VENUES
When you ’ re looking for your future wedding venue , what are you considering ? Aesthetic ? Definitely . Capacity to celebrate with all of your loved ones ? Of course . But what about star status ?
Some of Kent ’ s best-loved wedding venues aren ’ t just known for their stunning grounds and enchanting ceremonial spaces though . Many also have links to famous faces , both past and present .
Read on to discover which of the county ’ s wedding venues have star appeal …
Hever Castle Hever Castle is probably best known for its rich 600 year history , including being the childhood home to Anne Boleyn , the second wife of King Henry VIII .
But , in 1998 it also played host to TV and broadcast star Gloria Hunniford ’ s wedding celebrations .
Wr it te n I n The Stars
Tie The Knot In One Of These Kent Venues With Famous Connections
Gloria , who ’ s best known for BBC ’ s Rip Off Britain and appearing as a Loose Women panelist , chose to marry at Hever after her late daughter tied the knot in the village ’ s church seven years previously .
Speaking fondly of her wedding at Hever Castle , Gloria told Hello ! Magazine last year :
“ The castle , so unlike other castles , which can be barren and big . Hever has something special . You can almost pretend – and dream – that you could live there .”
Included on the star-studded guest list of Hunniford ’ s wedding 26 years ago were the likes of Sir Cliff Richard , Esther Rantzen , Anthea Turner and Barbara Windsor .
Chiddingstone Castle Chiddingstone Castle is a grade II listed historic house dating back to the Tudor era . In the 19th century it was remodelled to resemble a medieval castle . It has been owned and lived in by an eclectic mix of people : the Streatfeild family , Lord Astor , military forces during WWII , Long Dene School and the collector Denys Eyre Bower .
But , it ’ s also been a wedding venue for hundreds of couples – including TV and radio host Dermot O ’ Leary .
Dermot and his wife Dee wed in 2012 , and theirs was a celebrity-packed celebration , with the likes of James Corden and Bear Grylls in attendance , along with radio hosts Lauren Laverne and Gemma Cairney and TV star Holly Willoughby .
Hever Castle
Penshurst Place Dating back to the 14th Century , Penshurst Place was once owned by King Henry VIII , who used it as a hunting lodge . He would visit his friend and kinsman of the Sidneys , Charles Brandon , Earl of Suffolk , whilst courting Anne Boleyn , his second wife and future Queen , whose family owned nearby Hever Castle .
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