Wedding suppliers in Brighton

Planning a wedding in Brighton

Brighton has never been a conventional sort of place, and its weddings follow suit. This is a city where couples happily mix a register office ceremony with fish and chips on the beach, a party in a converted warehouse or a garden reception in the South Downs, and its suppliers are open-minded, creative and used to doing things differently.

Settings

The seafront, the Regency squares of Hove and the Royal Pavilion's domes and minarets are all classic Brighton backdrops. The Lanes and North Laine give colourful, narrow streets for photographs. Rottingdean, a short drive east, has a village green and clifftop walks, and beyond it the coast leads towards the Seven Sisters. Inland, the South Downs National Park offers barns, farms and country houses with sweeping views. Shoreham-by-Sea and Lancing to the west have their own coastal character.

Getting there and staying over

Fast trains run to London Victoria and London Bridge, and Gatwick Airport is close by. The A23 links Brighton to the M23 and London. Summer weekends bring huge numbers of visitors, and Brighton Pride in early August fills the city, so hotels are scarce around those dates. Ask guests to book early, or look at accommodation in Hassocks, Portslade or Newhaven.

Practical points

• Parking and access along the seafront can be difficult. Check loading arrangements with your venue and suppliers.
• Beaches here are shingle, which matters for shoes, chairs and any ceremony set-up. Some beach activities may need permission from the council.
• Coastal weather changes quickly, so always plan for wind and rain.

Civil ceremonies in England must be held at a register office or approved premises, and you give notice at your local register office. Brighton and Hove's register office can explain current notice periods and ceremony rooms.

Brighton suppliers often book up early for summer, so contact them as soon as your venue is confirmed.