East Sussex · England
Wedding paella catering in Friar's Gate, East Sussex
Paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Friar's Gate: paella made from scratch in big, shallow pans, right in front of your guests.
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
- Farm and barn venues
Wedding paella catering for Friar's Gate events
About our wedding paella catering in Friar's Gate
Timing is everything with paella: once the rice goes in, it takes about 20 minutes, and it is best served straight away. We plan it around your speeches and photos. We’re frequently asked to cater civil partnerships and vow renewals and wedding receptions after a small ceremony, with canapé tapas, evening paella and Spanish desserts.
Near Friar's Gate, weddings are frequently in fields, barns or gardens. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen needed, just a level, sheltered spot. Tell us about lanes, gates and ground conditions. Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
- Area
- Friar's Gate (TN6)
- Area hub
- East Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
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.
Some hosts like to cook themselves. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Step by step
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, and we agree where that is before the day. In Friar's Gate, midsummer sunset is about 9:20pm, and by late September it is nearer 7:05pm, so an evening paella for evening guests is typically served in daylight in high summer. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it’s dark by about 3:55pm.
- We check availability for your date.
- You choose canapés, tapas, paellas and desserts.
- We confirm the plan with your coordinator.
- The pans cook while guests enjoy the drinks.
- We serve, then pack down.
Before we arrive
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Ensure we can park close by to unload
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? That’s fine: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we’ll make suggestions. To start, send us your details through our quote form.
Planning help
Places near Friar's Gate
More for events in Friar's Gate
Organising for someone else?
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we will follow them.
What we need at the venue
We’ll agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If you are unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
What we offer
- Dessert
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Table tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
- Evening paella
Catering for every guest
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To make it work smoothly:
- Pick a serving style
- Give us separate day and evening numbers
- Collect dietary needs on the RSVP
- Introduce us to your venue coordinator
Evening guests can be served from fresh pans later on, typically timed after the first dance.
A table tapas starter gets everyone sharing.
Occasions we cook for in Friar's Gate
It is a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where a plated meal can be hard to pull off.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Friar's Gate book us for events such as:
- Food for evening guests
- Informal wedding breakfasts
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Big weddings with every diet
If you’re marrying at a church near Friar's Gate, such as St John's Church, 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’s ready as guests arrive.
What to look for in a quote
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- The wet-weather plan
What’s in the pans
Evening paella
Evening paella is hot, filling and fun.
Desserts
To finish: churros, crema catalana or your wedding cake.
Your questions about wedding paella catering in Friar's Gate
Is Friar's Gate close to London?
About 31 miles from central London, and well within our area.
We are having a ceremony at St John's Church: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is normally elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you do canapés and evening food too?
We can. We can do canapés, tapas, the wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts.
Can you provide dessert?
We can add a dessert. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
How many different paellas?
Normally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Do you cover Friar's Gate?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Friar's Gate and across East Sussex. Send us your date to check availability.
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 offer tastings?
Ask us when you enquire and we’ll explain the options.
Planning a paella wedding in Friar's Gate
Friar's Gate is about 2 miles north-west of Crowborough, in East Sussex. For wedding paella catering in Friar's Gate, we plan around your venue and timings: a clear quote, agreed timings and paella cooked live on the day. We cover 289 places in East Sussex, from the larger towns to small villages. Our events stretch from Friar's Gate to Brighton (20 miles away).
Historic houses near Friar's Gate include Bassetts Manor (3.6 miles north-west) and Groombridge Place (3.8 miles north-east). Historic houses and estates often have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that is your venue. Put the station on your invitation: Eridge station is about 3 miles away. With the High Weald National Landscape within about 5 miles, there are country venues, barns and gardens nearby. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue.
Anywhere in TN6, we can cook for your guests. Other places close to Friar's Gate for wedding paella catering include Marden's Hill (1 mile south-east), Chuck Hatch (1 mile west), Crowborough (2 miles south-east), Steel Cross (2 miles east) and Mott's Mill (2 miles north-east). Larger places within reach include Lewes (15 miles south-west), Hailsham (15 miles south), Uckfield (7 miles south), South Malling (14 miles south), Heathfield (9 miles south-east) and Southover (15 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Bolebroke Castle (3.4 miles north) and Crowborough War Memorial Hospital (1.9 miles south-east). Open spaces near Friar's Gate include Crowborough Country Park.
- Schools near Friar's Gate include Beacon Academy (2 miles south-east)
- Local pubs include The Half Moon Inn (within half a mile north)
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A buffet can leave food sitting out. Paella goes straight from pan to plate. Cost depends on guest numbers, the menu and the courses, along with staff, extras and travel. Every event gets its own quote.
Why Friar's Gate hosts choose us
- Served hot, straight from the pan
- No hidden extras in your quote
- We cover Friar's Gate and the whole of East Sussex
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
Take a look at How we price Or What paella catering costs.
- 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