Sussex Wedding Venues

Places to get married in Sussex

The county has some of the best and most varied wedding venues in the UK. From ancient rustic barns and the cosiest pubs to the Georgian chic of Brighton and the grandest of country houses – this corner of south-east England has it all for the prospective wedding couple. And most of these wedding venues are within an hour or two of London. With each venue there’s a link to a real wedding I photographed in my documentary style. Read more about me and the reviews I’ve received from couples.

Barns

Upwaltham Barns 

This family-run venue is located in a beautiful valley in the South Downs about 7 miles north east of Chichester. With the Downs rising gently on either side, the scope for dramatic, romantic photography is almost endless.

The complex of barns, gardens and the main courtyard together make Upwaltham Barns one of the prettiest I’ve seen. The East Barn (for civil wedding ceremonies) is very light and airy with views onto the Downs and seating for up to 150 people.

Across the spacious courtyard to the left is the South Barn, which can also hold up to 150 people. It has a really rustic feel for that perfectly relaxed and charming countryside wedding. And I love the super-cozy Moroccan-style seating area in the adjoining garden. Great for post-wedding breakfast drinks.

Then there’s the beamed Jasmine Cottage overlooking the courtyard. It’s a beautiful hideaway for bridal preparations and the first night’s stay. It even has it’s own balcony.

Have a look at a selection of pictures from Tanya & Will’s big day.

Blackstock Country Estate 

Blackstock Country Estate in Hellingly is located on a ridge in the east of the county with stunning, far-reaching views.

Aside from the laid-back atmosphere and warm welcome, one of big attractions at Blackstock is the outdoor space. It’s set in 70 acres of meadows and woods in which guests can take a stroll and feel properly away from it all. The grounds also go all the way down to the River Cuckmere.

There are two barns that can be hired separately or together, and there’s a good size patio overlooking the grounds. There’s even an indoor soft play barn and outdoor play area for children to let off steam during the festivities.

The venue can accommodate up 180 guests so there’s loads of flexibility depending on how big your bash is and age of your guests.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Lisa & Tom’s big day.

Fitzleroi Barn

Owners Julia and Mark were the first to be married in the 400-year-old Main Barn more than two decades ago and it inspired them so much that they’ve been hiring it out ever since.

Fitzleroi is set in the beautiful rolling farmland of West Sussex not far from Pulborough. The huge courtyard is flanked by two barns, both licenced to hold civil ceremonies. The Main Barn seats 120, while the Long Barn can accommodate 75. A marquee can also be added in the courtyard for extra covered space.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Chloe & Paul’s big day.

Alfriston Gardens

This venue near Alfriston was renovated in 2020, changed its name from The English Wine Centre, and is the perfect combination of old and new. The 17^thcentury Old Barn can accommodate up to 130 guests with the attached marquee (May to September). Or couples can choose the Oak Lodge function room for smaller receptions of up to 60 guests.

The stylishly modern Oak Lodge itself offers four double bedrooms and a bridal suite, just a few seconds walk from the Old Barn. The two-acre landscaped gardens look fabulous and are offered exclusively to couples and their wedding guests.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Karen & Peter’s big day.

Country Houses

Buxted Park Hotel 

This elegant Georgian hotel near Uckfield has everything a couple getting married would want from a country house venue. The grade II-listed Palladian mansion has attracted many famous people over the centuries, including Wordsworth, Churchill and Marlon Brando.

It can accommodate up to 120 guests for the ceremony and breakfast, and an additional 80 guests for the evening bash. It also has a outdoor licence. There’s a spacious ballroom, an elegant Victorian orangery, and even a 13^thcentury church next door.

The venue has large, sweeping lawns, and the beautiful terrace above the formal gardens is just perfect for a drink on a summer’s evening.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Lizzie and Jamie’s big day.

Milwards Estate 

The privately-owned venue near Lewes is one of those very friendly and welcoming places to tie the knot.

It can accommodate up to 150 guests and is dominated by a 5-acre lake surrounded by stunning gardens and woods. The Coach House can seat up to 60 guests for ceremonies or couples might want to choose the lawn by the lake.

And there’s a marquee with a bar and dance floor, and a fabulous raised terrace with views across the lake and grounds. The venue is certainly a very romantic place to get married.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Anna & David’s big day.

Broyle Place 

This grade II-listed Elizabethan manor house not far from Lewes is another of the county’s family-owned venues.

It’s an exclusive-use venue set in 30 acres of beautiful lawns and ponds, and can accommodate up to 150 guests. Ceremonies in the Great Hall can seat up to 50, and the pretty Boat House (for outdoor ceremonies) can take up to 150.

The purpose-built marquee at Broyle Place features a solid wooden floor and carved wooden bar. French doors open out onto lawns and terraces in the summer months and it’s heated for weddings held in the cooler months.

There’s lots of space for lawn games either side of a sweeping driveway leading up to the impressive manor house.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Jessica & Steve’s big day.

Hoath House 

This beautiful, historic country house sits in the High Weald just over the East Sussex border into Kent. There’s a real old-world charm that makes it perfect for a relaxed country wedding.

Hoath House, is nestled in some of the most stunning English countryside visible for miles around. Parts of the Tudor house date back as far as 1350 and the whole place is steeped in local history.

Weddings can be held outside at the wedding arch or inside in the Library, which holds 100 guests, or in the Drawing Room which seats up to 65.

Hoath House and the six acres of gardens can be hired for exclusive use, with the house itself sleeping up to 50 guests.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Aisha & Kordel’s big day.

Ramster Hall 

North of Petworth, just over the West Sussex border into Surrey, is the elegant and historic, family-run Ramster Hall.

It’s another exclusive-use venue with a licence for weddings and civil ceremonies. The long drive that curves down to Ramster Hall gives the venue a really memorable first impression, and the 20 acres of gardens at Ramster Hall are simply stunning.

The venue comprises three main halls flanking a beautiful courtyard. The elegant Great Drawing Room can accommodate 160 guests. The Long Hall, which dates back to 1604, can seat 160 for a wedding breakfast, or up to 200 for a stand-up reception.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Julia & Andy’s big day.

Bore Place

Just over the East Sussex border, into the High Weald of Kent, is a truly unusual wedding venue.

Bore Place House dates back to late-Tudor times and the beautiful walled garden with its formal lily pond gives it a romantic and elegant feel.

But there’s much to this venue. If you’re interested in the environment this is the perfect place for a ‘green wedding’. It is home to The Commonwork Trust set up over 40 years ago by Neil and Jenifer Wates soon after they bought Bore Place. The Trust is all about exploring how to live and work sustainably.

The organically-managed estate is set in hundreds of acres of farmland and woods in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Couples getting married at Bore Place are offered overnight accommodation for up 50 guests and lots of additional room for camping.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Kirsty & Steve’s big day.

Pennyhill Park

OK, so Pennyhill Park is not exactly in Sussex, but I just had to include this Surrey wedding venue, because it has just about everything for couples wanting to get married in a country house location south of London.

Set in 123 acres of Surrey countryside, this exclusive hotel and spa has so much choice and flexibility if you’re getting hitched.

It can cater for well over 200 wedding guests, indoor and outdoor, and if money’s no object you can hire the whole place exclusively.

At the heart of Pennyhill Park is the stunning 19^thcentury, ivy-clad mansion and it’s surrounding lawns and terraces. It makes the perfect backdrop to a luxury wedding.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Claire & Darren’s big day.

Country Pubs and Hotels

The Bell, Ticehurst

Sussex and its neighbouring counties have some of the cosiest and coolest pubs in which to tie the knot – and none more so than The Bell in Ticehurst, East Sussex.

This multi-award winning pub was built in 1296. Yes, that’s not a typo. 1296! But despite its traditional country pub charms (of which there are many), The Bell also has an exuberant and quirky style that will make any couple feel special.

The stunning Assembly Hall can hold up to 90 guests for ceremonies, and up to 120 for receptions. There’s a great little Snug for couples to relax in, the Stable with a Table for post ceremony drinks and the garden complete with the Love Nest for the couple’s first night.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Mel & Jez’s big day.

Anchor Inn & Boating, Barcombe

A few miles upstream from Lewes on the banks of the River Ouse lies the picturesque Anchor Inn & Boating pub. As it’s name suggests the pub offers customers the chance to potter about on the water, up to 100 at a time!

Along the riverside drinks terrace is a purpose-built marquee that can seat up to 160 guests, with even more space available for the evening reception.

The pub, built in 1790, has a relaxed charm to it and the location on the Ouse makes it a special place. You can even arrive by helicopter in the field next to the pub if you fancy ‘making an entrance’.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Aicha and Dan’s big day

The Mill at Elstead 

This Surrey pub on the River Wey, not far from the West Sussex border, occupies an old working mill that dates back to the English Civil War.

These days it can offer couples a range of options. For smaller ceremonies of up to 25 there’s the Cromwell room. For ceremonies of up to 65 guests couples choose the dual-aspect Cygnet room overlooking the river. The Mill at Elstead can seat up to 90 guests for the wedding breakfast and 120 for the evening reception. Outdoors, the big attraction is the millpond and the surrounding lawns for guests to relax on.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Kym and Roger’s big day.

The Montagu Arms Hotel, Hampshire

Here’s another wedding venue that’s not actually in Sussex, but is not too far away in Hampshire. I just couldn’t not include it, as it offers something different to the usual country pub wedding experience.

The Montagu Arms Hotel in Beaulieu is perfect for couples wanting a relaxed country pub/hotel wedding, but one that combines the elegance of a country house.

There’s also something timeless and very English about this New Forest venue, with its oak-panelled rooms and formal garden. In fact, the small town of Beaulieu itself is one of the jewels of southern England. And it’s also the classic car capital of the UK with its National Motor Museum.

The venue has over 24 rooms and is licensed for civil ceremonies for up to 90 guests, and 150 guests for evening receptions.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Eleanor & Nick’s big day.

Town Venues

The Royal Pavilion, Brighton

Also known as the Brighton Pavilion, this iconic Grade-I listed building is one the UK’s most glamorous and exotic places to get married.

Built during the Regency period of George IV as a ‘pleasure palace’, the Royal Pavilion has been restored to its 1820s splendour. With its Indian-inspired exterior and Chinese interior, this is a venue like no other.

The famous Music room with its gilded ceiling, lotus-shaped chandeliers and blue silk drapes can be hired in the evenings for up to 90 guests. The stunning Red Drawing Room retains much of its original flamboyance and can be hired for daytime or evening ceremonies. It can seat 44 guests.

There are lots of other stunning reception rooms to choose from including the Adelaide Rooms, complete with a balcony overlooking the Royal Pavilion gardens.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Carine & Neil’s big day. They followed up with a reception at the wonderful Pub du Vin and its stunning domed dining room.

The Worthing Dome

Just a few miles west along the coast from Brighton is the Worthing Dome, a really fabulous building that’s perfect for couples looking for a bit of British seaside nostalgia.

The venue was built in Edwardian times as a ‘leisure centre’ and is perfectly located on the seafront opposite Worthing pier.

Ceremonies can be held in the top of the Dome itself – in the Whispering Gallery – which holds up to 50 guests. An additional 35 gusts can view from the Atrium Bar. Alternatively, there’s the Main Lounge for larger ceremonies of up to 150, with its large private balcony overlooking the seafront.

The Worthing Dome is also a very photogenic venue to tie the knot. Couples can arrange to have access to the Edwardian cinema on the ground floor, and of course, there’s the beach, stunning pier and local gardens. And there’s plenty of hotel accommodation within a very short walk of the Dome.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Sophie & Andrew’s big day.

The Chichester Harbour Hotel & Spa

This beautifully-restored, grade II-listed boutique hotel in the heart of historic Chichester can accommodate up to 150 guests.

Its charm, and there is plenty of it, lies in its blending of Georgian elegance and sleek modern design. The centrepiece is undoubtedly the sweeping Georgian staircase flanked by floor-to-ceiling sash windows.

The venue’s two function rooms – The Guildhall Suite (up to 120 guests) and the Priory Suite (up to 35) – offer couples lots of flexibility. And with 37 lovely bedrooms in the hotel, along with a spa, there’s lots on offer for guests during their stay.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Daisy & Chris’s big day.

The Aviator Hotel, Hampshire

Over the West Sussex border into Hampshire is a hotel venue unlike any other I can think of. The venue, located alongside the famous Farnborough Airport, was designed to reflect the golden age of air travel and is perfect for couples looking for a touch of modern-retro.

The sleek, modernist architecture of the Aviator gives a ‘wow factor’ to any big day. The atrium and ascending repeating curves of its staircase add a mid-20^thcentury glamour reminiscent of New York’s Guggenheim Museum.

From the Wright Room on the ground floor (up to 150 wedding guests) to the Sky Lounge up on the 4^thFloor (up to 110) the hotel offers pretty much everything for couples wanting a glamorous, modern venue.

The Aviator Hotel has also designed what it calls its ‘Echo’ experience comprising a range of weddings packages that can be tailored to couples’ preferences.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Georgina & Matt’s big day.

Outdoor & Village Hall Venues

Knepp Castle Estates 

For couples looking for a tipi wedding venue in Sussex with a conservationist flavour, Knepp Castle Estates near Horsham could be the perfect place.

Available from May to September, the location next to a lake in the re-wilded Repton Park, gives any wedding a rustic, laid back feel.

If you’re a nature lover you’ll be excited by the free-roaming animals, the nearby woods and a cabin with a commercial kitchen. Couples and guests can glamp or camp in fabulous cabins, tree houses and bell tents at nearby Knepp Safaris camping ground.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Lou & Tom’s big day.

Barcombe Village Hall 

Located on the outskirts of the pretty East Sussex village of Barcombe is a modern-style, eco-friendly village hall perfect for DIY weddings.

A combination of beautiful wood and brick gives the venue a Scandinavian feel. Barcombe Village Hall’s environmental credentials are likely to rank with the best of any venue in the country. Designed by Camilla Nordgren of Satellite Architects specialists in sustainability, the venue has a ‘green roof’ that also collects and reuses water.

And the views across the Sussex Weald through the huge windows at the rear provide a beautiful backdrop to a homespun wedding.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Annie & Charlie’s big day

Queen’s Hall, Cuckfield

This village hall-style  venue is located in a handsome grade II-listed Victorian council building right in the middle of the picturesque village of Cuckfield, West Sussex.

The venue is licenced to hold civil ceremonies in three different places and is perfect for DIY weddings. There’s the council chamber upstairs for smaller ceremonies, and for larger ones there’s a garden or the main hall with a stage. There’s also a kitchen and bar room so you can choose your own caterers.

Have a look at a selection of pictures I shot at Becky & Ross’s big day.