West Sussex · England
Wedding paella catering in Thakeham, West Sussex
Planning wedding paella catering in Thakeham? We bring the pans, burners and fresh ingredients and cook in front of your guests.
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
- Big weddings with every diet
- Farm and barn venues
Book wedding paella catering in Thakeham
Planning the cooking area
No two venues are the same, so we will ask about yours before we confirm. Generally, we look for:
- Clearance from fences, hedges, branches and anything flammable
- The venue’s permission for live cooking
- Somewhere close to park and unload
If you’re unsure, send a photo of the space and we’ll say what we think.
What we offer
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Evening paella
- Dessert
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
Wedding paella catering in Thakeham, cooked live
At a wedding, paella is both the meal and a bit of a show. Guests drift over to watch the pans while the photos are being taken, and the food arrives hot and plentiful. For informal wedding breakfasts and weddings with a Spanish theme, we will put together a menu of a paella wedding breakfast, Spanish desserts and evening paella.
A wedding in a small place like Thakeham frequently means a field, a barn or a family garden. Live paella is made for that: no kitchen, just a level, sheltered spot. Let us know about access and ground. All the cooking equipment comes with us, and we clear our cooking area away afterwards.
- Location
- Thakeham (RH20)
- County
- West Sussex
- Dietary options
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal
- Add-ons
- Tapas, churros, sangria, crockery
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Page updated
- 23 October 2026
Getting married in Thakeham?
Thakeham is about 8 miles north of Worthing, in West Sussex. Weddings in Thakeham are planned around your venue and timings: a quote, a plan and live cooking on the day. Thakeham is one of 371 places in West Sussex we cover. Our nearest city page is Brighton, about 15 miles away.
Knepp Wildland nearby makes a lovely backdrop for photos. Couples marrying at local churches such as The Parish Church of St Mary frequently hold the reception nearby: we can be cooking during the photos, so it’s ready as guests arrive. The South Downs National Park is within about 6 miles of Thakeham, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue.
We cook at weddings all over RH20. Whether your wedding is on The Street, Bramble Lane and Cray's Lane or a nearby road, we will bring the pans to you. Neighbouring places where we cater weddings include Abingworth (1 mile south-west), Warminghurst (1 mile south-east), Goose Green (1 mile north-east), West Chiltington (1 mile north-west) and Heath Common (1 mile south). Within a short drive, we also cover Crawley (15 miles north-east), Horsham (9 miles north-east), Worthing (8 miles south), Haywards Heath (15 miles east), Burgess Hill (13 miles east) and Littlehampton (10 miles south-west).
Other landmarks nearby include The Storrington And District Museum (2.2 miles south-west). Open spaces near Thakeham include Knepp Wildland and Chanctonbury Hill.
Working with your venue
If you are planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, an office manager or an event organiser, we’ll work directly with you and the venue. It saves passing messages back and forth.
Planners and coordinators can contact us directly, and we’ll keep everyone informed on the day.
Events we cater in Thakeham
It’s a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where a plated meal can be hard to pull off.
Whatever the occasion, live paella can be the centrepiece. We regularly cater:
- Parties after a register office wedding
- Marquee and garden weddings
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Sharing-style wedding meals
For guests travelling by train, Pulborough station is about 4.1 miles away.
Before you book anyone
- If the price includes VAT
- How many staff are coming, and for how long
- How dietary needs and allergies are handled
- Who provides the crockery
Towns and villages near Thakeham
Also in Thakeham
DIY paella versus live catering
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. The usual problems are a pan too big for the burner, too much rice and stirring once the rice is in. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
Weighing up DIY against a caterer? Think about numbers, diets and how much you want to enjoy the day. Ask us for a quote and compare.
How the day works
The paella is cooked in huge, shallow pans over gas burners. It needs a level spot with some shelter and good ventilation, which we agree with you beforehand. For a summer wedding in Thakeham, the sun sets at about 9:20pm in late June and about 7:05pm in late September, which means evening paella is normally served in daylight in June and July. For autumn and winter weddings, when it is dark by about 3:55pm in December, plan lighting for the cooking area.
- We check availability for your date.
- You choose canapés, tapas, paellas and desserts.
- We confirm everything with your venue.
- Guests watch the paella cook during the reception.
- We serve, then pack down.
Getting ready for the day
- Have a gazebo or cover ready if rain is likely
- Have a level space ready for the pans
- Tell us where to park and unload
Get a quote
We need only a few details to quote: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. To send them, fill in our quote form.
Planning help
Catering for every guest
Allergies and diets are taken seriously. Help us by following these steps:
- Give us separate day and evening numbers
- Confirm the venue’s catering rules early
- Send us the running order and speech times
- Tell us about suppliers who need feeding
After service, we pack down our cooking area; staff you’ve booked stay as agreed.
Crockery, cutlery and waiting staff are available.
A closer look at the menu
Evening paella
Paella makes great evening food, especially after a few hours on the dance floor.
Canapé tapas
One- and two-bite tapas on boards, ideal for the drinks reception.
Thakeham: your questions answered
Is Thakeham too small for live paella?
Not at all. We cater in villages and hamlets as well as towns. Tell us about lanes, gates and parking.
Can you cater a reception after a service at The Parish Church of St Mary?
Yes, at a nearby garden, marquee or hall where we can cook. Live cooking usually happens at the reception venue, not the church. Tell us where the reception will be.
Can you liaise with the venue coordinator?
Yes, and it saves you passing messages. Introduce us and we will sort the details.
Do you cater in Thakeham?
Yes, we do. We cook at events in Thakeham and across West Sussex. Send us your date to check availability.
Do you do canapés and evening food too?
Any part of the day, or all of it, from canapés to evening food.
How do you work out quantities?
We size the pans for your numbers and the rest of the menu. Let us know about any other food. See how much paella per person.
Can we have a tasting?
Ask us when you enquire and we will explain the options.
Do you have a kids’ option?
Yes, children are easy to cater for. Tell us how many and roughly how old, and we’ll plan a pan with them in mind.
Prices and what affects them
Your quote will be clear and itemised. What affects it most:
- The number of people
- Crockery and cutlery, or disposables
- The length of service
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
Seafood and premium ingredients cost more than chicken or vegetable paellas, so the menu you choose affects the price. We will suggest options to suit your budget.
What to tell us
The more we know about your wedding, the better we can plan. Please include:
- Expected numbers
- A photo of the space, if you can
- The venue or postcode
- The courses you’d like
A detailed enquiry gets a more accurate quote: the venue, the timings, the courses you’d like and any extras. When you’re ready, use our quote form.
- 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