Hampshire · England
Wedding paella catering in Shirrell Heath, Hampshire
We cook paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Shirrell Heath and nearby, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
- Informal wedding breakfasts
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
Wedding paella catering for Shirrell Heath events
About our wedding paella catering in Shirrell Heath
We can add sangria, bar staff, crockery and waiting staff, to suit the style of your day. For big weddings with every diet and rustic barn weddings, we can cook canapé tapas, a paella wedding breakfast and table tapas and more.
Near Shirrell Heath, weddings are often in fields, barns or gardens. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen needed, just a level, sheltered spot. Let us know about access and ground. We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, with each paella cooked in its own pan and clearly labelled.
Wedding venues and ceremonies near Shirrell Heath
Shirrell Heath is about 5 miles north of Fareham, in Hampshire. Wherever your wedding is in the SO32 area, we’ll come to your venue or garden. We cover all 683 towns and villages in Hampshire. You can also see our page for Southampton, about 9 miles away.
For outdoor photos, Bishops Waltham Branch LNR is close by, and the countryside around Shirrell Heath suits an outdoor reception. For guests travelling by train, the nearest station is Botley station, about 2.9 miles west.
We cook at weddings all over the SO32 postcode area and the streets around it. Whether your wedding is on High Street, Smiths Lane and Black Horse Lane or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater weddings include Shedfield (1 mile south-west), Kingsmead (1 mile east), Mislingford (1 mile east), Swanmore (1 mile north) and Wickham (2 miles south). Within a short drive, we also cover Winchester (11 miles north-west), Gosport (8 miles south), Havant (10 miles south-east), Eastleigh (7 miles north-west), Fareham (5 miles south) and Horndean (8 miles east).
Well-known places in the area include Knowle Hospital (2.9 miles south) and Bishop's Waltham Museum (2.4 miles north-west). Not far away are Bishops Waltham Branch LNR.
- Schools near Shirrell Heath include Swanmore College of Technology (1.2 miles north)
- Local pubs include Prince of Wales pub (within half a mile north-east)
DIY paella versus live catering
DIY catering keeps costs down, but the host spends the party cooking. With live paella catering, you get the theatre without the work.
For a small group, cooking yourself can work well. For larger numbers, mixed diets or a wedding, a caterer takes the pressure off, and keeps vegetarian and allergy-safe pans separate.
Planning the cooking area
We cook in large pans over gas burners, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Somewhere close to park and unload
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
If you’re unsure, send a picture of the space and we’ll say what we think.
Menu ideas
- Table tapas
- Dessert
- Canapé tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Evening paella
- Sangria & bar staff
How the day works
We cook over gas burners in wide, shallow pans. We need a level, ventilated spot, which we agree with you beforehand. In Shirrell Heath, midsummer sunset is about 9:20pm, and by late September it is nearer 7:10pm, which means evening paella is usually served in daylight in June and July. Later in the year, plan lighting: in December it’s dark by about 4:00pm.
- We start with your date, venue, numbers and ideas.
- We plan a menu with you, course by course, and confirm a quote.
- We fit our timings around your speeches, photos and venue.
- On the day, we set up, cook in front of your guests and serve each course.
- We clear our cooking area, and staff stay as agreed.
Preparing for the day
- Share the running order, including any speeches
- Let us know who to talk to on the day
- Check the venue allows live cooking
How to get a price
Not sure what you need yet? No problem: give us the basics about your wedding, and we will suggest a menu. Start when you are ready: send us your details through our quote form.
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Towns and villages near Shirrell Heath
What else we do in Shirrell Heath
Is live paella right for your wedding?
Food trucks serve one order at a time, which can mean long queues at a wedding. Paella pans serve many guests quickly. The cost per head usually falls as numbers rise, because the cooking set-up is similar for different sizes of event. Give us your numbers and we will quote.
Why choose Love Paella in Shirrell Heath
- Crockery and waiting staff if you need them
- Food that becomes part of the entertainment
- Everything cooked fresh at your event
- A clear, itemised quote
Dishes our guests love
Evening paella
Fresh pans for evening guests, quick to serve and filling.
Paella wedding breakfast
Two or three paellas, served from the pans or brought to the tables.
Perfect for your wedding in Shirrell Heath
A sharing-style meal gets guests talking across the tables, which suits a relaxed wedding.
Almost any gathering can work with live paella. In Shirrell Heath, people book us for occasions like:
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
- Barn and farm weddings
- Evening wedding food
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
If you are marrying at a church near Shirrell Heath, such as Church of St John, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so it is ready as guests arrive.
Questions to ask before booking
- How each diet is kept separate
- VAT, if it applies
- Exactly what’s included in the price
- What happens if it rains
Questions from Shirrell Heath
What’s the nearest station to Shirrell Heath for guests?
Botley station, about 2.9 miles west of the centre.
Is Shirrell Heath too small for live paella?
No, we cook in small places too. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
How many paellas should we have?
Most events have two or three: a meat or mixed paella, a seafood paella and a vegetable or vegan one. We will suggest a split based on your guests.
Can we have a tasting?
Mention a tasting in your enquiry, and we will talk you through it.
When should we book?
As soon as you have a date. Popular dates book up first, so it pays to ask early.
Can the paella be cooked in a hall?
Only in a suitable, well-ventilated area with the venue’s permission. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
Will you talk to our venue?
Yes, and it saves you passing messages. Put us in touch and we’ll agree the details.
Do you do desserts?
Yes, Spanish desserts can be added. Let us know if you’d like one when you ask for a quote.
What wedding paella catering costs
We’ll give you a clear, itemised quote. The main things that affect it are:
- Whether you need crockery
- Chicken, vegetable or premium seafood
- The length of service
- How many courses
Access and travel can make a difference to the cost, so it helps to tell us about your venue. Everything is confirmed in writing.
What to tell us
When you get in touch, it helps to tell us:
- Any dietary needs and allergies
- Where the event is
- Your date and when you want to eat
- The courses you’d like
Send us the date, your venue or SO32 postcode and guest numbers, along with any dietary needs, and we will reply with a menu suggestion and a quote. To get started, send us your details through our quote form.
For event organisers in Shirrell Heath
Events in public spaces, like parks, usually need permission. We will provide any information the landowner or council asks for.
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.
- 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