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Weddings

About

Unique, exclusive-use, lovingly restored Norman Church is available for intimate civil ceremonies, hand fastings and private events for up to 42 people.

Far, far away, in a magical place, where time has stood still, in an almost forgotten valley between Luddesdown and Holly Hill, nestled in the North Kent Downs in the South East of England, there stands a beautiful, charming, enchanting, privately owned, romantic, former Norman church – the only trace of the now ‘lost’ village of Dode.

The Lost Village of Dode is perfect for couples who want to begin their tale of love, romance and desire, either inside or outside. You can choose from an intimate indoor Civil Ceremony or Partnership and Renewal of Vows. Or for an outdoor Blessing or Pagan Handfasting Ceremony, you can hold your event within the ancient Stone Circle followed by a lavish Wedding Reception, with dancing and then stay overnight, onsite, in one of the two superb award-winning cottages.

We offer bespoke weddings, tailored to each couple, or package weddings, so you can have your perfect day exactly the way you want it. After your ceremony guests usually spend time in the stunning grounds, enabling you to have your group photos and enjoy a glass of bubbles and perhaps a selection of canapes. And for your evening reception, we work alongside a number of fantastic professional caterers who can provide a Medieval Style Banquet Wedding Breakfast Reception with all the trimmings. Your Wedding Breakfast might include a hog roast or a roast lamb or we can cater for various dietary requirements...We can also offer a number of unique additions to your day including Ollie the Owl to deliver your rings, or bubbles as you leave the church.

No hidden charges and no corkage charge either!

To end the evening why not choose to add a final chapter to your epic love story by booking one of our award-winning on-site cottage retreats.

For more information please contact our Wedding Coordinator Becky who would be more than happy to discuss your requirements with you.

  • Kent Countryside venue with a Church for non religious civil ceremonies
  • Exclusively yours for the day
  • Gay friendly
  • Animal friendly
  • Winter/Christmas Weddings
  • Professional team of caterers and no corkage fees
  • On-site award winning cottage retreats including hot tub
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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Unusual weddings
Historic
Landmark
Church
Outdoor license
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Chapel or temple on-site
Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Private catering allowed
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities

Overnight accommodation:

Overnight accommodation for wedding couple
Overnight accommodation for guests

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Venue leisure facilities:

Hairdresser

Other features:

Exclusive use
Car parking
Confetti permitted
Pet-friendly
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4.9 out of 5 rating
150 reviews
  • Quality of the service
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
100% Recommended by couples
Sue
Sue N. Sent on 30/11/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding in May

I had always wanted my wedding to be in an intimate, candle-lit venue, but living in Kent I wasn't sure I'd find "it". Thankfully after an Internet search, up popped Dode Church in the Lost Village of Dode. We arranged to meet Becky, who became our co-ordinator, and she must have thought me quite strange because as soon as I walked into the Church I was struck dumb and whenever I did go to speak, I let out a sob instead! It was just perfect, the venue of my dreams. We had the Dode package using their recommended suppliers for catering, flowers, photos, bar etc and having had to cancel our first date due to covid restrictions, Becky took care of contacting them all with the new date. On the day, Graham was hand to ensure the smooth running of proceedings and was a godsend. All our guests were blown away with the venue, food etc as were we. Thank you so much Team Dode, especially Doug for having the vision and Becky and Graham for all their assistance. Dode will forever be in our hearts.
Eddy
Eddy M. Sent on 20/09/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Venue

We got married here on 19.9.20 and had an absolutely amazing day the pictures do not, do this place justice Graham was very helpful and made everyone welcome and at ease and was very accommodating
Thank you to everyone at Dode for making our day amazing
Eddy & Cheryl
N
Nicola W. Sent on 30/11/2022
4.8 out of 5 rating

Incredible. Great team, great value

This venue is an incredibly special place. The team have a friendly approach with a real personal touch. A safe, spiritually calm place where everyone can feel at ease. Your guests will love being there.
Ceremonies can be what you choose and have the relaxed, informal atmosphere with the schedule/formalities of a regular wedding in place and you have the flexibility to create exactly what you want for your special day.
C
Claire C. Sent on 31/08/2021
5 out of 5 rating

The perfect venue!

We got married at the Lost Village of Dode in August 2021. We had to re-arrange our wedding twice because of COVID, and everyone at Dode was so professional. We had heard horror stories from couples who had had to cancel their weddings, but the team at Dode made sure that everything was changed seamlessly. The wedding day was perfect. We had a rehearsal with Becky a couple of days before so we knew exactly what we were doing, and then Graham was amazing on the day, making sure that everything ran smoothly. The venue is stunning, and all of the suppliers were used were fantastic - The Flying Pig Kitchen, Moody Blooms and Matt James Photography. Another great thing about Dode is that the venue is animal-friendly so we were able to bring our dog Stanley along to celebrate with us.
L
Len Sent on 12/06/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Everything was perfect on the day

Good afternoon,

I am the father of Jon Hughes, who was married to Liz last Thursday, at your beautiful venue.

I really would like to thank you for the wonderful occasion you helped to create. Everything was perfect on the day and whilst I am sure you cannot take credit for the lovely weather, everything else could not have been better.

Graham was excellent, making sure everything ran smoothly whilst maintaining a friendly reassuring but low profile presence. I am not sure whether the bar and catering people were introduced by you but their contributions to the day were equally as good.

Thank you, again, for helping to make it a memorable day.

With best wishes,

Len
R
Phoebe W. Sent on 31/08/2021
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible 11/10!

We had the most magical and beautiful wedding day. The entire team at dode we’re amazing and we couldn’t have wanted more! From rearranging and postponing to just listening like a friend would. Just wish we could do it all over again!! Thanks so much! Love and light always. Phoebe and Joel xxx
B
Becky B. Sent on 30/11/2022
5 out of 5 rating

A childhood dream come true....

Ever since I knew of this place as a little girl I had always dreamed of my wedding there one day and finally it came true. It was everything I had dreamt off, rustic, romantic and relaxed. We couldn't have asked for a better day and all our guests commented on how magical it was.
R
Rachel Sent on 16/10/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Best time ever...

Becky we had the best time ever! So happy we chose dode it was truly magical
Flying pig were fantastic flowers from no were just perfect and the cottages just topped it off. Ray and Graham were brilliant too. So helpful and really friendly made it run smoothly x
A
Anonymous Sent on 16/10/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Truly incredible day

We just wanted to thank you for what was the most truly incredible day. Everything was better than perfect, the ceremonies, the food, the venue itself, just magical. The whole wedding party said it was the most amazing wedding they'd been to. We can't express our gratitude enough. The official photos haven't come back to us yet, but we would love to share them with you. It would be wonderful to visit again.
Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts.
Mr and Mrs Gibbons
R
Rachel Sent on 11/10/2019
5 out of 5 rating

6th September 2019

What can I say about this venue?! If you’re looking for somewhere truly magical, unique, romantic and want a wow factor, this is the place.
The lost village of dode had always been on my wedding wish list and when we went to view it, we looked no further.
We viewed it in June 2019 and got married here on the 6th September 2019, that’s how brilliant the package is, supportive and helpful the team there are!
We loved the place so much we couldn’t wait to get married there!
We can not put into words how friendly, helpful and special the whole team at the lost village of dode are. Particularly Doug and Graham, who put my bridal worries to rest and kept me calm on a few occasions!
We highly recommend the package, as the catering team, florist and photographer are simply amazing. I can not stress enough, you will not find any better than them guys!
We also did the hand fastening, which was such a lovely, spiritual touch to our special day. We can’t wait to go back in a year and one days time to renew them. Thank you Lost village of dode!
M
Mark Sent on 09/09/2019
5 out of 5 rating

The best days of our life....

We have just had one of the best days of our life. Every single thing that happened was perfect. Graham and Ray were great all the way through the day. Graham I especially want to single out for just making us and everyone feel at home and relaxed the whole time we were there. The dode is wonderful and all of our guest were so stunned by just how beautiful it was. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts so letting us use your amazing place. Its now a very special place to us too.
S
Sally Sent on 09/09/2019
5 out of 5 rating

It is truly a magical tranquil place...

On Saturday I felt as though I was the luckiest bride to ever have walked down the aisle & take their husbands hand, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, but we both feel as if we’ve been blessed with a new chance at life we thought we’d never experience again.

So a huge ‘THANK YOU’ once again to Team Dode for all of your hard work it was really appreciated, however big or small your role, everyone played an important part in our journey making our special day go as smoothly as it did, you all have helped contribute to memories that we can cherish & keep in our hearts for always.

To think that almost a thousand years ago ceremonies took place at Dode not to dissimilar to ours & on the 17th August 2019 we now all played a part in Dode’s history, it is truly a magical tranquil place & our wedding felt like a fairytale, a perfect start to our new life as husband & wife.

We wish you & your team & families every happiness & all the best for the future & we are so pleased our paths crossed, May the future hold greater joys for you all to treasure.
M
Mary Sent on 09/09/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Our wedding was perfect!

Our wedding was perfect! Yourself, Mary, Doug and Graham were brilliant from the day we booked, always offering kindness and support. You made us feel special and we felt that you really cared about making wedding perfect. We love Doug, as did our guests, and our handfasting ceremony was beautifully delivered by him. You kindly gave us time to decorate the church with my Dad’s flowers and because of how well Dode is loved by you all, the venue was stunning. We felt like we didn’t have to worry about anything on the day due to the coordination and hard work of Graham and The Flying Pig Kitchen. Both of whom were excellently-humoured and friendly to everybody throughout. Dode was already, but is now even closer to our hearts as the place of our most special day. Our wedding couldn’t have been in a better place or in the hands of better people and we thank you all!
C
Colin Sent on 04/07/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Truly a unique place...

We just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and Graham and your team for making our daughters wedding so special last Friday.

The Lost Village of Dode is truly a unique place but what makes it so magical is the ethos and the feeling that you have created there through your own personality. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to start them out on their married lives in the the most perfect way.

As I think you know the guests came from all over the world, including the North of England ??, and they were absolutely blown away by the setting, the ceremony and the refreshments. Your team and Jo Moody, Sally and Rob, and Matt were fantastic.

Thank you again and kind regards
L
Lauren Sent on 16/08/2019
5 out of 5 rating

A touch of magic and elegance not found elsewhere

After many years of planning (Roughly ten months ago actually) we decided to get married, we both plan for a living so it became apparent that there were certain criteria to be met. We required a single venue for a limited number of guests and family. A place with a unique feel and no religious implications, though an amount of pomp would be favoured. With our (Lauren’s) research only one venue fitted the bill, we were well guided by Doug (Owner)and Becky (Coordinator) but come the sunny/rainy day that we were due to be married, Graham our host for the day really shone through as he enabled minibus offloading, parking management, guest wrangling and later in the day he also stood in as MC and music arranger (Most of our tech failed on the day).

Dode is as good as it looks on the brochure, better in fact, the package we went for was as full as we required and none of us felt rushed at all. Becky had put us in touch with the caterers who were superb, the photographer who did an excellent job in capturing our day, the Vintage Games company whose games provided some great entertainment and the florist who provided beautiful bouquets and displays. The day went very smoothly and I am pleased to say all that were at our wedding had a brilliant day.

The location provided a touch of magic and elegance that we would not have found elsewhere. We will remember our day fondly for the rest of our lives. Thank you to all at Dode we are very grateful for you making our big day so special!

Love Lauren and Robin xx
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The Lost Village of Dode Real Weddings

Charlotte & Matt
42 photos · 28/10/2022

Events

14 Apr
Open Door

Calling all engaged couples searching for their dream venue. We welcome you to come along to our Wedding Open Day on Sunday 14th April, your chance to meet the team, view the venue and meet some of our recommended suppliers who can help make your special day come tru.

Bookings will be open for 10am, 12pm or 2pm please send a message to confirm your slot, spaces will be limited.

We look forward to welcoming you to Dode.

Date: From 14/04/2024 to 14/04/2024 Schedule 10:00 - 16:00
Place: DA13 0XF, Luddesdown, Kent

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Map

Great Buckland DA13 0XF Luddesdown (Kent)
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