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Weddings

About

St Martin's Priory is a landmark wedding venue located in Canterbury, Kent. Nestled in the heart of Kent, this beautiful destination sits snuggly within the borders of the World Heritage site of St Martin's Church. UNESCO recognises it as the oldest church in the English speaking world. Couples can become a part of this illustrious history when they choose to have their wedding here.

Facilities and Capacity

St Martin's Priory is a Grade II listed building constructed over 350 years ago. Much of the original architecture remains, featuring Jacobean and Georgian architecture and fine wooden panelled walls. This venue offers an elegant and sophisticated backdrop. Set among 2.5 acres of enchanted gardens, this is a majestic and private location for your wedding day. Your guests can enjoy a drinks reception on the Tudor lawn, and stroll through the picturesque rose gardens. You and your partner can take stunning photos with breathtaking views of Canterbury Cathedral in the background. St Martin's Priory is licenced to hold ceremonies for up to 80 guests and can hold up to 40 guests for a wedding breakfast within the building. Alternatively, a marquee can be provided to cater for up to 120 guests for a wedding breakfast and up to 150 guests to an evening reception.

Services Offered

St Martin's Priory prides itself on ensuring each couple's day is unique. Their experienced wedding coordinators will be on hand to discuss your ideas and make your vision come to life. They have painstakingly searched for the best quality and value when it comes to catering, and they have a range of options to suit a variety of tastes. Their dedicated, friendly catering executives are on hand to build a bespoke menu, or allow you to choose from an extensive sample menu should you prefer. Whether you would like a traditional three-course wedding breakfast or a hog roast straight from the spit served street style, they can help. The onsite staff also works closely with a marquee provider, who is happy to meet with couples and discuss decorations and finishing. The team can also provide chairs, a dance floor, and lighting to elevate the evening further.

  • LGBTQ+-owned
  • Woman-owned
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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

Unusual weddings
Stately home
Historic
Landmark
Marquees and tents
In the city
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence
Religious ceremony license

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Corkage option
Private catering allowed
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities

Evening entertainment:

Marquee available
Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Overnight accommodation:

Overnight accommodation for guests

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Venue leisure facilities:

Fitness centre

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Confetti permitted
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Request pricing
5.0 out of 5 rating
4 reviews
  • Quality of the service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Response time
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value for money
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    5 out of 5 rating
100% Recommended by couples
Claire
Claire Sent on 01/08/2018
5 out of 5 rating

Best. Day. Ever

Right from our first visit we knew St Martin's Priory was the perfect venue for us. The rooms are beautiful and give a real feeling for the history of Canterbury. The gardens are amazing, perfect for entertaining and the all-important pictures. We really were blown away from our first visit. Alessandro and his team are great and made it so easy to make the day our own.

They liaised with all of our suppliers and everything went off without a hitch.... well, at least one hitch but that was the point in us being there! We were able to have the wedding just as we had imagined, thanks to the team at St Martin’s Priory, who accommodated our very laid back and not so traditional ideas for the day. It was the best day ever, and we just want to go back and do it all again, and we honestly would not change a thing! Without a doubt we highly recommend the venue and the team for any special occasions.

Rowan & Claire Tutt
A
Aron Sent on 10/11/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Our Perfect Day in a Perfect Venue.

The history of the building was a real selling point and went perfectly with the theme we had in our minds before any real planning took place. The Gardens set a fantastic scene for photos with a beautiful view of Canterbury Cathedral, and the size of the rooms for the guest numbers we expected made the day feel comfortable and intimate. The feedback from our family and friends regarding the venue was all positive, the outside bar in the Garden came in very useful as the weather treated us well and drinks in the sunny afternoon post ceremony made the day that bit more special. Although the venue can appear to be small compared to others with the numbers that are advised it’s more than comfortable with plenty of space to eat, chat & dance. Also, the added room available for a breakout really came in handy to store gifts, flowers and Small Bridesmaids when they needed some time away from the crowds.
All in all, for us, 10 out 10. The day was just the perfect start to our life together.
C
Claire Sent on 30/07/2018
5 out of 5 rating

Without a doubt we highly recommend the venue and

Right from our first visit we knew St Martins Priory was the perfect venue for us. The rooms are beautiful and give a
real feeling for the history of Canterbury. The gardens are amazing, perfect for entertaining and the all-important
pictures. We really were blown away from our first visit. Alessandro and his team are great and made it so easy to
make the day our own. They liaised with all of our suppliers and everything went off without a hitch....well at least
one hitch but that was the point in us being there!! We were able to have the wedding just as we had imagined,
thanks to the team at St Martin’s Priory, who accommodated our very laid back and not so traditional ideas for the
day. It was the best day ever, and we just want to go back and do it all again, and we honestly would not change a
thing! Without a doubt we highly recommend the venue and the team for any special occasions.
D
Denys Sent on 30/07/2018
5 out of 5 rating

I will without hesitation recommend both the venue

The venue was amazing. The Frederick Mason Room was perfect for us to hold the ceremony. It had the right
balance of intimacy and history to make it feel very special. The wood panelled walls, the views into the garden and
a well-lit room added to the already fantastic ambience. The marquee looked magical in the garden surroundings.
The main lawn looked spectacular, and the garden terrace with the labyrinth was perfect for those who wanted to
catch their breath. The food, was delicious and well presented, with the wine making a great accompaniment.
All this would not have been possible without the team pulling the strings and making the preparation and the day run so smoothly. Both Shelley and I felt we had an absolutely safe pair of hands acting as a very skilful ring master. The suggestion you made in the run up to the day were well placed and thoughtful and your calm allowed us to believe
that preparing a wedding 2 months out from the actual day was not as insane as all that. A recurring comment from
day and evening guests is how professional the staff were, how calm everything was and how things and people just seemed to appear when needed.

Not only is St Martin’s Priory a hidden gem in Canterbury, but the team you pulled together to ensure that Shelley
and I had such a special day are absolute treasures. I will without hesitation recommend both the venue and the
team to anyone wanting to hold a special event. I suspect many of those who celebrated with us will also do the
same
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St Martin's Priory Real Weddings

Justin & Zoe
31 photos · 28/09/2021

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St Martin's Hill CT1 1PW Canterbury (Kent)
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