The Secret Garden – A Romantic Wedding Venue in Kent Filled With Charm Hidden within the picturesque Mersham Le Hatch Estate in Ashford , The Secret Garden is one of Kent’s most enchanting wedding venues. Family-owned and full of character, this beautiful garden venue offers couples a romantic, tranquil, and unforgettable setting for their wedding day. With its peaceful walled gardens, unique ceremony spaces, and warm, personal service, it’s the perfect choice for couples searching for a Kent wedding venue that feels both intimate and magical. Wedding Ceremony & Reception Spaces The Secret Garden offers a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces ideal for garden weddings , intimate ceremonies , and larger celebrations: The Chapel – Licensed for Up to 90 Guests A stunning ceremony space with charming courtyard views. Perfect for those seeking a romantic indoor wedding venue in Kent. The Glass House – A Unique Greenhouse Venue This vintage glasshouse hosts ceremonies for up to 40 guests and intimate dining for 28. Flooded with natural light, it’s a popular choice for couples looking for a unique wedding venue in Kent with rustic elegance. Outdoor Ceremony Say “I do” in the beautiful walled gardens , under the wisteria covered wooden Gazebo – perfect for couples dreaming of an outdoor wedding venue in Kent . The Main Coach House Restored in 2006 and full of charm, this space hosts wedding breakfasts for up to 90 guests and evening receptions for 130. With doors opening onto the Victorian gardens, it’s ideal for relaxed, romantic celebrations. Delicious Wedding Catering in Kent Food lovers will adore the dining options at The Secret Garden. The in-house culinary team creates unforgettable menus using quality ingredients, offering: Elegant three-course A La Carte menus A flavourful Kentish BBQ A generous, sharing-style Feasting Menu Charming Afternoon Tea weddings Evening catering includes wood-fired pizzas, soft tacos filled with slow-cooked meats, grazing tables, and much more — ensuring every guest finds something they love. All-Inclusive Wedding Packages for a Stress-Free Day The Secret Garden provides all-inclusive wedding packages designed to make planning simple and enjoyable. Couples benefit from: Expert wedding planning support Access to online wedding planning tools Full set-up and table styling on the day A wide range of included décor and rental items (linens, Chivari chairs, tables, glassware, china, cake stands, easels & more) Complimentary vintage garden games for fun photo moments and guest entertainment The dedicated team ensures every detail is taken care of, helping you create the wedding day you’ve always imagined. A Beautiful Wedding Venue in Kent for Couples Who Want Something Truly Special From intimate ceremonies in the Glass House to garden celebrations and romantic receptions in the Coach House, The Secret Garden offers endless possibilities for a truly personalised wedding day. Its enchanting setting, outstanding food, and warm, attentive service make it one of the most sought-after wedding venues in Ashford and across Kent .
Gallery
Styles & facilities
Pub or restaurant
Unusual weddings
Historic
Woodland and festival
In the country
Unique weddings
Outdoor license
Civil ceremony licence
Chapel or temple on-site
Wedding coordinator
Accessible facilities
Corkage option
DJ facilities
Live band facilities
Changing room for wedding guests
Exclusive use
Evening reception facilities
Alcohol licence
In-house catering
Car parking
Seated meal facilities
Orangery on site
Dance floor
Buffet meal facilities
Pet-friendly
Confetti permitted
Entertainment licence
Reviews
5.0(82)5/5 from 82 couple reviews
5/5 review
RubieAugust 2026
5.0
We had the most incredible intimate wedding here and I genuinely cannot stop raving about this venue to everyone I know. At this point I’m recommending it as if it’s my job! From the very beginning right through to the moment we left on our wedding night, we genuinely could not have asked for more. The setting is absolutely beautiful - so beautiful that my father-in-law was taking photos of everything because he wants to use it as inspiration for his own garden! My mum couldn’t stop comparing the courtyard to Hampton Court Palace! It really is one of those places where every inch of the space feels special. The staff were honestly exceptional. They were so helpful, attentive, caring and completely on it without ever making us feel overwhelmed or like we had to think about anything. We were able to actually ENJOY our wedding rather than spending the day hosting and worrying about things, which is something I’m so grateful for. We felt like guests at our own wedding. Being able to get ready in the Potting Shed that morning was such an incredible bonus. It was beautiful, relaxed and felt so special. The breakfast platter the team prepared for us was such a lovely touch. Throughout the morning, the staff popped in to check everything was okay and even right before I walked down the aisle, they were there smoothing my dress, telling me where to go and making sure everything was perfect. Every single detail was handled so seamlessly. And the FOOD. Honestly… I don’t even know where to begin. It was absolutely to die for! We had multiple guests tell us it was the best wedding food they had ever had - including one guest who is a chef! Everyone was genuinely blown away. My husband is also an incredibly picky eater and the team went completely above and beyond by creating him his own dish that wasn’t even on the menu. That level of care was just incredible. Nothing was ever too much trouble. The staff were so lovely and accommodating of my 7 year old niece, even offering to make her own bowl of chips during the canapes. Those little moments really summed up the whole experience. They even took care of cutting our wedding cake and serving it with tea and coffee and then wrapped everything up beautifully for us to take home. The day before the wedding, we were able to drop off our decorations and the team set everything up for us, which meant we could arrive on the actual day without having to worry about a thing. And honestly, the value for money is just unbelievable. We still cannot quite believe what we got for the price we paid. The quality of the setting, food, service and attention to detail was honestly phenomenal, and we feel so incredibly lucky that we chose this venue. Every single one of our guests has been raving about it since the wedding - the venue, the food, the staff, absolutely everything. If you are considering getting married here, BOOK IT. I genuinely cannot recommend it highly enough. We had the most perfect day, and this venue play
5/5 review
JessApril 2026
5.0
We got married at the Secret Garden in March 2026, and had the most wonderful experience. The venue was beautiful and had such a relaxed and romantic atmosphere that was perfect for celebrating with our closest family and friends. The team were incredibly friendly, helpful, and supportive throughout the whole process. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and they made sure everything ran smoothly on the day. A special thank you to Amy, our wedding coordinator on the day, as well as Alisha, who supported us throughout the whole process, who both went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfec
5/5 review
NatalieFebruary 2026
5.0
If you can’t decide where to get married stop here this place is the one. The food is the best wedding food I have ever eaten and the staff work above and beyond. They are a dream team who know their craft , i cannot explain how seamless my day was and I didn’t have to worry about a thing! E
5/5 review
ChananNovember 2025
5.0
From the moment we had a look around The Secret Garden, we fell in love. In fact, The Secret Garden was the one and only venue we looked at. We knew it had everything we needed, and Alisha and Amy were both very welcoming from the very beginning. The regular meetings we had beforehand were all worthwhile and allowed us to bottom out the finer details, especially as we only had c.4 months to plan it all! Even if we needed questions answering at short notice, Alisha (our co-ordinator) was always quick to respond and gave us the answers we needed. The day itself was perfect. It was Easter Saturday and we couldn't have asked for a better day, even the weather was on our side.. I'm sure Alisha had a hand in that somehow! Mas, who was front of house - and everything else on the day - was brilliant. Alisha and Mas made sure the day ran smoothly, and we didn't need to prompt them to do anything at all. It made the day feel very relaxed and calm as they had everything under control. They are a well-oiled machine at The Secret Garden! The food was also amazing. We went for canapes after the ceremony and pizza at the end of the night. Both were great choices and everything was cooked and presented perfectly. There are also plenty of choices for vegetarians, vegans etc. We had lots of children at our wedding and, again, the games/toys/sweets on offer to keep them entertained was exactly what we needed to keep plenty of children occupied all day! Top tip - hire a bouncy castle too, definitely tires the children out! We couldn't have picked a better venue and team to help prepare and host our wedding. I would genuinely (and have done already) recommend The Secret Garden to anyone wanting
5/5 review
OliviaNovember 2025
5.0
We had our beautiful winter wedding yesterday and I’m on cloud nine! We booked our wedding with only 10 months notice due to a family illness. Secret Garden were so gentle and kind when it came to drop outs and adding extras, were patient with me and my million requests, and on the day they couldn’t hav
5/5 review
DanielleAugust 2025
5.0
We went for an intimate wedding with a total of 14 guests including ourselves as the Bride and Groom. The atmosphere was perfect: calm, relaxed, beautiful. The ladies that work behind the scenes to ensure your day goes exactly as planned are just so lovely and helpful. Amy and Alisha are just so personable and clearly know what they're doing! We left instructions on how to set up our decorations, and they were able to set it all up on the most beautiful way. The gardens were perfectly manicured, and we had free rein over the venue for our photo shoots. They also provide lovely little garden games which was a hit with our 6 year old son as well as the older guests. We opted for an afternoon tea rather than a traditional wedding breakfast. The chef and porter staff were amazing- everyone commented on how the food was so delicious. We were all so happy we could also take left over food home in little food boxes. The Secret Garden staff are so professional, taking the stress out of the day and
5/5 review
RhianNovember 2024
5.0
We got married at The Secret Garden yesterday and it was flawlessly executed by the staff there. There was always someone on hand to help with any and all questions before the wedding and even allowed me to remove 3 guests, add 4 more and completely change the seating chart 3 days before the wedding with zero complaint and even a positive tone. Yesterday was one of the best experiences of my life, all of the staff there were so friendly and welcoming. I would recommend this venue to anyone
5/5 review
ClareNovember 2024
5.0
The Secret Gardens were the only venue we looked at for our intimate wedding and it was simply perfection. We were in control the whole time for the wedding planning process, kept in contact with Amy and Alisha regarding any questions, allergy updates for guests and the organising, they were amazing. For the wedding day, we had a certain idea for the layout and they exceeded expectations. We got married in the glasshouse and took my breath away when I walked in. Every guest said how they felt well cared for throughout the day by the girls and bar team. My husband and myself felt we didn't
5/5 review
Amy S.August 2024
5.0
From the moment we enquired with The Secret Garden, it was clear that their number one priority was that our wedding was exactly as we wanted. They couldn't have been more flexible, helpful and attentive. The day ran SO smoothly, we didn't have to worry about a thing, and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had the best day ever. Amy is an absolute legend!! The venue is absolutely stunning and our guests all commented on how beautiful the day was, and how chilled the vibe was. The food was unbelievably good, they cater for allergies and preference with ease, and the portions
5/5 review
SheriJuly 2024
5.0
We had an intimate wedding of 15 people in total in June 2024. The staff were wonderful and responsive - the decor was set up beautifully, the drinks and meals were so de
5/5 review
ClaireJuly 2024
5.0
Where do we start.... from the initial viewing to the day after our wedding. It was an amazing experience. Alisha was so helpful,
5/5 review
LaurenJuly 2024
5.0
From our first look around the secret garden we knew it was the wedding venue for us. All of the staff were so kind and welcoming. The secret garden has the most beautiful grounds with the option of an inside or outside wedding. Both options are absolutely stunning. Alisha our wedding coordinator couldn't have been more helpful in helping us planning our special day. She listened to everything that we wanted and made it all come to life with the help from the other staff. Everything ran so smoothly on the day and everyone commented how beautiful the venue was and how delicious the food was fo
5/5 review
HayleyMay 2024
5.0
The Secret Garden exceeded our expectations of o
5/5 review
CiannaMay 2024
5.0
Had my wedding here last month and it was unforgettable. The staff were lovely and a special thanks to Amy for helping us plan it and going above and beyond to make our day special. Even though the weather didn’t go our way and we had to move the ceremony inside, the team did everything in their power to make it special and for that, we couldn’t be more grateful. Food was absolutely amazing, exactly what we asked for and
5/5 review
SrebrenaFebruary 2024
5.0
From the moment we stepped into The Secret Garden for our wedding, we were met with an atmosphere of pure enchantment and elegance. The staff went above and beyond to ensure our special day was flawless, demonstrating a level of helpfulness and attentiveness that was truly remarkable. They anticipated our every need, making us feel completely at ease throughout the entire process. The venue itself was breathtakingly beautiful, presenting a perfect blend of natural beauty and sophisticated charm. Every corner of The Secret Garden was meticulously maintained, creating a magical backdrop for our ceremony and reception that our guests are still raving about. As for the food, it was nothing short of delicious. Each dish served was a testament to the venue's commitment to quality and excellence, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who had the pleasure of dining. The flavors were rich, the presentation was exquisite, and the overall dining experience was exceptional. Choosing The Secret Garden for our wedding venue was the best decision we could have made. It provided an unforgettable setting that captured the essence of our celebration perfectly. We are eternally grateful to the staff for their hard work and dedication, and we recommend The Secret Garden to any couple looking for a venue that offers beauty, elegance, and a team committed to making your wedding day as perfect as you’ve always imagined.
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