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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2020

Last update: February 2025

The Secret Garden is a wedding venue located in Ashford, in the Kent region of England. As a family-owned and operated business, this establishment is committed to ensuring that your big day is unforgettable. Nestled in the Mersham Le Hatch Estate, the venue offers a picturesque, romantic, and tranquil backdrop for celebrations of love.

Facilities and Capacity

The Secret Garden is available for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Licensed for ceremonies of up to 90 guests, the chapel boasts stunning courtyard views. Meanwhile, The Glass House can accommodate ceremonies of up to 50 guests and seated dining for 24 people. This vintage glass greenhouse offers an intimate ambience for weddings and a private herb garden for an alfresco meal. The venue’s other outdoor ceremony spaces include the gazebo and terrace, located in the walled gardens. You and up to 90 guests can enjoy a three-course meal in the Main Coach House for your wedding breakfast. Once home to the estate’s carriages and horses, this structure was restored in 2006 to provide a warm and whimsical ambience. Through its double doors, you and your guests will find a terrace overlooking the walled Victorian gardens. This space is also suitable for evening receptions of 150 people.

Cuisine

The culinary team at this venue works hard to create a wedding meal that leaves a lasting impression. Their wedding packages include your choice of a three-course A la Carte menu, Kentish BBQ, Feasting Menu or Afternoon Tea. With evening food that truly offers something for everyone, including wood fired pizzas, gas pan paella, grazing tables and many more.

Services Offered

The event staff at this venue are dedicated to producing memorable wedding occasions. Their all-inclusive packages provide a wide range of event rental items and services. Before your big day, their team will provide you with planning advice to ensure a stress-free and smooth event. They are happy to manage table decoration and room set up for your convenience on the big day. The Secret Garden provides many event rental items, such as linens, tables, Chivari chairs, cake stands, easels, and vintage garden games. They also include the necessary dining equipment such as crockery, cutlery, glasses, and china. As a special touch, you and your guests can even play an assortment of vintage garden games during your event.

  • Woman-owned
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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Pub or restaurant
Unusual weddings
Historic
Woodland and festival
Outdoor license
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Chapel or temple on-site
Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Corkage option
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Confetti permitted
Changing room for wedding guests
Pet-friendly
Orangery on site
illustration notebook

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Reviews for The Secret Garden

S
Srebrena Sent on 05/02/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A dream wedding at The Secret Garden

From the moment we stepped into The Secret Garden for our wedding, we were met with an atmosphere of pure enchantment and elegance. The staff went above and beyond to ensure our special day was flawless, demonstrating a level of helpfulness and attentiveness that was truly remarkable. They anticipated our every need, making us feel completely at ease throughout the entire process.

The venue itself was breathtakingly beautiful, presenting a perfect blend of natural beauty and sophisticated charm. Every corner of The Secret Garden was meticulously maintained, creating a magical backdrop for our ceremony and reception that our guests are still raving about.

As for the food, it was nothing short of delicious. Each dish served was a testament to the venue's commitment to quality and excellence, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who had the pleasure of dining. The flavors were rich, the presentation was exquisite, and the overall dining experience was exceptional.

Choosing The Secret Garden for our wedding venue was the best decision we could have made. It provided an unforgettable setting that captured the essence of our celebration perfectly. We are eternally grateful to the staff for their hard work and dedication, and we recommend The Secret Garden to any couple looking for a venue that offers beauty, elegance, and a team committed to making your wedding day as perfect as you’ve always imagined.
Rhian
Rhian Sent on 22/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Hold your wedding here and have the best day!

We got married at The Secret Garden yesterday and it was flawlessly executed by the staff there. There was always someone on hand to help with any and all questions before the wedding and even allowed me to remove 3 guests, add 4 more and completely change the seating chart 3 days before the wedding with zero complaint and even a positive tone. Yesterday was one of the best experiences of my life, all of the staff there were so friendly and welcoming. I would recommend this venue to anyone looking to host any event especially a wedding! I will 100000% be returning every pudding night just to relive the moments with my new husband
Clare
Clare Sent on 14/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible venue

The Secret Gardens were the only venue we looked at for our intimate wedding and it was simply perfection.
We were in control the whole time for the wedding planning process, kept in contact with Amy and Alisha regarding any questions, allergy updates for guests and the organising, they were amazing.
For the wedding day, we had a certain idea for the layout and they exceeded expectations. We got married in the glasshouse and took my breath away when I walked in.
Every guest said how they felt well cared for throughout the day by the girls and bar team.
My husband and myself felt we didn't miss out on any food, drinks or experiences.

It was a truly perfect day and would highly recommend the secret gardens!

Thank you so much !
Amy
Amy S. Sent on 05/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The best venue ever

From the moment we enquired with The Secret Garden, it was clear that their number one priority was that our wedding was exactly as we wanted. They couldn't have been more flexible, helpful and attentive. The day ran SO smoothly, we didn't have to worry about a thing, and the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had the best day ever. Amy is an absolute legend!! The venue is absolutely stunning and our guests all commented on how beautiful the day was, and how chilled the vibe was.
The food was unbelievably good, they cater for allergies and preference with ease, and the portions are huge! We also asked for multiple drinks and food off menu which was no trouble at all.
Choose The Secret Garden for your wedding!!
Sheri
Sheri Sent on 29/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing intimate wedding

We had an intimate wedding of 15 people in total in June 2024. The staff were wonderful and responsive - the decor was set up beautifully, the drinks and meals were so delicious and catered seamlessly. They helped arrange a flower arch for us and for our cake cutting - I cannot recommend them enough.
Claire
Claire Sent on 26/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A day that we will remember

Where do we start.... from the initial viewing to the day after our wedding. It was an amazing experience. Alisha was so helpful, she made sure our day ran smoothly and no hiccups! Everything was beautiful and perfect. A day we will always remember. Thank you xxx
L
Lauren Sent on 15/07/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The perfect wedding venue

From our first look around the secret garden we knew it was the wedding venue for us. All of the staff were so kind and welcoming.
The secret garden has the most beautiful grounds with the option of an inside or outside wedding. Both options are absolutely stunning.

Alisha our wedding coordinator couldn't have been more helpful in helping us planning our special day. She listened to everything that we wanted and made it all come to life with the help from the other staff.

Everything ran so smoothly on the day and everyone commented how beautiful the venue was and how delicious the food was for our wedding breakfast and reception.

We would highly recommend the secret garden to anyone looking for the most perfect wedding venue.
H
Hayley Sent on 23/05/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing wedding venue!

The Secret Garden exceeded our expectations of our wedding day. Yes it's a beautiful venue but the service and attention to detail from all of the staff was exceptional. Definitely reccomend.
C
Cianna Sent on 12/05/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Wonderful Venue

Had my wedding here last month and it was unforgettable. The staff were lovely and a special thanks to Amy for helping us plan it and going above and beyond to make our day special. Even though the weather didn’t go our way and we had to move the ceremony inside, the team did everything in their power to make it special and for that, we couldn’t be more grateful.

Food was absolutely amazing, exactly what we asked for and a large selection of drinks at the bar too! We would 100% recommend this venue for your big day, you will have no regrets!
I
Isabelle Sent on 15/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The perfect day

From our first visit to the Secret Garden, we fell in love with the place with Harry being so helpful and friendly from the beginning.
Throughout the year of planing, Alisha & Amy were brilliant, calm, quick to respond, so flexible & friendly. We felt reassured throughout the process, nothing was too much trouble and we really felt they cared. Dropping off our decorations and personal items the morning before, they were amazing and even let us have coffee in the gardens. We walked away very confident and had absolute trust in the team to make everything look beautiful.
When I arrived on the day, it was perfect. I could not fault a single thing. The gardens are totally beautiful, coach house stunning, delicious food & the team were amazing, brilliant service, calm & happy.
Alisha & Amy and everyone else in the team – we cannot thank you enough. Our wedding was so special & memorable and I have no doubt it was because of everything you guys did.
R
Georgina Sent on 10/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful September wedding

Thankyou so much for the most amazing day!

You kept everything running as smoothly as possible and kept everyone calm, happy and relaxed in the crazy September heatwave 🥵

You were so polite, respectful and attentive! We didn’t want for anything- even taking a selfie at the end of the night staff spotted and came straight over to offer assistance. The attention to detail went above and beyond anything we could have asked for!

The venue was immaculately clean and well dressed and when we came to collect our things the next day so much care had been taken in packing our things back away.

The food was lovely and such care was taken in the presentation and delivery of our afternoon tea and pizza- definitely cooked with love!

You made our day so special, something that we will never forget and are very grateful for!
Poppy
Poppy Sent on 08/01/2024
5 out of 5 rating

A day to remember 🤍🩷

Wow, our wedding day, where do we start?
Well it seems only right to thank the people who created a day that we could have only dreamt of that The Secret Garden team made our reality.

Genuinely, thankyou! You guys are incredible! Right from the very first point of contact you guys were just amazing, you provided stability with planning, organisation, helped us with decision making when we asked for input and just over all fabulous! The planning team were quick to respond and so informative, alongside helping us get the best out of our day with our budget, keeping the special elements and not making it feel or appear more budget-like. At no point did we ever feel obliged or pushed into anything and generally, we just felt well supported throughout the process.

During the process, we went to the venue on several occasions to meet with staff and discuss our plans, and primarily, their attitude was always "how can we help you? What can we do to help give you the most special day". Alongside this we always felt comfortable, it was never forced and always had a laugh. Every member of staff is just so natural at their job. Having now had our wedding building these relationships was important because essentially, they are a part of your special day; it was so well integrated and natural, we didn't know they were there, in a staff capacity - they felt as though they were a part of our guest part.

On the day, we were expecting hiccups, purely because, like everyone, nothing ever goes straight forward. But to mine and Issac knowledge and feelings, everything was perfect and it really was only a day we thought we could dream of.

Alisha was our point of contact throughout the most part of the day and what a fab job she did. She helped direct us in doing something neither of us knew what we are doing, helped keep us calm and kept it nice, settled and well organised. In moments that we were having couple photos, or otherwise preoccupied, they ensured the comfort of our guest and maintained such a lovely atmosphere. Every single guest approached us during and after to explain it was the best wedding the had been to, from the organisation, to the food, the staff and the destination. We feel really privileged to have had our day shared with our family friends and members ot The Secret Garden.

Food - now this was important to us... Purley because we're foodies, not necessarily for fancy food, but just in general. The chef team absolutely smashed it!! We had walking canapes to start, as we are not a particularly formal family and though we are traditional in some aspects, we equally did not want a three course sit down meal. This allowed us the opportunity to interact with everyone who came to share our day with us; but also feel the hunger hole that people were beginning to feel.

It was a nice touch, because I think staff had noticed that Issac and I had not managed to have any, due to talking and they had put a lovely selection on our table. So then the main, wow! INCREDIBLE!! The team catered well for allergens and intolerance and ensured that everyone was happy. Every body complemented the meal and of course the desert!! Anyway we could go on about food for ages, but just know, the food is delicious! We chose the BBQ for the evening and though Issac and I didn't have any because we were full from lunch, it went down a treat!!

We provided some decorations, as well as The Secret Garden supplying some too, and they really did do it justice! They created the atmosphere and vibe that was exactly what we were after. They moved our beautiful flowers from the chapel to the main room, so that they could be admired throughout the whole day, as they were exceptionally beautiful - big shout out to Loullabells florist! The flowers were particularly special as they were a discrete part of our granddad's being present, though not physically with us, it was a resemblance of their favourite flowers.

Everything was just amazing!!

Moving on through the day to the evening, we used Boombox, who is recommended via the venue. Though this is not The Secret Garden's fault, we and guest were disappointed with them as DJ's. We had a poor experience with their organisation in the build up to the meeting, forgetting about scheduled meeting to attain our music choices etc, alongside this, they did not play songs that we had asked for, including genre. The quality of music felt poor and they did not mix music well. I guess from our personal experience with them, our recommendation would be for Boombox not to be part of the package, or not to suggest them.

As I say the above recommendation, is not Secret Garden's fault, and by no means ruined our day, it was something we had both picked up on, as did our guests.

Anyway, we want to thank the team for absolutely everything!!! Even when we went to collect everything the following day, they ensured that our Bouquets were in water to ensure preservation.

The Secret Garden are amazing, the venue and staff we cannot recommend it enough. Thankyou!!!!
I
Izati Sent on 28/12/2023
4.8 out of 5 rating

Perfect and effortless

The first and only place we viewed, we fell in love with it straight away. It fits our personalities our vibe and the size of our wedding. We wanted an intimate feel although we had around 60pax for our day reception, they were all important people and they loved being there.
The team is the most amazing! Very accommodating, very understanding, makes everything looks easy. Never made me feel like I’m asking for something silly or too big. Very responsive even though my queries were during summer peak season as our wedding was in November. And no fault at all for everyone working on our big day and evening. All the guests keep talking about how great they have all been.
Food is perfect too, for day and evening.
Louise
Louise Sent on 27/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Fairytale wedding

We had a twilight wedding at the secret garden on the 10th of November 2023. Alisha, Amy and the team made our wedding feel like a dream fairytale. Originally our ceremony was to be in the glass house but due to weather it was not possible but Alisha and Amy created the most dreamy set up in the chapel for us both and it blew me away!. They went out and bought lanterns and other bits, moved all the plants from the glass house and decorated the chapel so beautiful I couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful ceremony and I was over the moon. After my wedding car didn’t show up and pushed us back for time, they made all my stress go away once I arrived and kept Luke and the guests happy while they waited for me us to arrive. The music and food provided in the package and all the staff were amazing! Everyone had such a great time. I was so happy we chose the secret garden as our venue the and the twilight option meant that we had a nice intimate relaxed experience and with all our friends and family, with all the twinkle lights and candles it felt really magical like a fairytale.
H
Hazel Sent on 24/12/2023
5 out of 5 rating

The best day ever!

The Secret Garden made planning our wedding so easy. They were extremely professional and helpful during the planning stage and also on the day. I would recommend them in a heartbeat!
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Badges

Hitched Wedding Awards 2025 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2023 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2022 Winner
illustration stars

Did the reviews win you over?

The Secret Garden Real Weddings

Georgia & Jamie
25 photos · 18/05/2024
Kealiegh & Lauren
15 photos · 07/10/2023
Amelia & Andy
37 photos · 18/06/2023
Eylül & Alex
23 photos · 08/11/2022
Martine & Troy
15 photos · 30/08/2022
Chrissie & Nick
30 photos · 11/07/2022

Deals

Preferred suppliers

The Wedding Chaps
5.0 out of 5 rating , 202 reviews
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Scott Kendall Photography
5.0 out of 5 rating , 113 reviews
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Molly's Classic Wedding Cars
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Blooming Green
5.0 out of 5 rating , 40 reviews
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Here Comes the Hound
5.0 out of 5 rating , 4 reviews
· Something Different
Modus Wedding Films
5.0 out of 5 rating , 11 reviews
· Videographers

Map

The Courtyard, Mersham-le-Hatch, A20 Hythe Road TN25 6NH Ashford (Kent)
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