Oxfordshire · England
Wedding paella catering in Wantage, Oxfordshire
Paella catering for weddings, from canapés to the wedding breakfast and evening food in Wantage: paella cooked from scratch in giant pans, in full view of your guests, with tapas, desserts and drinks if you want them.
- Weddings with lots of dietary needs
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
- Evening food for extra guests
Live wedding paella catering in Wantage
Prices and what affects them
There are no hidden charges: the quote reflects:
- How many guests are eating
- Staff: cooks, waiting staff and bar staff
- Whether you need crockery
- Distance and access to the venue
Comparing caterers? Look at what each quote includes: staff, crockery, bread and salads, travel and VAT. We itemise ours.
What we need to know
You don’t need every detail fixed to get a quote, but it helps to know:
- What the venue already provides
- Where the event is
- Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and allergy numbers
- A picture of where we’d cook
Most quotes start with a few simple details: the date, where the event is, how many guests and any dietary needs. You can send us your details through our quote form.
Wedding paella catering for your wedding in Wantage
A wedding paella is food and entertainment at once. Guests wander over to watch while the photos are taken, and the food arrives hot and plentiful. We’re often asked to cater wedding receptions after a small ceremony and weddings with lots of dietary needs, with table tapas, Spanish desserts and evening paella.
A wedding in Wantage might mean a ceremony at a local church followed by a reception in a garden, marquee or hall. That suits live paella perfectly: we can cook during the photos. Tapas, canapés, desserts, sangria and staff can all be added, so one booking can cover the whole menu.
- Area
- Wantage (OX12)
- Area hub
- Oxfordshire
- Dietary options
- Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, halal
- Add-ons
- Canapés, desserts, sangria and staff
- Quote
- Quoted for your event
- Last updated
- 23 October 2026
Planning a paella wedding in Wantage
Wantage is about 8 miles west of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. Across the OX12 area, we can cook for your guests. We cook in 443 places in Oxfordshire, from the larger towns to small villages. We cook right across the region, from Wantage to Oxford (14 miles away).
For outdoor photos, Chain Hill is close by. If you are marrying at a church near Wantage, such as Church of St Peter and St Paul, a reception in a garden, marquee or hired venue nearby keeps the day flowing: we can be cooking during the photos, so the meal is ready when you arrive. The North Wessex Downs National Landscape is within about 8 miles of Wantage, with plenty of rural wedding settings. Check vehicle access and cooking rules with the venue.
We cook at weddings all over the OX12 postcode area. From Market Place, Limborough Road and Humber Close or a nearby road, we’ll bring the pans to you. Main roads around Wantage include the A338 and A417, which makes travel to your wedding easy. For weddings just outside Wantage, we cover Charlton (1 mile east), East Challow (1 mile west), Letcombe Regis (2 miles south-west), West Challow (2 miles west) and Childrey (2 miles west). Within a short drive, we also cover Oxford (14 miles north-east), Didcot (8 miles east), Abingdon-on-Thames (8 miles north-east), Witney (14 miles north), Carterton (14 miles north-west) and Faringdon (8 miles north-west). Wantage is one of the larger places we cover in Oxfordshire, with lots of choice for weddings.
A little further out are Williams F1 Grand Prix Collection (1.9 miles north). Open spaces near Wantage include Letcombe Valley and Chain Hill.
- Nearby schools include King Alfred's (within half a mile south-west) and Wantage Church of England Primary School (0.5 miles south)
- Local pubs include The Abingdon Arms (under half a mile south-east)
Why choose wedding paella catering in Wantage?
It is a natural fit for barns, marquees and gardens, where plated meals are harder.
We’re booked for all kinds of occasions in Wantage and nearby. Some of the most common are:
- Weddings in a marquee or garden
- Informal wedding breakfasts
- Farm and barn venues
- Vow renewals and civil ceremonies
If you’re hoping for photos in Betjeman Millennium Park, check whether the park needs permission for photography or gatherings.
Comparing caterers
- Travel and parking costs
- How late numbers can change
- Whether VAT is included
- Whether crockery, cutlery and napkins are included
About the dishes
Paella wedding breakfast
The main event: paellas for every diet, served straight from the pan.
Canapé tapas
Canapé tapas fill the gap before the meal, without spoiling appetites.
Catering for every guest
Few dishes handle mixed diets as well as paella, because every paella has its own pan. A few tips:
- Check the venue’s rules for outside caterers
- Tell us about suppliers who need feeding
- Tell us when speeches will be
- Enquire early for peak dates
We clear our cooking area away afterwards; any staff stay as long as agreed.
Add sangria, or bar staff to serve your own drinks.
The process
Watching it cook is half the fun. We start with the sofrito, add the stock and saffron, then spread the rice across the pan and leave it alone to cook. In Wantage, midsummer sunset is about 9:25pm, and by late September it is nearer 7:10pm, so an evening paella for evening guests is generally served in daylight in high summer. For autumn and winter weddings, when it is dark by about 4:00pm in December, plan lighting for the cooking area.
- Send us your wedding date, venue and numbers.
- We plan your menu course by 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
- Confirm numbers and diets before the day
- Choose a level spot for the cooking area
- Keep the cooking spot clear of fences, hedges and branches
How to get a price
It’s easy to get a price: share your date, venue, numbers and diets. We will come back with a clear quote and a suggested menu.
Read more
DIY paella versus live catering
Cooking it yourself? Test your pan and burner first, have hot stock ready, and leave the rice alone once it is in. Keep a clear zone around the burner.
Plenty of people try cooking paella for their own party. Common mistakes are mismatched pans and burners, overfilling and stirring. If you’d rather enjoy the party, let us cook.
FAQs for Wantage
Could we have live paella in Betjeman Millennium Park?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council. Ask them first, and we’ll send any information they need.
Do you cater in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape?
Yes. Some venues there have rules about vehicles, ground and cooking, so check with yours. We’ll work to whatever the site needs.
Do you cook inside?
Mostly outside or under an open cover, because we use gas burners. Some venues have suitable spaces; we’ll check with you and the venue.
How much space do you need?
Not a lot: a flat spot away from anything flammable, with space to serve. Send us a picture if you’re not sure.
Do you cater for suppliers?
Of course. Add your suppliers to the final numbers and we’ll plan for them.
Do you come to Wantage?
We do. Wantage is one of the places we cover. Tell us your date and we’ll check availability.
Can we have a tasting?
Mention a tasting in your enquiry, and we will explain how it works.
Do you cater for coeliacs?
We can, if you tell us in advance. The rice is gluten-free, but stocks and chorizo can contain gluten, so we cook a gluten-free paella separately.
Why live cooking beats a buffet
A buffet can leave food sitting out. Paella goes straight from pan to plate. Premium seafood costs more than chicken or vegetables, so your choice of paellas affects the total. We’ll suggest options to suit your budget.
Why book with us
- Hot food served quickly from the pan
- A clear, itemised quote
- Options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal guests, each in its own pan
- Plates, cutlery and waiting staff available
Read Our pricing Or What paella catering costs.
Before you choose a spot
Live paella is cooked over gas burners in large pans, so the cooking area needs a little planning. Here’s what we look for:
- Open air or a well-ventilated covered spot
- Space well away from trees, fences and gazebo walls
- An open-sided catering gazebo next to the marquee
If in doubt, send us a picture of the spot and we will advise.
Menu ideas
- Table tapas
- Paella wedding breakfast
- Evening paella
- Dessert
- Sangria & bar staff
- Canapé tapas
Towns and villages near Wantage
What else we do in Wantage
- 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