Greater London · England
Wedding paella catering in Shirley, Greater London
We cook paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Shirley and nearby, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests.
- Wedding receptions after a small ceremony
- Food for evening guests
- Informal wedding breakfasts
Wedding paella catering for Shirley events
Planning a paella wedding in Shirley
Shirley is about 2 miles north-east of Croydon, in Greater London. Give us the address of your wedding in Shirley, and we will plan the journey and set-up before the day. We cover 764 places in Greater London. You can also see our page for London, about 8 miles away.
Nearby historic houses include Addington Palace (1.7 miles south) and Kingswood House (3.6 miles north). Historic houses and estates frequently have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that’s your venue. Planning photos in Ashburton Park? It’s worth checking the park’s rules first.
Anywhere in CR0, SE25 and CR9, we can cook for your guests. Streets in the area include Poppy Lane, Homer Road and Craven Road, and we can cook for a wedding on any of them. Shirley sits on or near the A232, so getting the burners and pans to your wedding is simple. For weddings just outside Shirley, we cover Monks Orchard (1 mile north), Shirley Oaks (1 mile west), Addiscombe (1 mile west), Ashburton (1 mile north-west) and Woodside (1 mile north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover London (8 miles north), City of Westminster (10 miles north-west), Marylebone (10 miles north-west), Kensington (10 miles north-west), St Pancras (10 miles north) and Shoreditch (10 miles north).
A little further out are National Psychosis Unit (1 mile east) and Addiscombe (1.2 miles west). The countryside around Shirley includes Duppas Hill and Bramley Bank.
- Nearby schools include Orchard Way Primary School (0.6 miles east)
- Local pubs include The Cricketers pub (under half a mile west)
Wedding paella catering in Shirley, cooked live
Paella as evening food is popular: it’s hot, filling and quick to serve, so evening guests are fed and the dancing carries on. Typical bookings include sharing-style wedding meals and vow renewals and civil ceremonies, serving a paella wedding breakfast, table tapas and Spanish desserts.
Couples in Shirley frequently marry locally and hold the reception at a venue or garden nearby. Paella suits either, given a ventilated cooking spot. In London, parking and loading need planning early. We bring everything we need to cook, and pack down our cooking area when service is finished.
- Area
- Shirley (CR0, SE25, CR9)
- Area hub
- Greater London
- Diets
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Also available
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Price
- Contact us for a quote
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
What we need at the venue
If a space is not suitable, we’ll tell you, and help find another spot. The main points are:
- Access for unloading near the cooking spot
- A safe distance from anything that could catch
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
As a London location, Shirley is inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, and parking takes planning: tell us about parking bays, permits or a driveway.
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Table tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
- Dessert
- Evening paella
Planning for every diet
Paella is one of the easiest dishes for mixed diets, because each paella is cooked in its own pan. A few tips:
- Pick a serving style
- Tell us how many evening guests to expect
- Tell us about suppliers who need feeding
- Connect us with your coordinator
We clear our cooking area away afterwards; any staff stay as long as agreed.
Finish with Spanish desserts or your cake.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
Compared with formal catering, live paella is relaxed and sociable, but with the right extras it feels just as special. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
Why book with us
- Fast service from the pan
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Tapas, canapés and desserts if you want them
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Read Our prices page Or The cost guide.
What happens on the day
We take care of the food from set-up to service, so you are free to enjoy your wedding. Any tapas or canapés are served first while the paella cooks. At midsummer, sunset in Shirley is about 9:20pm, which helps us time evening food around your photos. In late May, sunset is about 8:50pm, and in late September about 7:05pm.
- Send us your wedding date, venue and numbers.
- Together we plan each course.
- Timings are agreed with your venue.
- We cook live on the day and serve each course.
- We clear our area; staff stay as booked.
How to prepare
- Plan cover in case of rain
- Name one person we can ask on the day
- Arrange parking near the cooking spot
How to get a price
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Questions from Shirley
What’s the nearest station to Shirley for guests?
Elmers End station, about 1.2 miles north of the centre.
Could we have live paella in Ashburton Park?
Only if the landowner, generally the council, allows it. Check with them, and we will provide our paperwork.
How far ahead should we book?
Early, particularly for summer Saturdays. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Can you do sangria?
We can make sangria, and provide bar staff to serve drinks you supply.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Let us know what you have, and we’ll quote for the rest.
How many different paellas?
Two or three is usual: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Is the paella gluten-free?
A gluten-free pan is no problem. Tell us about any coeliac guests when you book so we take the right care.
Can we try the food first?
Ask us about tastings when you contact us.
About the dishes
Desserts
A sweet finish: churros, crema catalana or your wedding cake.
Evening paella
Evening paella is hot, filling and fun, especially after a few hours on the dance floor.
Nearby places to Shirley
What else we do in Shirley
Planners, venues and businesses
Hosting a party at home? Send us a photo of the garden and tell us about access, and we’ll let you know if live paella is a good fit.
Wedding planners and venue coordinators are welcome to contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Perfect for your wedding in Shirley
It works as a wedding breakfast or evening food, so it is flexible.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
- Big weddings with every diet
- Barn and farm weddings
For guests travelling by train, Elmers End station is about 1.2 miles away.
Before booking anyone
- Allergen information for each dish
- Payment terms and deposit
- Whether VAT is included
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
Can I cook paella for a crowd myself?
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but you will still need to source ingredients, prep and cook for hours. A caterer handles all of that.
A DIY paella party works for small groups. For big numbers or lots of diets, a caterer makes life easier, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
- 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