Question 1

What capacity do you need for a large wedding in Kent?

Accepted Answer

Large weddings typically range from 150-350+ guests. When choosing a large wedding venue, ensure it can accommodate your ceremony and reception comfortably without feeling empty or cramped. At Salomons Estate, The Theatre accommodates up to 200 for seated ceremonies and wedding breakfasts, while marquee options on the grounds can host 300+ guests. Consider also whether the venue has multiple spaces to avoid all 200+ guests in one room all day.

Question 2

What makes a good large wedding venue?

Accepted Answer

Essential features for large weddings: Adequate ceremony space (don't squeeze 200 into a room for 150), large reception areas with good acoustics and sightlines, substantial parking (1 space per 2-3 guests minimum), professional AV equipment for speeches/entertainment, commercial kitchens to cater at scale, and ideally on-site accommodation. At 36 acres with parking for 150+ cars and accommodation for 110, Salomons has the infrastructure to handle large celebrations comfortably.

Question 3

How much parking do large wedding venues need?

Accepted Answer

For a 200-guest wedding, aim for 75-100 parking spaces (assuming couples and families share cars). For 300 guests, 120-150 spaces. Insufficient parking creates stress and delays. Salomons Estate offers parking for 150+ cars, eliminating parking concerns even for the largest weddings. Always ask venues: How many spaces? Are they on-site or remote? Is parking free? Are spaces clearly marked?

Question 4

Can Kent venues accommodate 300+ guest weddings?

Accepted Answer

Yes, though options are more limited than for smaller weddings. Salomons Estate can accommodate 300+ using marquee options on the 36-acre grounds. Leeds Castle accommodates up to 300 in castle spaces. Some venues offer large capacity but lack infrastructure - check parking, toilets, catering facilities. For 300+ guests, marquees or multiple interconnected spaces are often necessary. Always visit and envision your numbers in the space before booking.

Question 5

Is on-site accommodation available at large wedding venues?

Accepted Answer

Accommodation capacity varies significantly. For large weddings, substantial on-site accommodation is valuable as it's challenging to arrange 200+ guests at nearby hotels. Salomons Estate offers the highest capacity in Kent with 110+ bed spaces (47 bedrooms + 6 cottages), allowing key family and friends to stay on-site. Some large venues have 20-40 beds; others have none. Prioritise immediate family and those travelling furthest for on-site rooms, and research overflow hotels nearby.

Question 6

How do you manage large guest lists at wedding venues?

Accepted Answer

Large weddings require careful planning: Create clear timelines and communicate them to guests. Use assigned seating to avoid chaos. Ensure adequate bar/food stations to avoid queues (rule of thumb: 1 bar per 100 guests). Plan traffic flow - how will 200 people move from ceremony to drinks to dinner? At Salomons, our experienced coordinators help manage large guest logistics, from parking direction to efficient room turnover between ceremony and reception.

Question 7

What catering considerations exist for large weddings?

Accepted Answer

Large-scale catering requires professional facilities. Confirm the venue has commercial kitchens with capacity to prepare and serve 200+ meals simultaneously. Ask about service style - plated meals take longer than buffets for large numbers. Ensure adequate waiting staff (1 server per 20-30 guests). Check whether the venue has in-house catering scaled for large events or if they rely on external caterers. Salomons' in-house catering team regularly handles weddings of 200+ with multiple course menus.

Question 8

Are large wedding venues more expensive in Kent?

Accepted Answer

Per-head costs often decrease with guest count as fixed costs (venue hire, DJ, flowers) spread across more people. However, total cost increases with guest numbers. Venue hire for large-capacity spaces may cost more, and food/drink scales linearly. Budget approximately: £70-100 per person for all-inclusive packages at mid-range venues, £100-150 at premium venues. Always ask about minimum spend requirements - some large venues require minimums of £20,000-£30,000 for peak dates.

Venue	Max Capacity	Parking	Accommodation
Salomons Estate	350 guests	150+ spaces	110+ guests
Leeds Castle	300 guests	Large car park	29 bedrooms
Hever Castle	250 guests	On-site parking	28 bedrooms
Eastwell Manor	200 guests	Hotel car park	62 bedrooms
Chilston Park	180 guests	On-site parking	53 bedrooms

Large Wedding Venuesin Kent

Planning a Large Wedding in Kent

Essential Infrastructure for Large Weddings

Adequate Parking

Commercial Kitchens

Acoustics & AV

Experienced Staff

Salomons Estate: Built for Grand Celebrations

Why Salomons Excels at Large Weddings

Multiple Spaces for Flow

Accommodation for 110

36 Acres Absorb Numbers

Experienced Team

Kent Large Wedding Venues Compared

Frequently Asked Questions

Plan Your Grand Celebration at Salomons Estate