How to Plan Your Wedding

Congratulations! You’re engaged.

Congratulations! You’re engaged. Now, how to plan your wedding and what to expect when planning your wedding? Firstly, you’ll want to decide on a venue. If the beautiful “Garden of England” Kent is on your mind and you’re wondering which are the best wedding venues in Kent, look no further than Goodnestone Park, House and Gardens.

A vast, privately-owned estate set in the heart of the stunning Kent countryside, Goodnestone Park is only an hour’s journey away from London. Steeped in rich history from its construction in 1704, the enormous grand house was a popular destination for the famous novelist Jane Austen and it’s believed the home inspired her masterpiece, Pride and Prejudice. The house was renovated in 2016 and offers a luxurious location for your wedding. With all the grandeur of the house’s history and the comfort of its modern furnishings, it provides the ideal place to celebrate your special occasion. Let Goodnestone Park’s great love stories inspire your great love story.

Stunning Kent wedding photos: Capture memories at Goodnestone Park

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Experienced wedding planners in Kent

From the day you book your wedding at Goodnestone Park, you’ll be in the capable hands of The Wedding Dolls. This award-winning team has been coordinating weddings for 10 years and has worked with incredible Kent-based suppliers, curating a trusted little black book.

When you book a wedding at Goodnestone, you’ll have access to this coveted book, crammed with creative and reliable suppliers. At The Wedding Dolls and Goodnestone Park, our joint intention is to make your wedding planning process easy and enjoyable. We’ll help you understand what to expect when planning your wedding and guide you through the entire wedding planning process.

“Teamwork makes the wedding dream work. If you really want to relax on your wedding day, then you must trust the team you've put in place to execute it. Choosing suppliers that are reliable, experienced and talented will remove so much of the worry about what's happening behind the scenes. When you host a wedding at Goodnestone we want you to relax, take in every moment and cherish the memories of your experience. This starts from the day you book…”

Goodnestone’s unique offering

Why should your wedding day be over in one day? After all, this is something you’ve been thinking about together for quite some time. Here at Goodnestone Park, it’s not just about the wedding day. Unique to our beautiful wedding venue in Kent, we offer a Wedding Weekend. Celebrate your love and future in the whole house for the whole weekend. Wedding accommodation includes the Grade II* Listed House, which has 12 bedrooms and can sleep up to 24 and Bonnington Cottage is also available to rent as extra accommodation for wedding guests.

But don’t let the extra pressure to entertain guests for a little longer put you off! That’s exactly what The Wedding Dolls are here to do: help you plan the day before and the day after your wedding day.

Be our guest, be your guest…

Throughout the planning stages, The Dolls will encourage you to take a step back from the big plans and to be a guest at your own wedding. Think about how you want to feel, what you want to see and what will wow you. Taking time together to do this as a couple will keep the planning fun and will result in a day that is personalised and feels completely about the two of you. Make sure you clearly communicate these ideas with your chosen suppliers so that they know what is expected of them on the day – once everyone is clear all you have to do is relax and let them execute the plans.

Your wedding plans: available any time

Joanne and her team know how important it is for couples to have access to their wedding plans throughout the experience. Perhaps a parent asks about the order of events for the hundredth time or maybe a friend wants a run-through so she can secretly organise a personalised gift? Whatever your reasons for requiring constant access to your Big Day plans, The Wedding Dolls have you covered with the online portal. Gain access to the portal where you can see every step of your wedding and your progress towards your Big Day, all included in the price of booking your wedding at Goodnestone.

All in one space you can:

Keep track of your guest list and RSVPs (and who’s staying in which room)
Create a digital mood board to visualise your day
View and edit your personalised wedding timeline (devised with The Wedding Dolls)
Set your budget
Manage invoices and payments for suppliers and caterers (all trusted and recommended by The Wedding Dolls)
See your checklist, so you know what The Dolls will organise and what you need to handle as a couple

Previously, couples have told us they find the “drag and drop” feature particularly helpful for moving guests from the guest list to the table planning section. No more cutting up names and arranging them on the kitchen table…

At Goodnestone (and the Wedding Dolls!), we have a fantastic list of trusted suppliers to choose from, so you can feel confident your guests will eat and drink well. Within the online portal, you’ll find a Notes section with hints and tips on all aspects of the wedding planning process, including advice on how much alcohol to buy for wedding guests – saving you time and money.

Everything you need, in one centralised location.

Book this beautiful wedding venue in Kent today

Book now and start making your wedding dreams a reality with experienced wedding planners. Weddings are not just about the day at Goodnestone Park, it’s an experience to cherish from the moment you book.

Book today

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