Weddings, Ceremonies and Celebrations
The Oval Bandstand & Lawns offers a truly magical coastal setting for your wedding, ceremony, birthday party, or family celebration. Whatever your style or size of event, our experienced team would love to help bring your vision to life.
About
An iconic piece of 19th-century seaside architecture set within 4 acres of the only Green Flag award-winning gardens in Margate, The Oval Bandstand & Lawns is a truly unique backdrop for life’s most memorable moments. Exchange vows in the sunken amphitheatre, raise a toast beneath the elegant bandstand canopy or on the decked terrace, and dance the night away under the stars – all with sweeping sea views from Margate’s iconic clifftop.
Facilities and Capacity
The Oval Bandstand amphitheatre provides an unforgettable stage for ceremonies, with capacity for up to 499 guests and ample facilities on site. The covered canopy and decked terrace create the perfect setting for drinks and canapés, while the lawns and amphitheatre seamlessly transform into a lively evening party space, complete with lighting, entertainment, and room for live music and dancing. Every corner of this historic, award-winning park offers opportunities for breath-taking wedding photography.
Services Offered
We work with a dedicated wedding and events planner who prides themselves on attention to detail, ensuring your day runs smoothly and beautifully from start to finish. Licensed for entertainment and evening receptions, and complete with a fully equipped kiosk, café, and on-site bar, we can design a bespoke package to suit your celebration. Add a touch of seaside magic with a classic 99 ice cream cone alongside champagne from the bar – a playful and memorable way to toast your marriage.
Please note that The Oval Bandstand & Lawns is not a fully licensed wedding venue. Couples will need to complete the legal part of their marriage at a registry office beforehand, before celebrating with us in your own style.
Availability
The Oval Bandstand & Lawns is available to hire for weddings, ceremonies, and celebrations:
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Tuesday to Thursday, 11.00am – 6.00pm
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Friday and Saturday, 11.00am – 9.00pm
To check availability and discuss your plans, please complete the enquiry form below – we’d be delighted to help you design your perfect celebration.
Cost of venue hire
| Description | Cost (ex. VAT) | |
| Deposit | A deposit will be taken at the point of booking, this is payable online via PayPal. | £500 |
| Option A | Full day hire of the bandstand amphitheatre (exclusive use) | £1500 |
| Option B | Full day hire of the bandstand amphitheatre (exclusive use) and a designated area on the lawns for a marquee | £3000 |
| Option C | Cost per hour to hire the bandstand for wedding photography (shared use) | £100 per hour |
Full venue hire fees must be paid a minimum of six months before your event takes place.
A list of fees for additional services is available from our wedding and events planner.
Catering
Should you require it The Oval Bandstand & Lawns offers a comprehensive catering service for ceremonies. Whatever your theme or budget: the team can assist with dressing the venue, flowers, menus, or a drinks reception.
Any catering or drinks provided at events held at the Oval Bandstand & Lawns must be supplied by the venue.
Dressing the venue
We encourage couples to use our official Bandstand dressing contractor, who knows the space inside out and understands our requirements regarding fixtures and structures. Please note that if you choose not to use our contractor, no dressing of the Bandstand will be permitted, and it will remain as it is.
As Margate’s only Green Flag award-winning park, we take great pride in protecting our gardens and local environment. For this reason, all confetti used at the venue must be purchased through us to ensure it is fully biodegradable and eco-friendly. Please note that bringing your own confetti will result in a £500 environmental charge, which will be donated to a local environmental charity.
Poor weather conditions
The Oval Bandstand & Lawns is an outdoor venue, and all events are subject to weather conditions.
We will always do our best to accommodate your chosen seating arrangements, but in the case of poor weather this may not be possible. Please note that the site does not have an indoor alternative. In the event of very bad weather, the celebration can only continue if a marquee has been arranged on the lawns or if separate indoor facilities have been secured by the hirer.
Cancellations
In the event of cancellation by the Hirer, the Venue will retain a proportion of the hire charges already paid, as set out in the booking terms. The Hirer shall have no claim against the Venue for any loss or damage arising from such cancellation. No refund will be given if the Hirer fails to notify the Venue Events Team of the cancellation or does not attend the event.
| Time prior to event | Amount charged |
| More than 6 months | Deposit fee only |
| 6-4 months | 60% of total fee |
| 2-3 months | 90% of total fee |
| 1 month or less | 100% of total fee |
All cancellations must be received in writing and accepted by the Venue’s Events Team.
The Venue reserves the right to cancel the ceremony if the venue or any part of it is closed due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control.
Wedding Photography: Joanna Bongard Concept & styling: Posy Patou Weddings
