Destination Wedding Venue in South East England

Warm, thoughtfully designed spaces to gather, rest and celebrate within are nestled in the wild landscapes. And with uninterrupted time, celebrations unfold slowly.

A private setting on an island within a 3,300‑acre nature reserve, Elmley is an exclusive-use multi‑day wedding destination where couples take over the landscape, stay together on site, and celebrate at their own pace - just over an hour from London.

Elmley is for Elmley is for couples who want to gather everyone they love and for a few days - their celebrations shaped by vast skies, wild landscapes and beautifully comfortable spaces. For a wedding where time slows, phones quieten, and the celebrations becomes a shared experience rather than a single day.

Crossing onto the island is the moment everything slows down. Guests once your guests arrive, there’s nowhere else to be.

A place that feels wild and far‑flung, yet surprisingly simple to reach, Elmley offers the atmosphere of a remote destination wedding with the ease of being just over an hour from London.

• Central London - 50 miles or just under an hour on the High Speed train
• International London Airports: London City - 46 miles, London Gatwick - 54 miles, London Heathrow 54 miles
• Close to M25 (20 miles) and major motorways, M2, M20

Elmley's wild landscapes are softened by quietly luxurious accommodation. The deeply comfortable spaces allow guest to luxuriously immerse themselves in nature and your wedding celebrations.

Gathered around the heritage buildings of Kingshill Farm, our accommodation sits just a few minutes’ walk apart. Your guests can truly be together here, sharing slow mornings and long evenings, while still retreating to warm, indulgent and private spaces of their own. Unlike many UK destination venues, where everyone stays under one roof, Elmley offers a rare balance: separate houses, cabins and rooms that give families, groups and couples their own space, yet keep everyone close enough to gather effortlessly.

Everything is provided so your guests can fully settle in:

• High‑quality linens and towels
• Luxury VERDEN bath products
• Well‑equipped kitchen spaces
• Superfast Wi‑Fi
• All food and drink easily arranged through Elmley

At Elmley, we want you to feel as though you’ve found a home for a few precious days - a place to gather your favourite people and settle into the gentle rhythm of the landscape. This is the heart of a destination wedding here: time to arrive, breathe, reconnect and simply be together, surrounded by sky, water and wide‑open space.

To make that possible, our team is with you from the beginning. We host only a small number of weddings each year so will dedicate personal time to you as a couple. We draw on over twelve years of experience hosting weddings to guide you through the planning in a way that feels personal, flexible and entirely unique to you. Nothing here is off‑the‑shelf; everything is shaped around your vision, your style and the way you want your celebration to feel.

Across the weekend, our warm, calm and experienced team take care of every detail behind the scenes so you can relax fully into your time at Elmley. It will feel like staying with friends: relaxed and friendly, yet beautifully organised, without any fuss or formality.

One of the joys of a destination wedding at Elmley is the time and space to simply be in the landscape. Days unfold gently here. Time stretches.

Wander the wide open reserve on quiet walks, start the morning with a wild swim, or pause to soak in the endless views — sky meeting water, light shifting across the marsh. Gather your guests for games on the grass - rounders, cricket, croquet or whatever becomes the weekend’s favourite before drifting into the evening around the fire pits, wrapped in conversation and firelight.

Mornings are unhurried. Evenings soften into warmth and glow. Allow your guests to enjoy the incredible nature and the rare feeling of being truly away together.

A destination wedding at Elmley isn’t only about the celebration itself, it’s about the days around it, filled with gentle adventures and moments that root you and your deeper into this extraordinary landscape.

Set out on a guided wildlife and birdwatching safari, exploring the reserve alongside one of our knowledgeable team members who’ll help you spot the seasonal arrivals, migratory birds and the quiet daily life of the marsh. It’s also a beautiful way to hear a little of Elmley’s own history - the stories of Kingshill Farm, the island’s heritage, and how this landscape has been shaped over centuries.

For something truly memorable, take to the water on a sailing trip aboard a historic Thames barge. Drifting along the estuary offers a completely different perspective on Elmley’s wide skies and shifting light - peaceful, rhythmic, timeless.

Back on land, gather with your guests for a Kentish wine tasting, sampling local vineyards and discovering how the unique coastal climate shapes each bottle. Slow, social and delicious, it’s a wonderful way to settle into the weekend.

And for those who want to start the morning softly, our yoga sessions in the studio space offer exactly that - calm breath, warm light, and views that make you feel as though the landscape is part of the practice. Or sink deeper into relaxation with wellbeing treatments — massage, facials or restorative therapies designed to help you and your guests fully unwind during your stay.

These experiences turn a wedding into a weekend - one held gently by nature, filled with the kind of memories that linger long after everyone goes home.

Food is a central part of a destination wedding at Elmley, not just the wedding day feast, but the gentle rhythm of meals shared together across your whole stay. From your welcome night to the final morning, we look after you and your guests completely, while ensuring every element still feels personal to you.

Begin your celebrations with a relaxed wood‑fired pizza party under festoon lights, served by Elmley’s own in‑house chef, the perfect way to welcome everyone to their home for the next few days. Mornings can unfold softly with a continental breakfast or simple ingredients enjoyed in your accommodation kitchens, perhaps after a walk or an early dip in the pond.

On the wedding day itself, your food becomes part of your story. Elmley works with a carefully curated group of caterers who specialise in everything from vibrant shared feasts to elegant dining and theatrical open‑fire cooking. These trusted teams craft bespoke menus and look after your guests seamlessly from ceremony to late‑night snacks, creating food that feels joyful, abundant and completely your own.

Our trusted caterers champion ingredients from right here in Kent so your menu can where you are. Kent isn’t called the Garden of England for nothing: its fertile soils, orchards and vineyards make it one of the country’s leading regions for outstanding local produce and English sparkling wine. — think grass‑fed local beef, seasonal vegetables and herbs picked at their best, and Whitstable oysters from sustainable, PGI‑protected beds, served by roaming shuckers for a joyful, coastal nod to your location. If you’re pouring English fizz or pairing local wines, nearby estates from the Wine Garden of England offer tours and bottles your guests will love - a delicious way to extend the destination feel into your glasses.

There’s no corkage on your daytime drinks, so you can serve the wines or sparkling you love, exactly as you choose. And as evening settles, enjoy cocktails beneath the Linhay before the Elmley Bar opens for a relaxed, celebratory night under the stars.

The morning after, we host a generous grazing breakfast in Kingshill Barn for all staying guests — the perfect way to relive the celebration and spend a little longer with the people you love.

At Elmley, food isn’t just catering; it’s a warm thread woven through the whole experience, helping your wedding weekend feel relaxed, cared for, and completely unforgettable.

For guests travelling from across the UK or overseas, Elmley is a beautiful base for exploring the very best of Kent. Just beyond the reserve lie historic towns, dramatic coastlines and world‑famous cultural landmarks.

Begin in Greenwich, where time itself was set, home to the Prime Meridian and the world’s largest maritime museum. Venture south to Dover Castle, England’s mighty clifftop fortress with medieval towers and extraordinary WWII tunnels beneath the White Cliffs. Or wander the lakes, gardens and 900 years of history at Leeds Castle, often described as the loveliest in the world.

Kent is known as the Garden of England, dotted with vineyards producing some of the country’s most celebrated English sparkling wines. Nearby estates such as Balfour, Westwell and our favourite, Gusbourne welcome visitors for tastings among the vines.

For seaside charm, guests can head to Whitstable, famous for its oysters—grown on historic beds with protected status - and its relaxed harbour culture.

Closer still, the Isle of Sheppey holds a remarkable story as the birthplace of British aviation, now told at the Eastchurch Aviation Museum.

And for those drawn to long views and ancient footsteps, the Kent Downs offer quiet walking routes along the Pilgrims’ Way, following the same landscapes Chaucer’s travellers crossed on their journey to Canterbury Cathedral, one of Europe’s great pilgrim destinations.

Elmley offers the rare chance to host a destination wedding while staying within easy reach of some of England’s most iconic places - perfect for guests to turn a wedding weekend into a truly memorable trip.

Choosing Elmley for your destination wedding means choosing a place where celebration and conservation live side by side. The reserve has been restored to nature over the past forty years, transforming former farmland into a thriving wetland habitat now recognised internationally for its birdlife and biodiversity. Weddings here aren’t just held in a beautiful landscape, they help protect one.

Elmley is also entirely off‑grid, powered by advanced solar and battery storage technology. Your entire wedding can run on clean, renewable solar energy, something truly unique in the UK. Celebrate under wide skies, knowing the sun itself is powering your day.

We’re proud to work with local suppliers who share our ethos. Our caterers champion produce from the Garden of England, including grass‑fed local beef and seasonal ingredients grown just a few miles from the reserve. You might welcome guests with Whitstable oysters, served by roaming oyster shuckers sourcing from sustainable, protected beds. Florists we love work with seasonal, often locally grown flowers from nearby farms, keeping arrangements natural, low‑impact and beautifully in tune with the landscape.

At Elmley, sustainability isn’t an add‑on, it’s woven into the place itself. By choosing the reserve, you’re choosing a wedding that cares for the land, supports local communities, and leaves a gentle footprint on the world.

• How close is Elmley to London?
  Just over an hour, or 50 miles; easy for UK and international guests.
• Is Elmley exclusive‑use?
  Yes — the estate is yours for multiple days; we host a small number of weddings each year.
• Can I have a wedding weekend at Elmley?
  Yes, weddings at Elmley are from Friday to Sunday exclusive hire, you can extend this if you wish for additional days of celebrations. We only hold a small number of bespoke weddings each year. You can also have multi day weddings mid week and over bank holidays.
• Is the wedding sustainable / renewable‑powered?
  Elmley is off‑grid with advanced solar and battery storage; your wedding can be fully renewable‑powered.
• Can we serve local food?
  Yes. Caterers champion Garden of England produce including Whitstable oysters, with no daytime corkage
• Is there a corkage fee?
  There is no daytime corkage charge