West Sussex · England
Wedding Paella Catering for Small Dole events
Paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Small Dole: paella cooked from scratch in huge pans, right in front of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
- Receptions after an intimate ceremony
Book wedding paella catering in Small Dole
Wedding paella catering in Small Dole, cooked live
Timing is everything with paella: the rice needs about 20 minutes and is best served immediately. We plan it around your speeches and photos. For weddings with lots of dietary needs and destination-style celebrations at home, we can cook canapé tapas, table tapas and a paella wedding breakfast and more.
There is something special about a country wedding near Small Dole, and an open-air paella adds to it. Plan for access and a wet-weather cover. Everything is cooked from scratch at your wedding, not reheated, and served the moment it is ready.
- Where
- Small Dole (BN5)
- Area hub
- West Sussex
- Special diets
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal
- Extras
- Tapas, desserts, sangria, staff
- Quotes
- Quoted for your event
- Updated
- 23 October 2026
About the dishes
Evening paella
Fresh pans for evening guests, quick to serve and filling.
Canapé tapas
Canapé tapas fill the gap before the meal, without spoiling appetites.
Step by step
The cooking is part of the entertainment. 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. At midsummer, sunset in Small Dole is about 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 7:05pm.
- Tell us your date, venue and numbers.
- Together we plan each course.
- Timings are agreed with your venue.
- On the day, we cook and serve each course.
- We clear our area; staff stay as booked.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
- Name one person we can ask on the day
Ask for a quote
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: venue, timings, courses and extras. To send your details, send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
Perfect for your wedding in Small Dole
Mixed diets are easy, which matters at weddings with lots of guests.
We can help if you are planning any of the following:
- Relaxed sharing-style wedding breakfasts
- Parties after a register office wedding
- Weddings with mixed diets
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
If you’re hoping for photos in Tottington Wood, check whether the park needs permission for photography or gatherings.
What to look for in a quote
- Any travel, parking or access charges
- How late numbers can change
- Space, access and power needs
- Plates, cutlery and napkins, or disposables
Planning a paella wedding in Small Dole
Small Dole is about 5 miles north of Shoreham-by-Sea, in West Sussex. For a wedding in Small Dole, we can cook in gardens, marquees, barns, courtyards and offices. Small Dole is one of 371 places in West Sussex we cover. You can also see our page for Brighton, about 8 miles away.
Woods Mill nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos. Historic houses near Small Dole include Portslade Manor (4.8 miles south-east). If your reception is at a historic house or estate, ask early about its rules on caterers and live cooking. The South Downs National Park is within about 7 miles of Small Dole, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue. With the coast within about 6 miles, a seafood paella suits a seaside-style wedding. We’ll plan shelter from sea breezes.
We cover weddings in every part of the BN5 postcode area. Streets in the area include Downsview, Tottington Drive and Orchard Close, and we can cook for a wedding on any of them. Nearby, we also cater weddings in Woodmancote (2 miles north-east), Henfield (2 miles north), Blackstone (2 miles north-east), Albourne (3 miles north-east) and High Cross (3 miles north-east). Further out, we also cater in Crawley (15 miles north), Horsham (11 miles north), Worthing (8 miles south-west), Haywards Heath (10 miles north-east), Burgess Hill (7 miles north-east) and Littlehampton (13 miles south-west).
A little further out are Southlands Hospital (4.4 miles south) and Steyning Museum (2.6 miles south-west). Not far away are Woods Mill and Truleigh Hill.
How we price wedding paella catering
Each event is quoted on its own, and the price depends on a few things:
- How many guests are eating
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- Timings and hours
- Starters, canapés and desserts
The cost per head typically falls as numbers rise, since the set-up is much the same either way. Give us your numbers and we’ll quote.
What to tell us
To check availability and price, we need:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Expected numbers
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
The quickest way to a quote is to fill in our quote form. Tell us about your wedding in Small Dole, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Planning the cooking area
Before the day, we will agree where we cook. It needs to meet a few simple requirements:
- Agreement from the venue or landowner to cook on site
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- Flat, firm ground for the cooking area
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we’ll advise.
What we offer
- Canapé tapas
- Sangria & bar staff
- Dessert
- Table tapas
- Evening paella
- Paella wedding breakfast
Live paella or other catering?
Food vans can create long queues. Paella pans serve many guests quickly. When you compare quotes, check what each one includes: staff, crockery, sides, travel and VAT. Our quotes spell it all out.
Why choose Love Paella in Small Dole
- Catering across West Sussex, including Small Dole
- Separate pans for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Live cooking, not reheated food
Take a look at How we price And The cost guide.
Planning for every diet
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Check the venue’s rules for outside caterers
- Collect dietary needs on the RSVP
- Decide whether guests queue at the pans or are served at the tables
- Let us know about meals for your band or photographer
Paella can be served at the pans or carried to the tables by staff, whichever suits your day.
Finish with Spanish desserts or your cake.
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.
Organising a club, school or community event in Small Dole? Paella is quick to serve to a crowd and suits most diets. Give us the details and we’ll suggest a plan.
FAQs for Small Dole
What about events near the coast?
Yes, as long as we can shelter from the wind. Wind is the main issue on the coast, so we plan shelter.
How far is Small Dole from London?
About 42 miles from central London.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can cook a gluten-free paella in its own pan. Let us know about coeliac guests in advance so we take the right care.
Can you cook indoors?
Indoors only where ventilation and the venue allow it. Courtyards, doorways and terraces often work.
Do you offer halal options?
Yes, we do. We use halal chicken and leave out pork and alcohol, in a separate pan.
How many different paellas?
Generally two or three, so every guest has a choice. Tell us about your guests’ diets and we’ll suggest the mix.
Can we try the food first?
Mention a tasting in your enquiry, and we’ll explain how it works.
Do you provide plates and cutlery?
Yes, if you need them. Tell us what your venue provides and we’ll include the rest in the quote.
Nearby places to Small Dole
Other catering in Small Dole
- 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