Kent · England
Wedding Paella Catering in Smeeth
Love Paella cooks paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food across Smeeth and Kent, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal options.
- Farm and barn venues
- Food for evening guests
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
Book wedding paella catering in Smeeth
Getting married in Smeeth?
Smeeth is about 5 miles east of Ashford, in Kent. Whether your wedding is in the middle of Smeeth or on the outskirts, we offer the same service: paella cooked live, every diet catered for and a clear quote. Smeeth is one of 922 towns and villages in Kent where we cook. You can also see our page for Canterbury, about 12 miles away.
Couples marrying at local churches such as Church of St Mary frequently hold the reception nearby: we can be cooking during the photos, so the meal is ready when you arrive. Historic houses near Smeeth include Westenhanger Castle (3.4 miles south-east). Historic houses and estates frequently have their own rules on caterers and cooking, so check early if that’s your venue. The Kent Downs National Landscape is within about 5 miles of Smeeth, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Ask your venue about access and cooking rules.
Anywhere in TN25, we can bring wedding paella catering to you, from busy streets to quiet lanes. Streets in the area include Church Road, Caroland Close and Woolpack Hill, and we can cook for a wedding on any of them. We also cook at weddings in Ridgeway (1 mile west), Brabourne Lees (1 mile north-east), Lilyvale (1 mile south-east), Bircholt Forstal (1 mile north-east) and Stone Hill (1 mile south-east). Larger places within reach include Ashford (5 miles west), Canterbury (12 miles north-east), Dover (14 miles east), Folkestone (9 miles east), Faversham (14 miles north) and Hythe (6 miles south-east).
Other landmarks nearby include Lympne Castle (4.2 miles south-east) and William Harvey Hospital (2.6 miles north-west). Not far away are Hatch Park.
Wedding paella catering for your wedding in Smeeth
Timing is everything with paella: the rice needs about 20 minutes and is best served immediately. We plan it around your speeches and photos. Whether it is big weddings with every diet and informal wedding breakfasts, we will put together a menu of evening paella, table tapas and canapé tapas and more.
Rural weddings around Smeeth have a magic of their own, and an open-air paella adds to it. Plan access and cover in case of rain. Everything is cooked from scratch at your wedding, never made in advance and reheated.
Towns and villages near Smeeth
More for events in Smeeth
Prices and what affects them
These are the factors that matter most:
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Guest numbers
- Parking and unloading
- Extra courses such as canapés, tapas and dessert
Live paella pricing depends on the event. A simple paella lunch costs less than a wedding with canapés, three paellas and waiting staff. Your quote spells it all out.
Details that help
The more we know about your wedding, the better we can plan. Try to include:
- A picture of where we’d cook
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- Which courses you have in mind
- Whether the venue has crockery or staff
The more you tell us, the more accurate the quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you are ready, fill in our quote form.
What’s in the pans
Desserts
A sweet finish: churros, crema catalana or your wedding cake.
Paella wedding breakfast
The main event: paellas for every diet, served straight from the pan.
Occasions we cook for in Smeeth
It’s a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where plated meals are harder.
Here are some of the events we cook for around Smeeth:
- Food for evening guests
- Parties after a register office wedding
- Weddings with a Spanish theme
- Civil partnerships and vow renewals
Put the station on your invitation: Westenhanger station is about 3.6 miles away.
Questions to ask before booking
- How bad weather is handled
- A clear list of what’s included
- Staff numbers and hours
- How each diet is kept separate
Planners, venues and businesses
Planning an event for a club, school or charity in Smeeth? Live paella feeds a crowd quickly and suits most diets. Tell us about the event and we’ll suggest a menu.
If you’re organising for someone else, such as a wedding planner, an office manager or a festival organiser, we will work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Cook it yourself or book a caterer?
You can cook paella for a crowd yourself, but it takes practice. A big pan needs a burner that heats it evenly, and getting the rice right at scale is tricky. Read how to cook paella for a crowd.
Hiring a pan and burner is one option, but there’s shopping, prep and hours of cooking. We take care of all of it.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A plated wedding breakfast needs a kitchen and a large team. Paella needs a level, ventilated spot and permission, and suits a relaxed style. If you have a budget in mind, tell us, and we’ll suggest a menu to match. A simple menu can still feel generous.
Why choose Love Paella in Smeeth
- Fast service from the pan
- Sangria and bar staff available
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
- Events in Smeeth and across Kent
Take a look at How we price And Our guide to catering costs.
Smeeth: your questions answered
Can you cater a reception after a service at Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a garden, marquee or venue nearby with a suitable spot to cook. Churches rarely have space for live cooking, so the meal is usually elsewhere. Send us the reception address.
Do you cater in the Kent Downs National Landscape?
Yes, though some venues in protected landscapes have extra rules; ask your venue. We will work to whatever the site needs.
What if our speeches run late?
We plan for it. The rice goes in at the last sensible moment, so it is ready when you are.
When should we book?
As early as you can, especially for summer weekends. Ask about your date even if it’s soon.
Is paella too casual for a wedding?
With the right presentation, it feels special: canapés, table tapas, good crockery and staff serving the tables.
How long do you need on site?
We get there in good time to set up. The rice itself takes about 20 minutes, timed around your event.
Do you cater in Smeeth?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Smeeth and across Kent. Send us your date to check availability.
Do you take everything away?
Our cooking area is packed away and left clean. Ask us about table clearing if you need it.
Dietary needs and planning tips
Every guest is catered for, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal included. To get it right:
- Give us separate day and evening numbers
- Connect us with your coordinator
- Check the venue’s rules for outside caterers
- Share your running order, including speeches
After service, we pack down our cooking area; staff you’ve booked stay as agreed.
Table tapas make a sociable starter.
How it works
It is a relaxed, well-organised set-up. Arrival and serving times are agreed beforehand, set up the pans and burners, and get on with cooking and serving. For a summer wedding in Smeeth, the sun sets at about 9:15pm in late June and about 7:00pm in late September, which means evening paella is normally served in daylight in June and July. For autumn and winter weddings, when it’s dark by about 3:50pm in December, plan lighting for the cooking area.
- We start with your date, venue, numbers and ideas.
- Together we plan each course and confirm the price.
- We fit our timings around your speeches, photos and venue.
- On the day we set up, cook live and serve each course as planned.
- Afterwards we clear our area; any staff you’ve booked stay as planned.
How to prepare
- Give us your final numbers and diets
- Leave space around the cooking area
- Plan cover in case of rain
Get a quote
To get a price, use our quote form. Tell us about your wedding in Smeeth, and we’ll put together a menu and price.
Related guides
- 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