THE BEST WEDDING VENUES IN KENT
Wedding Venues in Kent
My Favourite Wedding Venues in Kent for 2023
Choosing the right wedding venue is a huge decision I know. From considering the essentials like your wedding budget, the venue capacity to just how it feels and fits your vision for your wedding day. For my couples, most are really hoping for a wedding day with a chilled out, relaxed atmosphere, nothing too stuffy and formal.
In my experience as a wedding photographer, each of these venues will provide exactly that, a cool atmosphere, a great canvas for a relaxed wedding day with friends, family and the people you love.
A Quick Note - This list is in no particular order and I receive absolutely no benefit from any of the venues included. There are dozens of paid wedding directories out there with paid adverts from wedding venues but this is simply based on my experience as a wedding photographer working at these venues and honestly, if me and my wife were getting married today, these would be the Kent Wedding Venues on our shortlist!!
- My Favourite Wedding Venues in Kent for 2023
- A Table of all the Licensed Wedding Venues in Kent
- Tips For Choosing Your Perfect Kent Wedding Venue!
- Know Your Wedding Guest Numbers
- What Is Your Wedding Budget?
- Location?
- Be Clear About What Is and Isn’t Included In The Venue Price!
- Can You Choose Your Own Wedding Suppliers?
- What are the drinks prices?
- Is There A Noise Limiter?
- What Time Will You Have to Finish?
- Does your wedding venue fit with your vision for your wedding day?
- Useful Information
The Best Kent Wedding Venues
KENT BARN VENUE
WOODLAND VENUE
VENUE BY THE SEA
Waterside barn venue
WOODLAND VENUE
KENT BARN VENUE
KENT BARN VENUE
FESTIVAL WEDDING
WOODLAND VENUE
COUNTRYSIDE VENUE
COUNTRYSIDE VENUE
KENT BARN VENUE
KENT BARN VENUE
COUNTRY HOUSE
A Table of all the Licensed Wedding Venues in Kent
If me and Claire were planning our wedding today, I'd really want a simple list of all the licensed wedding venues in Kent that were available to help us choose where we wanted to get married. After Googling for ages I couldn't find one, so I made one myself : )
Below is a table of all of the current wedding venues in Kent as of January 2023 legally licensed to hold wedding ceremonies with links to their website (if they have one!). I've also divided them up into types of venue (barn, castle, something totally unique etc.) , whether or not the venue has on site accommodation available and where abouts in Kent the venue is actually located! I hope it's useful!!
| wdt_ID | VENUE NAME | VENUE TYPE | ACCOMMODATION? | TOWN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 83 Mortimer | Unique | Yes | Herne Bay |
| 2 | The Barnyard | Pub / Restaurant | No | Tunbridge Wells |
| 3 | Abbey Hotel | Country House / Hotel | Yes | Sheerness |
| 4 | The Barn | Pub / Restaurant | No | Sittingbourne |
| 5 | Abbots Barton Hotel | Country House / Hotel | Yes | Canterbury |
| 6 | Abode | Country House / Hotel | Yes | Canterbury |
| 7 | Baypoint | Pub / Restaurant | No | Sandwich |
| 8 | Alex (The Alex) | Hall / Function Room | No | Faversham |
| 9 | Beach Hut Weddings | Unique | No | Herne Bay |
| 10 | Alexandra Suite | Hall / Function Room | No | Swanley |
| VENUE NAME | VENUE TYPE | ACCOMMODATION? | TOWN |
Tips For Choosing Your Perfect Kent Wedding Venue!
Know Your Wedding Guest Numbers
First things first, you need to have a good idea of how many people you’ll be having at your wedding, both for the day and the evening reception. This may seem obvious but in my experience people will tend to underestimate numbers and once you’ve put down your deposit for your wedding venue there’s really no flexibility on numbers as each venue will have specific risk assessments and capacities they can not deviate from.
At this stage I think it’s also really important for the two of you to sit down and have a good think about what kind of wedding day you both want. Be honest with yourselves and each other as getting this wrong can lead to a lot of stress down the line and the potential of feeling overwhelmed on the day. If this is something you’re a bit worried about then take a look at my Tips For A Relaxed Wedding Day
Do you want a big day with 150 + guests? Or is that your worst nightmare and you really want a smaller day with 40 or 50 of your closest family and friends to take some of the pressure off of yourselves? These are questions you kind of need to know the answer to before committing to your venue.
Once you have a good idea of your numbers you can start to whittle down your venues. A large wedding may be well suited to a barn or marquee with a large space but you don’t want a smaller wedding in a huge space as it’ll simply feel empty!
What Is Your Wedding Budget?
As with every part of the wedding planning process, understanding your budget and sticking to it is hugely important!
According to hitched.co.uk’s annual wedding industry survey the average spend on a wedding venue in 2021 was £7600 with the average total wedding budget being £17300 so in terms of your budget, the choice of your wedding venue is going to have the largest impact overall.
In my experience, the majority of venues will have a price breakdown on their website to allow you to judge whether the venue is within your budget.
Location?
It’s your wedding day, so the main thing is to do what makes you happy, sure, but if all of your family is in Kent and you decide to book a venue on the Isle of Skye then you’ll probably have to accept that some people are not going to be able to make it!
Also, when considering your location, it’s so important to think about the proximity to accommodation for you and your guests. A lot of the venues on my list above will offer on site accommodation for you and your main guests but it’s also a good idea to think about your other guests and how easy it’ll be for them at the end of the night. In my experience most venues will be able to help recommend local accommodation and may even have partnerships set up with local taxi firms etc. so have a word with them in the initial consultation about what they suggest and I’m sure they’ll be able to help!
Be Clear About What Is and Isn’t Included In The Venue Price!
Tables, chairs, caterers, table linen, cake table, etc, etc… Are these included in the total price you’ve been quoted or are they separate add ons you weren’t expecting? Make sure you know in detail what’s included in the price as some venues will be simply an empty space for you to fill whilst others will include everything. Both have their advantages and disadvantages but just be sure you know what you’re paying for to avoid unwanted surprises further down the line.
Can You Choose Your Own Wedding Suppliers?
I once received an enquiry from a bride who was getting married at a venue (I won’t say which!) who insisted they use one of the venues “recommended” photographers. She hated all of the photographers and wanted to book me to just come for an hour to meet her and her partner to do some portraits with them in the middle of the wedding day in a nearby park!
There have also been occasions whereby wedding venues have attempted to impose a “finders fee” on other wedding suppliers if the couple wishes to use them at their venue!
Obviously, any self respecting wedding supplier would refuse to hand over 20% of their income to a wedding venue just for the privilege of working so the truth is you’ll be severely restricted by which suppliers you can use.
If you want to use wedding suppliers, caterers, photographers, florists, videographers etc that you actually love and connect with then you simply must understand if that’s possible before booking a venue.
What are the drinks prices?
We’ve all been to those weddings when a glass of wine costs £12 a glass! Is the venue offering a lower booking price and making up their profit with extortionate drinks prices! You know what us Brits are like and nothing winds us up more than an over priced trip to the bar!!
Is There A Noise Limiter?
Venues close to residential areas will often have a noise limiter installed. Essentially it monitors the decibel level of your band/dj and if it reaches a certain level it cuts the power to the band and they have to stop and reset it! I’ve only ever seen that happen a couple of times but when it does it sucks!!
If you are hoping for a live band bashing out Nirvana covers (and you definitely should in my book, check out this band if that’s your cup of tea!) then a venue with a noise limiter may be an issue so be sure to check before you book!
What Time Will You Have to Finish?
If you’re anything like me then you’ll be ready for beddy byes at about 11 pm but if you’re a bit more of a party animal and would like the party to go on until the wee hours then again make sure you know the rules before committing to your wedding venue. Again, a venue will likely have certain licence restrictions that simply are not flexible.
Does your wedding venue fit with your vision for your wedding day?
If you daydream about a summer festival type of vibe to your wedding day with you and your guests sitting around outside chilling at sunset, then a Tipi style wedding is going to be a better fit than a more traditional venue like a hotel. Maybe you dream of getting married by the sea or in a Kent woodland , whatever it may be, make sure your wedding venue fits with that dream.
