Unique Wedding Venues in Kent

Choosing where to tie the knot

As one of Kent’s leading wedding photographers, I often get asked for wedding advice by couples who love Howling Basset’s photography and are planning their big day.

Finding the right venue is crucial to delivering your dream day, so when putting a shortlist of wedding venues together we always recommend you ask yourself the following questions:

· How many people will be attending?

· Do you want to celebrate close to home?

· What time of year do you want to tie the knot?

· What’s the theme for your wedding?

Getting married in Kent

With so much to offer, over 7000 couples choose to get married in Kent every year. The county is blessed with a diverse landscape of rolling countryside, picturesque coastlines and areas of outstanding natural beauty. And with so many stunning wedding venues, ‘The Garden of England’ really does make for a stunning wedding location. To help you plan, here’s a full list of Kent Wedding Venues; however, here are few quirky venues we’ve had the pleasure of photographing over the years.

Preston Court near Canterbury - http://www.prestoncourt.co.uk/home.html

A beautiful barn surrounded by ornamental lakes and gardens and featuring a magical moated island, Preston Court has a very long history and lies on the site of a medieval palace. Nestled away in a conservation area, Preston Court Farm has a variety of heritage buildings and a pretty rural Parish church. Around the farm you will see many animals and rare birds, while further out there are bluebell woods and a wetland nature reserve stretching to nearly 600 acres. For pictures from some of our Preston Court Weddings click here.

The House Meadow in Biddenden - http://www.thehousemeadow.co.uk

House Meadow is country charm in its purest form. Located on a working farm in 'The Garden of England' the meadow creates an enchanting wedding backdrop. If you don’t want to be restricted with space or style, or compromise on quality or romance, then The House Meadow could be the venue for you. The House Meadow offers a beautiful setting for your country wedding reception and, when hired as a blank canvas, you have the option to plan every detail from scratch.

The Secret Garden in Mersham - http://www.secretgardenkent.co.uk/weddings

Howling Basset photography have shot several weddings at The Secret Gardens. It’s a captivating and elegant venue and the perfect place to hold a wedding reception, party or any type of function. Inside and out The Secret Garden is one of Kent’s most romantic settings. Situated on the beautiful Mersham Hatch Estate, the venue offers a peaceful rural location, pretty walled gardens and quirky glass houses.

For pictures from our recent Secret Garden weddings, click here.

Ratsbury Barn near Tenterden

Ratsbury Barn is a magnificent 17th century timber-framed and thatched barn located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty near Tenterden. This unique venue offers a beautiful and unusual wedding setting with many opportunities for photographs in and around the Barn and the walled garden.

See our Ratsbury Barn wedding photos click here

Theatre Royal Margate - http://www.theatreroyalmargate.com

The Theatre Royal, Margate dates back to 1787 and houses the oldest stage in England and the 2nd oldest auditorium. It’s a truly unique and dramatic space for any 'Kentish Ceremony'.

Elvey Farm in Pluckley - http://www.elveyfarm.co.uk/weddings

Tucked away amidst 75 acres of picturesque countryside, this stunning location is an ideal location for a truly spectacular wedding. A peaceful and rustic wedding venue with beautiful views and ancient architecture.

To see some of our weddings at Elvey click here

Museum of Kent Life in Maidstone - http://www.kentlife.org.uk/venue-hire/weddings.asp

Kent Life is a delightful and totally unique venue set in 28 acres of beautiful rural surroundings – the perfect setting for a romantic Kentish wedding with a difference. It’s a setting unlike anywhere else, with Oast Houses, a barn, village hall, a salmon pink chapel, hops and much more.

You can see more images from the lovely weddings we shot there here and here.

The Great Barn at Rolvenden - http://www.greatbarnweddings.com

The Great Barn in Rolvenden is a listed Kentish Barn in Rolvenden, tucked away in the heart of the Weald countryside on the impressive Hole Park Estate in Rolvenden, Kent. This fine barn dating from the 18th century is full of character, and forms part of a range of traditional brick and timber farm buildings last used for agriculture in the mid-1980s. It is constructed entirely of a heavy timber frame with the outer walls clad in weatherboard under a tiled roof. It has a lovely orchard and pretty grounds surrounding the barn.

The Pines Calyx St Margaret’s Bay - http://weddings.pinescalyx.co.uk

The Pines Calyx is a naturally inspiring and unique wedding venue, surrounded by six beautiful acres of stunning landscaped gardens, just a stone’s throw from the beach at St Margaret’s Bay in Kent.

Willesborough Windmill in Ashford - http://www.windmillweddings.co.uk

Willesborough Windmill is a beautifully restored landmark and working windmill located in the heart of Kent. Originally built in 1869 it is a Grade II listed building providing a stunning wedding venue and a breathtaking backdrop to your special day. The venue is perfect for the smaller weddings of up to 50 people.

To see more photos from weddings at the Ashford windmill, click here.

Wise Wedding Venue near Tonbridge - http://www.wiseweddingvenue.co.uk

A delightful woodland hide away offering an unusual and unique location for that special day. Set within an area of established oak and silver birch trees and various open grassy clearings, reeded lakes and a fabulous treehouse to relax in. This rustic venue, tucked away in woods between Paddock Wood and Tonbridge, is the perfect backdrop for an outdoor wedding.

Pale & Interesting on The Romney Marshes - http://www.paleandinterestingthevenue.com

Pale and Interesting – the wedding venue gives you the opportunity to have a ceremony in a beautiful and unique American New England Barn set in the heart of Romney Marsh on the Kent/East Sussex border and the stunning open countryside is the perfect spot to pitch a marquee for an evening reception. Only 10 minutes from the quaint cobbled streets of Rye and the magnificent sand dunes of Camber, this is an area of outstanding history and natural beauty.

The Beacon House/ The Artists Beach House in Whitstable - http://www.thebeaconhouse.co.uk/index.html

Built at the turn of last century, The Beacon House stands above a natural promontory ‘The Street’ that stretches out to sea half a mile or so at low tide. The beacon, which stood in its garden, warned sailors of the perils below. The house has a New England feel to it with its wide wooden frontage, distinctive verandah and wrap-around decking. Whitstable serves up an amazing sunset which happens right outside the front of this cute venue.

For Beacon House/Artist Beach House wedding photography click here.

The Old Lighthouse at Dungeness - http://www.dungenesslighthouse.com/hire.php

The Old Lighthouse is an Historic Grade II building, which opened in 1904 after a 3 year build, and survived two world wars before decommission in 1960. It’s now a museum and available to hire for weddings. Views stretch right across the English Channel towards France and Dungeness Nature Reserve.

The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood - http://www.thehopfarmvenue.co.uk/weddings

The Hop Farm offers a unique wedding venue right in the heart of the Kent countryside with converted Oast houses, a large barn and lots of outdoor space for marquees. In summer, an outdoor wedding in the Garden Gazebo makes for a memorable and beautiful experience. See The Hop Farm wedding photography click here.

The Court Lodge, Stansted, near Sevenoaks - http://www.thecourtlodge.co.uk

The Court Lodge Black Barn is an exclusive and special wedding venue that lies at the heart of the village of Stansted, in Kent. The Barn is a restored, but essentially original, 17th Century the barn in the heart of the village, next to the picturesque Norman church of St Mary. Wedding photography at The Court Lodge click here.