West Sussex · England
Wedding paella catering in Houghton, West Sussex
We cook paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Houghton and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
Live wedding paella catering in Houghton
How our wedding paella catering works in Houghton
We can cater your whole wedding day or one part of it: canapé tapas with the drinks, table tapas, paella for the wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts. For evening food for extra guests and weddings with a Spanish theme, we will put together a menu of Spanish desserts, a paella wedding breakfast and evening paella for your guests.
There is something special about a country wedding near Houghton, and paella cooking in the open air adds to it. Plan access and cover in case of rain. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Where
- Houghton (BN18)
- Region
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Ask us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Where we can cook in Houghton
Safety and good cooking both depend on the spot we use. We need:
- An open-sided catering gazebo next to the marquee
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we will say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Dessert
- Evening paella
- Canapé tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Table tapas
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. 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 be with your guests, we will do the cooking.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and handles separate pans for each diet.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day usually runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. At midsummer, sunset in Houghton is about 9:20pm, which helps us time evening food around your photos. Sunset is around 8:50pm in late May and 7:05pm in late September.
- We start with your date, venue, numbers and ideas.
- We plan a menu with you, course by course, and confirm a quote.
- Timings are agreed with you and the venue, around speeches and photos.
- We cook live on the day and serve every course on cue.
- We clear our cooking area, and staff stay as agreed.
Getting ready for the day
- Tell us where to park and unload
- Arrange a covered spot for wet weather
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. When you are ready, fill in our quote form.
Related guides
How we price wedding paella catering
Two events with the same number of guests can cost different amounts, depending on:
- Whether you need crockery
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Timings and hours
- The number of people
Got a budget? Let us know, and we’ll put together a menu that fits. Even a simple menu can be a feast.
What we need to know
We can quote more accurately with a few details. Here’s what to include:
- The address or venue name
- Which courses you have in mind
- The date and rough timings
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and we’ll reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
Nearby places to Houghton
Other catering in Houghton
Is live paella right for your wedding?
A plated wedding breakfast needs a kitchen and a large team. Paella needs a level, ventilated spot and permission, and suits a relaxed style. Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why us?
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Every diet catered for, pan by pan
- Add tapas, canapés and Spanish desserts
- We cover Houghton and the whole of West Sussex
Read How we price Or The cost guide.
About the dishes
Canapé tapas
Canapés keep guests happy between the ceremony and the meal, without spoiling appetites.
Table tapas
A tapas starter gets tables talking.
Catering for every guest
Most events have a mix of diets. To plan for them:
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
- Confirm the venue’s catering rules early
- Pick a serving style
- Connect us with your coordinator
If speeches or photos run over, tell us, and we will adjust the cooking so the paella is served at its best.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available.
Questions from Houghton
Which station should guests use for Houghton?
Amberley station, about 0.5 miles north-east of the centre.
We are having a ceremony at The Parish Church of St Nicholas: 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. Tell us where the reception will be.
Do you do starters?
Yes, and it’s a popular combination. Tapas first, paella to follow.
Is it really cooked live?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, in front of your guests.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Most events have us cooking outside or in a doorway or courtyard.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Can you do sangria?
Sangria can be added, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Will you talk to our venue?
Yes, and it saves you passing messages. Introduce us and we will sort the details.
Getting married in Houghton?
Houghton is about 6 miles north of Littlehampton, in West Sussex. For wedding paella catering in Houghton, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Houghton is one of 371 towns and villages in West Sussex we cover. Our events stretch from Houghton to Brighton (about 19 miles away).
Couples marrying at local churches such as The Parish Church of St Nicholas frequently hold the reception nearby: we can be cooking during the photos, so the meal is ready when you arrive. If you are hoping for photos in Arundel Park, check whether the park needs permission for photography or gatherings. The South Downs National Park is within about 2 miles of Houghton, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules.
We cook at weddings all over the BN18 postcode area and the streets around it. For weddings just outside Houghton, we cover Arundel (3 miles south), Warningcamp (3 miles south-east), Crossbush (3 miles south), Tortington (4 miles south) and Poling (4 miles south-east). Larger places within reach include Worthing (8 miles south-east), Bognor Regis (9 miles south-west), Chichester (11 miles west), Selsey (15 miles south-west), Littlehampton (6 miles south) and Shoreham-by-Sea (13 miles east).
Other landmarks nearby include Arundel and District Hospital (2.7 miles south) and Amberley Castle (1.2 miles north-east). The countryside around Houghton includes Amberley Wild Brooks and Bignor Hill.
Perfect for your wedding in Houghton
It works as a wedding breakfast or evening food, so it fits any plan.
Here are some of the events we cook for in Houghton and West Sussex:
- Food for evening guests
- Farm and barn venues
- Destination-style celebrations at home
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
Put the station on your invitation: Amberley station is about 0.5 miles away.
Questions to ask before you book
- Travel and parking costs
- The deadline for final numbers
- Payment terms and deposit
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- 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