The Harty Estate

A Romantic Waterside Wedding Estate in the Heart of Kent

The Harty Estate is a family-owned barn wedding venue beside the Swale estuary in Kent, with a setting few venues in the county can match. Two wetland bird reserves sit on either side, with the family’s farmland and wild meadows all around, so the views follow you from one space to the next. It feels properly tucked away, yet London is only around an hour’s drive, and for your wedding the whole venue is exclusive to you. 

The style is relaxed but polished: rustic barns with a contemporary finish, beautifully styled spaces, and service that’s warm and attentive. The family has been hosting life’s celebrations here for more than 25 years. 

There are three places to say “I do”. Fairy lights, Kentish hops and exposed brick give the Hop Barn its glow, while four sets of French doors offer garden and water views. From April to October, the Oak Gazebo offers an open-air ceremony setting overlooking the wetland landscape. Spring Barn meanwhile opened in April 2026, with an intricate oak frame rising overhead and vast windows looking out across the estuary. It has its own bar, lounge and dancefloor within the room, plus a festoon-lit courtyard with a large brick fireplace.

There’s really nowhere else quite like this venue in the South East. Wedding mornings begin in one of two getting-ready rooms, the Coach Lounge or the Garden Lodge, with plenty of space to relax and enjoy the build-up. Drinks are served in the estate’s private 16th-century pub and spill out onto the waterside terraces and gardens. Award-winning chefs cook from scratch with homegrown, estate-to-plate produce, from canapés right through to late-night food. With 11 guest rooms and five cottages, more than 75 guests can stay over.

Weddings range from 15 to 350 guests, with the venue exclusive to you. Packages are varied and fully customisable, from intimate, laid-back celebrations, a twilight ceremony, your classic full day wedding, or a two-day celebration with a get-together the evening before and breakfast together the morning after.

Behind it all is a friendly, down-to-earth weddings team with more than 35 years’ combined experience at the estate. Personal planning meetings, an online planning portal and a tasting evening for full-day weddings make planning all part of the fun! On the day, your Venue Host is one of the wonderful Harty Estate coordinators. You'll have met them during your wedding planning, so you can be assured your special day is in great hands. On the day, a Wedding Assistant sets up and clears away your décor, leaving you free to enjoy the biggest day of your life with your VIPs. 

All this has earned the estate some lovely recognition, including Wedding Venue of the Year at the Kent Wedding Awards and finalist places for Best Barn Venue and Best Event Team in the prestigious Wedding Industry Awards.