Once you’re engaged, choosing the venue is usually one of the first big decisions. So, when should you start viewing wedding venues? If you’ve got your heart set on a Saturday between May and September, we recommend starting your search around 18 to 24 months ahead. For a weekday or a date between October and April, looking 9 to 12 months ahead may still give you a good choice, although availability will vary.
Couples often decide quite quickly once they start viewing, so it helps to have a rough guest number and budget in mind first. You can then compare what each venue includes, its capacities, wet-weather options, accommodation and payment terms. If you’re planning a civil ceremony in East Sussex, remember that the venue and registrars are booked separately, with giving notice arranged nearer the date.
According to Bridebook’s 2026 UK Wedding Report, the average UK engagement lasts 23.8 months. Based on data from more than 7,000 couples, the report found that around a third were engaged for two years or more.
Once couples start contacting venues, decisions are often made quickly. Bridebook found that 79% booked their venue within four weeks of first making contact, while 92% booked within two months. If you are hoping for a popular Saturday, it is worth arranging your viewings early rather than waiting until the rest of the planning is underway.
Image above by Nick Davies
That extra planning time is particularly useful if you are hoping for a Saturday between May and September. The latest ONS figures show that August was the most popular month for weddings in England and Wales, accounting for 14.3% of marriages in 2023. Saturday was also the most popular day of the week.
Think about what matters most to you before you start booking viewings. If you have one particular date in mind, beginning early will give you the best chance of finding a venue that is available. If the venue matters more than the exact date, being flexible about the day or month will give you more options.
Starting 12 months ahead does not mean you have left it too late. You may still find weekday, Friday or Sunday dates, as well as Saturdays between October and April, although availability will vary between venues. If you are considering an autumn wedding, our guide to autumn barn weddings explains more about the changing light, weather and grounds later in the year.
Planning a wedding in six months may also be possible if you can be flexible and your venue and main suppliers are available. If you are having a civil ceremony, you will also need to check that registrars are available. It becomes more difficult when you want a particular Saturday at a particular venue, so contact the venues you are interested in as soon as you can and ask which dates they currently have available.
Image above by Charlotte Amy Photography
Your venue and registrars are booked separately. Once you have provisionally agreed a date with your venue, contact the East Sussex Ceremonies Hub as soon as possible to check that registrars are available. You must also have decided where your ceremony will take place before giving notice.
Notice can be given up to 12 months before the ceremony. Although the legal minimum is 29 days, East Sussex requires at least six weeks and recommends allowing three to four months where possible. Foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control may need Home Office approval and should allow at least 12 weeks.
You will usually give notice at a register office in the district where you live and must have lived there for the previous seven days. If you live outside East Sussex, contact your local register office instead. The current fee is £46.50 per person, or £63 per person if the notice needs to be referred to the Home Office. Fees can change, so check the latest information or call the East Sussex Ceremonies Hub on 0345 60 80 198.
Image above by Anita Watson Photography
There is no set number, but viewing around three to five venues will usually give you enough to compare without making the decision harder. Before booking any viewings, agree on your approximate guest numbers and overall budget, as these will affect which venues are suitable and what your wedding will cost.
If possible, visit during the season in which you are planning to marry. The grounds, natural light and amount of time guests can spend outside will change throughout the year. If you cannot visit at the same time of year, ask to see photographs from weddings held in a similar month. It is also worth asking where ceremonies, reception drinks and photographs take place if the weather changes.
Image above by Sussex Media Design
Start by confirming that your preferred date is available. Ask how much the deposit is, what it secures, what is included in the venue hire and which costs are additional. You should also check when further payments are due and what happens if you need to change or cancel the date.
Next, find out how the venue will work for your day. Ask if you will have exclusive use, what time you can arrive and when the celebration needs to finish. Check where the ceremony and reception drinks will take place if it rains, along with the capacities for the ceremony, wedding breakfast and evening reception.
It is also worth asking if catering is provided in-house, whether there are any restrictions on outside suppliers and how many guests can stay on site. Check the parking and accessibility, who will help with the planning and coordinate the wedding on the day, and what time the music needs to finish. These answers will help you understand exactly what is included and compare the venues you have visited.
Blackstock Country Estate is a barn wedding venue set in over 70 acres of countryside in Hellingly, East Sussex, within easy reach of Eastbourne, Brighton and Tunbridge Wells. The Tudor Barn dates back to the 16th century and is licensed for civil ceremonies of up to 120 guests. Outdoor ceremonies can also take place beneath the pergola. For a full wedding day, the wedding breakfast is held in The Granary before guests return to the Tudor Barn for the evening reception.
We host one wedding at a time, with exclusive use of the barns, courtyards and grounds included in a full wedding booking. Private viewings are available by appointment, and one of our wedding coordinators will show you around both barns, the grounds and the accommodation options. Ask as many questions as you need and take some time to see how each part of your day could work here.
Image above by Natalie Holt
So, when should you start viewing wedding venues? As soon as you have an approximate guest number, budget and preferred time of year. Starting early will give you more choice, but a shorter timeline can still work if you are flexible about your date.
If Blackstock Country Estate is on your shortlist, you can read more about what is included in our venue hire and how a wedding day works here. When you are ready to come and see it for yourself, call us on 01323 848 006 or book a private viewing.