Planning your wedding in West Sussex

Often at the heart of foreign invasions of Britain, be it the Roman or the Norman invastion, it's quite a beautiful county for anyone to visit first. Chichester doesn't often receive the credit it deserves for what really is a beautiful city. The rolling hills of the South Downs act as a stunning backdrop for any wedding and there are an abundance of fantastic wedding venues to choose from across the county.

Where to start?

1 You can't get far without first working out your wedding budget. Try and get a rough idea of what you can afford. Put this number into our handy, free budget calculator to get a guide on how this might be split.

2 Now that you're all set with your budget, it's time to get an idea of the guest numbers. You may need to go back and revisit your budget depending on numbers. Our free guest tracker in the planning tools section will help you store all names and details.

3 Next, it's time to find your dream venue. There's plenty of choice across West Sussex. From quaint Chichester to iconic Lewes there's something for everyone. You may need to book a separate venue for the ceremony.

4 Finding the dream wedding dress can take a while and there's no need to feel rushed. Check out our wedding dress section to browse 1000s of designers and styles. Get an idea for what you like and then see which boutiques near you stock the designs you like.

West Sussex wedding venues

Ockenden Manor Hotel & S...

A charming and elegant Elizabethan manor house set in the pretty village of...

£5,000 - £34,000 total

Upwaltham Barns

Set in the heart of the South Downs National Park, Upwaltham Barns allows y...

£2,750 - £4,850 total

Thank you for the most amazing wedding. The Cowdray team were fantastic and we couldn’t have wished for a better wedding
Mr & Mrs Rochford

Wedding dress stockists

Gillian Million

Gillian Million designs and creates wedding accessories and bespoke luxurie...

£7 - £800 per item

Dresses for Gorgeous Gir...

Handpicked flowergirl dresses , in many colours, in stock and dispatched fr...

£40 - £80 per item

Bridal Indulgence

Luxury boutique Bridal Indulgence offers a tranquil place to try wedding go...

£1,000 - £4,000 per head

Caroline Arthur Bridal

Welcome to Caroline Arthur, luxury wedding gown designers and bridal dress ...

£1 - £2 per head

Real weddings in West Sussex

Clare & Dan's Colour Pop Southend Barn Wedding

First things you need to do when planning a wedding

Free planning tools

5 Now that you've booked your venue it's time to find your other suppliers. We recommend starting with local, West Sussex-based photographers. They might be a bit pricier than you'd expect but they're well worth it!

6 If food and drink is not in the venue package and this is something you need to source separately then it's worth getting your catering sorted. Plus, you get to enjoy all the tasting. Fortunately, West Sussex has plenty of great culinary options for you to choose from.

7 So you know the date of your West Sussex wedding! It's time to send save the dates to all your guests. If you're sending physical save the dates then check out our fantastic stationery section for some great suppliers and designs.

8 Entertainment! Want to have the ultimate party? 82% of our couples say they are most looking forward to the band and the dancing at the wedding. This is often the most memorable part of the wedding for your guests and there are plenty of great musicians across Sussex.

Photographers

Kristida photography

“ I absolutely LOVE telling LOVE stories with my photographs” ...

£895 - £1,695 total

How to make ordinary - extraordinary? A genuine smile, happy eyes, a romantic sunset, jump of joy... there is beauty around us.
Aksela Photography

Hair & make up artists

Elegance Bridal Coiffure...

Elegance Bridal Coiffure is a romantic bridal hair specialist, offering bot...

£40 - £90 per head

Emma Olliff Hair & Makeu...

Professionally Trained Cruelty Free Hair and Makeup Artist covering Sussex,...

£25 - £180 per head

Miss

Whether you want romantic wispy plaits, textured bohemian braids or a moder...

£45 - £100 per head

9 West Sussex has an abundance of fantastic local florists. Can you get them to incorporate some locally grown violets of the valley in the flower arrangements? It's always fun to include something that's sourced nearby.

10 Hair and makeup just for the bride or your bridesmaids too? Get your trial booked in so you've got an idea of the whole look on the big day. Hair and makeup artists are usually willing to travel so may worth looking at suppliers in Surrey or East Sussex too.

11 Lots of yummy cake makers in West Sussex and just like the catering before, this is your chance to get stuck in with the tastings. Find a local Sussex-based supplier to ensure your cake doesn't have to travel too far.

12 While we've only picked a handful of supplier categories above, we recommend you use our checklist planning tool to make sure you have everything ticked off. Remember, you'll also need to look at attire for the groom, groomsmen and bridesmaids along with Venue styling decor and favours.

Music

Ambassador Band

Ambassador Band is the cream of the crop in the wedding and events market. ...

£4,000 - £15,000 total

Passion with Strings

A young experienced chamber group performing classical, popular, film and j...

£200 - £600 total

Heather Wrighton Harpist...

Heather is a highly experienced professional wedding harpist who is in grea...

£250 - £550 total

Flowers

Mal's Bespoke Bouquets

All our bridal flowers are made bespoke to the bride we also have a large a...

£40 - £400 per item

Supplier tip

Let your venue influence your florals. Try and opt for arrangements that look like they belong in that setting.

Bedazzled Events Ltd

From traditional to contemporary, intimate to extravagant, each Bedazzled W...

£600 - £3,500 total

Cakes

Cakey Bakey

Cakey Bakey is a Wedding Cake Company in the heart of Sussex.It is run by P...

£200.00 - £0.00 per head

The White Rose Cake Comp...

Beautiful Bespoke Wedding Cakes

£215 - £2,000 per item

The Treat Truck

Welcome aboard The Treat Truck. We have carefully and playfully designe...

£5 - £15 per head

For a further breakdown of local suppliers, we suggest that you search for venues and suppliers in the following regions:

Worthing, East Grinstead, Balcombe, Bury, Itchenor, Horley, Rusper, Hickstead, Chichester, Donnington, Kirdford, Copthorne, Sharpthorne, Horsham, Crawley, Haywards Heath, Cuckfield, Goring-by-Sea, Arundel, Findon, Fontwell, West Chiltington, Handcross

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