The return of weddings at The Lost Village of Dode Kent

16th March 2021

Dode has missed you all. It is a long time since Dode hasn’t seen visitors for this long, probably since it was bought by Doug and Mary thirty years ago. The Church has however seen long periods of emptiness in its 900 year old history, an example is when The Village of Dode was destroyed in 1349 as a result of the Black Death, shortly afterwards the building was abandoned and not used for regular worship again. 

With the Government roadmap outlining 15 guests permitted from 12th April, 30 guests permitted from 17th May, and no restrictions from 21st June (all dates subject to review), we are looking forward to spring and summer weddings at Dode. 

Last year we had the pleasure of hosting a few small weddings with COVID secure restrictions in place, one of which was Louise & Stephen who were married on 17th October 2020. They had 10 guests to the ceremony who were required to wear face masks. In spite of this, and social distancing (because restrictions were tight) everyone had an amazing time. Louise and Stephen left us a wonderful review which we are grateful for;

“Dode were fantastic throughout this year and on the magical day itself, helping to give us the day we had always dreamed of.

They have a super friendly team and were really accommodating when we had to rearrange it three or four times! They have very kindly facilitated us to split our day in two, so we will be having the handfasting ceremony next year on our first wedding anniversary where we can celebrate with all of our friends (hopefully).

The location is as incredible in real life as it is in the pictures, the building creates a very personal and intimate feel. We would highly recommend this venue to anyone getting married.

Thank you everyone!”    

At Dode we can accommodate 40 guests plus the couple getting married. We are very lucky to be able to conduct handfastings and blessings around our sacred stone circle. Couples get exclusive use of the lovingly restored Norman Church for non-religious civil ceremonies as well.  

No-one wants their wedding day at Dode to come to an end. Even though we are an hour from London, we are extremely fortunate to have accommodation in the heart of the Kent Countryside for you to extend your stay with us, you will feel like you are in another world with peace and tranquility. Additionally, we hold events throughout the year for all to attend, anything from afternoon teas to music nights. Keep an eye on our social media and website for when they are announced.   

If you would like to arrange a viewing of Dode to discuss your special day please contact Becky via email – becky@dodevillage.com We have a selection of last-minute dates available this year, including key dates in December, perfect for a Christmas Ceremony! 2022 is booking up, please contact us for availability.

All photos were taken by www.holliecarlinphotography.com

We look forward to seeing you soon,

The Lost Village of Dode Team.