Kirsten and Sean held their twilight wedding at Blackstock Country Estate in East Sussex on Saturday 30 May 2026, and what a lovely day it turned out to be. With a later afternoon start, the whole celebration took place in our Tudor Barn. Forty-four adult day guests and six children joined them through the afternoon, with a further eighty-three guests arriving for the evening. Every part of the day, beginning with the morning cupcake delivery and finishing with the last dance, felt relaxed, personal and full of touches that were entirely their own.
The day began with the cupcakes, delivered by Elli’s Edibles between 10am and 11am. Kirsten arrived at the makeup room at 11am and had breakfast at 11:30am, while Grace Benson took care of her hair and makeup. Over in the Tudor Barn, their decorator Joanna was dressing the room for the ceremony. Fairy lights and wisteria ran along the beams, fresh rose petals lined the aisle, green taffeta sashes sat on the chairs by the aisle, and a fairy light backdrop finished the look. Sean got ready at home and arrived at 2:30pm, just before the first guests were due.
Their twilight country wedding made the most of a long, light evening in late May.
Day guests began arriving at 3pm, with the bar open and a playlist on in the background. The ceremony started at 4pm in the Tudor Barn, set out with six rows of seating either side of the aisle. The couple had chosen their own music for their guests arriving, their entrance, the signing of the register and the walk back down the aisle, all played by our team on the day.
One of the nicest details of the day came as guests arrived. Sean’s brother and his son stood at the entrance with a basket of confetti and bubbles for everyone to take. Once Kirsten and Sean were married, they walked back down the aisle through a happy mix of confetti and bubbles from all their family and friends.
The drinks reception followed at 4:30pm, again with the bar open and music playing while the DJ arrived to set up. Guests enjoyed prosecco and bottled beer, with sparkling elderflower for anyone not drinking and squash for the children. Canapés came out at 4:45pm, with a selection of three per guest. There was a waffle with buttermilk chicken and maple syrup, a Yorkshire pudding with rare beef and fresh horseradish, and a focaccia with tomato relish and bocconcini, along with vegetarian and allergy-friendly options. A few were set aside for Kirsten and Sean to enjoy around their photographs.
Their photographs were taken by Anita Watson Photography, and our Blackstock buggy was on hand for a few pictures out on the grounds, weather permitting. Late May is a good time of year for this, with the gardens looking their best.
At 5pm the room was turned around, ready for the evening, with four large round tables set out in the Tudor Wing, each seating eight. Kirsten and Sean had brought along board games to go on the tables, which is exactly the kind of relaxed, sociable detail that works so well here. Their evening guests arrived at 6pm, with the DJ from Anura Entertainment playing and the bar open.
Just before 7pm there were two speeches, the first from Kirsten’s daughter and the second from the best man. As dusk fell, glow sticks were set out on the guestbook table, a fitting touch for a twilight wedding. At the end of his speech, the best man announced the first dance. There was no traditional cake cutting for this couple. Instead they had cupcakes from Elli’s Edibles, displayed on a Ferris wheel cake holder from Sweet Dreams Candy Cart, who also brought along a sweetie dresser, a post box and a selection of garden games including cornhole, knockdown ducks and giant Jenga. Guests could leave their messages at the Magic Mirror photo booth and audio guestbook from Demon Photobooths.
The evening buffet was served at 7:30pm and included homemade sandwiches, hot and spicy chicken wings, sausage roll bites, a mini quiche selection, fresh salad, cheese straws and torn bread, with vegetarian, gluten-free and allergy-friendly choices throughout. The bar and music carried on until 11pm, a happy end to Kirsten and Sean’s twilight wedding.
Kirsten and Sean’s day is a lovely example of how flexible a wedding here can be. Their twilight wedding made full use of our Tudor Barn, with a later start, an evening buffet and plenty of room for dancing, games and time with the people they love. If you have a small daytime celebration in mind, or a busy evening party, a twilight wedding here in East Sussex can be shaped around exactly what matters to you.
If you would like to picture your own twilight wedding, we would love to hear from you. Give the team a call on 01323 848006 or send us a message through our contact page to arrange a viewing and see the Tudor Barn for yourself.