Your Sussex Wedding - April/May 2023 (Issue 102)

HORSTED PLACE 01825 750 581 | www.horstedplace.co.uk/weddings Horsted Place Hotel is located two miles south of Uckfield and is as well a connected destination as you could wish for when loved ones are travelling from all over to be with you. Steeped in history, with a stunning Victoria Gothic backdrop, it offers an idyllic setting throughout the seasons. Step beyond the redbrick facade and you enter a world of giltframed paintings and roaring fires. Converted into a hotel in the 1980s it still bears the hallmarks of its auspicious past, yet has one foot firmly in the future. It’s available for the exclusive use of your wedding party, which means you get your own fully-staffed country house and garden for the day, including the bedrooms. ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS Built in 1850 for Francis Barchard, Horsted Place is one of the finest examples of Gothic revivalist architecture you’ll find in Britain today, thanks to its architect Samuel Daukes, a keen follower of the movement. In structure it remains little changed to this day. Indeed, if Mr Barchard were able to see it now, he’d surely be able to instantly recognise his beautiful home. WHERE TO WED Take your pick from three areas licensed for ceremonies: the intimate Library, the larger, newly refurbished Garden Room with French doors leading out onto the formal gardens and the Victorian-style summerhouse, in front of which the “I dos” can take place outside on the lawn. A SPACE TO CELEBRATE The team love to offer you flexibility to create the wedding of your dreams and appreciate that a large celebration isn’t for everyone. Therefore, they’re careful to cater for guest numbers from 80 to 120. For a private, more intimate wedding, the gorgeous, wood-panelled library is the perfect place. Or on a glorious summer’s day, why not consider the croquet lawn for al fresco celebrations? BURY MANOR BARN 01798 831 791 | www.burymanorbarn.co.uk An impressive Tudor barn, this venue is set in the picturesque, rural village of Bury, near Pulborough in the heart of the South Downs National Park. In addition to its stunning riverside setting and amazing views, the Bury Manor Barn site includes several distinct areas including, an amphitheatre with lighting for extending the time guests can spend outside, a walled garden, a fabulous covered terrace area, a woodland area with a wonderful avenue of beech trees, and a pond and jetty with weeping willow. ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS The barn and its idyllic surroundings are located in the grounds of Dorset House School, one of the oldest prep schools in the country. Steeped in history, records of the Manor date back to the Domesday Book. WHERE TO WED Civil ceremonies, accompanied by 130 loved ones, take place in the beautiful inner barn or outside at the amphitheatre with stunning views across the Wildbrooks and River Arun to Amberley Castle and the South Downs beyond. A SPACE TO CELEBRATE Receptions are hosted in either the Outer or Inner Barn. The Outer Barn can seat 140 nearest and dearest around trestle tables, or 120 seated at banquet rounds. The Inner Barn can seat 108 loved ones at banquet rounds if it’s not being used for the “I dos.” The 16th-century barn structure is divided by a glazed wall and you have the freedom to decorate according to your chosen theme whether it be traditional, rustic or a day bursting with colour. The building has retained its original wooden beams, which you’re free to dress adding to the overall aesthetic. There’s also a superb state-of-the-art LED lighting system in place for you to utilise. During your day you’ll have exclusive use of the barn, lower lawns, covered terrace, walled garden and woodland area. There’s a generous amount of time allocated for setting up and collection the following day, plus you’re offered a complimentary wine tasting with Digby Fine English. www.lemontree-photography.co.uk www.lemontree-photography.co.uk 24

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