MICHELHAM PRIORY HOUSE & GARDENS 07788 446 621 | https://sussexpast.co.uk Enter Michelham Priory through the Medieval Gatehouse with its ancient bridge over the longest medieval moat in the UK and find yourself on the seven-acre island of formal and informal grounds. You can choose to have photos and drinks receptions in a variety of spaces depending on the style of your wedding including the Physics Garden, Kitchen Garden, Medieval Herb Garden, the formal lawns in front of the Priory or within the orchard. Whatever the season, the grounds at Michelham are glorious, often a riot of colour and rich in biodiversity. Michelham Priory’s Grade I listed Elizabethan Barn boasts a breathtaking vaulted ceiling with original oak beams swagged with fairylights. Here, you can say “I do” in front of 130 loved ones and celebrate in style with a seated wedding breakfast for the same number. The venue provides round tables, French cross back chairs and a bar; and is ready for you to personalise with your own personal touches. To one side of the Barn lies a private courtyard and to the other a private walled garden, which is overlooked by the Old Forge, and complete with festoon lighting and outside seating. It also has a private lawn behind it, which is the perfect spot for lawn games and early evening drinks as the sun sets over the moat. For more intimate ceremonies accompanied by 60 nearest and dearest, you can choose to exchange your vows in the Prior’s Chamber, an original Tudor room in the Priory itself. This wood-panelled space features an impressive, mantled fireplace plus original artworks and historical features. Being a licensed wedding venue, Michelham Priory can also host al fresco “I dos” and receptions in several glorious locations around the grounds including on the formal lawns, on the barn’s private lawns or in the romantic orchard. New for 2024 is a team of experience wedding planners and stylist for those of you looking for extra support. What’s more, an annual membership for the two of you to the Sussex Archaeological Society offers the opportunity to return to your venue and the Society’s five other properties as often as you wish after the big day. BIGNOR PARK 07798 807 043 | www.bignorpark.co.uk The 1,100-acre, privately-owned Bignor Park Estate is situated in stunning surroundings at the foot of the magnificent South Downs. Weddings here are family-run and limited to 14 couples per year, so the team will go the extra mile to make sure your planning and day run smoothly, while you and your guests are relaxed and excited to have a great time. What’s more, you’ll have access to the venue two days before your wedding, so everything can be just how you want and there’s no rush to get things ready. The venue is licensed to hold ceremonies and partnerships outside in the romantic Greek Loggia. This is a roofed, stone porch beneath which you can exchange your vows. Your 150 guests will be seated on the lawn in front surrounded by the beautiful gardens. Alternatively, the Coach Store of the Stables provides the ideal setting for those choosing an indoor ceremony, with space for 60 nearest and dearest. Bignor Park has several options available for hosting receptions. The South Lawn provides a gorgeous backdrop for wedding photos and reception drinks, with unrivalled views of quintessential West Sussex countryside and the South Downs. The spacious lawn delivers a relaxed and welcome change of pace to your day post-ceremony or on arrival from church. The Stables are a charming, rustic complex of rooms dating from the late 18th century that have been lovingly restored to their original condition. The five rooms are situated around a large, cobbled courtyard on one side, and on the opposite side the Coach Store opens out through French doors onto the Quadrangle – a secluded walled garden providing an indoor/outdoor space for dining, drinks or evening relaxation. The Croquet Lawn is deceptively large, so if you’re planning a tipi tent or marquee wedding reception this is the hidden gem you need. It can accommodate up to 250 guests under canvas from one of the venue’s trusted marquee suppliers. www.thecurries.co www.thecurries.co 28
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