Kent · England
Wedding Paella Catering in Lydden
Something for every guest: meat, seafood, vegetarian and vegan pans side by side. Paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food for events in Lydden.
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
Wedding paella catering near Lydden
How our wedding paella catering works in Lydden
We can add sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff, to suit the style of your day. For garden and marquee weddings and big weddings with every diet, we’ll put together a menu of table tapas, a paella wedding breakfast and Spanish desserts and more.
A wedding in a small place like Lydden often means a field, a barn or a family garden. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen, just a level, sheltered spot. Tell us about lanes, gates and ground conditions. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan.
Paella compared with other options
Food trucks serve one order at a time, which can mean long queues at a wedding. Paella is served quickly to many guests. Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Why Lydden hosts choose us
- A quote that spells everything out
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- Live cooking, not reheated food
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
Take a look at How we price Or The cost guide.
The process
Here’s how the day normally runs: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, your guests watch the rice cook, and we serve straight from the pan when you’re ready to eat. In Lydden, midsummer sunset is about 9:15pm, and by late September it is nearer 7:00pm, which means evening paella is generally served in daylight in June and July. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it is dark by about 3:50pm.
- We check availability for your date.
- You pick the courses and dishes.
- We confirm everything with your venue.
- Guests watch the paella cook during the reception.
- We serve and clear our cooking area.
Preparing for the day
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Make sure the spot is clear of anything flammable
How to get a price
To get a price, use our quote form. Give us the details of your wedding, and we’ll suggest paellas and extras to suit.
Read more
Before you choose a spot
We will agree the cooking spot with you before the day. A good spot ticks these boxes:
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- Level ground for the pans and burners
- A separate open-sided gazebo if the meal is in a marquee
Not sure about your space? Send us a picture and we will tell you honestly.
On the menu in Lydden
- Evening paella
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Dessert
- Table tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
What’s in the pans
Table tapas
Bowls and boards set down in the middle of each table, from bravas to croquetas and Manchego.
Desserts
To finish: Spanish desserts or your own cake.
Common questions in Lydden
Which station should guests use for Lydden?
Kearsney station, about 1.6 miles south-east of the centre.
Is Lydden too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Let us know about access and parking.
Do you work with our venue?
Yes, it makes life easier. Put us in touch and we’ll agree the details.
Do you take everything away?
We pack down our cooking area after service. Waiting staff can clear tables if you book them.
How far ahead should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so contact us early.
Can you feed our photographer and band?
Of course. Include suppliers in your numbers.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Children are welcome. Let us know numbers and ages, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
What if the weather’s bad?
Rain does not stop us, as long as there’s a ventilated cover. We will talk it through before the day.
Perfect for your wedding in Lydden
Mixed diets are easy, which matters with a big guest list.
These are some of the occasions we cater:
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
- Informal wedding breakfasts
- Farm and barn venues
- Food for evening guests
Couples marrying at local churches such as Church of St Mary Church of St Mary Virgin frequently hold the reception nearby: the paella can be cooking while you have photos taken, so the meal is ready when you arrive.
What your quote should include
- What the price includes, item by item
- How long the team stays
- The venue requirements
- How late numbers can change
Nearby places to Lydden
What else we do in Lydden
How we price wedding paella catering
There’s nothing hidden: the quote reflects:
- The length of service
- Travel, parking and access
- Whether you need crockery
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
Compared with a plated meal, live paella is frequently good value, as there is no kitchen to hire and fewer staff to pay. Ask us for a quote.
What we need to know
For a quote, it helps to have:
- Your date and when you want to eat
- What the venue already provides
- Which courses you have in mind
- Expected numbers
Every event is quoted individually, so the price fits what you actually want. To ask for one, send us your details through our quote form.
Working with your venue
If you are booking for a business, tell us how you’d like to handle the booking and payment, and we will explain how it works. We are happy to liaise with facilities on access and timings.
For big numbers, we plan pans and serving points to keep queues short, so guests are fed quickly. Tell us how long you have for food.
Should I cook it myself?
Some hosts like to cook themselves. 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 enjoy the party, let us cook.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Planning a paella wedding in Lydden
Lydden is about 3 miles north-west of Dover, in Kent. Whether your wedding is in the middle of Lydden or on the outskirts, wedding paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. We cater in all 922 towns and villages across Kent, from the larger towns to small villages. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 11 miles away.
Put the station on your invitation: Kearsney station is about 1.6 miles away. Planning photos in Sladden Wood? It’s worth checking the park’s rules first. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 6 miles of Lydden, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules. The sea is within about 5 miles, perfect for a seafood paella wedding. Coastal wind needs a sheltered cooking spot.
This part of Kent takes in CT15, so your wedding can be anywhere in it. Streets in the area include St Marys Rise, Canterbury Road and The Close, and we can cook for a wedding on any of them. For weddings just outside Lydden, we cover Coldred (1 mile north), Ewell Minnis (1 mile south-west), Temple Ewell (1 mile south-east), Halfway Street (1 mile north-west) and Wolverton (2 miles south). Further out, we also cater in Canterbury (11 miles north-west), Dover (3 miles south-east), Folkestone (6 miles south-west), Ramsgate (14 miles north-east), Deal (8 miles north-east) and Herne Bay (15 miles north).
Other landmarks nearby include Dover Transport Museum (2.3 miles south-east) and Dover Castle (4.3 miles south-east). The countryside around Lydden includes Dover Western Heights.
- Local pubs include Hope Inn (within half a mile west)
- 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