Hello from The Team at TOKB
We’re always wowed by props and venue styling. We love working with all companies for happy couples and happy days.
Meet The Team
If you have any questions, we’re always happy to help directly.
Coordinating Team
The coordinating team are responsible for managing weddings before and on the day.
Office Telephone: 01303 844 270
Email: events@theoldkentbarn.co.uk
Office Manager
Kerry oversees all wedding management and operations.
Office Telephone: 01303 844 270
Email: events@theoldkentbarn.co.uk
Planning
We love hearing about couple's plans and new ideas too.
Sometimes there’s questions that need answering when designing weddings, including measurements and timings.
Measurements
We’ve included quick links to common measurement requests. Please view the measurement information below, if the measurement you require is not there, please contact us directly.
Wedding Breakfast Table Sizes
Garden Ceremony
Barn Ceremony
Location
Couples will determine the location based on their plans.
For more information and measurement please visit Floor Plans and Dimensions guide here.
Virtual Tour
Our virtual tour software is helpful for exploring spaces remotely. The software includes a measurement tool for inside the New Barn if you’re looking for measurements not already provided.
Click here for Virtual Tour
Considerations
We recommend you’re familiar with the barn’s policies and further information below while planning and designing.
Beams
We ask if any florals and garlands are applied to beams using floral foam, we require you to use a clear backing such as cellophane to protect the beams. If any garlands are wet or contain water, we require these also to be backed. Water and floral foam stain the oak.
Dry/waxy foliage garlands (such as ruscus, olive and eucalyptus) work well without backing.
We cannot pin into any beams. You can use string, ribbon, or cable ties.
Above Top Tables
There is no beam above the top table.
You can string or fishing wire from beam to beam. Due to the width of the space, it often sags or bows. A taut rachet strap (covered) is a tested solution.
Alternatively, you’ll need to use over table display bars or table clamps.
Table Centres
We have some table centres such as log slice and mirror plates couples can use complimentary.
View items we have available here In-House Accessory Guide. Couples can request these via their planning portal. We’ll prepare these on the day before arrangements are applied to tables.
If you're providing mirrored centrepieces, we're happy to place these on the tables ourselves, we kindly ask they’re polished before placed on tables.
If you’re using moss on any tables, please advise the couple to request sticky back plastic is added by the morning team before you set up.
Multi Use Items
Top Table Arrangements
We’re very happy to move top table arrangements or sections from indoors to the registration table and return following.
Arrangements
These can be multi-purpose for the aisle (indoor and outdoor ceremonies) and also tables and other locations.
We’ll happily return arrangements from the ceremony area to other locations such as in front of the top table, top table, tables, in front of the cake table, foyer tables and foyer entrance.
Large Items
We cannot move large items such as canopy trees. It is possible to move some ceremony backdrops. This depends on the size and weight and ease to move.
If you are unsure, please call or email the team, we’re happy to help.
Working At Height
If you are installing at height, we require advance notice.
You must provide evidence of both working at height qualifications and insurance prior to the wedding and dated to cover the installation date.
We'll not be able to provide team members or any equipment, such as ladders or towers, this is not covered by our insurance.
If you’re planning to work at height, please call the team, we will chat through set up timings with you. We will ask at height work is installed early.
Any installations at height will also need to be removed, this will need to be removed either after midnight or early the following day.
Certification
The Old Kent Barn requires £5,000,000 public liability. This protects the barn and guests.
We require all electrical equipment, including any extension cords to have dated PAT testing.
All certifications must be valid for the date of event.
Contact
(usually 4 weeks prior)
Our couples have a helpful portal to store and log all their wedding notes, venue set up and wedding supplier details.
Once the couple has been allocated their coordinator, the coordinator will be in touch with you before the day to introduce themselves and send this information as a reminder. It maybe repetitive for frequent visitors, it’s always good to have a refresher.
We’ll prompt for any certification we require (if not already sent), or for frequent visitors on file.
When convenient for you, we would be grateful if you could please confirm your arrival time to set up on the day, a mobile number for the day and if you have any questions yourself, please do not hesitate to ask.
Arrival
Our address The Old Kent Barn Smersole Farm Swingfield Kent CT15 7HF
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Follow the sign for Main Car Park & Deliveries
You’re welcome to use the loading-unloading (please be mindful of other suppliers wishing to also unload and access the barn)
Arrival Times
Daytime
You can access the New Barn from 8.00am on the day.
You can park in the slipway alongside the main car park to unload, there’s clear access into the new barn and there is one step in from the slipway.
On arrival, please find the wedding coordinator for the day. They' ll confirm unloading and your location and ensure it is available for you to begin to set up.
We endeavour to have your space ready for you before your arrival.
Please do not place any boxes/items on any linen tables All the event linens have been ordered and triple pressed for the day, linens will mark, this can be avoided by using the preparation tables.
If supplying illuminations for the gardens or grounds, the wedding coordinator will advise the closest power location. Please bring suffice extensions cables as we cannot guarantee a power source close to the preferred location.
We kindly ask if you’re re placing or moving anything on the tables that the objects are not slid into position as this ruck’s up our tablecloths and provides extra work for us.
Please do not use any sticking tapes on any floors to secure cables.
We kindly ask that you’re completed all installations by 11.30am so our couple can see the room just before their guest start arriving.
For Twilight Weddings, you can access the barn from 10:00am. We kindly request that you finish setting up by 2.30pm.
Evening
You can access the New Barn from 5.00pm, For twilight weddings you can access from 6:30pm.
The barn is one open space with the stage at one end and the tables for the wedding breakfast at the other end. We kindly ask that you unload and set up quietly, particularly during the speeches.
Power
Popular light location power supplies are;
Stage back wall - two double plugs right and left side.
Bay 3 - two double power plugs on the wall.
Foyer - double power socket, right hand side (as you enter the barn).
You can refer to Floor Plans and Dimensions and/or our Virtual Tour if you’d like to familiarise yourself before the day.
Before You Depart
If any items are to be multi-use please advise the coordinator of any mechanics to move any items.
Please advise if any spare bulbs or connectors have been left.
For delicate vases you’re welcome to leave packaging such as boxes or wrapping.
For multiple small vases and candles leaving crates or tubs is helpful for us to put into at the end of the evening.
Collection
We kindly ask if you are choosing to collect at the end of evening, please arrive from midnight, no earlier.
We do not tidy away until the guests are departing. If there is a wedding the following day, you can collect from 7.30am. If there is not a wedding the following day, you can collect from 8.45am. We ask all items are collected by 10am the following morning.
We’re often preparing for another wedding or meetings the following day and wish to keep the barn free of belongings.
For a big barn we have limited storage space, we are not able to store items before events or beyond overnight storage.
Please advise if the couple are returning any of your items, in this instance we will take your items to the Old Barn for their departure the following day. We recommend leaving packaging for any of your items and advising couples they have space for all their belongings and any return items too.
If you have any questions about delivery or collection times, please contact the team here
We end of up with a volume of long pins through the year, if you’d like to save on pins during the year, we do have supply of small pins.
Lost Property?
Please ask a team member on the day if any items appear missing. We’re careful when packing away all belongings are returned to their owners. We would like to ensure all items are returned.
THE OLD KENT BARN, SWINGFIELD, KENT, CT15 7HF
w: theoldkentbarn.co.uk
t: 01303 844270
e: events@theoldkentbarn.co.uk
With special thanks to Olegs & Rita Photography © 2023 The Old Kent Barn Ltd. All rights reserved.