Aliza & Eliot

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A summer wedding at Kiftsgate Court Gardens, where an intimate garden ceremony unfolded into a relaxed water-garden reception, long-table dinner and a late-night party.

The Vision

Aliza & Eliot wanted Kiftsgate to do what it does best.

For 126 guests, the plan was to make the most of the gardens rather than move everyone straight into the marquee. The day was designed as a natural progression through the estate, beginning in the lower pool garden, moving to the water garden for drinks and live music, then into the marquee for dinner before returning to the gardens and terrace for cocktails and, eventually, the dancefloor.

The brief was detailed but deliberately relaxed in feel, a floral ceremony arch beside the pool, fizz and Sarti spritz in the water garden, a dinner built around four long tables, a cocktail hour on the front terrace and a full evening of live music, first dance and DJ.

The challenge was making all of those spaces, suppliers and transitions work as one continuous experience.

FRIDAY

The Ceremony & Celebration

A wedding designed around the gardens, and the movement between them.

The day began early at Kiftsgate, with Aliza getting ready in the main house while Eliot prepared nearby in Ebrington. By lunchtime, the estate was ready for guests, with groomsmen distributing illustrated maps to help everyone navigate the day.
The ceremony took place in the lower pool garden. Guests were seated in a semi-circle around the pool, with a floral arch framing the couple and the pianist providing the ceremony music.
Immediately afterwards, guests moved onto the terrace for confetti before the pianist relocated to the boathouse. The water garden then became the setting for the drinks reception, with fizz, Sarti spritz and elderflower presse served alongside live piano and saxophone.
At 4pm, guests transitioned into the marquee for dinner. Four long tables created a communal setting, with wine on the tables and champagne ready for the speeches and meal.
The evening then shifted again. After dinner came a cocktail hour on the front terrace, followed by cake cutting back in the marquee, the couple's first dance and two live band sets. A late-night food service and DJ set carried the celebration through to midnight.

Execution Highlights

Multi-zone guest experience: Ceremony, terrace, water garden, marquee and courtyard were all used across the day, with each space given a distinct role.
126-guest garden wedding: The timeline was structured to keep guests moving naturally through Kiftsgate rather than concentrating the entire celebration in one location.
Ceremony-to-reception transition: The pianist moved from the lower pool garden to the boathouse within the 10–15 minute window following the ceremony, allowing the musical experience to continue seamlessly.
Detailed supplier choreography: Catering, bar, florals, furniture, entertainment, photography and venue teams were sequenced across a Friday build and Saturday celebration.
Evening production: Tux Fizz provided the live band, pianist, saxophonist and DJ, with the installed Kiftsgate sound system supporting the evening entertainment.

The Result

The plan was for a wedding that felt like a journey through Kiftsgate rather than a single event in a marquee. Every transition had a purpose: the pool garden created the ceremony setting, the water garden slowed the pace for drinks, the marquee brought everyone together for dinner, and the terrace and dancefloor took the celebration into the evening. Kiftsgate provided the setting. The supplier team provided the craft. The planning connected the two, creating the structure for a day that could feel effortless to the guests, while every movement behind the scenes was carefully considered.