The venue comes first. It sets your date, your guest list, your budget and the feel of the whole day, so we have built the guides we wish every couple had: 508 venues across south east London, Kent and Surrey, area by area, starting from each council’s official list of venues licensed for weddings.
Each guide explains how getting married works in that area, groups the venues by style, and lists every one we could verify with a filter for style, guest numbers, licensed ceremonies and outdoor ceremonies. We also say what each kind of venue means for your photographs and film, because a barn, a castle and a banqueting hall each light and sound very differently on the day.
Choose your area
Asian wedding venues in London and Kent
81 Asian wedding venues in London and Kent for 300 to 1,000 guests: caterer rules, mandap and havan, baraat, parking, licences and photo advice.
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Bromley and Beckenham
21 wedding venues across the London Borough of Bromley, licensed and reception-only, with the register office, notice rules, capacities and photo advice.
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19 wedding venues in Croydon, from Addington Palace to 1,000-guest banqueting halls, with the Town Hall ceremony rooms, notice rules and photo advice.
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East Kent and Medway
121 wedding venues in Canterbury, Ashford, Swale, Folkestone, Dover, Thanet and Medway, with register offices, notice rules, capacities and photo advice.
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south east London
83 wedding venues in Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Bexley, licensed and reception-only, with four register offices, notice rules and photo advice.
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Surrey and the Surrey borders
110 wedding venues in east and central Surrey, Sutton, Kingston and Richmond, with register offices, Guildford's move, notice rules and photo permits.
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West Kent
91 wedding venues in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Dartford and Gravesend, with register offices, notice rules, capacities and photo advice.
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How we built these guides
- The official list first. Every council publishes the venues approved for civil ceremonies. We started there, so no licensed venue is missing, and then added the reception-only venues that clearly host weddings.
- Checked against the venue. Capacities, bedrooms, outdoor ceremonies and exclusive use come from each venue’s own published details. Where a venue doesn’t publish a figure, we leave it blank rather than guess.
- Honest about gaps. If we couldn’t confirm that a venue is still taking weddings, the card says so. Closed venues are taken out.
- No paid placements. No venue has paid to appear, and the order is simply by town.
Questions to ask every venue
Venue brochures show the best of a place. These are the questions that tell you how the day will actually run, and the ones couples most often wish they had asked.
- Is it licensed for ceremonies, and where? A licence can cover one room and not the garden. If it isn’t licensed, you will need a register office or a religious ceremony first.
- What is the wet-weather plan? Ask to see the room the ceremony moves to, set up, and how long the change takes.
- Is it exclusive use? Other weddings or hotel guests on the same day change the feel of portraits, the evening and the car park.
- What time does the music stop, and when must everyone leave? Curfews and noise limits shape the evening more than any other rule.
- Can we bring our own caterer, or a mandap, havan or dhol? Essential for Asian and multicultural weddings; some halls are dry hire, others use an approved list.
- Are there rules for photographers and filmmakers? Flash, drones, confetti, candles and access to certain rooms or grounds vary by venue, especially historic buildings.
- What is included in the price? Venue hire, catering minimums, service charge, VAT, the ceremony fee and the registrars’ fee are often separate.
- Where can we take portraits, and at what time is sunset on our date? Twenty quiet minutes in the right spot, in good light, give you the photographs you will frame.
Planning around the venue
Once you have a shortlist, these guides help with the rest: how to get married legally in England, London register offices compared, planning a wedding in Kent, getting married in Surrey, small venues for 10 to 50 guests, gurdwara weddings in London and Kent and wedding-day travel, ULEZ and parking.
Your questions, answered
How far ahead should we book a wedding venue?
Popular venues for Saturdays between May and September often book 12 to 18 months ahead, and sometimes more. Fridays, Sundays, weekdays and winter dates are usually easier to find and often cost less. Book the venue first, then the suppliers whose dates are hardest to get.
What is the difference between a licensed venue and a reception venue?
A licensed venue is approved by the council for civil ceremonies, so you can legally marry there with the registrars present. A reception-only venue can host your meal and party but not the legal ceremony, so couples marry at a register office, a licensed venue or a place of worship first and then travel on.
Can we get married outdoors?
Yes, at venues approved for outdoor ceremonies. The guides show which venues say they offer them; use the “Outdoor ceremonies” filter. Always ask about the wet-weather room as well.
Do you photograph and film at all of these venues?
We photograph and film weddings across London, Kent and Surrey, and travel is included within 50 miles of our studio in Beckenham. The guides are independent: we list every venue we could verify, not only the ones we have worked at. Tell us your venue and date and we will check availability.
Is a venue missing or out of date?
Venues change hands, rename and stop weddings. We reviewed these guides in October 2026. If you spot something out of date, or run a venue we have missed, please tell us and we will update the guide.
Venue details change. We reviewed these guides on 22 October 2026; please confirm dates, prices and capacities with the venue.
