Your Sussex Wedding - August/September 2024 (Issue 110)

ASHDOWN PARK HOTEL AND COUNTRY CLUB 01342 824 988 | www.ashdownpark.com Ashdown Forest, East Sussex, is home to Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club. The house itself is a spectacular Grade II listed, neo Gothic mansion complete with period rooms and 186 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Whether you’re planning a grand affair or an intimate celebration, the venue has an ideal space for your day. The mezzanine level of the Richard Towneley Suite (the venue’s soaring converted chapel) offers a breathtaking fairytale setting with its impressive 19th-century stained glass windows designed by renowned Irish glass artist Harry Clarke. It’s certainly an unforgettable spot for ceremonies, receptions and dining for 80 to 150 guests. On the ground floor is the John Hayward Room. Licensed to host the same number of loved ones. You can opt to say “I do” here before moving upstairs for your wedding breakfast, making the chapel a self-contained wedding venue. A dream for al fresco “I dos,” is the oh-so romantic Summer House, nestled alongside the lake on the manicured lawns. Here, you can seat 100 loved ones on the grass as you exchange your vows in the shade of the Summer House itself. You have the option to hold your ceremony here before heading over to The Richard Towneley Suite for the celebrations. The venue also offers a number of smaller spaces for more intimate occasions. Located off the East Wing corridor, the Lady Brassey is elegantly decorated in keeping with the history of the mansion. It can host wedding breakfasts for 40 to 70 nearest and dearest, who can later move through to the Henry Smart room, with its own private terrace, for the evening do. If you’re planning an even more intimate day, then the Jacob Henniker room is the ideal choice for your vows. It’s conveniently located off the Hotel’s grand lobby and is suitable for 10 to 40 guests. Plus, the smallest of the venue’s spaces, Richard de Wych is available for wedding breakfasts for 10 to 16 nearest and dearest with views of the gorgeous grounds and lake. What’s more, with 106 bedrooms and suites here, there’s plenty of options for you and your loved ones to stay overnight. As the newlyweds, you’ll have the enviable choice of several opulent honeymoon suites to retire to complete with indulgent touches including chilled Champagne, chocolates and flowers on arrival. MERCURE BRIGHTON SEAFRONT HOTEL 01273 351 012 | www.mercurebrighton.co.uk Just a short walk away from Brighton’s landmarks, the Mercure Brighton Seafront Hotel offers fantastic and calming views of the sea. Indeed, you can pose for photos or get married on the bandstand with the sea sparkling in the background. Impress your guests too with the Regency splendour of the Ballroom’s ceiling-height mirrors and chandeliers. Ceremonies can be held in the Coast View Suite with 60 guests. On the fifth floor, it presents stunning panoramic views of the seafront, overlooking the bandstand and West Pier. The Norfolk Suite is ideal for more intimate “I dos” with 40 guests. With a striking staircase sweeping into the room, this the ideal space for your big entrance. Meanwhile, The Ballroom can accommodate 90 for the ceremony. A magnificent room, it’s tastefully decorated to reflect the elegant Regency era of British interior design. The Ballroom is also the place for opulent wedding receptions celebrated with 90 loved ones. Offering a stunning backdrop, and ample space for entertaining, it also features its own bar with private access for you and your loved ones. The venue offers a complimentary menu tasting, complimentary standard accommodation for the newlyweds, discount code for your guests, personalised welcome sign, table plan and place cards. 25 WATERSIDE VENUES

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