Kent · England
Wedding Paella Catering for Shipbourne events
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 makes the food a highlight of your wedding in Shipbourne.
- Destination-style celebrations at home
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
- Farm and barn venues
Book wedding paella catering in Shipbourne
How our wedding paella catering works in Shipbourne
A paella wedding makes mixed diets simple: each paella has its own pan, so vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests eat the same kind of meal as everyone else. We are often asked to cater rustic barn weddings and food for evening guests, with Spanish desserts, a paella wedding breakfast and table tapas.
Rural weddings around Shipbourne have a magic of their own, and an open-air paella adds to it. Plan for access and a wet-weather cover. Your quote spells out exactly what’s included: menu, staff, crockery and anything else you choose, with no surprises on the day.
Organising for someone else?
Many venues have rules for outside caterers: where cooking is allowed, access times and the paperwork they need. Send us your venue’s requirements and we’ll follow them.
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We’ll provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
About the dishes
Table tapas
A tapas starter gets tables talking.
Canapé tapas
One- and two-bite tapas on boards, perfect during the photos.
What wedding paella catering costs
There is nothing hidden: the price is based on:
- How many staff you need
- The length of service
- Travel, parking and access
- The number of people
Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so the menu you choose affects the price. Tell us your budget and we’ll suggest a menu.
Getting an accurate quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. Here’s what to include:
- The date and rough timings
- Diets and allergies you know about
- Approximate guest numbers, including children
- The address or venue name
We quote for each event separately, so you only pay for what you need. To ask for one, fill in our quote form.
The process
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook while your guests chat. Golden-hour photos in Shipbourne at midsummer come around 9:20pm, 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.
- We check availability for your date.
- You pick the courses and dishes.
- We confirm everything with your venue.
- The pans cook while guests enjoy the drinks.
- We serve, then pack down.
Before we arrive
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Give us a contact for the day
- Ensure the spot is clear of anything flammable
Getting a price
Tell us your date, venue or postcode and roughly how many guests, plus any dietary needs, and you’ll get a menu idea and a price. To get started, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
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. And keep children and pets well away from the burner.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Also near Shipbourne
What else we do in Shipbourne
Where we can cook in Shipbourne
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. These are the things we check:
- A cooking spot outside the marquee, not inside it
- Parking close enough to carry equipment
- A level, firm spot for the burners and pans
If you are unsure, send a picture of the space and we will say what we think before you book.
Popular choices
- Canapé tapas
- Dessert
- Evening paella
- Sangria & bar staff
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
Who books wedding paella catering in Shipbourne?
It handles mixed diets without fuss, which matters at weddings with lots of guests.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Shipbourne and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Sharing-style wedding meals
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Destination-style celebrations at home
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
Barden Lake nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos, and the countryside around Shipbourne suits an outdoor reception.
What your quote should include
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- When payment is due
- Space, access and power needs
Shipbourne: your questions answered
Is Shipbourne close to London?
Roughly 24 miles from the centre of London, and we cover it as standard.
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We’ll follow the site rules.
Is the paella cooked on site?
Yes, always. We cook from scratch in large pans at your venue, where your guests can watch.
Do you come to Shipbourne?
We do. We cook at events in Shipbourne and across Kent. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Can you bring crockery?
Yes, on request. Proper crockery or quality disposables can be added to your booking.
What if photos overrun?
We plan for it. We time the rice to the actual running order, so it is ready when you are.
Can you cater the whole day?
We can. Canapé tapas, table tapas, a paella wedding breakfast, evening food and desserts, or any part of that.
Can you serve drinks?
Sangria can be added, and we can staff a bar with your drinks.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Food trucks serve one order at a time, which can mean long queues at a wedding. Paella is served quickly to many guests. Larger events typically cost less per head, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
Why book with us
- Waiting staff and crockery on request
- Starters and desserts to complete the menu
- We cover Shipbourne and the whole of Kent
- No hidden extras in your quote
Read Our pricing Or The cost guide.
Getting married in Shipbourne?
Shipbourne is about 3 miles north of Tonbridge, in Kent. Whether your wedding is in the middle of Shipbourne or on the outskirts, wedding paella catering works the same way: live cooking, separate pans for every diet and a clear price. Shipbourne is one of 922 places in Kent we cover. Our events stretch from Shipbourne to London (24 miles away).
For guests travelling by train, Borough Green & Wrotham station is about 3.3 miles away. If you’re marrying at a church near Shipbourne, such as Church of St Giles, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so it’s ready as guests arrive. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Shipbourne, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules.
Wherever your wedding is in TN11, we can cook for your guests. Local streets include Upper Green Road, Upper Green Lane and Back Lane; a wedding at home on any of them works well with live paella. Close by, we cover weddings in Budds (1 mile west), Yopps Green (1 mile north), Sheet Hill (2 miles north), Ivy Hatch (2 miles north) and Coldharbour (2 miles south-west). We also cook in nearby towns such as Maidstone (11 miles east), Dartford (14 miles north), Sevenoaks (5 miles north-west), Royal Tunbridge Wells (8 miles south), Gravesend (13 miles north) and Tonbridge (3 miles south).
Other landmarks nearby include Ightham Court (3.3 miles north) and Hadlow Tower museum (2.8 miles south-east). Not far away are Barden Lake.
- Schools near Shipbourne include Hugh Christie Technology College (2.3 miles south)
- Pubs nearby include The Chaser Public House (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