Hampshire · England
Wedding Paella Catering in Monkwood
Treat your guests to live paella at your wedding in Monkwood. We cook from scratch on site, and serve it straight from the pan.
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Barn and farm weddings
Book wedding paella catering in Monkwood
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking paella for a crowd yourself is possible, but it’s harder than it looks. Large pans need the right burners, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Our guide to cooking paella for a crowd explains how.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Wedding paella catering in Monkwood, cooked live
The smell of saffron and garlic drifting across a garden or barn gets guests excited about the meal long before it’s served. We are often asked to cater relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts and weddings with a Spanish theme, serving Spanish desserts, a paella wedding breakfast and canapé tapas.
Near Monkwood, weddings are frequently in fields, barns or gardens. That is exactly where live paella shines: no kitchen, just a level, sheltered spot. Tell us about lanes, gates and ground conditions. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so the whole menu comes from one caterer.
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Diets, allergies and planning
We take diets and allergies seriously. Here’s how you can help:
- Introduce us to your venue coordinator
- Share your running order, including speeches
- Check the venue’s rules for outside caterers
- Book early for summer Saturdays
The pans are frequently set up where guests can see them, and it makes a great photo.
Spanish desserts, or your own wedding cake, finish the meal.
The process
A typical event goes like this: we set up the pans and start the sofrito, the rice cooks in front of your guests, and it’s served hot from the pan when you’re ready to eat. For a summer wedding in Monkwood, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:10pm in late September, which means evening paella is usually served in daylight in June and July. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it is dark by about 4:00pm.
- Tell us your date, venue and numbers.
- Together we plan each course.
- We agree timings with you and your venue.
- On the day, we cook and serve each course.
- We clear our area; staff stay as booked.
How to prepare
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Check the venue allows live cooking
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
Get a quote
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, fill in our quote form.
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Perfect for your wedding in Monkwood
It is a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where plated meals are harder.
These are some of the occasions we cater around Monkwood:
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
- Rustic barn weddings
Nearby historic houses include Hinton Ampner House (4.8 miles west). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking.
Comparing caterers
- Whether VAT is included
- Allergen information for each dish
- What the price includes, item by item
- How bad weather is handled
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- How many guests are eating
- Plates, cutlery and glassware
- Your choice of paellas
- Timings and hours
Travel, parking and access can affect the price, so tell us about the venue when you ask for a quote. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
Good planning starts with a few facts. Try to include:
- The date and rough timings
- What the venue already provides
- A picture of the cooking space, if it is a garden or field
- Diets and allergies you know about
To get a price, fill in our quote form. Give us the details of your wedding, and we will put together a menu and price.
FAQs for Monkwood
Is Monkwood too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cook at venues in the South Downs National Park?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
Do you do desserts?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Is the paella gluten-free?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Do you do canapés and evening food too?
Any part of the day, or all of it, from canapés to evening food.
Can we add tapas or canapés?
Yes. Canapé tapas with the drinks, or table tapas to share, served while the paella cooks.
Can you cater for vegetarians and vegans?
Of course. Vegetarian and vegan paellas are cooked in separate pans, alongside the meat and seafood pans.
Paella compared with other options
Choosing between paella and 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. Ask us for a quote.
Why book with us
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- Cooking your guests will gather round to watch
- We cover Monkwood and the whole of Hampshire
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
Take a look at Our prices page Or What paella catering costs.
What’s in the pans
Paella wedding breakfast
Two or three paellas, served from the pans or brought to the tables.
Desserts
Spanish desserts from churros to crema catalana.
Monkwood weddings: local tips
Monkwood is about 6 miles south-west of Alton, in Hampshire. For wedding paella catering in Monkwood, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Monkwood is one of 683 towns and villages in Hampshire where we cook. Our nearest city page is Southampton, about 18 miles away.
Shutts Copse nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos, and the countryside around Monkwood suits an outdoor reception. If you are marrying at a church near Monkwood, such as Monkwood Mission 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 the meal is ready when you arrive. With the South Downs National Park within about 7 miles, there are country venues, barns and gardens nearby. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules.
Anywhere in SO24, we can cook for your guests. We can cater a wedding on streets such as Hill Farm Road, Flint Fields and Soame's Lane or the roads around them. Other places close to Monkwood for wedding paella catering include Charlwood (1 mile north-east), West Tisted (1 mile south-west), Gilbert Street (1 mile north-west), Kitwood (2 miles north) and Ropley (2 miles north-west). Larger places within reach include Basingstoke (14 miles north), Winchester (12 miles west), Havant (15 miles south), Eastleigh (15 miles south-west), Horndean (11 miles south) and Alton (6 miles north-east).
A little further out are Alton Community Hospital (5.5 miles north-east). Not far away are Red Hill and Shutts Copse.
For planners, venues and organisers
For repeat events, such as annual staff parties or seasonal fairs, let us know your dates early, so we can hold the date.
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we are happy to deal with you and the venue directly. It keeps things simple.
- 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