Woodland Weddings
We are licensed to hold six exclusive weddings a year, when we close the wood to members and visitors. Our beautiful Meeting House is a licensed ceremony space so you can hold the legal part of the wedding here at the woods too. And the treehouse-cabins make the perfect accommodation for you or your guests.
For all enquiries and to arrange a visit to discuss your requirements, please contact Emily: emilyanddan@wildernesswood.org
Please note - we have very limited availability for 2024, and are taking enquiries for 2025.
Exclusive hire of the site for a wedding of around 100 people includes in the price:
Time to set up and clear up on the day before and after;
60 acres of woodland for walks and informal ceremonies;
The Meeting House for legal ceremonies;
The Hub: Cookhouse, bar, dance area, fire-bowls, terrace area with childrens’ play equipment and spectacular views.
Small indoor area in The Barn for being cosy around the fire;
Use of grassy paddocks for a marquee (hire of marquee is extra) and camping;
Three wild camping glades with shelters;
Bath House with wood fired showers and bath for campers;
Holly Hut - a shepherd's hut which sleeps a couple or a family of four (two double beds);
Two ‘tree-house’ cabins which will sleep 4/5 people each;
Team members on hand to answer questions, provide ladders, light fires etc.
Exclusive hire for 2025/26 is £6,000 (including the two cabins and Holly Hut for Friday to Sunday)
We can sometimes host smaller low-key weddings where the woods remains open, and you hire specific spaces for your event.
Getting involved in the woods:
One of the conditions of hire, is that we ask you to join our members in helping us look after and improve the woods.
We have found that this experience is good for the woods in terms of bringing in new skills, ideas and energy but also good for the couple's wedding day as you get to know the woods and the team much better. Couples have (for example) helped build the new bath-house, designed a poster for our Christmas market, put together drawings for our planning application and helped out on our Stewardship Saturdays.
Many couples return year on year to celebrate anniversaries, hold naming ceremonies for children and come back to visit what has become an important family space.
Music and alcohol:
Wilderness Wood is in the village and so our licence requires that music be mainly acoustic or silent disco and must finish at 10pm. Campers are welcome to continue around the camp-fire in the paddock, while being respectful of our neighbours and residents in the house.
We also have a licence to sell or supply alcohol (with last orders at 10pm).
We suggest you have bar staff on hand to sell or serve from your bar. Staff can often be booked by us. Please ask in advance.
Optional extras:
Marquee hire
Bell-tent hire & set-up
Tea and Coffee during the event (evening and/or afternoon)
Rustic rain shelter/s
Coffee and pastries for the ‘morning after’
Festoon lighting
Bar and serving staff
Suppliers:
As a unique location, it is sometimes useful to use suppliers who already know and love the venue - here is an (incomplete) list of people who already know the woods.
Caterers:
Cashew Catering - vegetarian and vegan food - experienced users of our wood fired pizza oven.
Elizabeth Caton Catering - a range of options - has also provided a BBQ.
Marquees and Bell Tents:
Stay Wild - their marquee can go in various locations around the wood and their ready-to-go bell-tents can be set up in the Lower Paddock.
Photographers:
Anna Pumer is a neighbour of the woods - lots of lovely pictures of our woodland weddings on her website.
Laura Rhian - photographed Johnathan & Nina’s wedding here a few years ago and comes highly recommended by them.
Fern Edwards - photographed Phillipa & John’s wedding here in 2021.
Flowers:
Whitney & Willow - Alex has a studio 5 minutes from the wood and sources as many local flowers as is possible for the time of year of your wedding.
Flower Kitschen - Lauren is based in Brighton and can provide a selection of fresh and dried flowers.
Sussex Cutting Garden - Kate and Caroline, for wonderful homegrown flowers and florestry
Advice to guests:
The closest train stations are Buxted and Uckfield.
Taxis are not easily available to and from site and must be pre-booked. Please ask drivers to come onto site and meet you at The Barn.
The ground is uneven in places and high heels are not advised!
If you are not camping/staying on site, the closest towns and villages are: Buxted (Buxted Park Hotel - (the posh option!); The Buxted Inn); Maresfield (Premier Inn); Heathfield; Uckfield; Crowborough). There are lots of lovely Bed and Breakfasts and AirB&B options.
