Hampshire · England
Wedding Paella Catering in Ibthorpe
We cook paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Ibthorpe and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Evening food for extra guests
- Relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
Planning an event in Ibthorpe?
Prices and what affects them
Every event is priced individually, and the price depends on a few things:
- The paellas you choose
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Parking and unloading
When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Getting an accurate quote
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Expected numbers
- The address or venue name
- Whether you want canapés, tapas or desserts
- A picture of where we’d cook
It is easy to get a price: tell us the date, place, numbers and any dietary needs. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
How our wedding paella catering works in Ibthorpe
We can do the whole day or just one part: canapés, a tapas starter, a paella wedding breakfast, evening food and dessert. On the menu are canapé tapas, table tapas and evening paella, and we are frequently booked for blessings and vow renewals and spanish-themed and destination-style weddings.
There is something special about a country wedding near Ibthorpe, and paella cooking in the open air adds to it. Plan access and cover in case of rain. Timings are planned around your event, so the paella is ready when you want to eat.
What happens on the day
Here’s how the day generally 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 are ready to eat. For a summer wedding in Ibthorpe, the sun sets at about 9:25pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, which means evening paella is typically served in daylight in June and July. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it’s dark by about 4:00pm.
- Tell us your date, venue and numbers.
- We plan your menu course by course.
- We agree timings with you and your venue.
- We cook live on the day and serve each course.
- We pack down, and staff stay as agreed.
Before we arrive
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Confirm the venue is happy with live cooking
- Give us a contact for the day
Ask for a quote
Most quotes start with a few simple details: date, location, guest numbers and diets. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Before you choose a spot
If a space is not suitable, we will tell you, and suggest an alternative. What matters most:
- An open-sided catering gazebo next to the marquee
- Good ventilation: outdoors, or an open-sided cover
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
Not sure about your space? Send us a photo and we’ll tell you honestly.
On the menu in Ibthorpe
- Evening paella
- Dessert
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Canapé tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
Ibthorpe questions
We are having a ceremony at Church of St Peter: can you cater afterwards?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Live cooking normally happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
How far is Ibthorpe from London?
About 61 miles from central London, and well within our area.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes. We arrive with everything we need and cook on the day, then serve straight from the pan.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you are not sure.
Can you cater the whole day?
We can. We can do canapés, tapas, the wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts.
Do you cook inside?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces frequently work.
How many paellas should we have?
Usually two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Can you provide dessert?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Events we cater in Ibthorpe
It’s a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where plated meals are harder.
Big or small, live paella works well. Common bookings include:
- Relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts
- Evening wedding food
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
- Rustic barn weddings
Nearby historic houses include Stargroves (4.9 miles north-east). Historic houses and estates frequently have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that is your venue.
Comparing caterers
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- When final numbers are due
- How long the team stays
- How each diet is kept separate
For planners, venues and organisers
Venues often have their own rules about outside caterers: cooking areas, access times and documents. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
If you are organising for someone else, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Catering for every guest
A little planning makes sure everyone can eat. Here’s how:
- Ask whether your venue allows outside caterers
- Add a dietary question to your RSVP cards
- Choose pan-side or table service
- Let us know about meals for your band or photographer
If things run late, and we’ll adjust the cooking so it’s still served fresh.
Canapés during the photos keep hunger at bay.
Should I cook it myself?
If you do cook yourself, test the pan and burner together beforehand, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
Towns and villages near Ibthorpe
What else we do in Ibthorpe
Dishes our guests love
Canapé tapas
Canapés keep guests happy between the ceremony and the meal, without spoiling appetites.
Paella wedding breakfast
The main event: paellas for every diet, served hot and generous.
Wedding venues and ceremonies near Ibthorpe
Ibthorpe is about 5 miles north of Andover, in Hampshire. Whether your wedding is in the middle of Ibthorpe or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Ibthorpe is one of 683 places in Hampshire we cover. We cook right across the region, from Ibthorpe to Reading (about 24 miles away).
Pilot Hill nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos, and the countryside around Ibthorpe suits an outdoor reception. If you’re marrying at a church near Ibthorpe, such as Church of St Peter, 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 the meal is ready when you arrive.
Anywhere in SP11, we can bring wedding paella catering to you. For weddings just outside Ibthorpe, we cover Hurstbourne Tarrant (1 mile south-east), Stoke (2 miles south-east), Upper Enham (2 miles south), Wildhern (2 miles south-west) and Little London (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Basingstoke (15 miles east), Andover (5 miles south), Tadley (15 miles east), Tidworth (9 miles west), Kempshott (14 miles east) and Ludgershall (7 miles west).
Nearby you will also find Andover War Memorial Hospital (4.9 miles south). The countryside around Ibthorpe includes Anton Lakes and Pilot Hill.
- Nearby, you will find George And Dragon Public House (0.5 miles south-east)
- 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