The green, green grass of home Local venues blessed with glorious gardens LEEDS CASTLE 01622 767 877 | www.leeds-castle.com/weddings Leeds Castle rises majestically from the water in the glorious Kent countryside in Maidstone. It has a riveting history from serving six of England's Medieval queens, to its elaborate transformation into an elegant 20th-century retreat by Anglo-American heiress, Lady Baillie. Here, your wedding party is welcomed by architectural and interior excellence throughout the Castle, Maiden's Tower and Battel Hall, including 16th-century period design to original 1930s masterpieces. Ceremonies and celebrations can be held in the Castle with 100 guests for the “I dos” and wedding breakfast and 120 for the reception (or even up to 200 in the Fairfax Hall). Your banquet-style wedding breakfast will be served in the largest room, the Salon. This room was historically used by Lady Baillie, her esteemed guests of the silver screen, society's finest and leading influencers, as they partied the night away at lavish weekend soirees in the 1930s. Maiden's Tower can accommodate 80 for the ceremony and wedding breakfast, with space for 100 at the evening bash. A 16th-century stone building, this is a glamorous self-contained venue consisting of two function rooms with French doors leading onto a charming private garden and boasts five en-suite guest rooms. Built in the early 14th-century as a Medieval manor, Battel Hall is a fine and rare example of local Kentish architecture. Say “I do” in the beautiful ceremony room featuring rich wood panelling, before you move into the drawing room or library, both wonderfully traditional rooms for entertaining guests. An intimate venue, it can host 14 loved ones throughout the day. Upstairs, five luxurious en-suite guest bedrooms offer stunning views of the gardens, the far North Downs and glimpses of the Castle. The adjacent Grade II listed Battel Hall Oast offers a further bathroom and two bedrooms. If you wish to invite more guests in the evening, The Fairfax Barn offers more space if you're getting married in the Castle or Maiden's Tower. Here, there's room for 200 loved ones. It leads on to a large terrace where your guests can mingle on a fine evening. For weddings larger still, look towards the marquee option. Here you can invite more than 200 guests to celebrate with you on the Cedar Lawn with impressive views of the estate and Caste nestled amid the Moat. STEP BACK IN TIME Leeds Castle's mesmerising historical gardens and architectural landscapes are filled with beauty whatever the season. The Princess Alexandra Gardens are a mass of azaelas, while tall bamboo lends atmosphere to the Oriental Gardens. The Lady Baillie Mediterranean Garden Terraces are reminiscent of sun-drenched Europe. Particularly restful, it offers benches to view the Great Water and acres of parkland beyond. Finally, the fragrant Culpeper Gardens are filled with florals, hedges and herbaceous beds bringing a sense of tranquillity and often visited by local wildlife. GLORIOUS GARDENS 21
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