With a beautiful summer of weddings behind us, we are now focused on the autumn/winter season, and the gorgeous backdrop this time of year offers for a country house wedding. Bore Place is an eco-friendly wedding venue nestled in the heart of the Kent countryside, ideal for sustainable winter weddings that blend rustic charm with environmental responsibility.
A winter wedding offers the opportunity for festive colour schemes, twinkling lights and hearty food. Bore Place House lends itself perfectly to eco-friendly winter weddings, with its cosy interiors, real log fires, and sustainable heating powered by our biomass boilers.
During December, the rooms are decorated with real, locally-grown Christmas trees and mistletoe from our own organic garden. All our decorations are sourced locally or organically wherever possible, in keeping with our sustainable wedding ethos.
The Large Barn, adorned with fairy lights inside and festoon lighting outside, creates a lovely atmosphere in the winter months, with plenty of scope for couples to add their own personal touch.
During October and November, the gardens are ablaze with autumn colour, complemented by the warm red brickwork of the house. It is perfect for creating some gorgeous photographs! Then, as we move into mid-winter, the ornamental pond is stunning on a crisp winter’s day.
One key feature of Bore Place is that it offers overnight accommodation for up to 80 guests, with a mix of charming bedrooms in Bore Place House, self-contained cottages, and The Old Stable. Staying on site not only makes the celebration more relaxed but also supports a low-impact, car-free wedding weekend. We encourage wedding guests staying for the weekend to explore the local countryside by taking advantage of the numerous mapped walks on our doorstep. There is a very popular one to the local pub.
Here are a few considerations for marrying in the winter months:
Timings
To make the most of the beautiful grounds for your photographs, make sure you arrange your ceremony time earlier in the day to allow time for photographs outside before sunset. If outdoor photos are not so important, a twilight ceremony also works very well at Bore Place, especially for smaller numbers, when the ceremony can take place in our cosy Drawing Room.
Décor
Winter weddings are stunningly beautiful, whether you go for a warm opulent feel, incorporating rich, earthy colours, or a frosty, winter-wonderland atmosphere. Whatever the theme; sparkle, twinkling lights, with accents of gold or silver work wonderfully. Seasonal foliage, pinecones and eucalyptus will also create a festive feel, teamed with deep red blooms or frosty whites and silvers. We encourage couples to use natural decorations where possible. Choosing locally grown flowers, reusable materials, or dried foliage supports our organic and sustainable wedding ethos and reduces waste.
Beautiful, and slightly more unusual, colour palettes to consider are navy and copper or rose gold with deep red.
Your favours could be homemade mince-pies, festive biscuits or even personalised Christmas crackers.
Seasonal Catering
All our catering partners share our eco-friendly approach, using locally grown and seasonal produce, and will be able to provide cosy comfort food such as slow-cooked meat with seasonal root vegetables, or perhaps a delicious vegetable curry – both good options for a cold day. Plant-based and vegetarian options are also very popular for couples planning a sustainable wedding menu, but for those wanting meat we are surrounded by local farms who share our commitments to regenerative farming and who can provide a sustainable meat option. Warming winter Pimms, spiced apple cider or mulled wine can be served during the drinks reception, or even hot chocolate, topped with cream and marshmallows – perhaps with a shot of cream liqueur for the adults!
The benefits of a winter wedding
The main benefit of a winter wedding at Bore Place, is not having to worry about the weather! Once your guests arrive at the venue on Friday afternoon, they can settle in for the weekend and relax. The accommodation is warm and comfortable, and the indoor spaces are all close to one another. Couples choosing a winter eco-wedding at Bore Place enjoy the comfort of knowing their celebration supports sustainable practices — from renewable energy to organic food and waste-free operations.
Our large, fully equipped kitchen in Bore Place House provides plenty of scope for your Friday-night catering. You can have your groceries delivered earlier in the day, so there is no need to leave the house.
Our rustic outdoor fire pit is a lovely feature to sit around on a clear winter’s evening. It is surrounded by benches, and you could provide blankets for your guests and a warming drink to enjoy! You may even be lucky enough to spot an owl or a bat! We provide sustainably sourced firewood and encourage guests to embrace the outdoors — part of what makes Bore Place such a sustainable wedding venue all year round.
If you’re dreaming of an eco-friendly winter wedding venue in Kent with space for up to 80 guests to stay, Bore Place offers a unique combination of historic charm, organic food, and environmental sustainability. Contact our team to arrange a visit or discuss how we can help you create your perfect green wedding weekend.