Kent · England
Wedding paella catering in Hawkenbury, Kent
From the first sizzle of the sofrito to the last spoonful of crispy rice, paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food turns food into part of your wedding in Hawkenbury.
- Relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Food for evening guests
Planning an event in Hawkenbury?
How our wedding paella catering works in Hawkenbury
Timing is everything with paella: the rice needs about 20 minutes and is best served immediately. We plan it around your speeches and photos. We are frequently asked to cater relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts and weddings with a Spanish theme, serving a paella wedding breakfast, Spanish desserts and canapé tapas.
A wedding in a small place like Hawkenbury 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. We cook every pan in full view of your guests, so the food is hot, fresh and part of the occasion.
Should I cook it 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.
You can hire equipment and do it yourself, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
Planners, venues and businesses
Throwing a party at home? Send a photo of the space and tell us about parking, and we will tell you honestly whether live paella will work.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we will keep you updated on timings and set-up.
Who books wedding paella catering in Hawkenbury?
It suits outdoor and rustic venues particularly well, where a plated meal can be hard to pull off.
Whatever you are celebrating in Hawkenbury, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Sharing-style wedding meals
- Garden and marquee weddings
- Evening food for extra guests
- Spanish-themed and destination-style weddings
Put the station on your invitation: the nearest station is Staplehurst station, about 1.3 miles west.
What to look for in a quote
- Payment terms and deposit
- A clear list of what’s included
- What the caterer needs from your venue
- How each diet is kept separate
Step by step
Watching it cook is half the fun. Onion, garlic, peppers and tomato go in first, then the stock and saffron, then the rice, which cooks without stirring. At midsummer, sunset in Hawkenbury is about 9:15pm, so we can time the evening paella around your photos. In late May, sunset is about 8:50pm, and in late September about 7:00pm.
- Tell us your 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
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Ask for a quote
The quickest way to a quote is to send us your details through our quote form. Give us the details of your wedding, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
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Getting married in Hawkenbury?
Hawkenbury is about 7 miles south of Maidstone, in Kent. For a wedding in Hawkenbury, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices in and around Hawkenbury. Hawkenbury is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent we cover. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 23 miles away.
The High Weald National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Hawkenbury, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue.
We cater weddings across the TN12 postcode area and the streets around it. Other places close to Hawkenbury for wedding paella catering include Farthing Green (1 mile north-east), Devil's Den (1 mile north), Staplehurst (1 mile south-west), Cross-at-Hand (2 miles north-west) and Sinkhurst Green (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Maidstone (7 miles north), Ashford (13 miles east), Sittingbourne (13 miles north-east), Royal Tunbridge Wells (14 miles west), Tonbridge (13 miles west) and Kings Hill (10 miles north-west).
Well-known places in the area include Brattle Farm Museum (2.4 miles south-west) and Sutton Valence Castle (2.6 miles north).
Catering for every guest
Nearly every event has some special diets. To plan for them:
- Enquire early for peak dates
- Check the venue’s rules for outside caterers
- Include any suppliers you are feeding
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
If speeches or photos run over, tell us, and we’ll adapt the timing so it’s still served fresh.
Canapés during the photos keep hunger at bay.
What we need at the venue
No two venues are the same, so we ask about the space before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- An open-sided catering gazebo next to the marquee
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise before you book.
What we offer
- Evening paella
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Canapé tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Dessert
- Table tapas
Nearby places to Hawkenbury
More for events in Hawkenbury
Why choose live paella in Hawkenbury?
If you are weighing up paella against a traditional menu, think about your venue, your guests’ diets and the feel of the day. Compared with a plated meal, live paella is often good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. We’ll send you a quote.
What you get with us
- Sangria, plus bar staff for your own drinks
- Paella cooked from scratch on site
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- A quote that spells everything out
Read How we price And The cost guide.
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- How many guests are eating
- How many staff you need
- How many courses
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
Extras such as tapas, desserts, sangria, staff and crockery are priced separately, so you can choose exactly what you need.
Getting an accurate quote
For a quote, it helps to have:
- The courses you’d like
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- A photo of the space, if you can
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: tell us about the occasion and the guests, and we will suggest a menu. To start, use our quote form.
Common questions in Hawkenbury
Is Hawkenbury too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Let us know about access and parking.
Is Hawkenbury close to London?
Roughly 37 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you cook it at the event?
It is. We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook it there and then, serving it hot from the pan.
Will you talk to our venue?
Yes, and it saves you passing messages. Introduce us and we’ll sort the details.
Do you cater for suppliers?
Yes, include them in your numbers. Let us know when they need feeding.
How many paellas should we have?
Generally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
When should we book?
The sooner the better. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
- 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