East Sussex · England
Wedding paella catering in Hankham, East Sussex
Planning wedding paella catering in Hankham? We arrive with the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Garden and marquee weddings
Planning an event in Hankham?
Wedding paella catering for your wedding in Hankham
We can add sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff, so the catering fits the way you want your day to feel. Popular choices include Spanish desserts, evening paella and table tapas, and we’re regularly asked to cater parties after a register office wedding and garden and marquee weddings.
A wedding in a small place like Hankham frequently means a field, a barn or a family garden. That’s exactly where live paella shines: no kitchen, just a level, sheltered spot. Tell us about lanes, gates and ground conditions. You can add tapas, desserts, sangria, bar staff and waiting staff, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
- Where
- Hankham (BN24)
- County
- East Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
DIY paella versus live catering
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Consider your numbers, your guests’ diets and your own time. We’re happy to give you a quote to compare.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Choose pan-side or table service
- Give us separate day and evening numbers
- Tell us when speeches will be
- Collect dietary needs on the RSVP
The pans are often set up where guests can see them, and it makes a great photo.
Finish with Spanish desserts or your cake.
Space, weather and the venue
Most gardens and venues can host live paella, but a few things matter:
- An open-sided catering gazebo next to the marquee
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Somewhere close to park and unload
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we’ll tell you honestly before you book.
Menu ideas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
- Dessert
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Evening paella
- Table tapas
Step by step
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. We need a level, ventilated spot, and we agree where that is before the day. At midsummer, sunset in Hankham is about 9:15pm, so we can time the evening paella around your photos. Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May and 7:00pm in late September.
- Send us your wedding date, venue and numbers.
- We plan your menu course by course.
- Timings are agreed with your venue.
- We cook live on the day and serve each course.
- We clear our area; staff stay as booked.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Send us final numbers and dietary needs in good time
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
How to get a price
We quote for each event separately, 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?
Plated wedding meals need a kitchen and more staff. Live paella needs a level, ventilated spot and the venue’s permission, and suits a relaxed style. Got a budget? Let us know, and we will suggest a menu to match. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
Why choose Love Paella in Hankham
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- No hidden extras in your quote
- We cover Hankham and the whole of East Sussex
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
Read How we price And The cost guide.
Getting married in Hankham?
Hankham is about 3 miles north of Eastbourne, in East Sussex. From the centre of Hankham to the outskirts, wedding paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Hankham is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we cook. We cook right across the region, from Hankham to Brighton (about 19 miles away).
Put the station on your invitation: the nearest station is Pevensey & Westham station, about 1.4 miles south-east. If you are marrying at a church near Hankham, such as St Luke'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. The South Downs National Park is within about 7 miles of Hankham, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue. The sea is within about 5 miles, perfect for a seafood paella wedding. Coastal wind needs a sheltered cooking spot.
Here we cover the BN24 postcode area, and we can cater your wedding anywhere in it. Local streets include Hankham Road, Milton Street and Foords Lane; a wedding at home on any of them works well with live paella. For weddings just outside Hankham, we cover Blackness (1 mile south-west), Stone Cross (1 mile south), Polegate (2 miles west), Lower Willingdon (2 miles south-west) and Willingdon (2 miles south-west). Further out, we also cater in Eastbourne (3 miles south), Hastings (12 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (8 miles east), Seaford (9 miles west), Lewes (13 miles west) and Hailsham (3 miles north-west).
Nearby you’ll also find Eastbourne District General Hospital (2.9 miles south-west) and Pevensey Castle (1.7 miles east). Open spaces near Hankham include Combe Hill.
- Nearby schools include Causeway School (1.2 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Red Lion pub (0.6 miles south)
Why choose wedding paella catering in Hankham?
Mixed diets are easy, which matters with a big guest list.
Live paella suits almost any gathering. People in Hankham book us for occasions like:
- Big weddings with every diet
- Barn and farm weddings
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
For outdoor photos, Combe Hill is close by, and the countryside around Hankham suits an outdoor reception.
What your quote should include
- What happens if it rains
- When payment is due
- What the price includes, item by item
- Space, access and power needs
Other catering in Hankham
For planners, venues and organisers
If you run the same event each year, tell us your dates early, so we can hold the date.
Organising a club, school or community event in Hankham? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Give us the details and we will suggest a plan.
The menu, dish by dish
Table tapas
Tapas set out on every table to share, such as patatas bravas, croquetas and Manchego.
Canapé tapas
One- and two-bite tapas on boards, perfect during the photos.
Common questions in Hankham
What about events near the coast?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Sea breezes cool the pan, so a windbreak, building or gazebo helps.
Do you come out to small places like Hankham?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Do you do vegan paella?
Yes. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Do you do starters?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, while the rice is cooking.
What about supplier meals?
Yes. Add your suppliers to the final numbers.
Do you cover Hankham?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Hankham and across East Sussex. Send us your date to check availability.
Can you cook in the rain?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there is a ventilated cover. We will make a plan B with you.
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.
- 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