01The building,
The building,
and the licence
Exclusive use of your chosen space for the day, with the ceremony licence included. You can still legally marry here, up to 200 guests in The Arboretum.
Dry Hire Weddings in Kent
Your suppliers, our estateDry hire at
Dry hire at
The BarnYard
Venue hireOn request
The fee moves with the date, so we price each enquiry rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most of the year.
Hire The Arboretum, bring a specialist caterer and marry on site. Tables, chairs, setup, clear-down and a venue coordinator are included, and so is the ceremony licence. Dry hire dates open twelve months ahead.
Worth knowing early, because ours is narrower than most. Dry hire here exists for the cuisines our own kitchen does not cook, so an Indian or other ethnic caterer is welcome and western menus stay with us. The bar stays ours either way, and The Arboretum is the one space offered this way.
Where the line fallsWhat we cover,
What we cover,
and what stays yours
Tables and chairs
Our own furniture, set out to your floor plan before you arrive. No hire company to book, no van to meet, nothing to build.
Setup and clear-down
We prepare the space beforehand and clear it afterwards. You are not mopping a barn at one in the morning, which is the part most dry hire couples underestimate.
Bring a specialist
Dry hire exists here for the cuisines we do not cook. Bring an Indian or other ethnic caterer and we charge them nothing to be on site. Western menus stay with our own kitchen, because that is the part we already do well.
Drinks are ours
Our licensed bar runs every event on the estate, so drinks are bought from us. Outside alcohol is not permitted, and there is no corkage because there is nothing to cork.
Where the food comes fromWho cooks
Who cooks
on the day
Dream Days
Our main partner for Indian menus
- The Indian caterer we recommend first, and the one we work with most
- Full Indian menus, cooked on site
- Not compulsory, and not an exclusive arrangement
- Booked and paid directly with them, not through us
- No fee charged to them for being on site
Another specialist
Other ethnic caterers are welcome
- Bring a different Indian caterer, or another ethnic cuisine entirely
- Public liability insurance and food hygiene certification, as any venue would ask
- No fee charged to your caterer for being on site
- Talk to us early so we can plan their setup with them
- The main kitchen stays ours, so their working space is agreed in advance
Our kitchen
Western menus, and the reason dry hire is not needed for them
- Wedding breakfasts, BBQs, hog roasts and buffets, cooked on site
- The same kitchen team that runs the daytime restaurant
- Taste the food before you commit, any week of the year
- Western style food is not brought in from outside, because this covers it
- Priced per head on top of your venue hire
Worth thinking aboutDry hire, or
Dry hire, or
a full package
A hire fee always looks cheaper than a package on the first email, because it is a smaller number covering less. Sometimes it is still cheaper by the end. Often it is not. The only way to know is to price the whole day rather than the hire: food, drinks, staff, hire company, and the hours somebody has to spend arranging all of it.
Dry hire here is for one situation in particular: you want a menu our kitchen does not cook, usually an Indian or other ethnic wedding banquet, and you want the specialist who does it properly. If your day is a wedding breakfast or a BBQ, a package is very likely the cheaper and simpler answer. Our Traditional wedding is from £6,750 with canapés, the wedding breakfast, drinks and evening food included, and Twilight starts at £3,450 venue hire with catering priced separately.
Whichever way you go, every fee we charge is listed before you book. There is no cake cutting charge, no supplier fee, and no corkage. Everything Explained answers the awkward money questions in one place, and our honest guide to what a BarnYard wedding actually costs goes further still.
Good to know
Dry hire questions
Is The BarnYard a dry hire venue?
In a specific sense, yes. Within the next twelve months you can hire The Arboretum, bring a specialist caterer for an Indian or other ethnic menu, and marry on site, with tables, chairs, setup, clear-down and a venue coordinator included. It is not open dry hire: the bar stays ours, western food comes from our own kitchen, and The Arboretum is the only space offered this way.
Can we bring our own caterer?
For Indian and other ethnic cuisines, yes. Dream Days Catering is the partner we recommend first, and you are free to bring a different specialist instead. We ask to see public liability insurance and food hygiene certification, and we charge your caterer nothing to be on site. Western style food is not brought in, because our own kitchen covers it.
Can we bring our own alcohol on a dry hire?
No. Our licensed bar runs every event on the estate, so drinks are bought from us and outside alcohol is not permitted. There is no corkage charge because there is nothing to cork. This is the one part of a dry hire that works differently here to most venues, and it is worth knowing before you plan a budget around your own bar.
How far ahead can we book a dry hire?
Dry hire dates open twelve months out. If your date is further away than that, our all-inclusive packages are available now and you are welcome to ask again once your date comes inside the window.
What does the venue coordinator actually do?
They look after the building. Opening up, letting your suppliers in through the day and locking up at the end. They do not run your day or manage your caterer, so if you want somebody holding the timings and chasing suppliers, either appoint a planner or look at our all-inclusive packages, where our team does that.
Which spaces can be dry hired?
The Arboretum only. The Apple Barn, The Roost and The Rooster are not available on a dry hire basis, because catering in those spaces runs through our main kitchen and we do not give outside suppliers access to it.
Why is The Apple Barn not available for dry hire?
Catering in the Apple Barn runs through our main kitchen, and we do not let outside suppliers work in it. The Arboretum can be serviced without that, which is why it is the one space we offer on a dry hire basis. The Apple Barn is still available on any of our own packages.
Can we still get married on site?
Yes. The ceremony licence is included in the hire. The Arboretum is licensed for civil ceremonies of up to 200, and your ceremony is conducted by the Kent Registrars, whose fee is paid to them directly.
How much does dry hire cost?
The fee depends heavily on the date, so we quote it per enquiry rather than publish a single figure. Tell us your date and we will come back with a price. For comparison, our Traditional package starts at £6,750 all in, and Twilight venue hire starts at £3,450.
Weddings in these spaces
With love and excitement, The BarnYard FamilyRated 4.4 from over 970 Google reviewsA huge thank you to Kirstie and T for making our wedding day so special. Having viewed many venues, we chose The BarnYard for its wonderful atmosphere and charm, and knew we had found the perfect place. My makeup artist said the lighting in the Blossom dressing room was the best she has ever worked with, and it was reassuring that the Apple Barn could be used if the weather turned. Truly a hidden gem we cannot recommend highly enough.
We had a Twilight wedding at the Apple Barn in June. The barn itself is so beautiful with fairy lights throughout, and the courtyard is great for photos and for guests to mingle. Tscharna was our coordinator and could not have done more for us, calming any nerves and keeping everything running smoothly. We went for the evening BBQ and had lots of guests praising their meal. Would definitely recommend The BarnYard.
We had our wedding on the hottest day ever recorded for a May bank holiday. From our first visit, to booking, to the big day and afterwards, I have not got a single complaint. They were always on hand and no question was ever too much. All our guests commented on the staff, the beautiful setting and the food especially. We had literally the perfect day.
We had our wedding at the BarnYard in September and it was the most magical day, the perfect venue and setting for what we were after. We had so many compliments from guests on the venue being stunning, beautiful Kent countryside, gorgeous outside ceremony area and idyllic orchards.
Simply WOW. Such a beautiful and incredible venue. We had the Apple Barn for our ceremony and the pavilion for the breakfast and reception, and both were just truly amazing. All the staff went above and beyond, never rushed anyone, always helped where needed. Worth every single penny.
Thank you all so much for turning our dream wedding into reality. Our guests still rave about how incredible the day was and how breathtaking your venue is. We wouldn't change a single thing about it. Everything was beyond perfect, and we are forever grateful.
The service on the day was absolutely impeccable. The staff truly went above and beyond to help us achieve our dream, from extensive planning to helping me surprise my groom, helping me walk in my dress, and coordinating between the live pianist and our music. I truly wish we could do the whole thing again.
Fell in love with The BarnYard on our first viewing and knew it was 'The One'. We were shown around by the lovely Kirsty and she remained with us every step of the way, a touch that was really very special. Our twilight wedding in the Apple Barn was honestly magical.
01/08
With love and excitement
Come and see The BarnYard for yourself
The BarnYard truly has to be seen to be believed, especially once the sun sets and thousands of fairy lights bring the venue to life. Book a viewing with our wedding team.