From Pyjamas to Pyjamas
The Secret to a Stress-Free Wedding
It’s not just about the wedding day - it’s the whole experience
Our award-winning service starts the moment you say “yes” – with personalised planning tools, thoughtful check-ins, and a dedicated team who’s with you every step of the way.
This venue comes with a team – and they’re kind of magic.
No chaos. No stress. Just a whole lot of calm, care and coordination.
That’s the Pyjamas to Pyjamas promise.
“The Old Kent Barn staff were faultless in their service – the help and advice leading up to the wedding, the coordination, the attention to detail, we couldn’t have imagined a more magical wedding day”
Love
Charlie and Alex
Planning
We’re with you at every step
We’ve designed a comprehensive portal with a unique login for both partners. The barn’s portal is a visual, user-friendly system that covers all aspects of planning a TOKB wedding.
With access to the portal from booking, plan as you go and keep on top with instant access to your planners, finance and resource library.
In addition, our experienced team are available by phone and email 7 days a week (except Christmas), for questions and planning support. You can request planning calls or meetings at any time, we’re always happy to help.
The Old Kent Barn
What’s Included
Your venue hire includes many items you’ll need on the day.
From tables and chairs, to linens and cutlery, we create the perfect foundation for your personalisation. In addition, we offer a selection of complimentary use items to enhance your wedding day. From garden games to easels, explore What’s Included below. We regularly add to the collection. You’ll receive priority updates on all new products and launches.
Find out what’s included here
For twilight weddings click here
The Old Kent Barn
Back To The Barn
Held at select times throughout the year (typically in January or November)
Re-visit your venue with opportunities to bring family and friends. Explore the barns and facilities at your leisure. Catch up with the team and meet recommended wedding professionals on-hand to answer your wedding planning questions. Tasty samples from The Old Kent Barn Kitchen and Bar to inspire your wedding day choices.
Site Visits & Meetings
You’re always welcome to visit!
You’ll be supported by the team in all aspects of your wedding planning. From seasonal visits to styling and seating plans, we’re here to help at every step. Site visits are scheduled around team availability.
The Old Kent Barn
Tasting Experiences
Tasting Experiences are immersive, curated events that offer a taste of the guest experience before your wedding day.
Sample popular dishes from Chef’s set menu, be entertained by specially selected wedding professionals and sample anything from our wine menu!
Make the most of our hospitality and stay locally or schedule a service to take you home. Relax and enjoy all the evening has to offer, alongside a community of TOKB couples. A key date in your TOKB wedding planning journey, with invites sent to you both by our Tasting coordinator.
Tasting Experience Preview
*excludes Ceremony Only and Twilight Weddings. Late availability dates may not be eligible.
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You’ve Got Mail
From catch-ups, to news and updates, you’ll hear from the team by email during the planning process.
AFTER BOOKING
A few weeks after booking, we’ll reach out to arrange an optional catch-up! We’ll review the planning portal and answer any early planning questions you have.
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Counting Down To I Do
As we get closer to your wedding date, it’s important you feel supported.
We’ll be in regular contact during these exciting weeks as your plans are finalised and confirmed.
TEAM MEMBER MEETINGS
Approximately 12-16 weeks prior to your wedding, we’ll organise a Team Member meeting with you both. We’ll review your portal and planners together. At the end, you’ll be primed with confidence and ready to action any areas for completion.
Portal progress will vary for all couples at this stage. Your team member will take you through all aspects of the portal. With their helpful and supportive advice, you’ll be reassured your planning is on track.
The Old Kent Barn
Coordinator Check In
The coordination team work on a rotational basis.
Once they’ve been allocated to your wedding day (around 4 weeks before), they’ll excitedly share this with you and suggest some dates and times to catch up. These catch ups are often by Zoom or telephone. You’re also welcome to visit in person if you prefer.
Your coordinator will review all your planners, seating plan and final bill. Your catch up is great time to go over your completed notes, chat more about personalised elements of your day and share your thoughts in more detail.
Following this catch up, your coordinator liaises with all barn departments and contacts all suppliers for your wedding day and timeline confirmation.
The Old Kent Barn
Pre-ordering
Once your completed information is with us, we can begin to prepare and pre-order for your wedding.
The barn has a detail orientated team. All your planning notes and seating plans have expert eyes on them.
MENUS
Chef and team have your menus, final numbers, and dietaries. They’ll have sourced fresh, high-quality ingredients for your menus. The team will be pre-prepped and organised for your wedding day, ready to deliver a calm and precise service.
BEVERAGES
All pre-ordered beverages will be organised and chilled, with a fully stocked bar with a wide range of choices for your guests.
TEAM
You’ll have a high-level rota of in-house staff, ready to deliver an exceptional day and service for you and your guests.
LINENS
Your linens are triple pressed by our in-house steam team. It’s this attention to detail that elevates the overall finish to your wedding design on high quality, perfectly pressed linens. A complimentary colour linen napkin service allows you to design a day unique to you. Your colour choices will be ordered and folded according to your preference from the available options.
Décor Drop
Your wedding coordinator will schedule an appointment for you to bring your wedding items in advance.
This alleviates the stress of trying to do this on the day. A team member will run through everything you’ve brought with you. They’ll take extensive notes with our comprehensive Décor Drop documentation and be thorough checking throughly everything with you.
They’re there to answer any questions and, most importantly, be a friendly and helpful support for you. You can leave your décor drop reassured and relaxed, knowing your team has everything in hand.
The Old Kent Barn
We look after you from pyjamas to pyjamas
You’ll often arrive in pyjamas (or similar) and we’ll look after you until the very end of the night and you’re back in your pyjamas!
(sometimes into the next day when you’re in pjs at breakfast too!) For most weddings that’s 17 hours of continuous event management. We’re intuitive of your needs, we know when to assist and when to leave you to relax. We’re always available at a moment’s notice and regularly have foreseen something you will need and be ready – a wedding concierge. Nothing is too much trouble, we’re here to ensure you have a relaxed and smooth day.
The Old Kent Barn
Wedding Morning
Your wedding team arrives early, completes sitechecks and prepares for your arrival
Your dressing room will be ready, no need to wait. Upon arrival, your wedding coordinator will check you all in, and run through some information to get you started.
The Old Kent Barn
Wedding Set Up
Your reception set up begins with precise alignment, cleans lines and symmetrical placement of tables, chairs and pressed linens.
You’ll value this both on the day and in your professional photography.
STYLING SUPPORT
From your décor, vision, and sketches we’ll replicate your design or work with your concept. As the project manager you’ll have time to interact with the space, confirm, or add tweaks the overall look to achieve your vision.
COLLABORATORS
We have extensive experience collaborating with stylists, florists, and prop companies, whether they’re new partners or barn regulars. Together, we’ll bring your vision to life with a seamless and polished design.
The Old Kent Barn
SET UP TEAM
During the morning, team members complete additional preparation tasks for each wedding from window cleaning to spot checking all areas and ensuring facilities are fully stocked.
Your service team - steam polishes all glassware and cutlery, with careful and precise placement. Your Front of House manager final checks all name cards, dietaries and liaises with your wedding coordinator throughout the day and evening.
CAPTURES
We’ll work alongside your photographers and videographers to get a full room, finished look. We even hold back table elements such as wine coolers and salt and pepper mills until after this time to allow your final design its own space to shine!
EXTRA TOUCHES
From cake stacking to sweet table styling and more we’re on hand for all your details and additional décor.
GARDEN TEAM
The grounds team will be hoovering lawns, washing and tidying the grounds, all outside spaces will be wedding ready.
The barn is your home from home. Pop down in your pjs as the day unfolds. See everything you’ve planned has come together perfectly
Second Dressing Room
We’ll be anticipating your partner’s arrival and have their preparation space prepared.
Greeted by a wedding coordinator or their assistant, they’ll be checked into their dressing space and updated with the progress and timings of the day.
Your wedding coordinator will be supporting you both. Often, they’ll focus on the main dressing room and entrusts their assistants to ensure you both have experienced, calm and supportive team members. The Coordinator assistants are trained in finishing touches, timings and guest support.
The Old Kent Barn
Coordinator Check Ins
Your coordinator will pop in at points during the morning, usually to update you with progress and supplier arrivals.
You’ll also have a mid-morning prep from your coordinator who’ll run through the next set of timings and prepare you to be ready to dress.
“Thank you so much to every single person at The Old Kent Barn for making our day so incredible! We absolutely loved every single minute of it and didn’t want it to end. It was seamless and so calm and relaxed. Thank you so much!”
Natalie and Samuel
The Old Kent Barn
Dressing Services & Support
This service is always optional and based on your wishes.
In the earliest stages you may think “we’re ok we can dress ourselves!”
Wedding mornings can become busy time, and you may find it reassuring to have a helpful and knowledgeable hand too, no need to hire dress fitters.
We’re an experienced, calm team with an eye for detail. We can tie neat bows and Windsor knot ties; affix buttonholes, apply last minute stitches, remove stickers from shoes, encourage stubborn zips up, loop fiddly buttons, lace corsets and buckle shoes.
The Old Kent Barn
We
Staff Levels
pride ourselves on our high staff levels.
Each department is led by a manager alongside their teams. We’ve teams for day and evening, ensuring your wedding has staff at their best, to deliver the best day for you. All departments are overseen by your wedding coordinator.
All team members are trained in-house from a generation of perfectionists with extensive barn experience. We do not use agency staff. The team regularly feature in guest reviews. We’re always so proud that their service has been so well received a guest has taken their time to review.
“All the staff were amazing!”
“The staff were exceptional, and we are so so so happy”
“From start to finish every single member of staff we spoke to has been fantastic!”
The Old Kent Barn
Timings
Your timeline has been previewed in advance of your wedding day.
Your coordinator will be responsible from supplier arrivals to the smooth running of your day that incorporates all your plans and details. We’re renowned for well-timed wedding days, with a calm, organised and supportive approach. We’re reactive to changes to the day and will work closely with your photographers and videographers for you to maximise film and photo, while also ensuring key times are met.
The Old Kent Barn
Key Moments
We’re mindful of memorable moments that unfold during the day.
Using our experience, we’ll gently coordinate key people and cameras to be together at these significant times. We’ll step aside for moments to unfold naturally. Moments to embrace, memories captured for a lifetime.
The Old Kent Barn
Pre Ceremony
Prior to your ceremony the team will be actively coordinating you both, your wedding party, guests and more. Attention to detail is key during this time. You’ll be reassured with a calm, steady and supportive team who will prepare all to be ceremony ready.
Ceremony
We’ll have liaised with all suppliers from photography to film, live music and entertainment.
We’re renowned for smooth and precise ceremonies. We’ll follow your plans and timings and organise everyone to be ceremony ready. From pacing your attendants walks to ensuring you’re aisle ready we’re here throughout for you all.
Any recordings and recording music we’ll both coordinate and play on your behalf. Microphones are discreetly in the ceremony areas too.
During your ceremony a team member will be ready to action for any eventualities. Confetti at the ready, dependent on your choices the team will be ready to organise this.
While your ceremony is underway, team members will clear both dressing rooms for you with a concierge luggage service for all personal belongings to overnight rooms or stored safely inside The New Barn.
The Old Kent Barn
Post Ceremony
Following your ceremony, you’ll be greeted by your wedding coordinator and assistant.
They’ll ensure you’re both settled and prepared for the next stage of the day. If you’ve chosen a drinks reception and/or canapés your coordinator, alongside bar and kitchen, will organise this for you. Your coordinator ensures couple’s canapés are offered to you or saved for a time when you’re able to enjoy them between photography.
Post-ceremony we aim for you to relax and enjoy post-ceremony celebrations with family and friends. Never far away, your coordinator will oversee the running of your day and be available at any time.
As you’re enjoying this time, your team will move any décor from the ceremony area to your preferred spaces. Your coordinator will have liaised with any performers, entertainment film and photography for all key moments during this time.
All tables will be checked, pre-ordered drinks prepared and candles lit.
As the post-ceremony celebrations wind down, your coordinator will gently usher and invite guests to take their seats for your wedding breakfast and update photography, film and any performers.
The Old Kent Barn
Reception
Please be upstanding to welcome the newlyweds!
This exciting time is a real moment in your day.
Your coordinator will act as MC (unless you have an alternative plan) and officially welcome you to the room. You can choose to personalise this time with a piece of music to really lift the moment, we’ll play this on your behalf.
Once you’re both seated and settled, the focus will be on a smooth and precise service for your wedding menu. The bar will be available throughout and looking after any pre-ordered beverages.
Your coordinator will observe and be present for you both or any guest support, while allowing you both time and space to relax and enjoy your menus. During this time, they’ll be updating your timeline, and beginning their handover with your evening supervisor.
ENTERTAINMENT
We’ll liaise with all entertainment arriving. We’ll be anticipating their arrival and have all contact details to hand to keep up to date with all arrivals.
The Old Kent Barn
Speeches
No need to hire an MC or toastmaster - we’re well-rehearsed in speeches and presentations, and ready to handle announcements, support surprises, gifting, and more.
Want to have a familiar face as your host- sure! We’ll gently prompt and support your chosen host, a perfect way to personalise your wedding. We also have scripts drafted to support your chosen person.
The Old Kent Barn
Handover
Your wedding coordinator has a comprehensive handover document, completed during the wedding day.
This ensures all vital information is handed over verbally, and a secondary system to refer back to for your evening supervisor.
Evening supervisors are team members who’ve been trained to specialise in evening wedding management. Their role is to be present should you need any support and allow you space to relax and enjoy the evening once all formalities are completed.
“Every little detail was so perfect. From the lead up to the morning breakfast, everyone was super polite, helpful and very accommodating. The service on the day and night was super impressive The team were so fun and involved we felt comfortable all night and day.”
Cake Cutting
We’ll coordinate this moment following your timeline (if choosing to cut the cake or have cake).
We’ll ensure we gather you and your guests while liaising with all photographers, film and content creators.
With your guests surrounding we’ll encourage the countdown. During this time we’ll ensure professional pictures are taken, with some additional time for family and friends to capture for their own memories too.
Following your cake cutting, Chef will ensure your cake is cut into portions, using the preferred method of professional cake makers (grid method) They’ll carefully remove and store any sugar florals and toppers safely.
We’ll follow your instructions - reserve any cake and only cut what is needed. Cut cake is positioned in a bay, often centrally in the room for guests to enjoy during the evening. We’ll also ensure cake is available for you both for the following day (if you wish). It’s a must to experience some of your own wedding cake, especially at the end of the night with tea and some card opening. The team will ensure your cake is wrapped and dependent on the size of the remaining cake, also boxed for you.
The Old Kent Barn
First Dance
Often your last formality of your day, following your cake cutting (if you choose) we’ll have liaised with your entertainment services ready for a seamless start.
We’ll also be prepared in the event you should need or have asked us to play music for you at this time.
Your guests will be gathered around as you’re both welcomed to the floor.
A team member will be ready to change your venue lighting in timing with the first bars of your chosen song.
It’s your time to celebrate! Newlywed, party the night away!
The Old Kent Barn
Stay - Rest - Sleep
Following the end of your reception, once you’ve bid your family and friends farewell your evening team member will guide you and any overnight guests to the Old Barn.
Any guests not yet checked in will be given room keys and timings for the morning.
If you need any assistance with dresses or belongings during this time they’ll be on-hand for any support.
A team member will be on-site overnight for any assistance you may require overnight.
The Old Kent Barn
Breakfast
The service continues the following morning. You’ll wake in restful Kent countryside, in your on-site suite.
A dedicated departure assistant will be available to look after you and a private Chef from The Old Kent Barn kitchen team will be ready to serve your freshly cooked and prepared breakfasts.
Depending on your overnight or return guest numbers you’ll have the choice of table or buffet service.
All post-wedding belongings will be stored safely on the ground floor of The Old Barn and designated décor store.
The Old Kent Barn
Departure
Your departure assistant is available throughout the morning.
They’ll organise check out documentation, breakfast service and assist organising wedding and personal belongings for a smooth check out. They’re also on hand for all questions, loading cars and packing boxes if you wish.
The Old Kent Barn
Anything else?
Why do you do more? We absolutely love to help at every step. It’s just what we do, and what we’re here for, you!
We’re problem solvers, we think fast and offer solutions in the calmest of ways for the busiest of days. Our role is personalised to your wedding, we can be present as little or as much as you require.
For You Both
We’re your wedding friends. An extra layer of support when you need and quietly there during times when you don’t. You can lean upon the team for impartial support and advice, we’ll always have your best interests at heart and be willing helpers.
For Your Wedding
You’ll have wedding specialists and experienced eyes on every aspect of your wedding day. A passionate team whose dedication is to not ‘make do’ instead go above and beyond, striving for perfection for every couple, and their weddings.
In conclusion
We were asked “So what makes you different to other venues? What is it that you do that sets you apart?”
We’d tell you tell you it’s our unmatched service, attention to detail and wealth of experience, but don’t just hear it from us. Here’s just some of our recent couples who had their TOKB weddings and shared their experience of our service.
“You really think of everything! The support throughout the day was unmatched.”
“Nothing is too much of an ask and you all go above and beyond to ensure we had the most wonderful day”
“Please never stop being so incredible as you create the most special memories for us all lucky couples that have the privilege of having our wedding with all of you!”
“We felt very well supported and cared for all day, couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
The Old Kent Barn
Still undecided?
Love perfection? We’re the venue and team for you. We deliver exceptional wedding days for exceptional couples.
Our services are inclusive and complimentary for all weddings. The service does not change based on the day of week or month; we’ll look after you to the same high standards on a Monday as we do a Saturday. It’s a consistent high-level service and support from a passionate and dedicated team.
Ask All Shortlisted Venues - “Who will be looking after me?”
Request A Service Tour
We can talk in more detail all the levels of service you can expect in each space. Learn in more detail how we will look after you, and your wedding. Click the link below and reference service tour.
Click here to book a tour
The Old Kent Barn