Gardener’s

BORE PLACE

Kent is known as the Garden of England for a reason, so we’ve rounded up some of our favourite verdant venues

01732 463 255 | www.boreplace.org/weddings

Bore Place is the ideal spot for a wedding if you’re looking for somewhere guests can stay overnight, with accommodation for up to 70 on site. Home to an environmental charity, it offers a glorious manor house, outdoor ceremony area, country-style gardens, a rustic barn and further smaller overnight accommodation. Situated on a private, organically-managed 500-acre estate, Bore Place has the feeling of being away from it all with open skies, and surrounded by nature.

The pretty gardens here are carefully managed to encourage wildlife and year-round blooms. With delightful borders, a picturesque pond, a stream lawn (perfect for games) and a charming patio with firepit, the grounds are ideal for daytime and evening celebrations.

Ceremonies are held in The Hide. A pretty, secluded outdoor area with handmade wooden benches, it can host 100 loved ones. Alternatively, The Large Barn, which can also host 100 is a rustic space with oak beams and high ceiling.

The Large Barn can also host receptions for 100. Or, for the same number, you have the option to use the Drawing Room, with its open fireplace and doors leading out onto the gardens. Finally, The Studio is available for more intimate celebrations of 60 nearest and dearest. It’s a lovely, light and airy room thanks to its windows and doors on all three sides. There’s also direct access to the patio and beautiful views of the gardens.

Leeds Castle

01622

767 877 | www.leeds-castle.com/weddings

Beautiful by design and first-class hostess to royalty, nobility, and glamorous guests for more than 900 years, Leeds Castle rises majestically from the water among the glorious Kentish countryside.

Home to mesmerising historical gardens and architectural landscapes, the grounds are full of dazzling beauty perfectly lending themselves to all seasons for a chic destination wedding vibe. The Princess Alexandra Gardens are massed in banks of azaleas that bring extraordinary colour, while tall bamboo brings out the ambience of the Far East in the Oriental Garden. Meanwhile, The Lady Baillie Mediterranean Garden Terraces remind visitors of sun-drenched Europe.

Leeds Castle boasts no fewer than three venues in which to celebrate your entire day. The Castle can host 100 for the ceremony and wedding breakfast, with room for 120 to 200 in Fairfax Hall. The Ceremony Room here has been recently refurbished in soft, pastel colours bringing a sense of calm and tranquillity. After the

“I dos,” you’ll dine in The Salon where you can enjoy breathtaking views across the moat and parklands.

The Maiden’s Tower is an elegant, exclusive-use venue adjacent to the Castle with space for 80 ceremony and wedding breakfast guests, and 100 for the evening do. This 16th-century stone building, is now a glamorous self-contained venue, perfect for ceremonies, evening celebrations and overnight accommodation. Rumour has it that it was used by Catherine of Aragon’s maids-of-honour during her wedding to King Henry VIII!

Built in the early 14th century as a Medieval manor, Battel Hall is a fine and rare example of local Kentish architecture of the period. Say “I do” in the beautiful Ceremony Room before moving through to the drawing room or library, both wonderfully traditional rooms for entertaining your 14 guests. In the summer months, a 100-yearold wisteria smothers the exterior, and doors from the library lead onto the extensive gardens and woodland area.

Finally, The Fairfax Barn is a further option for your reception, which can hold 100 to 200 guests, or for larger numbers a marquee with space for 200 or more can be erected among the spectacular grounds.

Betteshanger Country Park

01304 619 227 | www.betteshanger-park.co.uk

As a country park located near to the beach, Betteshanger offers acres of gorgeous grounds as well as stunning views of Kent’s finest countryside. The Park is available for celebrations and includes a stylish and intimate restaurant and great event spaces.

Beyond the immediate views, Betteshanger Country Park boasts 250 acres of Kentish land, with a dreamy blend of green pastures, woodland, and sea views. The land has been developed since becoming a country park back in the 1990s and continues to flourish in its natural surroundings. There are plenty of hidden spots where you can capture memorable and private moments, or open green where you can accommodate group shots or impactful couple shots.

Betteshanger Country Park is home to two remarkable wedding spaces, The Glass Room and The Lamp Room. Both have been designed with an indoor/outdoor vision, welcoming greenery and natural light in. www.olegssamsonovsphotography.com

The Glass Room has a bright, versatile and contemporary feel, which is great for those wishing to put their own stamp on the space. Meanwhile, The Lamp Room offers a more pre-styled venue, with interior features around the room. Both offer characterful and diverse spaces suitable for wedding receptions of 20 to 150 guests, and are located in the new visitor building overlooking the start of the gorgeous grounds.

The venue does not currently hold a ceremony licence, however, celebrant-led ceremonies are welcomed, giving you the opportunity to host a your vows wherever you like. There are some amazing spots that the team would love to show you, or you can take a walk and, as long as they’re able to facilitate it, the choice is yours. Alternatively, The Glass Room can be can be divided into two spaces, offering an indoor option.

The Old Kent Barn

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The Old Kent Barn is a 200-year-old oak-framed tythe barn situated within two-and-a-half acres of professionally landscaped gardens. Home to the recently-refurbished overnight accommodation, it contains a stylish couple’s suite and two additional double en suite rooms for family or friends. The newly renovated dressing room is available too for nearlyweds to arrive from 7.30am to relax and prepare for the big day ahead.

The New Barn is the place to be for both ceremonies and receptions. It’s a neutral, light and airy space that’s easy to coordinate with any palette or theme. Oak-framed and open plan, with large windows and a light tiled floor throughout, the venue also includes a solid wooden dancefloor and stage area.

Formal parterres with romantic roses and seasonal blooms, www.olegssamsonovsphotography.com sweeping curved hedges and an informal water garden with a fountain, are all set against a backdrop of mature trees and Kent countryside. Set among the gardens is a classic wooden gazebo for outdoor ceremonies with a paved area in front for guest seating covered by elegant glass pergolas. The gardens are illuminated during the evening with picture-perfect fairylit areas and glowing festoon lighting, creating a magical setting.

In the winter months, ceremonies can be held in the New Barn beneath the fibre optic starlit ceiling, where soft ivory drapes create an intimate ceremony space, and guests look on from oak benches. Both indoor and outdoor ceremony areas feature discreet microphones and speakers allowing all to hear clearly as you utter “I do.”

Receptions are also hosted in the New Barn with up to 150 guests during the day and up to 250 in the evening.

Celebrate your special day at our stunning 4-star hotel in the idyllic Kent countryside!

Hold your perfect wedding with us and enjoy:

–All-inclusive wedding packages for up to 150 guests, including BBQ or afternoon tea options

–Scenic outdoor spaces for your wedding photography

–Comfortable hotel rooms and on-site parking

Chapel House Estate

01843 881 290 | www.chapelhouseestate.co.uk

Chapel House Estate is already becoming one of Kent’s most popular outdoor wedding venues. This former private residence has been built from the ground up to create something very special indeed. With its lush outdoor spaces, it provides an idyllic backdrop for al fresco celebrations, with that crucial indoor contingency. The venue also offers on-site accommodation for you and your guests, sleeping up to 34 and includes a honeymoon suite with its own private terrace.

Set in 35 acres, there’s an Arts & Crafts style garden, licensed for weddings, as well as a Wild Apple Orchard and paddocks with unlimited outdoor photo opportunities. There’s even a gorgeous beauty and treatments lodge, private bars and a helicopter pad, making it simultaneously the perfect place to relax, entertain and arrive in style.

There’s a whole host of ceremony options here. Al fresco, there’s The Wild Apple Tree Orchard, with a capacity of 150. It’s such a peaceful space, and you’ll say “I do” beneath the purpose-built oakfamed pavilion with views across the third paddock. The Walled Courtyard meanwhile, offers a more intimate space for 50 nearest and dearest, and is available Monday to Wednesday each week. The Courtyard provides a secluded sun trap, perfect for intimate outdoor Italian-vibe weddings.

Inside you can choose to host your “I dos” in The Old Malt Granary with 150 guests or in The Vaulted Room with 10 guests.

Celebrations take place in the purpose-built Thorne Barn seating 70 to 150, with the opportunity to invite a further 50 for the evening do. The North Paddock next door is ideal for an additional large marquee, festival tent, evening food trucks and more. If you prefer something quieter, you can also choose to celebrate in style with 34 nearest and dearest in The No9 Restaurant.

Goodnestone Park

01304

695 097

| https://goodnestonepark.co.uk

Goodnestone Park is a vast, privately-owned estate located in the heart of the stunning Kent countryside. The 1704 Queen Annestyle mansion boasts a rich history, including frequent visits from the famous novelist Jane Austen. The magnificent grounds here, complete with impressive views of the historical estate parkland, make Goodnestone a dream setting for any wedding day. What’s more there’s accommodation on site inside the Grade II listed house itself in the form of 12 beautiful double rooms.

The intricately decorated Round Room can accommodate up to 24 loved ones for an intimate ceremony. Alternatively, for larger numbers, the Coach House offers a light and airy space with theatre-style seating for 100 guests. For al fresco vows, the Portico at the front of the house provides an impressive setting as your guests look on from the forecourt.

The Church of the Holy Cross is just a short walk from the estate and is available by separate arrangement with the vicar. Your wedding party can stroll through the picturesque Holly Walk and Goodnestone Park’s Walled Gardens to return to the estate, with the beautifully maintained gardens providing many a photo opportunity along the way.

The Orangery, available from 1st March until 31st October can host up to 120 reception guests. Although, orangeries were popular in the 17th century, originating from the Renaissance gardens of Italy, there are no records that one ever existed at Goodnestone Park. So, the new luxury timber-framed Orangery Marquee, custom made by LPM Bohemia, is its first.