Why should your wedding be over and done with in just one day when it could last the entire weekend?! West Sussex is the perfect location for extending your celebrations with friends and family for a few days and we’ve put together a list of our top tips for how to make the most your wedding week with friends.
Take some time to research the area in advance of your wedding day. You can use this blog post and any other research that you do yourself and create information cards to give to your guests or leave in their bedrooms. Or you could send it to them with their invitations to help them make the most of their trip.
If you want to hang out with your guests even longer you could even organise a group outing and spend the whole weekend celebrating your nuptials with your friends and family. To help you get started, we have devised a list of the top 10 things to do in West Sussex for the day after your wedding…
The day after your wedding, head to Wakehurst Botanical Gardens with your family and friends. Part of Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Wakehurst is home to over 500 acres of diverse landscapes and manicured gardens. Relax in the Walled Garden, lose yourself in wildflower meadows or increase your step count as you explore the woodland.
Take in views of the chalk cliffs beyond Brighton and the stretches of Sussex beaches from Worthing Pier. Stroll along the promenade above the sea, treat yourself to an ice cream and have fun in the amusement arcade on the pleasure pier. While you are here, you can also immerse yourself in an outdoor art gallery. Creative Waves established Art on the Pier in 2012 with a rainbow of coloured glass and inspiring artworks.
Owned by the National Trust, Petworth House and Park is a 17th-century house nestled in a 700-acre deer park. Inside the house, you can explore the grand state rooms, historic kitchens and servants’ quarters. You’ll also find one of the finest National Trust art collections here. On a sunny day, wander around the Pleasure Garden and look out for the fallow deer grazing in the deer park.
Take advantage of your West Sussex wedding venue’s location with a safari experience at Knepp Estate. Knepp Wildland Safari is just a 20-minute drive from Brookfield Barn. Head out on a Dusk Safari, between 5.30pm and 8.15pm. As the sun begins to set, listen to the last of the birds’ songs before they fly back to their nests. At this time you have a good chance of spotting groups of red deer and Exmoor ponies as they wander to the lakes for a drink under the cover of nightfall. At the end of the safari, sip a glass of wine under the stars for a perfectly romantic end to an unforgettable wedding weekend.
Set upon a hill overlooking the South Downs and River Arun, Arundel Castle is a top attraction for people visiting West Sussex. Explore the castle and grounds as a group and pose for photographs with the castle as the backdrop to your first day of married life.
Blow away the cobwebs and get some vitamin-sea with a trip to Goring Beach. Stroll along the shorefront or, if you’re lucky with the weather, pitch up for a day at the beach. Beat the hangover and the post-wedding blues with a dip in the sea. For something a bit more adventurous, book a group stand-up paddle-boarding lesson with GLO Wellbeing.
Weald & Downland Living Museum is a 40-acre site of rescued, traditional, rural buildings. At the museum, you will get a taste of what life was like for people living in years gone by. Here, you can experience 1,000 years of traditional crafts and rural living in a unique setting. At Weald & Downland Living Museum there is something to entertain everyone, making it a brilliant attraction to visit if you have children attending your wedding weekend.
Extend the good times and celebrations with a wine-tasting experience at Blackdown Ridge Estate. Book a group tour for all of the guests that have travelled to your West Sussex wedding venue, for the day after the wedding. The two-hour tour begins with a brief history of Blackdown Ridge Estate, followed by a walk around the vineyard. Along the way, you will visit the winery before sitting down to sample some of the award-winning wines.
Devil’s Dyke is the longest, deepest and widest ‘dry valley’ in Britain. At almost a mile long, running from Winchester to Eastbourne, it’s a popular National Trust trail for walkers and cyclists alike. Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Brookfield Barn before heading out for a group hike.
Arundel Wetland Centre is the leading wetland conservation charity. During your visit hop aboard the free boat safari. The 20-minute boat trip will take you through wet meadows where you might be lucky enough to spot water voles, amphibians and an array of bird species.
Brookfield Barn is an exclusive-use, West Sussex wedding venue with a picturesque setting like no other. The barn is positioned next to a romantic lake and is surrounded by rolling countryside. Say ‘I do’ with a lake-side ceremony before celebrating with your guests in the enchanting barn.
If you’re still looking for your wedding venue in West Sussex, book a visit to Brookfield Barn by giving our friendly team a call on 01403 900606. We know you won’t be disappointed
Where glorious countryside meets breathtaking lakeside views. Where you can say ‘I do’ at the water’s edge and celebrate under enchanting oak beams. Private, peaceful and picturesque.
Sunday 8th September
You’re invited to join us for wonderful day of inspiration at Brookfield Barn’s Open Event on Sunday 8th September 11am-3pm.
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