Your Kent Wedding - November/December 2024 (Issue 117)

FESTIVE CHEER Chilston Park Hotel in Lenham, Kent, is a luxurious place to stay for those wanting to experience a classic British country house during the festive season. Perfect for pre-wedding breaks and minimoons, the hotel is encouraging couples to use the festive season to escape the everyday. The venue’s Christmas package includes settling into your home away from home before indulging in a cream tea sharing platter on Christmas Eve. The Black Tie evening will start with a delicious champagne cocktail and canapés, followed by a three-course dinner and fireworks. On Christmas Day, start with a light breakfast and Buck’s Fizz before spending the morning at your leisure. Join the team at 1pm for champagne and canapés followed by a six-course lunch with wine pairing. An evening buffet will be served later on. Lastly, for Boxing Day, rise to a hearty breakfast and a late checkout or extend your stay and have a cream tea lunch and a glass of champagne before a delicious buffet dinner to complete the festivities. Visit www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/chilstonpark to find out more. SAY ‘I DO’ Oad St Weddings is a family-owned and run wedding venue in Sittingbourne, Kent, that’s now offering a Twilight Wedding Package. Twilight weddings are an ideal option for those who desire a more casual feel to their day. With a ceremony in the early evening hours, followed by a hand-crafted luxury grazing table and party all night, you can be sure your guests will receive the starlit treatment at Oad St Weddings. “Working to suit customer needs for the last 30 years, we pride ourselves on the quality and warmth of service, creating those unforgettable memories for you to cherish,” says the team at Oad St Weddings. “The venue is situated in rural countryside, with great links to the M2, M20 and Thanet, making us easy to reach but yet feeling like you’re a million miles away. Our venue is surrounded by agricultural land, creating the perfect backdrop for those captured memories.” Discover more about the package at www.oadstweddings.com STAR QUALITY Martin Fox-Roberts, a celebrant based in Beckenham, runs Proud Fox Ceremonies who recently featured on Married at First Sight UK, marrying couple Ross and Sacha. Martin has also been announced as a finalist at the Quirky Wedding Awards – congratulations! Martin tells us more about his company: “I’m proud of being a former theatre manager, dealing with large events and putting the customer’s experience at the centre of the proceedings. I embrace, respect and honour people’s lifestyles, beliefs, customs and cultures, which is what enriches our lives and the lives we celebrate. I’m proud to be drag queen, ‘Maria Hurtz’, a Drag Idol Semi-Finalist and QX Magazine Awards nominee for Best Drag Act and Best Comedy Act. So if you’re looking for a drag themed or a cabaret themed ceremony, I can officiate your wedding as Maria Hurtz! I’m proud to be a fully qualified and registered NRCPD British Sign Language Interpreter, so I can officiate ceremonies for deaf couples or CODAS (Children of Deaf Adults) in their first language without them having to rely on using an interpreter. I can also provide British Sign Language Interpreting Services for your ceremony.” Head over to www.proudfoxceremonies.com for more information. REST AND RELAXATION Enjoy a relaxing break in the Kentish countryside at the enchanting Leeds Castle near Maidstone. Visitors can stroll through the beautiful gardens, experience the serene beauty of the surrounding lakes and landscape, and discover over 900 years of fascinating history. Leeds Castle offers a selection of accommodation, from lodges and cottages to cosy bed and breakfast stays – perfect for couples, families and groups. To add to the experience, overnight stays also include exclusive access once the gates have been closed to day visitors. Leeds Castle’s newest accommodation, its luxury Lakeside Lodges, provide an exclusive escape for couples seeking a serene getaway surrounded by nature, making it ideal for a romantic break for two. Accessed via a private walkway that meanders through the captivating Lady Baillie Mediterranean Garden Terraces, the luxury Lakeside Lodges offer an outdoor sleek black bathtub on a private deck overlooking the expansive Great Water, where guests can have a relaxing soak while watching the wildlife flitting among the trees and gliding along the misty water. Check out www.leeds-castle.com for more information. www.willfullerphotography.com 10

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