Why Bore Place Rocks for Fun, Outdoorsy Weddings

If you're the kind of couple who just wants to laugh all day, eat good food, dance like lunatics, and not stress about the "proper" way to do a wedding, you're going to love Bore Place in Chiddingstone. It's basically a giant countryside playground where you can throw the rulebook out the window and party your way into married life.

This isn't your stiff, fancy stately home kind of venue. It's an organic working farm out in the Kent countryside, with barns, fields, gardens, and so much space to play with. Translation: you can run around barefoot, fill the place with colour, set up lawn games, throw a BBQ, or turn a barn into a full-on rave, and all of it works here.

It's for couples who want their wedding to feel like a big, joyful weekend away with friends, rather than a serious, formal event.

The Wedding Day Vibes

The wedding I shot here this summer was absolutely unreal. The couple basically said, "we just want everyone to have fun," and Bore Place delivered on that in every way. There was laughter echoing across the gardens, some seriously competitive lawn games (someone may or may not have taken the space hoppers a little too seriously), and the whole day wrapped up with a line dance, everyone in sequined cowboy hats and all.

Oh, and I have to mention this: their 9-month-old cockapoo puppy was the ring bearer. They actually trained him up for the job, and he nailed it, trotting down the aisle and delivering the rings like a fluffy little professional. Everyone absolutely melted. More puppies at weddings, please.

The barns were full of colour, the speeches had everyone in stitches, and once the barn dance kicked off, the dance floor turned into a sweaty, glittery, glorious mess of happiness.

A Quick Tip About the Ceremony Arbour

If you're planning to say your vows under the gorgeous wooden arbour at Bore Place and the sun decides to make an appearance, here's a little insider tip: stand a touch further under the arch than feels natural. Otherwise you'll end up with dappled light, those patches of shadow and bright sun, falling across your faces, which makes for tricky, unflattering photos. Move back just a smidge, and you'll be beautifully even-lit while still keeping that dreamy garden backdrop behind you.

Golden Hour Goodness

Let's talk about golden hour at Bore Place, because it's worth planning your timeline around. You have to make the pilgrimage up to the fields. Up there, the light turns soft and magical and the whole landscape seems to glow, and it's the perfect excuse to sneak away from the party for ten minutes with your new husband, wife, or partner-in-crime. We wandered up the hill together, the couple giggling like teenagers the whole way, and those photos ended up being some of my favourites I've ever taken.

Should You Get Married at Bore Place?

If you're the kind of couple who:

• Likes the idea of your wedding feeling like a festival or a weekend away with your mates
• Wants barns, fields, and plenty of space to make the day entirely your own
• Cares more about fun, food, and dancing than napkin colours

...then yes, Bore Place might just be your dream venue.

If you're planning a Bore Place wedding, or any fun, laid-back day in Kent, I'd love to be there with my camera, capturing the belly laughs, the dodgy dance moves, the adorable puppies, and all the in-between moments that make it your wedding.

From the Couple Themselves

Here's what Sasha and Johnny had to say about their day:

"Our wedding brought all the end of summer rustic vibes, filled with Sasha's favourite flower, sunflowers. We tried to be very true to ourselves in everything we planned for our big day, it was important to us that our wedding felt 'authentically us'. Family was also at the heart of our choices, making sure our parents and siblings all had something special to contribute and be part of.

Food was really important to us, and we're thrilled with the menu we put together with our caterers. We love wedding breakfasts and hoped everyone at ours would see it as a highlight too, with great food and everyone actually listening to the speeches.

Sasha is a big fan of forced fun, so we scattered activities throughout the day to bring in laughter, including space hoppers, silly games, and a group-led barn dance in the evening, complete with cowboy hats.

With a day full of so much life and laughter planned, Anna was the obvious choice for us, since she captures such an essence of fun and colour in her photos. We wanted some nice, smiling photos, but the ones we knew we'd love most were the candid ones.

To every couple planning their wedding, we'd say: make every single choice your own. It's your day, no one else's. Be unapologetically you."

dream team