Italian Garden Weddings

  • Kent Wedding
  • Hever Castle Venue Hire Italian Gardens Wedding Breakfast

Italian Garden Weddings

An Italian Garden Wedding is hosted in the stunning surrounds of the beautiful gardens at Hever, utilising the lakeside ‘Loggia’ for a ceremony and The Guthrie Pavilion for the wedding breakfast and evening reception. It is, therefore, a magnificent area of the gardens, designed to display William Waldorf Astor’s fine collection of Italian sculpture.

Summer months see the Award Winning Italian Garden come to life. Afternoon wedding ceremonies take place under the beautiful arched columns of the Italian Loggia overlooking the 38 acre lake. This magical lakeside location can also include your drinks reception where guests can take in the views from the stone piazza, complete with our very own Trevi fountain.

Afterwards, guests take a short walk under the flower-clad terraces and through the rose gardens, on route to The Guthrie Pavilion for a wedding breakfast at 6.30pm. Extensively refurbished in Palladian style, The Guthrie Pavilion offers vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling arched windows. This provides a light and airy atmosphere from day into night without losing the romantic backdrop. The Guthrie Pavilion accommodates up to 180 for a wedding breakfast and an additional 40 guests for the evening reception. 

Availability for an Italian Garden wedding

The Loggia is available for a ceremony at 4.30pm between April and October excluding the school summer holidays. The Guthrie Pavilion is available all year round from 6.30pm for receptions again excluding school holidays. There are certain days throughout the year when The Guthrie Pavilion can be available before 6.30pm. This includes when the Estate is closed to the public or when The Guthrie Pavilion is not open as part of the Day Visitor experience, which we are happy to discuss further with you.

Please note we request a minimum number of either 80 or 100 guests for an Italian Garden Wedding depending on when the wedding is held.

  • I just wanted to say thank you for all your help and for being my wedding planner....

    I just wanted to say thank you for all your help and for being my wedding planner- you were absolutely fantastic and so reliable and patient with all my questions! We had the best day ever, were so happy all throughout the day, just a shame it went so quickly! And the weather held!! I've got brilliant memories now to look back on and I am so happy that I had my wedding at Hever.

    Naomi & Mark, July

  • Firstly a huge thank you to yourself, Chris and the team who helped make our wedding day so wonderful....

    Firstly a huge thank you to yourself, Chris and the team who helped make our wedding day so wonderful. We loved every second and everything was beautiful. I definitely had my dream wedding.

    Sam & James, 16th June

  • First of all thank you for everything you did for Kathy and myself on the 5th, we had the perfect day....

    First of all thank you for everything you did for Kathy and myself on the 5th, we had the perfect day. We were amazed by how smoothly everything went, and how well organised ever part was, it was fantastic. We got the video back on the weekend so we got to live it all over again! Thank you again for everything.

    Howard & Kathy, April

  • We would like to say thank you for helping us to arrange such an amazing wedding last Friday! ...

    We would like to say thank you for helping us to arrange such an amazing wedding last Friday! We both felt that every aspect of the day had been taken care of and we were looked after well. Can you please also pass on our thanks to Chris - he did a fantastic job making sure the day went smoothly. Thanks again for an excellent job!

    Alex and Jon, June

  • My husband and I (!!) would like to say the biggest thank you for a day that exceeded every expectation and dream that we had. ...

    My husband and I (!!) would like to say the biggest thank you for a day that exceeded every expectation and dream that we had.
    You have made the entire experience from start to finish so easy and you have done it with care and consideration from the unusual and difficult start!

    We are still pinching ourselves over how perfect the day was, in every way, from the accommodation to the food, our guests haven't stopped telling us how impressed they were and how faultless you all were. (Especially the lamb!!)

    Thank you again for making it a day to remember and we cannot wait for the photos and video to come back so we can relive every moment.

    With so much gratitude,

    Mr and Mrs Farrimond

    Suzy & Alexander, July 2015

  • My husband and I need to thank you so much for helping to make our daughter Amber's wedding to William on 13th September a very special and memorable day....

    My husband and I need to thank you so much for helping to make our daughter Amber's wedding to William on 13th September a very special and memorable day.
    Everything went very smooth, as you said it would, due to your very efficient, silver service staff who were exceptional and very professional in every way.
    Our guests just couldn't praise your staff enough, The Venue is so beautiful and with the help of your recommendation of Kenny the photographer the photos look absolutely spectacular and even though the weather wasn't brilliant he managed to get the most amazing shots.
    Thank you again Sarah, for all your hard work in helping to make this day so special.
    Love
    Linda and James Waters.

    Linda & James September 2015

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Fireworks can also be arranged for an Italian Garden wedding. Guests can gather on the lower terrace of The Loggia to watch a spectacular display over the lake to music.

We have a selection of Saturday dates in 2020 that are still available.

FAQs and information

our wedding brochure

2020 wedding rates

2021 wedding rates

Photo credits

1st & 3rd image: Teri Vincent Photography
2nd & 7th image: Rebecca Claire Photography
4th image: Clare Randell Photography
5th image: Catherine Hill Photography

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Accommodation

For an Italian Garden Wedding, there are nine beautiful bedrooms in the Anne Boleyn Wing if required, an Edwardian wing of the castle, some rooms offering stunning views across Anne Boleyn’s orchard and the castle. We do request that if you are requiring bedrooms that all nine are booked by yourselves at the time you confirm your wedding with us and these will be incorporated into your booking contract. Check in time is 3pm on the day of arrival and transportation will need to be arranged in advance to take guests to and from The Anne Boleyn Wing, which we are happy to help with.

Catering

The stunning location in the heart of the Garden of England is complemented by a varied menu which offers a choice of seasonal dishes, produced by our own highly acclaimed and talented team of chefs. Using only fresh, and when possible, local produce, our menu’s offer an eclectic array of dishes complementing most tastes. We believe that your guests’ enjoyment of our food is fundamental to the success of your event and should you have any specific requirements, our Chef would be happy to discuss them with you and create your perfect menu.

Wedding Types