Kent Brides?

? Hi! I'm a Kent bride! Whereabouts are you?

Have you got a date set yet?

We've booked Chilston Park Hotel in Lenham for the whole package, on 23rd May 2014. We couldn't quite afford the exclusive use of the whole hotel, but they can only cater for 2 weddings per day, one in the main manor house, and one in the coach house, so we'll be separate from anyone else. Plus we get 23 bedrooms included in the price. Other places we considered were Gore Farm in Upchurch and Commissioners House in Chatham.

At the moment, we only have venue and photographer booked. We are having Emma-Kate Photography - she is so lovely! It depends on what your budget is really! Cake is one of the next things on my list!

Hi Cinnamonfairy...

Wow, oh wow... Chilston Park is the place I keep going back to, but it is so expensive! we were looking at the coach house package, but even on a Friday its so much. And because we have a lot of children coming it would either need to be in the holidays or on a weekend.

I am ever so slightly jealous lol We are going to look at Chilston on Sunday I think as they have an open afternoon.

I am near Greenhithe (Bluewater Shopping Centre)

x

To be honest, Chilston was the one for me before I even went to look at it. Driving up the drive was what sealed it for me! It's beautiful!

We're doing a Friday, just because it cut the cost down by £3500. But we're not having children during the day, so that wasn't really a problem. We also just sneaked in getting a date before the prices go up again for the weekends in June! Are you looking for a whole day package, or just for reception?

I live in Greenhithe (new flats behind Asda)! ?

Ha, we live fairly close. I live more towards Northfleet, near the football ground there, but I tell people Bluewater as most people know where it is lol

Oh wow, I have a horrible feeling I am going to fall in love with this place! My other half has 2 children, so we really cant exclude children as a whole, and I have a horrible feeling its going to be a battle with his ex over everything anyway, so to keep the peace, its half terms etc. But I guess that wont be too much of a problem as schools have so many!!

Can I be really cheeky and ask how many people you are having to the day etc.? We are only looking for a wedding breakfast/reception. So far the rough guestlist is 82 adults, 15 children for the day and then another 48 people in the evening... eeeek! It is only rough.

Also, can I ask what package you went for, was it the coach house one?

Thanks

Amy

x

I know Northfleet well. My grandparents live there!

We have gone for the coach house package, with the ceremony in the orangery. We're having 60 to the day (though OH wants to pay the extra to have up to 70), and another 40 in the evening. You can only get 70 in the coach house for a sit down meal, so you might have a bit of a problem with that. However I think the fitzhammond suite in the main manor house holds more people. And it is a lovely room!

Because we're having the accommodation in with our package, that hikes the price up a bit, so there is a little bit of wiggle room in terms of cutting the cost down, if you were just going to go for the price per head option - i think its the regency package?

I really hope that you like it when you go to visit. The wedding co-ordinators are lovely. They sat with us for well over an hour going through all the questions we had, and talking about budgets. So try and snag one to talk to if you can!

I know Cinnamon has already mentioned her but I definitely recommend Emma-Kate. Her stuff is lovely, as is she. https://emma-katephotography.com/

Hi

I am a kent bride, we are getting married at Brandshatch Place in May 2013, same group as Chilston Park. Fell in love with it when I went ( before we were even engaged!) and we booked it the day after proposal :-)

We are using Chriss Deller as photographer - a recommendation from a local friend. I am struggling with florist but will keep you posted!

Happy venue hunting

xx

Im very excited about going on Sunday. I think we could probably cut our numbers down a bit, but it is so hard. Both our families are quite large. I know a number of mine wont come (due to health and living far away), but I can discount them from the numbers, because they would be upset at not receiving an invite. Who knew so many minefields!

I am far too excited. I think it will make more sense to see somewhere and have a chat about the packages etc. It might be that a different one would be better for us. Who knows ? I think I have just figured out a date I would like as well... But i need to speak with OH first...

Could be another 2014 wedding at Chilston Park ?

Ooo I will have a look at that website, thank you

xxx

? Hi CarMungeam!

Brandshatch Place looks lovely. It was on our list to view, but as most of our families live further towards Maidstone, Chilston Park made more sense! How far along with wedding planning are you?

ACS - keep us posted on how it goes on Sunday!

Hi everyone

CarMungeam my hair dresser is getting married there. It looks gorgeous.

I'm a Kent bride in that I'm getting married at Bickley Manor in Kent, I actually live in Surrey but 5 minutes away from my parents who are in Kent (so I'm on the border). We are using 1 and 1 photography, https://www.1and1photography.co.uk/, who travel for no extra charge and seem very reasonable. Fingers crossed!

My mum makes wedding cakes and is doing mine which cut down the cost quite a bit!

Bluewater are apparently having a wedding show soon which I want to get tickets for. Just in case you girls were interested

K x

Karenanne229, your venue looks lovely!

You're so lucky to have a mum that does wedding cakes! I asked my nan to make me one, and she said she wouldn't touch it with a barge pole!

I've seen that Bluewater are having their wedding fair again. They are advertising 2 for 1 tickets with the code AW13 (i think!), but they are still £10 a ticket. I'm a little bit loathed to pay when there are so many free wedding fairs!

I've already registered for the one in Detling in October!

I know, it annoys me too but I can only hope they'll have some good people there. I went to one at my venue a few months back and it was really good but most of the people there were wedding invitation designers...which I didn't really need!

I keep trying to look for ones in the local area but haven't seen many :o(

K x

Hi everyone, I am a Kent bride - we are getting married at Allington Castle in Maidstone (not a typical wedding venue, as they don't really advertise etc but it is so so stunning!)

I can highly recommend David Fenwick as a photographer - he photographed my sister's wedding and we adored the photographs so we are having him for our wedding too

David Fenwick is very good and anyone using Chilston Park or Brandshatch Place will be looked after very well. (Based on experience / word of mouth).

Being originally from Ashford I'm never in Kent as much as I'd like to be!

Hi,

I'm a Kent Bride, we are getting married on 22nd December 2012 in Chilham near Canterbury. We are having 'Complete Photography' as we loved his photos and they offer a huge discount for out of seasons weddings.

Rachel xx

Hi CarMungeam

I like the look of Brands Hatch Place too... its closer for us and our family... might have to rethink that one lol

We went to a wedding fair on the spare of the moment last year (before we were even engaged) and it was lovely xx

Thanks for the tip re: the wedding fair, I might drag my best friend along with me, with the promise of a cocktail after lol

I guess £10 is a fair bit, but if it only works out at £5 each, then I dont think its that bad.

David Fenwick I have heard of. I might have a quick look

I live in Northfleet. Im getting married at St Botolphs Church at the top of the hill by the old war memorial, Its a lovely church. Weve then got our reception at the Boathouse at Danson Park so a short car drive down the A2.

We looked at Brandshatch Place but it was too big for us and also looked at Knowle Country House, which was amazing but out of our budget.

xx

My florist is Danny Watchorn, he has won awards and is not stupid prices.

http://freelancedesignerflorist.com/

My cake maker is from Bexleyheath and her website

http://www.yoursweetcakes.co.uk/Sweet_Cakes/Welcome.html

And Photographer is Steve at

http://www.funkyfeetphotography.com/

Have a look, the cake maker also made my sisters cake 2 years ago, the florist has done about 4 other people i knows flowers and Tog is my mums friends husband he is amazing.

Hope this also helps.

x

Hi Kyz23

Wow, that church is litereally 5 mins walk from me, and I love it. Its so beautiful. Congrats!

I thought the Boat House would be super expensive so didnt even look, its lovely though.

Thanks for the recommendations, I will make a note of them

x

I'm a Kent bride too! We're getting married at Bromley Registry Office and our reception is at The Plough in Hildenborough. We've booked Eternal Dreams (Peter on this forum) as our tog, I'm making my own wedding cake and got silk flowers from Ebay so can't really help you with other suppliers!

I went to a wedding fair at Bluewater in Feb and got told by some of the exhibitors that it's one of the biggest ones in the country, and there was certainly lots there. Just after I booked my tickets I found out that some of the suppliers have codes for free tickets so I'd recommend looking at the suppliers list and going on their website to see if you can get free tickets. If it's 2 for 1, it'd say it's worth £5 each though.

? kent brides!

Thought I would jump in here and introduce myself if you don't mind!?

I'm an airbrush makeup artist based nr bluewater but travel throughout kent, if you are looking to keep costs down I'm currently offering free bridal trials and as i'm building up my portfolio i'm offering discounted rates for on the day makeup too. I've been in the makeup industry for around 9 years and love bridal!

Please email me if anyone would like a free trial..

**************@*****.**.**

Thanks Jade x

Hi

I'm originally from kent.

Here are a few venues in the kent area that i am familiar with but not sure if any are what you are looking for/in your price bracket.

Eltham palace /visit/venue-hire/wedding/eltham-palace/

Acacia Hall http://www.acaciahall.co.uk/

Oakwood House http://www.oakwoodhousehotel.co.uk/

Leeds castle https://www.leeds-castle.com/land.php

Cooling castle https://www.coolingcastlebarn.com/

Kent life https://kentlife.org.uk/venue-hire/weddings/

Tudor Marriott /hotels/travel/tdmgs-tudor-park-marriott-hotel-and-country-club/

Great Danes Hotel

https://www.mercuremaidstone.co.uk/wedding-menus-packages.html

Turkey Mill https://turkeymill.co.uk/

Thanks all

Hi Jade... ooooo if only I had a date I would definitely send you an email.

I'm a Kent Bride too!

We're getting hitched at Eastwell Manor in Ashford (www.eastwellmanor.co.uk) this October and we are using Elliott Photography (http://www.elliottphotography.co.uk/home), Cakes by Kim (www.cakesbykim.co.uk) and Thanetian Events (www.thanetianevents.co.uk) to cover the relevant parts of our day.

xx

Thanks, Yea its 5 min walk from our flat so its perfect really. TBH the boathouse wasnt too expensive, it depends on what yo go for package wise. what i loved was that they organise chair covers balloons centre pieces everything so its easier lol.

That's really good, re: the Boathouse.

Hmmmm... as per my previous post (That's put a dampener on it...) Planning has suddenly ground to a halt, whilst we save and OH decides the time is right for the romantic gesture of a proposal ?

x

Hi ACS

Read your "bit of dampener" post and rang a few bells, we decided on the place 4 months before enagaged and I was getting frustrated things werent progressing, including a trip to Paris with no proposal, then month of saying lets book the venue, lets go and choose a ring etc and me getting irate with saying "you have to ask me first!" in the end he did and becuase we were flexible on date it was all fine, we had wanted March but am very happy with may :-)

Good luck and dont let it get you down

xx

Awww thank you. To be honest, the more I think about it, the more I realise how much pressure I was putting on him and myself. Yes we need to save money, but we should save anyway, and if the money "happens" to be for a wedding, brilliant.

Honestly, I spent 10 mins with someone today, who has badgered the man they "love" into all sorts of things, and it made me realise I dont want to be like that.

I even text OH just now and said basically above.

I think we will be fine, I just need to concentrate on saving and not on what its for/proposal etc.

xx

Well... we went to the wedding open day at Chilston Park Hotel, even though we arent "planning" etc. and to be honest, we didnt really feel like it was us.

It was quite dissapointing, but quite nice in a way too. I knew that I wouldnt be as upset about not being able to book a date, so that's good. Just means that now we will wait until officially engaged to look into possible venues

x

I'm not too clued up on reception venues but I know that a lot of hotels in the area do deals for under 100 people, especially during midweek or on a Sunday as other posters have mentioned. A lot of them are open to negotiation as well so it's worth asking lots of questions.

Why is it that the majority of spammers tend to be video or photo.