppliers?
Yes. Include suppliers in your numbers and we will plan for them.
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Pick a serving style
- Send us the running order and speech times
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
- Introduce us to your venue coordinator
Fresh pans can be cooked for evening guests, usually timed after the first dance.
Table tapas make a sociable starter.
Also in Downe
Working with your venue
Throwing a party at home? Send us a picture of the garden and tell us about access, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we’ll explain how it works. We can work with your facilities team on access and timings.
Why choose wedding paella catering in Downe?
It’s a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where a plated meal can be hard to pull off.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Downe, people book us for occasions like:
- Evening wedding food
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Parties after a register office wedding
- Farm and barn venues
Nearby historic houses include Down House (0.6 miles south) and Addington Palace (4.3 miles west). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking.
Before booking anyone
- What the price includes, item by item
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- The deposit and payment dates
- Space, access and power needs
How the day works
We work to your timings. If things run behind, we adjust the cooking so it is served at its best. For a summer wedding in Downe, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, which means evening paella is typically served in daylight in June and July. For autumn and winter weddings, when it’s dark by about 3:55pm in December, plan lighting for the cooking area.
- Send us your wedding 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 clear our area; staff stay as booked.
Preparing for the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Ask for a quote
Each quote is tailored to your event. Tell us your date and guest numbers, and we will check availability at the same time.
Planning help
- 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