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Wedding blog – How to make sure your wedding runs smoothly

Our latest wedding blog looks at what steps you – the bride and groom – can take to make sure your Sussex wedding goes smoothly.

Planning an upcoming wedding can be highly enjoyable, but of course it can also be extremely stressful.

We all like to think we can organise the perfect day. But unless you’ve been in the director’s chair in the past it’s hard to imagine just how many things need to be taken care of.

You could have the world’s greatest photographer, the finest caterer in all the land and flowers that wouldn’t look out of place in Kew Gardens. But if the venue isn’t right it could have a negative impact on everything. And as the organiser all you really want are positives.

A wedding at Michelham Priory in East Sussex

Picking the perfect Sussex wedding venue

The venue itself, the setting for all that charms and all that inspires, is therefore the most crucial piece in the whole jigsaw. The function room above your favourite pub could have that high-quality DJ that everybody wanted to book. But it’s still the function room above your favourite pub. It’s undoubtedly a lovely room, of course, but it’s not exactly overflowing with wow factor. It’s not… how do we say this… special.

And while the venue is the most import ingredient in the whole day, the layout of that venue should be seen as the most crucial sub-ingredient. Layout, put simply, is everything.

Think about wedding celebrations that you’ve attended in the past. Did every guest have a clear view of the ceremony? Was the bar in the right location? Or the food? Or even the toilets? Were the acoustics in the main room good enough? Crucially, if you were organising your own nuptials right now, would you use that particular Sussex wedding venue at all?

This is the problem facing many soon-to-be brides and grooms at the moment. They can find settings that tick some (or even many) of the right boxes. But finding one that ticks all of them is proving far more difficult.

Thankfully, the iconic Michelham Priory in East Sussex is what can only be described as a serial box-ticker. This is a place that has everything – from a rich history and a picturesque setting to a romantic backdrop. And, most importantly, a layout that offers all the flow a perfect wedding ceremony needs.

A wedding party enter the gatehouse at Michelham Priory, a wedding venue in East Sussex.

A layout that has all you need for the ultimate wedding day

The wonderful Elizabethan Barn, for example, has it all. Guests arrive through the venue’s medieval gatehouse. They’re ushered along the driveway to an open courtyard – perfect for pre-event drinks and nibbles. Then into the barn itself for the big moment. Behind the barn the stunning terrace offers a chance to mingle while your guests admire the views of the moat and the manicured grounds.

Everyone can explore this unique setting, taking in the relaxed atmosphere of a truly historic location. And if there are children on the guest list, there’s even a playground to enable them to enjoy the day as much as everyone else.

Throughout the grounds, there are tranquil spots that are perfect for sitting back and taking in the blissful satisfaction of an unforgettable day. Later, it will be time to head back to the barn for a chance to dance the night away under the historic beamed ceiling.

And, as if all of that wasn’t enough, it’s worth thinking about the photo opportunities. Some venues might have one or two – sadly some have none at all – but here at Michelham Priory we have several.

Which would you prefer? The terrace? The medieval gate house? The sculptured waterside gardens? The character-rich priory building? The images you create will be so romantic, so iconic and so picturesque that you’ll never tire of flicking through them in the future and savouring once again a day that you and your guests have never forgotten.

 

Sussex wedding venue - Michelham Priory

Our Sussex wedding venues and wedding blog

In addition to Michelham Priory (read this blog about why it’s THE perfect Sussex wedding venue), Sussex Past also offers two more superb wedding venues for you to consider.

The wonderful Anne of Cleves House is intimate, historic and rich in character, while the dramatic Lewes Castle is an iconic Norman fortress that features panoramic views of the picturesque Sussex countryside. Tying the know in these locations will always be unforgettable.

If you’d like to find out more about our wedding venues in Sussex, all you have to do is get in touch. Our team is ready and waiting to help you create a day and night like no other.

Relaxing outdoors at a barn wedding in Michelham Priory, East Sussex

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