Hampshire · England
Wedding paella catering in Downton, Hampshire
Planning wedding paella catering in Downton? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook while your guests watch.
- Sharing-style wedding meals
- Big weddings with every diet
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
Planning an event in Downton?
Why choose wedding paella catering in Downton?
It handles mixed diets without fuss, which matters at weddings with lots of guests.
Whatever you’re celebrating in Downton, paella can be the star of the food. We regularly cater:
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
- Blessings and vow renewals
- Evening food for extra guests
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
For guests travelling by train, New Milton station is about 2 miles away.
What your quote should include
- If the price includes VAT
- Who provides the crockery
- Payment terms and deposit
- A clear list of what’s included
Wedding paella catering in Downton, cooked live
Mixed diets are easy at a paella wedding: each paella has its own pan, so vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests eat the same kind of meal as everyone else. On the menu are table tapas, a paella wedding breakfast and Spanish desserts, and we’re frequently booked for weddings with mixed diets and sharing-style wedding meals.
Near Downton, weddings are frequently in fields, barns or gardens. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen, just a level, sheltered spot. Tell us about lanes, gates and ground conditions. We plan the timings around your day, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
Working with your venue
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Tell us what your venue needs and we will work to it.
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 Downton
What’s the nearest station to Downton for guests?
The closest is New Milton station, roughly 2 miles away.
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 will work to whatever the site needs.
Can we try the food first?
Tell us you’d like a tasting when you enquire, and we’ll talk you through it.
Can you cook indoors?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
How long does the paella take?
We arrive well before serving to set up and start the stock. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
How soon do we need to book?
As soon as you have a date. Peak dates go quickly, so get in touch early.
What if our speeches run late?
Tell us and we’ll adjust. We keep in touch with your venue on the day so the paella is served fresh.
Do you do desserts?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one in your enquiry.
The menu, dish by dish
Evening paella
Fresh pans for evening guests, quick to serve and filling.
Table tapas
Bowls and boards set down in the middle of each table, such as patatas bravas, croquetas and Manchego.
Nearby places to Downton
What else we do in Downton
Where we can cook in Downton
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
Menu ideas
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Sangria & bar staff
- Evening paella
- Canapé tapas
- Dessert
How we price wedding paella catering
These are the factors that matter most:
- How many staff you need
- Starters, canapés and desserts
- The number of people
- The paellas you choose
If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What we need to know
For a quote, it helps to have:
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Which courses you have in mind
- What the venue already provides
- Your date and when you want to eat
Planning wedding paella catering in Downton? Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll come back with ideas and a quote. Just send us your details through our quote form.
Wedding venues and ceremonies near Downton
Downton is about 3 miles west of Lymington, in Hampshire. For wedding paella catering in Downton, we cater in back gardens, halls with outdoor space, barns, marquees and offices in and around Downton. We cover 683 places across Hampshire. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 16 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Highcliffe Castle (4.2 miles west). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking. If you are marrying at a church near Downton, such as Church of All Saints, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: the paella can be cooking while you have photos taken, so it is ready as guests arrive. With the New Forest National Park within about 6 miles, there are country venues, barns and gardens nearby. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules. With the coast within about 4 miles, a seafood paella suits a seaside-style wedding. We’ll plan shelter from sea breezes.
Wedding paella catering in SO41 is planned around your venue and your guests. Local streets include Hordle Lane and Shorefield Road; a wedding at home on any of them works well with live paella. Close by, we cover weddings in Leagreen (1 mile east), Hordle (1 mile north), Ashley (2 miles north-west), Barton on Sea (2 miles west) and New Milton (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Totton (13 miles north), Lymington (3 miles east), Hythe (13 miles north-east), Ringwood (10 miles north-west), Dibden Purlieu (12 miles north-east) and Marchwood (13 miles north-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Lymington New Forest Hospital (3.7 miles north-east) and Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum (2.9 miles north-west). Open spaces near Downton include Milford on Sea LNR.
- Local schools include The Arnewood School (2.1 miles west)
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. We are happy to give you a quote to compare.
How it works
When we arrive, we set up our cooking area, light the burners and start the sofrito. The rice goes in about 20 minutes before serving, so the timing is planned around your event. Golden-hour photos in Downton at midsummer come around 9:25pm, which helps us time evening food around your photos. Sunset is around 8:55pm in late May and 7:10pm in late September.
- Send us your wedding 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 clear our area; staff stay as booked.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Let us know the timings for the day
Ask for a quote
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, use our quote form.
Planning help
Is live paella right for your wedding?
A buffet can leave food sitting out. Paella is served hot from the pan when guests are ready. Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
What you get with us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- A quote that spells everything out
- We cover Downton and the whole of Hampshire
Read Our prices page Or The cost guide.
- 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