THE GREAT BARN ROLVENDEN

The Great Barn in Rolvenden Wedding Venue - Real Wedding Examples and Advice for Anyone Planning a Wedding at The Great Barn Rolvenden

The Great Barn Rolvenden

The Location

The Great Barn in Rolvenden has become one of my favourite wedding venues in Kent ever since I shot the wedding of Yasmin and Ashley here in 2017.

It’s a blank canvas, DIY venue set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the gorgeous village of Rolvenden near Ashford. The location is really the selling point for me and on top of that, the fact that it’s a DIY venue does mean that it’s an affordable option as well with hire rates between £2700 - £3100 (rates correct as of 1st February 2023)

Surrounding the barn is an orchard area which post covid can be used for your legal ceremony as Emma and Alex did and makes a stunning location for your ceremony. It’s also the perfect spot for your drinks reception, lawn games and for guests to simply chill out and relax if the weather is nice! There’s also a Dutch Barn area in the courtyard which Yasmin and Ashley actually used for their speeches and again can be used as an extra space for guests to relax.

Wedding guests outside The Great Barn Rolvenden having a drink

The Great Barn Rolvenden - The Space

The Great Barn itself is a listed Kentish barn and is a dry hire space meaning as a couple you can take what is a really beautiful space and add your own stamp to it with suppliers you love.

The Great Barn is set over two levels and the way I’ve seen it set up is with the ceremony being held on the upper level whilst the lower level is set up for the wedding breakfast. This works really well and I’ve always found the Great Barn venue to feel really spacious.

The Great Barn has a lovely feel to it both inside and out, with the large wooden doors open the barn is filled with natural light and there are also a set of French doors opening up onto a lawn area.

The interior of The Great Barn in Rolvenden set up for a wedding breakfast

bride laughing whilst her dad gives a speech

The Great Barn Rolvenden - The Confetti Shot

The confetti shot is a must isn’t it? Well for me it is anyway : )

If you’re getting married in the orchard or the courtyard then you can just have the confetti shot as you walk back down the aisle (this is always the simplest, most genuine way to get the confetti shot)

If you are having your ceremony inside The Great Barn itself then you’ll obviously need to have the confetti shot outside in the courtyard. I like to organise these shots in a way so you as the couple are not standing around with your guests while everyone lines up to form the confetti aisle. If you are standing around waiting then, one it feels staged, and two it’ll take ages because everyone will want to hug you rather than line up!!

So at The Great Barn this is how I organise the confetti shot.

Couple walks down the aisle and either continues down to the lower level out of the way or exits through the large barn doors and continues on walking back round to the rear of the barn.

Couple enjoy a glass of champagne and have a couple of minutes to themselves.

Your ushers and bridesmaids will have been pre briefed to have confetti ready to handout to wedding guests

I, along with ushers, wedding coordinator if applicable will get all your guests lined up in the courtyard

I give the super secret signal to you guys that the confetti line is ready

You exit through the main doors to cheers, confetti and hugs with your friends and family!

Bride and groom waling down the aisle with confetti

Bride and groom with guests throwing confetti at the great barn rolvenden

The Great Barn Rolvenden - Wedding Photography

As you can imagine, I approach these venue recommendations not only from my experience of how I see couples enjoying their wedding, but also from the position of a wedding photographer and the opportunities a venue provides for photos.

The majority (not all, but most) of the couples I work alongside want to have a quick 20 minutes where we can go off for a walk and get some photos of the two of them together and The Great Barn in Rolvenden provides a stunning backdrop for those photos.

The orchard area is right next to the venue, a little walk brings you to some stunning fields and wooded areas. There are lots of trees to find a little shade (from the sun or a bit of mizzle!) This gives your photographer the chance to capture some of those relaxed portraits in a beautiful location that my couples love so much.

If it’s wet or the weather is really bad then as ever we have to be a bit flexible. The Dutch Barn right next to the barn provides a covered area for some photos and the large doors in the barn would provide a great spot for some indoor photos.

In summary, as a wedding photographer The Great Barn Rolvenden is a dream!