This guide covers 121 wedding venues across East Kent and Medway: Canterbury, Ashford, Swale, Folkestone and Hythe, Dover, Thanet, and Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham. It is built from the official lists of licensed ceremony venues kept by Kent County Council and by Medway Council, plus the reception-only venues couples here also book, and we reviewed every entry on 22 October 2026.
East Kent weddings at a glance
- Licensed for ceremonies: 115 of the 121 venues, from Kent County Council’s venue finder and Medway Council’s list. 72 venues offer an outdoor ceremony space.
- Reception only: 6 venues that host receptions but are not shown as licensed, so the legal ceremony happens somewhere else first.
- Register offices: Kent County Council runs ceremony rooms at Wellington House in Canterbury and Aberdeen House in Ramsgate, and basic registrations at Sittingbourne Library. Medway Council runs its own register office on Northgate in Rochester.
- Notice: given at the register office where you live, at least 29 days before the ceremony. See GOV.UK on giving notice.
- Travel: Beckenham to Canterbury is about 57 miles, around 1 hour 15 minutes’ drive without traffic. Allow longer on a Saturday, and more again for Thanet, Deal or Dover.
- Best for: barns and farm estates, coastal hotels and beachfront restaurants, two medieval castles, orchards and country houses, and historic town halls for small ceremonies.
One thing to know first: Medway is not part of Kent’s registration service. It runs its own register office, fees, notice appointments and venue list, so if your venue is in Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham or on the Hoo Peninsula, you book the registrars with Medway Council, not with Kent. For the rest of Kent, including Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone, see our guide to wedding venues in west Kent.
Choosing by style of venue
Estuary marshes, chalk cliffs, sandy bays, orchards and hop farms all sit within an hour of each other here. Hotels (26) and barns (20) are the biggest groups, then country houses (16) and restaurants and pubs (15).
Barns, farms and orchards
The Night Yard near Bridge is a restored 1898 brick cattle yard among orchards; Winters Barns at Nackington joins 17th-century Kentish barns around a courtyard. Near Ashford, Odo’s Barn is a 15th-century barn with its own medieval moat, and Ratsbury Barn outside Tenterden is thatched and hired from May to October. Orchards appear as ceremony spots at The Great Barn in Rolvenden, The BarnYard at Upchurch and Chapel House Estate near Minster. Our article on Kent castle and barn wedding venues goes deeper into how to choose.
The coast
From Whitstable round to Hythe, you can marry within sight of the sea. East Quay sits in the old oyster grading room at Whitstable Harbour. Thanet has the most choice: Turner Contemporary’s sea-facing rooms in Margate, The Pavilion on the sand at Broadstairs’ Viking Bay, and a run of beachfront restaurants at Westgate. Further south are Folkestone and Hythe’s Victorian hotels and Leas Cliff Hall, built into the cliff in 1927.
Castles and fortresses
Lympne Castle, Grade I listed above Romney Marsh, and The Castle Westenhanger, medieval ruins with a Grade I manor house, are the two true castles. Whitstable Castle is a castellated house run as a community venue. In Medway, Cooling Castle Barn is a group of barns beside the castle ruins, and Fort Amherst is a Napoleonic fortress with tunnels and 20 acres of grounds.
Country houses and estates
Broome Park near Barham, once Lord Kitchener’s home, Mount Ephraim Gardens near Hernhill, Eastwell Manor near Ashford and Goodnestone Park near Wingham are among the larger houses. Several are hired for whole weekends, such as Ripple Court Estate, from £24,000 (2027, per venue).
Town halls and small historic rooms
For a small ceremony with the reception elsewhere, look at Fordwich Town Hall (35 guests), Faversham’s 1574 Guildhall (50), Deal Town Hall (60), the Guildhall in Sandwich, Hythe Town Hall, Eastgate House in Rochester (40) and the City Wall Tower in Canterbury (80). The smallest is The Old Lighthouse at Dungeness, with ceremonies for 10 on the gallery or 30 on the bridge level.
Practical points
For 200 or more guests, the largest rooms are Leas Cliff Hall (450 in the Grand Hall), Lordswood Leisure Centre in Chatham (500), Holiday Inn Dover’s marquee (350 to 400) and Ashford International Hotel (350). Six venues in our data market large or South Asian weddings: those four plus Dover Marina Hotel and The Rochester Corn Exchange. 42 venues are marked “check” in the directory because we could not confirm current weddings, so confirm with them first. We found no published curfews, so ask about finish times and music limits at your first visit.
The directory, district by district
Filter by style, guest numbers and ceremonies.
Canterbury and Whitstable
17 venues, 15 of them licensed. The city has its own register office at Wellington House, and the walled centre has unusual small spaces: the City Wall Tower, a former chapel built into a 14th-century tower, is ceremony-only with one wedding a day. Outside the city are barns and estates; Whitstable and Tankerton have harbour, beach and hilltop venues. Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, inside the cathedral precincts, and Westgate Hall host receptions only.
Barham · CT4
Broome Park
Country houses
Grade I listed 17th-century mansion near Barham, once Lord Kitchener's home, now a hotel and golf estate with ceremonies in the house or the Italian Gardens and a summer marquee. Accommodation spans 22 mansion suites plus 14 woodland lodges and a cottage; full-estate exclusive use is available.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 200 · 22 bedrooms
Bridge · CT4
The Night Yard
Barns
Restored 1898 brick cattle yard on Highland Court Farm near Bridge, with a glasshouse and courtyard among orchards, hired exclusively with couples choosing from a list of caterers. Midweek full-day hire from £4,500 (2027, per venue).
Ceremony up to 140 · Reception up to 240
Canterbury · CT1
ABode Canterbury
Hotels
Boutique hotel on Canterbury High Street inside the city walls, with the chandeliered County Room licensed for ceremonies and used for the wedding breakfast; exclusive hire of the hotel is offered. From £5,750 for 40 guests (2025 package, per venue).
Ceremony up to 80 · Reception up to 150 · 72 bedrooms
Canterbury · CT1
Canterbury Cathedral Lodge
Hotels
Cathedral-owned hotel inside the precincts of Canterbury Cathedral, marketed as a reception venue, with dining in the Clagett Auditorium and drinks in the Kentish Barn or Campanile Garden. Evening reception package £4,750 for 80 guests (2027, per venue).
Reception up to 120 · 28 bedrooms
Venue website for Canterbury Cathedral Lodge (opens in a new tab)
Canterbury · CT1
City Wall Tower
Historic buildings
Former Zoar Chapel built into a 14th-century tower of Canterbury's city wall, offered as a dry-hire, ceremony-only venue with one wedding per day; receptions go elsewhere in the city. From £1,000 venue hire (2026, per venue).
Ceremony up to 80
Canterbury · CT1
St Martin's Priory
Country houses
Secluded house and two-level garden on St Martin's Hill within the Canterbury World Heritage Site, close to the city centre. Capacities are from its KCC listing; the venue's own website did not respond when checked in October 2026.
Ceremony up to 80 · Reception up to 150
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Canterbury
Westgate Hall
Something different
Community-trust hall in Canterbury city centre with a licensed bar and catering kitchen, next to Pound Lane car park, and hired out for wedding receptions and parties of up to 300 seated and standing.
Reception up to 300
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Chartham Hatch · CT4
Howfield Manor Hotel
Hotels
Grade II listed manor house hotel at Chartham Hatch with 16 bedrooms, ceremonies in the Oak or Manor rooms or at a lake-view gazebo, and a marquee alongside the Manor Suite. From £3,999 for an intimate package of up to 30 guests (2026, per venue).
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 100 · 16 bedrooms
Fordwich · CT2
Fordwich Town Hall
Town halls and register offices
Tudor timber-framed town hall in England's smallest town, still used for council meetings and keeping its old courtroom fittings. It is licensed for ceremonies of up to 35 guests plus the couple, with receptions held elsewhere.
Ceremony up to 35
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Nackington · CT4
Winters Barns
Barns
Linked 17th-century Kentish barns with a courtyard and garden at Nackington just south of Canterbury, used exclusively for the day with summer outdoor ceremonies. A bridal cottage, a farmhouse and hop-picker huts provide on-site stays; the bedroom figure counts the eight guest bedrooms.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 220 · 8 bedrooms
Petham · CT4
Swarling Manor
Country houses
18th-century estate in 80 acres near Petham with a fairy-lit oak barn joined to a marquee, and four licensed ceremony spots including a gazebo, lawns and maypole. Bookings include about two and a half days of exclusive use; the seven-bedroom Manor House can be added and Coach Cottage is used for preparations. Remaining 2026 dates from £3,000 venue hire (2026, per venue).
Ceremony up to 100 · 7 bedrooms
Tankerton · CT5
The Marine Hotel
Hotels
Shepherd Neame seafront hotel on Tankerton's Marine Parade with 30 bedrooms, many facing the sea, and three function suites; the Ballroom holds up to 150.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 150 · 30 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Upstreet · CT3
Grove Ferry Inn
Restaurants and bars
Shepherd Neame riverside inn on the Great Stour near Upstreet, with rooms and a function room; KCC lists The Lodge as its ceremony room. The pub's own site does not currently mention weddings.
Ceremony up to 50
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Whitstable · CT5
East Quay Venue
Restaurants and bars
Informal beachfront venue in the old oyster grading room at Whitstable Harbour, with a sea-view mezzanine for ceremonies and in-house catering built around local seafood. Run by the Whitstable Oyster Company, which offers guest rooms and huts nearby.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 120
Whitstable · CT5
The Beacon House
Something different
Turn-of-the-century timber house with a wraparound veranda on Tankerton beach, let as a holiday home and licensed for ceremonies (listed by KCC as Artists Beach House). Couples can stay, marry and host at the house, with registrar or celebrant attending.
Ceremony up to 70 · 5 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Whitstable · CT5
The Crescent Turner Hotel
Hotels
Hilltop boutique hotel on Wraik Hill above Whitstable with views over the estuary, an 18-room house, the Palm Pavilion restaurant and terrace ceremonies; tipi celebrations are also offered.
Ceremony up to 80 · Reception up to 80 · 18 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for The Crescent Turner Hotel (opens in a new tab)
Whitstable · CT5
Whitstable Castle
Castles
Castellated house in landscaped gardens on Tower Hill above Tankerton, run as a community venue with a tearoom, several small ceremony rooms and a Victorian-style garden gazebo; exclusive hire is offered for weddings.
Ceremony up to 75
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Ashford and Tenterden
19 venues, all licensed, and 14 with an outdoor ceremony space. There is no register office in the borough; Canterbury and Maidstone’s Oakwood House are the nearest with ceremony rooms. This is barn country, with several at Bilsington and Aldington looking over Romney Marsh, and The Swan Wine Kitchen sits on the Chapel Down vineyard estate near Tenterden. Ten venues here are marked “check”, the most of any district.
Aldington · TN25
Ruffynes Barn
Barns
Grade II listed 16th-century five-bay barn on the ridge at Aldington looking over Romney Marsh, with a walled lawn for outdoor ceremonies and an adjoining oast; St Martin's Church is a short walk away.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Ashford · TN24
Ashford International Hotel
Hotels
Large QHotels-group hotel with spa on the edge of Ashford, close to the M20 and international station; its banqueting suites take weddings of up to 350.
Ceremony up to 200 · Reception up to 350 · 179 bedrooms
Venue website for Ashford International Hotel (opens in a new tab)
Biddenden · TN27
Bloomsburys Biddenden
Something different
Eclectic wellbeing and cafe complex near Biddenden with an oak-framed ceremony gazebo, a wedding lodge and an on-site glampsite; suited to smaller weddings of around 50 day guests.
Ceremony up to 50 · Reception up to 100
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for Bloomsburys Biddenden (opens in a new tab)
Biddenden · TN27
Chart Hills Golf Club
Golf and country clubs
Championship golf club set in 200 acres of oak woodland and lakes near Biddenden, with a ballroom seating up to 120 and a countryside-view terrace; a bridal suite and small amount of accommodation (up to 8 guests) are offered.
Ceremony up to 140 · Reception up to 120
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for Chart Hills Golf Club (opens in a new tab)
Biddenden · TN27
The House Meadow
Barns
Working farm near Biddenden with a barn and a lakeside gazebo licensed for ceremonies, also hosting marquees and tipis; its website did not resolve during checking, so current weddings are unconfirmed.
Ceremony up to 110
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Bilsington · TN25
Bilsington Priory
Country houses
Medieval ragstone priory founded in 1253, overlooking Romney Marsh, with a gazebo for outdoor vows and a tree marquee for receptions; now run alongside Glow Events' other Kent venues.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 200
Bilsington · TN25
Odo's Barn
Barns
Family-run 15th-century barn with its own medieval moat overlooking Romney Marsh, hired exclusively over three days, with pagoda marquees on the terrace and a meadow for outdoor ceremonies.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 150
Boughton Lees · TN25
Eastwell Manor
Country houses
Ivy-clad manor house hotel and spa, now part of Champneys, set in a large estate near Ashford, with oak-panelled ceremony rooms, an Italian gazebo in the walled garden and a summer marquee for up to 150.
Ceremony up to 200 · Reception up to 150
Chilham · CT4
Chilham Village Hall
Historic buildings
Charity-run hall in a former 15th-century tithe barn near Chilham's medieval square, with two linked beamed halls; the large hall seats 130 or holds 200 for dancing, and wedding bookings run Friday to Sunday.
Ceremony up to 130 · Reception up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Egerton · TN27
Frasers
Barns
Exclusive-use farm estate in 300 acres near Egerton with four licensed ceremony spots (including a grain silo backdrop and an oak barn) and a marquee seating 120; on-site rooms and glamping pods sleep about 24. From £11,875 (2026, per venue).
Ceremony up to 90 · Reception up to 200 · 10 bedrooms
Hothfield · TN26
Holiday Inn Ashford North
Hotels
Chain hotel on the A20 at Hothfield, listed by the council with a garden gazebo and outdoor grounds for ceremonies; its listed domain is now parked and current wedding provision could not be confirmed.
Ceremony up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for Holiday Inn Ashford North (opens in a new tab)
Kennington · TN25
Kennington Hall
Country houses
Grade II listed Georgian house in 13 acres on the A28 just outside Ashford, offering exclusive use, an indoor Upper Lounge and an outdoor Summer House for vows, with marquees possible on the lawns.
Ceremony up to 60 · Reception up to 80
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Kennington · TN24
The Conningbrook Hotel
Hotels
Hotel at Kennington on the north side of Ashford with two licensed rooms and a garden; now listed under Coaching Inn Group, but its old domain and wedding page are gone and current wedding provision could not be confirmed.
Ceremony up to 65
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for The Conningbrook Hotel (opens in a new tab)
Mersham · TN25
The Secret Garden
Restaurants and bars
Restaurant and walled gardens on the old Mersham-le-Hatch estate with a garden gazebo, a vaulted chapel-style room and a Victorian glasshouse for ceremonies; dining for up to 90 and 130 in total.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 130
Rolvenden · TN17
The Great Barn
Barns
Grade II listed 18th-century barn at Halden Place on the Hole Park estate, hired exclusively with free choice of suppliers and long set-up time; four licensed areas include the orchard, an open barn and the courtyard lawn.
Ceremony up to 160 · Reception up to 160
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Tenterden · TN30
Ratsbury Barn
Barns
Thatched timber-framed barn on the Smallhythe Road outside Tenterden, hired as a blank canvas between May and October; ceremonies can be held inside or under the front canopy, and ceremony-only hire is available.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 120
Tenterden · TN30
The Swan Wine Kitchen
Restaurants and bars
Restaurant on the Chapel Down vineyard estate near Tenterden, with ceremonies in its rose and herb garden (sheltered by pagodas) and exclusive use of the dining room for up to 80.
Ceremony up to 80 · Reception up to 80
Venue website for The Swan Wine Kitchen (opens in a new tab)
Tenterden · TN30
The Woolpack
Restaurants and bars
High Street pub in Tenterden with a separate barn that holds its own ceremony licence and takes up to 120 guests, plus rooms in the pub; linked to the Balfour winery group.
Ceremony up to 195 · Reception up to 120 · 7 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Willesborough · TN24
Willesborough Windmill
Historic buildings
Volunteer-run Grade II* smock mill of 1869 in Willesborough, with ceremonies inside the mill and receptions in the adjoining 19th-century barn; the mill closes to visitors on its Saturday wedding dates.
Ceremony up to 50
Venue website for Willesborough Windmill (opens in a new tab)
Swale: Faversham, Sittingbourne and Sheppey
17 venues, all licensed. Sittingbourne Library offers basic registrations for up to 10 guests on Thursdays and Saturdays, but no full ceremony room. Faversham has the Guildhall and the Shepherd Neame Brewery, licensed beside its mash tuns. On Sheppey, Elmley Nature Reserve and The Harty Estate are remote estuary estates hired exclusively, and around Upchurch and Boughton there are farm, orchard and woodland venues.
Bapchild · ME9
Hempstead House Hotel & Spa
Country houses
Victorian country house hotel and spa in four acres of gardens outside Sittingbourne, with the Heritage Suite for larger weddings, an outdoor gazebo and a drawing room and summer house for parties of 30. All-inclusive packages from £8,600 for 50 guests (Sun–Thu, Oct–Apr, 2026–2029 packages, per venue).
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 150
Venue website for Hempstead House Hotel & Spa (opens in a new tab)
Borden · ME9
Oad St Weddings
Something different
Modern, family-run countryside venue in Borden with a dining hall, bar and gardens, licensed for indoor and outdoor ceremonies, with a lounge and getting-ready suite due in 2027. Packages from £12,212 for 60 day guests (Mon–Thu, 2027, per venue).
Boughton · ME13
Brenley Farm
Barns
Working hop, fruit and arable farm near Boughton with a Kent-peg-roofed gazebo on the lawn and a farmhouse dining room for ceremonies; receptions are DIY in a hired field with your own marquee and suppliers. Three B&B rooms plus a bunk barn sleeping 24 and camping keep guests on site.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 150 · 3 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Boughton · ME13
Cave Hotel and Golf Resort
Hotels
Dark-toned contemporary hotel on Boughton's 18-hole golf course, with ceremonies under a pergola and wedding feasts in the Korean Cowgirl room; smaller formats use the Firepit restaurant or the penthouse.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 100 · 41 bedrooms
Venue website for Cave Hotel and Golf Resort (opens in a new tab)
Faversham · ME13
Judd's Folly Hotel
Hotels
Hotel in parkland at Syndale Park, Ospringe, with a licensed woodland pergola, an indoor ceremony room and the Cromwell Suite (150 seated, 200 standing) for receptions; the smaller Yew Tree Cottage takes 60.
Ceremony up to 90 · Reception up to 200
Faversham · ME13
Shepherd Neame Brewery
Historic buildings
The 300-year-old working brewery in central Faversham, licensed in the brewhouse beside the mash tuns, a 15th-century visitor-centre hall and the Old Brewery Store, which seats 140 and takes 300 for an evening party.
Ceremony up to 140 · Reception up to 300
Venue website for Shepherd Neame Brewery (opens in a new tab)
Faversham · ME13
The Alexander Centre
Something different
Function and community centre on Preston Street in central Faversham, listed by KCC with the Gatefield Hall (200) and Jubilee Room (50) and allowing outside caterers. Its website could not be reached, so current weddings are unconfirmed.
Ceremony up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Faversham · ME13
The Guildhall
Town halls and register offices
Faversham's 1574 market hall on timber arcades in the Market Place, with ceremonies in the first-floor Council Chamber for up to 50 and receptions held elsewhere in town. Ceremony hire from £300 (2025–26, per town council).
Ceremony up to 50
Hartlip · ME9
Valley View Alpaca Farm
Barns
Family-run alpaca farm on 20 acres near Hartlip with a barn ceremony room, licensed gardens and a large marquee for the meal; a bridal suite lets the couple stay on site. Daytime catering is quoted for up to 140 guests, with no fixed packages.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 140 · 1 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for Valley View Alpaca Farm (opens in a new tab)
Hernhill · ME13
Mount Ephraim Gardens
Country houses
Family-owned manor house with ten acres of Edwardian gardens near Hernhill: ceremonies for 100 in the house or 150 in the garden, house receptions for 100 (175 evening), or marquees for over 250. Package with two nights' accommodation for 22 from £16,040 (2027, 60 day/80 evening guests, per venue).
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 250 · 11 bedrooms
Venue website for Mount Ephraim Gardens (opens in a new tab)
Isle of Sheppey · ME12
Elmley Nature Reserve
Barns
Exclusive two-night hire of a 3,300-acre National Nature Reserve on Sheppey, with Kingshill Barn for feasting, a new glazed barn (The Stables, from 2026) and licensed farmhouse-garden and open-barn ceremony spots. Cabins, shepherd's huts and a six-bedroom Georgian farmhouse sleep 42 to 112.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 200
Venue website for Elmley Nature Reserve (opens in a new tab)
Isle of Sheppey · ME12
The Harty Estate
Barns
Remote family-owned estate on the Swale estuary on Sheppey, with the Hop Barn, the new hammerbeam Spring Barn (260 seated, 350 evening) and a waterside oak gazebo; 11 guest rooms and five cottages sleep up to 75. Full-day packages from £8,300 (2027, 40 day/100 evening, per venue).
Ceremony up to 260 · Reception up to 350 · 11 bedrooms
Minster, Isle of Sheppey · ME12
The Abbey Hotel
Hotels
Family-owned hotel near the Minster seafront on Sheppey, with a licensed garden for ceremonies, the Minster Suite for up to 120 and a restaurant seating 70. No dated wedding information, and the site notes the restaurant is temporarily closed.
Ceremony up to 129 · Reception up to 120
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Sittingbourne · ME10
Holiday Inn Sittingbourne The Coniston
Hotels
Town-centre hotel on London Road, Sittingbourne, listed by KCC with a 200-capacity ballroom. Its listed website now shows only a default hosting page, so current wedding offer could not be confirmed.
Ceremony up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for Holiday Inn Sittingbourne The Coniston (opens in a new tab)
Upchurch · ME9
The BarnYard
Barns
Venue and restaurant on a 150-acre site at Upchurch pairing a glass pavilion (the Arboretum, up to 300) with a converted Apple Barn, plus lavender-walk, orchard and courtyard ceremony spots. Packages run from venue hire at £3,450 to all-inclusive full days.
Ceremony up to 200 · Reception up to 300
Upchurch · ME9
The Oak Grove
Something different
Summer-only woodland glade by the Medway at Upchurch with stretch tents among oaks and a living arbour for ceremonies and handfastings; just 18 Saturdays a year on three-day exclusive hire. Venue hire £9,850 (Saturdays, 2027, per venue).
Ceremony up to 132 · Reception up to 160
Upchurch · ME9
Upchurch River Valley Golf Club
Golf and country clubs
Golf club whose first-floor Rivers Restaurant has balconies over the course and views to the Medway, seating 130 (160 buffet); a budget-friendly licensed option with 2026 wedding plans published.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 160
Venue website for Upchurch River Valley Golf Club (opens in a new tab)
Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh
15 venues, all licensed. Folkestone no longer has a register office, so the nearest ceremony rooms are in Canterbury or Ramsgate. The district has both castles in our list, Lympne and Westenhanger, plus Port Lympne’s mansion inside its wildlife reserve. Hythe Town Hall has no on-site parking, and The Old Lighthouse at Dungeness has no changing or bathroom facilities, so plan both carefully.
Acrise · CT18
Hoad Farm Venue
Barns
Converted barn with an industrial-loft feel near Acrise, with a copper gazebo and pond gazebo for outdoor ceremonies; packages run over two nights and include three holiday cottages sleeping up to 12.
Ceremony up to 80 · Reception up to 120
Dungeness · TN29
The Old Lighthouse
Historic buildings
Grade II listed 1904 lighthouse on the Dungeness shingle, licensed for very small civil ceremonies on its gallery (10) or bridge (30) levels; ceremony only, with no changing or bathroom facilities on site.
Ceremony up to 30
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Elham · CT4
Elham Village Hall
Something different
Modern village hall on the edge of Elham in the Elham Valley, with a licensed ceremony room, a main hall seating about 180 and a terrace gazebo for outdoor vows; a low-cost, hire-and-cater-yourself option.
Ceremony up to 70 · Reception up to 180
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Folkestone · CT18
Havenfield Hall
Country houses
Secluded country house in the Alkham Valley offering exclusive use, with three ceremony spots: an oak-framed Old School House, an open cart shed and a garden gazebo. The Old School House seats about 80 for dinner, with marquee options for more.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 80
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Folkestone · CT20
Leas Cliff Hall
Banqueting halls
Grade II listed 1927 entertainment hall built into the cliff below the Leas, with sea-view Channel Suite and a Grand Hall seating up to 450, making it one of the largest wedding spaces in Kent.
Ceremony up to 1000 · Reception up to 450
Folkestone · CT20
The Burlington Hotel
Hotels
Victorian-Edwardian hotel just off the Leas with ceremonies in the Radnor Room overlooking its gardens and fixed-price wedding packages; 100 for the wedding breakfast and 150 in the evening.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 150
Folkestone · CT20
voco The Clifton Folkestone
Hotels
Victorian hotel on the Leas above Clifton Gardens, now trading under IHG's voco brand, with three function suites for smaller ceremonies and receptions. Formerly listed as the Best Western Clifton Hotel.
Ceremony up to 70 · Reception up to 70
Venue website for voco The Clifton Folkestone (opens in a new tab)
Hythe · CT21
Hythe Imperial Hotel
Hotels
Large Victorian seafront hotel with spa and golf, offering ceremonies in the Elizabeth Room, Coast Restaurant, Imperial Ballroom or a garden gazebo; the ballroom takes 130 for dinner and 250 in the evening.
Ceremony up to 130 · Reception up to 250
Hythe · CT21
Hythe Town Hall
Town halls and register offices
Grade II listed 1794 town hall on Hythe High Street; ceremonies take place in the first-floor Council Chamber above the old open market, which seats 60 for functions. Run by Hythe Town Council; no on-site parking.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 60
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Lydd · TN29
Herons Park Venue
Something different
Informal lakeside venue near Lydd on Romney Marsh, hired exclusively with bars, lounge, conservatory and lawns, and two ceremony rooms for up to 44 or 108 guests. From £4,000 (2025 Saturday hire, per venue).
Ceremony up to 108
Lympne · CT21
Lympne Castle
Castles
Grade I listed medieval castle on the escarpment above Romney Marsh, offering exclusive-use days (60–90 guests, 150 evening) plus intimate, twilight and chapel options early in the week. Four on-site cottages sleep up to 20.
Ceremony up to 90 · Reception up to 150
Lympne · CT21
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve
Country houses
Early 20th-century mansion and gardens inside the Port Lympne wildlife reserve, with a licensed garden pergola and glass Orangery for exclusive weddings of 50–120, plus smaller mansion weddings and elopements; guests can stay in reserve lodges and suites.
Ceremony up to 110 · Reception up to 120
Venue website for Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve (opens in a new tab)
Saltwood · CT21
Hayne House
Country houses
Family-run exclusive-use venue on a private estate near Saltwood, built around a purpose-built Orangery with an outdoor Pavilion for ceremonies and six bedrooms in the former hunting lodge. From £13,950 (2027, per venue; Saturday May–Sept, 70 guests).
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 150 · 6 bedrooms
Swingfield · CT15
The Old Kent Barn
Barns
Purpose-built oak-framed barn on Smersole Farm near Swingfield, set in landscaped gardens with a covered outdoor ceremony aisle; one wedding a day, 250 in the evening, and five bedrooms in the original barn.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 250 · 5 bedrooms
Westenhanger · CT21
The Castle Westenhanger
Castles
Medieval castle ruins and Grade I listed manor house beside Westenhanger station, with a thatched lawn gazebo, banqueting hall and a marquee for receptions; a dry-hire option is offered for couples bringing their own caterers.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 300
Venue website for The Castle Westenhanger (opens in a new tab)
Dover, Deal, Sandwich and Wingham
22 venues, the most of any district, with 15 offering outdoor ceremonies. There is no register office in the district; Ramsgate and Canterbury are the nearest. Deal and Sandwich have historic town halls, and the villages around Preston hold some of Kent’s most playful estates: Preston Court has a Victorian carousel, and Marleybrook House has its own vintage fairground rides. Dover College’s refectory is not shown as licensed in our data, so ask how a ceremony there would be made legal.
Deal · CT14
Betteshanger Park
Something different
Country park on the former Betteshanger colliery site near Deal; weddings are held in the glass-walled Glass Room on a hire-only basis with couples choosing their own suppliers.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Deal · CT14
Deal Town Hall
Town halls and register offices
Grade II listed 1803 town hall on Deal High Street; ceremonies take place in the oak-panelled council chamber, with the Mayor's Parlour for very small weddings of up to 16.
Ceremony up to 60
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Dover · CT17
Bluebirds
Banqueting halls
Function venue on Snargate Street in Dover with two styled suites (the larger for up to 300) and budget all-inclusive wedding packages with DJ, buffet and decor; hosted a community-organised local wedding in late 2025.
Ceremony up to 90 · Reception up to 300
Dover
Dover College (The Refectory)
Historic buildings
Historic refectory and flint-walled lawns within Dover College below the castle, offered exclusively for a limited number of weddings by Boutique Weddings Kent, with indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces.
Reception up to 140
Venue website for Dover College (The Refectory) (opens in a new tab)
Dover · CT17
Dover Marina Hotel & Spa, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Hotels
Seafront hotel on Dover's Waterfront with a spa and sea-view rooms; the Winston Hall takes up to 200, and the hotel has a dedicated multicultural and Asian weddings offer with in-house Asian catering.
Reception up to 200
Venue website for Dover Marina Hotel & Spa, Tapestry Collection by Hilton (opens in a new tab)
East Langdon · CT15
Solton Manor
Country houses
Historic manor between Dover and Deal with five licensed ceremony spots including a garden gazebo and a woodland glade, a Dutch Barn for receptions and a 10-bedroom manor house sleeping 24.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 250 · 10 bedrooms
Finglesham · CT14
The Crown Barn Weddings Kent
Barns
Traditional beamed barn with its own garden and oak-framed ceremony arch beside the Crown Inn pub in Finglesham, with lodge rooms on site and dogs welcome. Venue hire £5,500 (2026, per venue).
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 150
Venue website for The Crown Barn Weddings Kent (opens in a new tab)
Goodnestone · CT3
Goodnestone Park
Country houses
Georgian manor house and historic gardens near Wingham, hired exclusively for weekend and multi-day weddings, with ceremonies in the Coach House, Round Room or Portico and a seasonal Orangery marquee; the house sleeps 24.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 120 · 12 bedrooms
Preston · CT3
Marleybrook House
Country houses
Country house venue near Preston with outdoor ceremonies under the trees, a marquee for receptions and its own vintage fairground rides; 2026 and 2027 menus published.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 250
Preston · CT3
Preston Court
Barns
Exclusive-use 600-acre estate at Preston with historic barns, a Victorian carousel, theatre organs and an island gazebo for outdoor ceremonies; guests can stay in bell tents on site. 2027–28 rates published.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 180
Preston · CT3
The Wilderness
Estates and gardens
Woodland and lakeside sister venue to Preston Court, with ceremonies in a lakeside boat house or treehouse, dining in tipis and glamping on site; 2027 rates published.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 180
Ripple · CT14
Ripple Court Estate
Country houses
Private Georgian estate near Deal hired for three-day wedding weekends, with ceremonies in the ballroom, Italian walled garden or a covered pagoda and dining in a garden pavilion; house accommodation for 24 is an optional upgrade. From £24,000 (2027, per venue).
Ceremony up to 140 · Reception up to 140
Sandwich · CT13
Baypoint Club
Sports clubs
Sports and leisure club on the Ramsgate Road with 17 acres of grounds near Sandwich Bay, offering ceremonies in a terrace gazebo and a ballroom with stage and dance floor; in-house catering.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 250
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Sandwich · CT13
The Bell Hotel
Hotels
Shepherd Neame hotel on the quay by Sandwich's toll bridge, with ceremonies in the Old Dining Room and receptions in the double-height Regency Room with minstrels' gallery.
Ceremony up to 75 · Reception up to 100 · 37 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Sandwich · CT13
The Guildhall, Sandwich
Town halls and register offices
Town council-run Guildhall in Sandwich with a 16th-century oak-panelled Court Room and the Jury Room licensed for ceremonies, plus a kitchen and the modern Delf hall for evening parties.
Ceremony up to 80 · Reception up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for The Guildhall, Sandwich (opens in a new tab)
St Margaret's at Cliffe · CT15
Reach Court Farm
Barns
Marquee-lined barn and gardens on a farm near the cliffs at St Margaret's, with outdoor ceremonies and a set list of approved caterers. Saturday hire from £5,900 (2027, per venue).
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 200
St Margaret's at Cliffe · CT15
The Pines Calyx & Garden
Estates and gardens
The Calyx building and terraced gardens near St Margaret's Bay, run for weddings by Boutique Weddings Kent, with indoor and garden ceremony spaces; 2026 and 2027 dates offered.
Ceremony up to 72 · Reception up to 100
Venue website for The Pines Calyx & Garden (opens in a new tab)
Stourmouth · CT3
The Rising Sun
Restaurants and bars
Historic freehouse pub and restaurant in the village of Stourmouth, licensed for civil ceremonies with two function rooms and a garden.
Ceremony up to 50
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Temple Ewell · CT16
Kearsney Abbey Billiards Room
Historic buildings
Restored Victorian oak-panelled Billiards Room, the last surviving part of the Kearsney Abbey mansion, overlooking the lake and parkland at Temple Ewell; suited to small weddings.
Ceremony up to 40
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for Kearsney Abbey Billiards Room (opens in a new tab)
Waldershare · CT15
The Cider Works
Restaurants and bars
Restaurant and former cider works at Waldershare with three licensed ceremony spaces, gardens with a fire pit, five en-suite shepherd's huts and guest camping. Exclusive hire from £4,200 (2026, per venue).
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 250
Whitfield · CT16
Holiday Inn Dover
Hotels
Hotel at Whitfield on the edge of Dover with a garden gazebo for ceremonies and a large permanent marquee seating 350–400, marketed for Asian weddings; 2026–2028 packages published.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 400
Wingham · CT3
The Dog at Wingham
Restaurants and bars
13th-century village inn in Wingham with rooms, licensed for ceremonies in its conservatory and garden; sit-down meals for about 55 or buffet parties for 100, with bespoke rather than packaged weddings.
Ceremony up to 80 · Reception up to 100
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Thanet: Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate
17 venues, 15 licensed. Thanet’s register office is Aberdeen House in Ramsgate. Almost every venue here is on or near the sea, from Dreamland’s 1920s ballroom to The House at Ramsgate above the Royal Harbour. Quex House and Chapel House Estate are the country options. Pierremont Hall in Broadstairs is listed, but its website appeared compromised when we checked, so we have not linked it. Fort Road Hotel and The Botany Bay Hotel are reception-only.
Birchington · CT7
Quex House
Country houses
A Regency mansion in the 250-acre Quex Park estate, with ceremonies in the oak-panelled house or a garden gazebo; the estate also lists a tipi and a small barn for weddings.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 120
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Birchington · CT7
Smugglers
Restaurants and bars
A listed 17th-century restaurant on Canterbury Road with a function room and a licensed garden gazebo; larger receptions use a marquee in the grounds.
Ceremony up to 100 · Reception up to 200
Birchington · CT7
The Minnis Bay
Restaurants and bars
A Shepherd Neame seafront pub at Minnis Bay with a first-floor function room and private bar overlooking the coast; its own site now promotes it mainly for receptions.
Ceremony up to 40 · Reception up to 60
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Broadstairs · CT10
Pierremont Hall
Historic buildings
A Georgian former council building in Pierremont Park, Broadstairs, with ceremonies in the chandeliered Council Chamber Hall or a small listed Music Room; self-catered with outside caterers. Its website appears to be compromised, so we have not linked it; contact the venue through Thanet or Broadstairs listings.
Ceremony up to 70 · Reception up to 100
Broadstairs · CT10
The Botany Bay Hotel
Hotels
A Shepherd Neame hotel above Botany Bay at Kingsgate with 30 bedrooms; its Kingsgate Suite takes up to 100 guests for wedding receptions, with a smaller Club Room.
Reception up to 100 · 30 bedrooms
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Broadstairs · CT10
The Pavilion
Restaurants and bars
A Thorley Taverns venue on the sand at Viking Bay, with a staged main hall, veranda, conservatory and beach-bar garden that can be combined for larger parties.
Ceremony up to 200 · Reception up to 300
Broadstairs · CT10
The Yarrow
Hotels
A Victorian hotel on Ramsgate Road run by the EKC Group, with a purpose-built Alfred Yarrow Room opening onto its own garden and patio, plus a spa and salon.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 180
Margate · CT9
Dreamland
Something different
Margate's restored seaside amusement park, offering ceremonies and parties in its 1920s ballroom, with rides and a roller disco available as extras.
Ceremony up to 250
Margate · CT9
Fort Road Hotel
Hotels
A 14-room boutique hotel near Margate harbour offering whole-hotel exclusivity for weddings, with a subterranean bar, The Vault, used for post-ceremony parties and a roof terrace.
14 bedrooms
Margate · CT9
No. 42 by GuestHouse, Margate
Hotels
A design-led Regency townhouse hotel on Margate's seafront with its Pearly Cow restaurant and a rooftop; weddings are either day hire of the restaurant or whole-hotel takeover of all 21 rooms.
Ceremony up to 45 · Reception up to 100 · 21 bedrooms
Venue website for No. 42 by GuestHouse, Margate (opens in a new tab)
Margate · CT9
Turner Contemporary
Museums and galleries
David Chipperfield's seafront gallery, with ceremonies in the sea-facing Foyle Rooms or Clore Studio and drinks on a beachfront terrace; spaces are hired exclusively with approved caterers.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 250
Minster-in-Thanet · CT12
Chapel House Estate
Barns
A 35-acre private estate on Thorne Hill near Minster, with ceremonies in a restored malt granary or an apple orchard and receptions in Thorne Barn; on-site lodges, cottages and the Grade II-listed Chapel House sleep up to 38 guests. Open-fire Courtyard Kitchen added for 2026.
Ceremony up to 150 · Reception up to 200
Ramsgate · CT11
The House at Ramsgate
Hotels
A Grade II Georgian hotel of 1791 above Ramsgate's Royal Harbour, taken on an exclusive-use basis with 14 bedrooms and a double-height dining hall; formerly Albion House.
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 120 · 14 bedrooms
Venue website for The House at Ramsgate (opens in a new tab)
Ramsgate · CT11
The Pegwell Bay Hotel
Hotels
A clifftop hotel above Pegwell Bay with two licensed suites and a licensed seaside gazebo on its decking. Venue hire packages from £1,450 (2025, per venue).
Ceremony up to 120 · Reception up to 100
Venue website for The Pegwell Bay Hotel (opens in a new tab)
Westgate-on-Sea · CT8
Finbar's
Restaurants and bars
A promenade restaurant on West Bay, Westgate, recently licensed for ceremonies and offered for exclusive wedding hire, with west-facing sunset views over the beach.
Ceremony up to 60 · Reception up to 60
Westgate-on-Sea · CT8
The St Mildred's Bay
Restaurants and bars
A relaxed beachfront restaurant at St Mildred's Bay with floor-to-ceiling windows and a sunset terrace, both used for ceremonies; furniture and décor are fixed as-is.
Ceremony up to 85 · Reception up to 200
Westgate-on-Sea · CT8
The Swan
Restaurants and bars
A pub by West Bay whose sea-view West Bay Suite with private bar hosts indoor ceremonies, buffet receptions and evening parties under one roof.
Ceremony up to 170 · Reception up to 170
Medway: Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham
14 venues, including all 13 on Medway Council’s licensed list. The register office is on Northgate in Rochester, a short walk from the castle and cathedral, and the council also runs Eastgate House, the Guildhall Museum and The Rochester Corn Exchange. Both Eastgate House and the Guildhall Museum are ceremony-only and had licence renewals in progress in October 2026, so check before you book. Chatham’s Historic Dockyard and Fort Amherst give naval and military history, and Gillingham Golf Club hosts receptions only.
Chatham · ME5
Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa
Hotels
Spa hotel by the Bridgewood roundabout near the M2, with a garden gazebo for outdoor ceremonies, room for up to 200 wedding guests and 100 bedrooms. Wedding brochures are published for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Reception up to 200 · 100 bedrooms
Venue website for Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa (opens in a new tab)
Chatham
Fort Amherst
Historic buildings
Napoleonic fortress above Chatham run by a heritage trust, with vows in the vaulted Grand Magazine or the hilltop Spur Battery amphitheatre and 20 acres of grounds and tunnels for photographs. From £4,995 for a 50-guest Monday to Thursday twilight wedding (2027, per venue).
Ceremony up to 125 · Reception up to 100
Chatham · ME4
Hms Gannet (The Historic Dockyard Chatham)
Something different
Victorian sloop preserved in dry dock at the Historic Dockyard, still listed by Medway Council as a ceremony venue. The Dockyard's current wedding pages concentrate on the Commissioner's House, and the latest Gannet wedding story it publishes dates from 2020.
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Venue website for HMS Gannet (The Historic Dockyard Chatham) (opens in a new tab)
Chatham · ME5
Holiday Inn Rochester – Chatham
Hotels
Chain hotel near the M2 at Chatham with the Dehavilland banqueting suite (80 for the wedding breakfast, 150 in the evening), a patio and 104 bedrooms; it also offers self-catered multicultural weddings. Twilight from £2,099 for 50 guests (2026, per venue).
Reception up to 150 · 104 bedrooms
Venue website for Holiday Inn Rochester – Chatham (opens in a new tab)
Chatham · ME5
Lordswood Leisure Centre
Sports clubs
Leisure centre in Lordswood with three function suites, the largest (the Grand Quee Suite) a silk-lined room for up to 500, plus a garden marquee for ceremonies of up to 75. It actively markets African, Asian and Indian functions and holds a wedding fayre in November 2026.
Ceremony up to 75 · Reception up to 500
Venue website for Lordswood Leisure Centre (opens in a new tab)
Chatham · ME4
The Commissioner's House (The Historic Dockyard Chatham)
Historic buildings
Restored Georgian residence and gardens inside the Historic Dockyard, newly reopened for weddings with an open-air terrace or indoor ceremony, a ballroom and a dressing room; hired exclusively for 15 to 200 guests. There are no bedrooms, but packages include transport to a local hotel.
Reception up to 200
Venue website for The Commissioner's House (The Historic Dockyard Chatham) (opens in a new tab)
Cooling · ME3
Cooling Castle Barn
Barns
Group of barns beside the ruins of Cooling Castle on the Hoo Peninsula, hosting one wedding a day with an indoor ceremony barn, a licensed outdoor pavilion and 15 en-suite bedrooms in the stables. From £7,800 (2028 packages, per venue).
Ceremony up to 160 · Reception up to 250 · 15 bedrooms
Gillingham · ME7
Gillingham Golf Club
Golf and country clubs
Members' golf club clubhouse in Gillingham offering its function hall, bar and terrace for wedding receptions of up to 200 (150 seated), with menus and a booking form online. It does not say it is licensed for ceremonies.
Reception up to 200
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Rochester · ME1
Eastgate House
Historic buildings
Grade I listed Elizabethan town house on Rochester High Street, run by Medway Council, with an oak-panelled ceremony room; ceremonies only, no receptions. Its licence runs to 1 December 2026 and a renewal application was posted by the council in October 2026.
Ceremony up to 40
Rochester · ME1
Medway Register Office
Something different
The register office on Northgate, a short walk from Rochester Castle and Cathedral, with a six-person Statutory Room and a Library Room for up to 50 guests; ceremony only, licensed to June 2027.
Ceremony up to 50
Venue website for Medway Register Office (opens in a new tab)
Rochester · ME1
The George Vaults
Restaurants and bars
Bar and restaurant on Rochester High Street built over a 14th-century vaulted undercroft, licensed for ceremonies of up to 70 guests with in-house wedding breakfast and evening packages. No dated wedding information was found on its site.
Ceremony up to 70
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Rochester · ME1
The Guildhall Museum
Museums and galleries
Council museum in Rochester's 1687 Guildhall, holding ceremonies only in its top-floor chamber with painted plaster ceilings (70 seated plus 20 standing; not wheelchair accessible). The council page gives the licence as running to 1 September 2026, and a renewal application was open for objections until 23 October 2026.
Ceremony up to 90
We couldn’t confirm its current wedding offer: check with the venue.
Rochester
The Rochester Corn Exchange
Banqueting halls
Council-owned 18th-century hall on Rochester High Street, hired exclusively, with the chandeliered Queens Hall (up to 270 at a banquet, 300 without a meal) and the smaller Princes Hall (80 ceremony-style), both licensed. Approved caterers include African, Indian and Korean specialists; packages are published for April 2026 to March 2029.
Reception up to 300
Venue website for The Rochester Corn Exchange (opens in a new tab)
Rochester · ME1
The Vines of Rochester
Historic buildings
Boutique venue in the Old Archdeaconry within Rochester's cathedral precincts, hired exclusively, with civil ceremonies in a Nordic tipi in the garden and up to 120 evening guests. Its bedrooms page lists 8 rooms in the house and 5 in the garden (other pages give 11 or 12). From £6,500 (2026, per venue).
Reception up to 120 · 13 bedrooms
Venue website for The Vines of Rochester (opens in a new tab)
Getting married in East Kent and Medway
Two separate registration services
Kent County Council runs civil ceremonies across Kent under the name A Kentish Ceremony. At an approved venue, the venue’s events team books the registrars on KCC’s system and the local team then contacts you. From 12 October 2026 to 31 March 2029, KCC charges £640 Monday to Friday and £840 at weekends and bank holidays, plus an £85 booking fee (KCC fees).
Medway Council is a separate service with its own fees: a £60 booking fee, then £490 Monday to Friday or £590 at weekends and bank holidays at an approved venue. Its page gives no year for these fees, so ask for a quote.
The register offices
- Canterbury: Wellington House, St Stephens Road, CT2 7RD. The Study seats 10 (Monday to Thursday only) and the Drawing Room 25. KCC charges £330 for its small rooms on weekdays, and £490 weekdays or £650 at weekends for mid-size rooms such as the Drawing Room, plus the £85 booking fee.
- Ramsgate: Aberdeen House, 68 Ellington Road, CT11 9ST. The Pugin Room seats 8 and the Augustine Suite 25, at the same small and mid-room rates.
- Sittingbourne Library: basic registration only, for up to 10 guests, £156 on Thursdays and £200 on Saturdays (2026/27).
- Medway Register Office: Northgate, Rochester ME1 1LS. A Statutory Room for up to 6 people including the couple (£62) and a Library Room for up to 50 guests (£200 weekdays, £250 weekends, plus £60), per Medway Council.
KCC’s other offices are at Maidstone, Dartford, Tunbridge Wells and Bexley; Margate and Folkestone are no longer on the list. A KCC basic registration with up to four guests costs £62.
Giving notice
You give notice where you live, not where you marry, at least 29 days before the ceremony, and then have 12 months to marry. It costs £46.50 per person, or £63 if referred to the Home Office, when the wait can stretch to 70 days. In Kent, partners who are not British or Irish nationals must give notice at Canterbury, Bexley, Dartford, Maidstone, Ramsgate or Tunbridge Wells (KCC legal requirements). Medway residents give notice at Medway Register Office through an online form, with a call back within five working days, and Medway asks that your date and venue are booked first. A London couple marrying here gives notice in their own borough.
Outdoor, reception-only and religious weddings
KCC accepts outdoor ceremonies in gazebos, structures or outside areas during British Summer Time, usually the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October; outside those dates they need the Kent Registration Service’s consent. The venue must keep a licensed room ready, and registration staff make the final weather call (KCC booking terms). We could not find Medway’s published outdoor rules, so ask its registrars.
At a reception-only venue, you marry at a register office or licensed venue first, then travel on. Religious weddings take place at a registered place of worship; for a Church of England wedding, banns or a common licence usually replace civil notice, and cathedrals can have their own arrangements, so ask early. Our guide to planning a wedding in Kent sets out the full timeline.
Photographs and film at East Kent venues
This advice is about types of venue, from our side of the camera, not about any one venue.
- Barns are darker than they look. Low beams and small windows mean the light falls off fast once you are a few metres inside. Ask to open the big doors for the ceremony, and put the top table where daylight reaches it.
- The coast is bright, windy and changeable. Sea light is harsh at midday and lovely late in the day. At Westgate, two beachfront venues market their sunset views. Wind affects veils and ceremony sound, so we put a small recorder on the officiant for any outdoor vows.
- Castles and listed buildings have house rules. Expect limits on confetti, candles, fixings and sometimes flash. Ask at your first viewing and pass the rules to your photographer.
- Drones near Dover. The Port of Dover’s regulations create a restricted flying zone over much of the town centre, the port, the White Cliffs, South Foreland and the nearby sea, and the National Trust allows no drones on its land there. Commercial photography on the Trust’s White Cliffs land needs a contract agreed in advance (National Trust). See drone wedding filming rules.
- Big halls need sound and light planning. In a room for 300 to 500, we take a feed from the DJ’s desk for speeches and ask for some white light over the stage, because coloured lighting turns skin tones orange or purple. More in filming wedding speeches.
- Plan around sunset. East Kent’s sunsets come a few minutes earlier than London’s, where the sun sets around 21:20 in late June and around 15:50 in mid-December. In winter, a ceremony around 13:00 leaves time for daylight portraits. See our golden hour guide.
- Always have a rain plan. Even in the driest months, about one day in four has measurable rain at London Heathrow (Met Office 1991 to 2020 averages). Glasshouses, orangeries, covered aisles and barn doorways make the best wet-weather portrait spots. See rainy wedding day photos.
Travel and logistics
From Beckenham, Canterbury is about 57 miles, around 1 hour 15 minutes without traffic; allow more on a Saturday and for the coast beyond. None of these districts is inside London’s ULEZ, though journeys from London start inside it, and guests from Essex pay the Dart Charge, £3.50 a crossing by car between 6am and 10pm. By train, high-speed services run from London St Pancras to Ashford International; a journey of about 38 minutes is often quoted, but check the timetable for your date. Ask rural venues about parking, coach drop-off and taxis, and check the last trains home for your date, since weekend engineering works can replace trains with buses. Our guide to wedding transport in London, Kent and Surrey has more.
Your questions, answered
How many wedding venues are there in East Kent?
Our guide lists 121 venues across East Kent and Medway: 17 in Canterbury, 19 in Ashford, 17 in Swale, 15 in Folkestone and Hythe, 22 in Dover, 17 in Thanet and 14 in Medway. 115 are licensed for ceremonies and six host receptions only.
Is Medway part of Kent for weddings?
Not for registration. Medway Council runs its own register office in Rochester, with its own fees, notice appointments and 13 licensed venues. If your venue is in Medway, book the registrars with Medway; if you live in Medway, give notice there.
Can you get married outdoors in Kent?
Yes, at a licensed venue with an approved outdoor space: 72 venues in this guide offer one. KCC accepts outdoor ceremonies during British Summer Time, and outside it only with the Kent Registration Service’s consent. The venue must keep an indoor licensed room ready in case of rain.
Can you get married on the beach in Kent?
Not on the open beach for a civil ceremony, which must be held at a licensed venue. Several licensed venues sit on or by the beach, such as The Pavilion at Viking Bay, The St Mildred’s Bay and The Pegwell Bay Hotel’s seaside gazebo, and The Beacon House on Tankerton beach.
Which East Kent venues take 200 or more guests?
The largest are Lordswood Leisure Centre in Chatham (500), Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone (450 in the Grand Hall), Holiday Inn Dover (350 to 400), Ashford International Hotel and The Harty Estate (350 each), and The Rochester Corn Exchange, The BarnYard, The Pavilion in Broadstairs, Shepherd Neame Brewery, Bluebirds, Westgate Hall and The Castle Westenhanger (300 each). Many more take 200 to 250 in the evening.
What is the cheapest way to get married in East Kent?
A basic registration costs £62 with KCC (up to four guests) or in Medway’s Statutory Room (six people including the couple), plus £46.50 each for notice. For a small ceremony with guests, Faversham’s Guildhall publishes hire from £300 (2025 to 26, per town council), and The Pegwell Bay Hotel’s packages start from £1,450 (2025, per venue). Check current fees before you plan.
Which East Kent venues have rooms for guests?
The big hotels have the most: Ashford International Hotel (179), Holiday Inn Rochester – Chatham (104), Bridgewood Manor (100) and ABode Canterbury (72). Among exclusive-use venues, Elmley Nature Reserve sleeps 42 to 112, The Harty Estate up to 75 and Chapel House Estate up to 38. Ask each for numbers on your date.
Weddings across Kent
We photograph and film weddings across Kent from our studio in Beckenham. See our pages for a Kent wedding photographer and filmmaker and a Canterbury wedding photographer. Before you book, read register offices, notice and timings in Kent, our castle and barn venue article and small wedding venues in London and Kent. For other areas, start at our wedding venue guides, including west Kent.
Venue details change. We reviewed this guide on 22 October 2026; please confirm dates, prices and capacities with the venue. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
