The Definitive Guide to the Best Wedding Venues In and Around Brighton in 2023

 

Brighton is super quirky and creative, and has plenty of wedding venues, but what if you’re looking for something a bit more… you (and less generic hotel)? Luckily, we’ve been shooting weddings in and around Brighton and Sussex for 10 years, and our couples are often a little alternative, so we’ve been there and done that for you so we can give you the best recommendations for the best wedding venues near Brighton.

We love Brighton weddings because the city offers fun portrait spots and you always get a cheer from randoms, but we also love the ease and beauty of countryside venues – so we’ve included everything from beachfront bars, to working farms, posh hotels, big open art spaces and cosy pubs in our awesome list of the very best wedding venues – all within an hour of Brighton.

 

Icon key to help you find your perfect wedding venue at a glance!

City

Countryside

Camping

Beach

Outdoor space

Legal wedding ceremony

Barn

Marquee/tipi

Pub/club/ hotel/house

Village hall

Unusual venue

DIY

Wilderness Wood

Our fave wedding venue in Sussex, and where we’d probably get married ourselves. It’s got woods, an outdoor cookout with rustic dining area, picnic benches, and the best bit – a legal wedding ceremony treehouse in the woods with a clearing for chairs or haybales, which doubles up as a stage for a band later on in the evening, for dancing in the moonlight surrounded by fairy lights.

You can also camp at Wilderness in the field, and go for a head-clearing walk the next day around the Christmas tree farm and woodland. There’s even a giant swing (ok we said the treehouse was the best bit, but the big swing is a close second!) Also you can visit the cafe and woods any time – so you can relive your wedding memories.

Wilderness Wood wedding Inspo

Heather and Scott’s marquee wedding

Chloe and Scott’s 2022 treehouse wedding

Location

Hadlow Down, East Sussex

Prices

Prices

More info

https://www.wildernesswood.org/

A bride and groom are surrounded by confetti at their wedding.

The Party Field

A huge field, perfect for festival weddings. It’s just outside Lewes, and has parking, room for tents and glamping tipis, and works with regular suppliers who can supply you with a massive tipi and event coordination, so all the hard work’s done for you.

Location

Lewes

 

Blackstock Country Estate

Blackstock is a barn venue in the countryside with a courtyard leading onto acres of land, complete with animals! They’ll even drive you around in a buggy if you don’t fancy walking down to the ponds for photos. Plus there’s a rose garden, two barns (one for the ceremony/party and one for dinner and speeches), a getting ready room with the best light (ok that’s just exciting for me) and the nicest people running the place. They don’t allow confetti outside though, but you can have it indoors!

The venue can accommodate 150 day guests and 250 evening guests and both barns are licensed to hold civil ceremonies.

Blackstock wedding inspo:

Kayleigh and Matt – June wedding with dinner in the Granary

Maria and Kevin – sunny wedding with singing waiters

Clare and David – rainy wedding in August with dinner in the Tudor Barn

Location

Hellingly BN27 4HF

  

Beak Taproom

A taproom on an industrial estate in Lewes. It doesn’t look like anything special when it’s not all dressed up, but throw some festoon lights and bunting up and it’s a super cosy industrial venue that’s perfect for low-key wedding parties.

Location

Lewes

More info

https://beakbrewery.com/pages/taproom

Sussex Uni Meeting House

A super quirky venue in the Falmer campus of Sussex Uni. It’s got a chapel with rainbow-coloured walls, which makes for some cool photos. 

Sussex Uni Meeting House wedding inspo:

Sussex Uni Meeting House Wedding

Location

Falmer

Info:

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/chaplaincy/services/services

Battle Memorial Hall

The memorial hall in Battle is perfect for DIY weddings. It’s on the high street and doesn’t have outside space so is perfect for rainy or winter weddings.

Battle Memorial Hall wedding inspo:

Battle Memorial Hall Wedding

Location

Battle

Chilley Farm

The venue can hold up to 80 seated guests, and up to 200 standing guests, with the potential for more if you add a marquee.

Location

Near Hailsham in the middle of the countryside 

Hawthbush Farm

So much to love – the light bright barn; the woodland ceremony clearing; the firepit; the hot tub in the woods; the endless fields – Hawthbush Farm run by Foxtail weddings is perfect for DIY barn weddings.

Location

Heathfield

Secret Barn

Secret Barn is such a chilled, lovely venue. It’s got an orchard for the ceremony, a barn for dinner, a small lawn for drinks and a huge field for camping. Plus the people who run it are florists and caterers so that’s three jobs in one!

Secret Barn wedding inspo:

Liz and Luc Wedding

Location

Secret! It’s near Steyning but that’s all they want you to know for now…

More info

https://petalandfeast.co.uk/the-secret-barn

confetti over the bride and groom outside the venue upwaltham barns

Upwaltham Barns

Two barns – one for the ceremony and one for dinner, so you don’t have to wait for the room to get turned around! Beautiful gardens for summery weddings. 

Location

Petworth

 

Pangdean Barn

Pangdean is a perfect English garden It has a family-run vibe and a homespun feel. The barn is converted into a huge venue with a bar, and a separate room with sofas for quiet time. You can even legally get married outside in the garden under an apple tree, which is proper English country garden style stuff when the sun’s out.

The Old Barn comfortably seats up to 190 people for a ceremony or for a meal.

Pangdean wedding inspo:

Venue showcase

Jess and Ben’s apple tree wedding

Location

Just outside Brighton on the South Downs

More info

pangdean.com

 

 

The Bell in Ticehurst

The Bell is Ticehurst is one of the coolest pub wedding venues in East Sussex. They have all sorts of weird stuff, it’s awesome. Plus it has a lovely back garden and a really cool backyard den you can stay overnight in.

Location

Wadhurst

 

Broyle Place

Broyle Place is a fab country house where you can get married in the garden and party in the marquee. The best thing? Your guests can glamp overnight!

Location

Ringmer

 

Crockstead Fields

A festival wedding dream! You can have a marquee and use the field to have tipis, cosy seating areas and top it off with a giant sign to make the festival wedding vibe complete. 

Location

Uckfield

 

Hendall Manor Barns

A stunning garden location with a barn for the ceremony and party, and a sunny terrace and lawn for the reception – perfecr for lawn games or a sports day theme!

Hendall inspo:

Livi and Alex’s Summer Hendall Wedding

Location

Uckfield

 

 

Laughton Barns

A barn with a massive field and outdoor terrace. There’s literally acres of land for games and outdoor activities, plus a patioed terrace for drinks reception. Perfect for a festival wedding!

Location

Laughton, East Sussex

 

Four Oaks Farm

A lake-side setting where you can put up a marquee or tipi and get married by the lake.

Location

Ditchling

 

village hall wedding handfasting

Iford Village Hall

A blank canvas village hall with the option to put up a marquee. It also has a decent lawn for games and an outdoor ceremony under the big tree. Proper DIY venue, with a kitchen and room for a food truck outside too.

Location

Iford, Lewes

 

bride and groom confetti during ceremony in a field at outdoor farm wedding

Rumbolds Farm

A barn for dinner and partying and a big garden for an outdoor ceremony and lawn games.

Location

West Sussex/Surrey near Haslemere

 

Oh So Social

A free venue literally on the beach!

Location

Brighton

Prices

Free

 

brighton fabrica wedding guests

Fabrica

An old church and now art space, it has incredible light and is a blank canvas for weddings.

Location

Brighton

 

Hookhouse Farm

A barn with a cute garden for outdoor ceremonies. A working farm so you can say hello to the cows too!

Location

Redhill

 

Queen's Hall Cuckfield

A village hall with a cute garden for a proper summer’s day picnic vibe wedding.

Location

Cuckfield

 

Yoghurt Rooms

A gorgeous barn with camping and glamping fields and a woodland you can get married in.

Location

East Grinstead

 

Lewes Castle

Great for epic ceremonies – if you can hike up all the steps to get to the top!

Location

Lewes

 

swallows oast venue outside

Swallows Oast

Swallows Oast is a beautiful barn in Wadhurst, with a marquee and courtyard, plus lovely fields and woods for photos.

Location

Wadhurst

Frickley Lake

A lake with the option for a marquee. Plus an onsite lakesite cabin to stay the night.

Location

Battle

 

Buxted Park Hotel

A grand hotel set in a huge parkland.

Location

Buxted

 

The Sussex Barn

The Sussex Barn is a beautiful 400 year old grade 2 listed oak framed barn situated on a working farm in the parish of Hellingly. With countryside views and stunning beams.

Location

Hellingly

 

Wonderland Party Barn

An Airbnb with all sorts of quirky accommodation from an airstream to a dome.

Location

Henfield, Sussex

More info

Airbnb link to venue

 

Ginger Pig

A trendy pub in Hove, not far from the beach. Has a back room for a private small dinner. Fab food!

Location

Hove (actually)

 

Alfriston Gardens

A barn and marquee setup in a beautiful garden setting.

Location

Alfriston, East Sussex

 

Brighton bandstand

Perfect for an outdoor beach ceremony.

Location

Brighton seafront

 

I hope this guide to the best alternative wedding venues in and around Brighton has inspired you for your wedding?

If you’re planning your wedding in Sussex, and need awesome wedding photographers, check out our work and get in touch!