The BarnYard Journal
Stories from
Helpful guides and a little inspiration for planning your day with us, whether you are choosing a venue or styling a celebration.
How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Venue
The full list of questions to ask a wedding venue before you book, every one answered honestly for The BarnYard. Capacity, ceremonies, food, money, the evening and the practical details.
Outdoor Weddings in Kent: What the Weather Really Does
Met Office rainfall figures for Kent, month by month, and what they actually mean for an outdoor ceremony. Plus the four wet-weather questions worth asking any venue.
Company Days Out in Kent, Beyond the Meeting Room
How to plan an away day people actually turn up to. What makes a venue work, which day of the week to pick, and the four shapes a company day usually takes.
Afternoon Tea or High Tea? A Kent Guide
The difference between afternoon tea and high tea, settled properly, plus what order to eat it in, the scone argument, and what a good one should cost.
Getting Married in Kent: The Legal Bit, Explained
Giving notice of marriage in Kent, the 28 day rule, what it costs, what to take with you and who does what on the day. The unglamorous paperwork, set out in order.
A Year at The BarnYard: What's On, Season by Season
What happens here through the year, from blossom and high tea to the Halloween orchards and the Christmas season, with opening times and how far ahead to book each thing.
Dog Walks Near Upchurch, With Lunch at the End
Where to walk a dog around Upchurch and the Medway, how muddy it gets, and where you can sit down afterwards. Short, and free of anything you did not ask about.
How Far Ahead Should You Book a Wedding Venue?
How far in advance couples really book, which months disappear first, and whether you can still pull a wedding together in under a year. From four years of our own weddings.
Arranging a Celebration of Life: A Gentle Guide
A practical guide to arranging a wake. How long it should last, how many will come, what food to put on, and the five questions worth asking a venue.
Sunday Lunch in Kent: What Makes a Good One
What a proper roast should involve, how to spot the shortcuts from your seat, and whether you really need to book. Written from 886 days of actual service.
Civil Ceremony vs Church Wedding: Which Is Right for You?
The legal steps, what each ceremony can include, the costs and the shape of the day, compared honestly to help you choose the ceremony that feels like you.
Rustic Barn Wedding Venues in Kent: An Honest Buyer's Guide
What the rustic barn label really covers, and the checks barn venues often fail: heating in winter, wet-weather plans, real capacities, corkage and catering. A guide for comparing any venue fairly.
The Wedding Venue Viewing Checklist
How to prepare for a viewing, then the full checklist for the day: the spaces, the ceremony, food and drink, the money, the evening and the practical details. Print it and take it with you.
Planning a Christmas Party at The BarnYard
Mixed party nights, exclusive Apple Barn hire, Christmas Lunch, Christmas High Tea and a Christmas Eve Brunch. The full picture of what Christmas at The BarnYard looks like.
A Foodie's Guide to Your Wedding Breakfast
Ten starters, eight mains, seven desserts and a legendary apple pie. Walking through the full BarnYard wedding breakfast menu so you can choose with confidence.
Your Wedding Day, Hour by Hour
From the morning dressing rooms to the last song at midnight, a complete running order to help you picture exactly how the day flows.
What Does a Wedding at The BarnYard Actually Cost?
The straight answer to the question every couple asks. What is included, what is extra, and the fees nobody warns you about.
Tips for Decorating Your Baby Shower Venue
Choosing the space that matches your theme, working with fairy lights already in place, the photo wall and styling the food. A BarnYard-specific guide to dressing the day.
Come and see The BarnYard for yourself
The BarnYard truly has to be seen to be believed, especially once the sun sets and thousands of fairy lights bring the venue to life. Book a viewing with our wedding team.