Port Lympne Wedding Venue: A Kent Guide
Set within 600 acres of rolling Kent countryside, Port Lympne is a wedding venue quite unlike anywhere else I have photographed. Part historic estate, part wildlife reserve, it brings together a Grade II listed mansion, a glass orangery, secluded courtyards and views over free roaming rhinos, giraffes and antelope. Having photographed a wedding here myself, I can honestly say it deserves a place on your shortlist.
The Grounds and Setting
Port Lympne sits high above Romney Marsh, with sweeping views across the Kent countryside towards the coast. The grounds combine formal gardens, terraces and parkland, giving every couple a genuinely different backdrop for their photographs, whatever the season.
Ceremony Spaces
There is a ceremony space here for every kind of wedding. The Pergola is a quiet, picturesque spot that comfortably seats up to 100 guests, while the historic Mansion can host ceremonies for 50 to 150 guests. For something more intimate, the pastel pink Moroccan Courtyard holds up to 20 guests, and the Iceberg Terrace seats up to 100.
Reception Spaces
The all glass Orangery is one of the venue’s most striking spaces, accommodating 160 seated guests with its own dancefloor and kitchen. For larger celebrations, the Lime Tree Avenue Marquee holds up to 250 for the wedding breakfast and 300 for the evening reception, while the historic Mansion offers a more intimate setting for up to 150 guests in the evening.
A Safari Like No Other
What truly sets Port Lympne apart is its wildlife reserve. Couples and their guests can head out on safari by jeep, passing rhinos, giraffes, antelope and wildebeest along the way. It is an experience your guests will talk about for years, and one I have never photographed anywhere else.
Celebrations Into the Evening
As the sun sets over the reserve, the grounds take on a completely different feel, all warm light and long shadows. It is one of my favourite times of day to photograph here, and the perfect setting for dancing the night away.
Port Lympne Wedding Venue Facts
Port Lympne Mansion was designed by Sir Herbert Baker for Sir Philip Sassoon, who bought the estate in 1913. The house is Grade II* listed and reopened as a hotel in June 2014 with proceeds supporting the conservation work of the Aspinall Foundation.
Spaces mentioned in recent Kent wedding listings include the Spencer Roberts Room, the Long Room, the garden Pergola, the Moroccan Courtyard and the Iceberg Terrace.
Why I Think Port Lympne Is the Perfect Wedding Venue
Port Lympne offers something I rarely see anywhere else: real scale and adventure alongside genuine intimacy. Whether it is the quiet of the Moroccan Courtyard or the thrill of spotting a rhino from a jeep, every couple who marries here gets a day that is entirely their own.
Why Choose Megan Maxwell as Your Wedding Photographer
People should choose me as their Port Lympne wedding photographer because I know how to tell a story. After fifteen years as a television director and writer at the BBC, I bring a documentary approach to wedding photography, with an eye for the moments, relationships and little details that make your day yours.
I work in a documentary style for most of the day, quietly in the background, capturing the hugs, the happy tears, the questionable dance moves and all the brilliant, unexpected things going on around you. Somewhere like the Mansion, the Pergola and the Orangery gives me endless moments to watch for. I want you to spend your day with your favourite people, not worrying about where I am or what you should be doing.
I know how much it matters to have photographs of the two of you looking incredible. We will usually take around twenty minutes for a wander together at the gardens and the wider estate, with a little gentle direction when it helps. You do not have to know how to pose or feel at ease in front of a camera. That is what I am there for.
I want my photographs to be as beautiful as they are meaningful. Images full of life, personality and rich colour that show not just what your wedding looked like but how it felt to be there.
In the end I want you to have a collection that tells the whole story. The big moments, the little moments, the people you love and everything you might otherwise have missed. Photographs you will love now and treasure for years to come.
Every collection includes full day coverage with no set hours, travel is included and your previews arrive within 48 hours.
Are you getting married at Port Lympne? Take a look at my portfolio, read more about me or get in touch. You can also message me on WhatsApp.
