Michelham Priory Weddings: What It's Actually Like to get married There
I've driven past the turning for Michelham Priory probably hundreds of times. It's just down the road, tucked away near Hailsham, and you'd honestly have no idea what's in there unless someone told you. An 800 year old priory, a moat, proper old stone buildings and some of the most gloriously overgrown, characterful grounds in East Sussex. It's a bit of a hidden gem, even for locals.
Last summer I photographed a wedding there and it rained. Like, properly rained. The kind of rain where you're quietly recalculating your shot list while pretending everything is totally fine. And you know what? The photos are some of my favourites I've taken at any venue.
That's the thing about Michelham. It was basically built for a rainy day. The stone archways and covered walkways give you shelter without losing any of the atmosphere and you can be outdoors and stay dry. Actually the opposite happens, the wet stone goes this deep grey colour and everything looks more dramatic and moody and honestly a bit cinematic.
The venue itself is run by Sussex Past and it's a proper working heritage site rather than a purpose-built wedding venue, which gives it a completely different feel. There's a working watermill, a medieval great barn that does ceremony and reception, and the moat surrounds the whole island site.
From a photography perspective the variety is really good. You've got the stone architecture, the gardens, the mill pond, the barn interior. Even in bad weather I wasn't short of options. The ceremony room has beautiful natural light and the barn is huge enough to work with even when you've got a lot of guests.
It's genuinely one of the most beautiful places in Sussex and I'm not just saying that because I'm biased about the local area (I am a bit biased). If you're looking at Sussex wedding venues and want somewhere with real history and character rather than a blank canvas barn, Michelham is worth a serious look. And if it rains, don't panic. I'll work with it.
