Wedding Awards
Won the Wedding Awards thanks to recommendations from couples on Hitched.co.uk.
- 2024
Mad Swans In The South Downs
Did you like this supplier?
1/36
"We couldn't have asked for a better wedding venue... Vicky and the team were so incredibly helpful..."
"Vicky and her team went above and beyond for us nothing was too much trouble and everyone commented..."
About this venue
On Hitched.co.uk since 2022
Last update: April 2026
At Mad Swans we believe a great wedding is in the eye of the beholder. Our approach is anything but rigid.
We don’t believe in tradition for tradition’s sake. It’s all about good old-fashioned fun, however you and your guests take it. Whether you find joy in sprawling feasts, winding countryside settings, the perfect glass of wine… or all of the above… you’re in safe hands. For weddings that break the rules in all the best ways, welcome to Mad Swans in the Southdowns.
Inspired by the stunning South Downs scenery it’s nestled within, the Woodlands Tipi allows you to take one step closer to nature, without sacrificing on home comforts. With its own kitchen and bar, you and your guests are the sole focus of our team, who are on hand to ensure your day runs exactly as you dreamt it up. Shape your celebrations with the Tipi, pavilion and lawn at your disposal to be dressed and arranged as you please. As the party gets going, guests can freely drift between soaking in the scenery, taking to the dancefloor and tucking into a plate of something delicious in their own countryside haven, exclusively yours for the day.
At the end of it all, take a starlit stroll through the woodlands, fall into our truly unique cabin accommodation and awake to your first morning as a newly married couple surrounded by friends, family and fresh air.
Speak to our dedicated events team about designing your dream day, from the ground up…
We so look forward to meeting you soon.
Weddings at this venue
Holly & Elliot
55 photos
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Contact Mad Swans In The South Downs and their preferred suppliers
-
Mad Swans In The South Downs -
Nikki Louise Bridal Hair & Make Up -
Bus and Bug -
Photo Forrester
Frequently asked questions
Venue type:
In the country
Sporting
Small hotel
Unusual weddings
Marquees and tents
Woodland and festival
Outdoor license
Tipis and yurts
Unique weddings
Ceremony options:
Civil ceremony licence
Dining options:
Seated meal facilities
Corkage option
Alcohol licence
In-house catering
Evening entertainment:
Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities
Overnight accommodation:
Overnight accommodation for wedding couple
Overnight accommodation for guests
Venue staff assistance:
Wedding coordinator
Venue leisure facilities:
Fitness centre
Other features:
Accessible facilities
Car parking
Confetti permitted
Changing room for wedding guests
Pet-friendly
Do you have any questions?
Reach out about anything you didn't see answered here—no question is too small!Reviews for Mad Swans In The South Downs
Zoe Sent on 16/06/2026
5 out of 5 rating
Perfect wedding venue!
We couldn't have asked for a better wedding venue... Vicky and the team were so incredibly helpful from start to finish! The food was absolutely delicious, and the quality of everything exceeded our expectations. The service on the day was amazing and made everything run so smoothly making the day so stress-free. Thank you for helping make our wedding so special and leaving us with the most wonderful memories!
Sally Sent on 21/08/2025
5 out of 5 rating
Perfect day at the perfect venue!
From the very first meeting, Vicky and her team were absolutely amazing. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. The entire planning process was fun and stress-free, and the venue itself is truly stunning—it has that instant wow factor. So many of our guests commented on how beautiful it was.
The staff were friendly, accommodating, and nothing was too much trouble. They worked seamlessly with our suppliers, which made everything run even more smoothly.
Vicky really captured our sense of fun and brought our festival theme to life. Her relaxed and professional approach made planning and setup a breeze. As the bride and groom, we felt everything flowed effortlessly from start to finish—from drinks on arrival to the silent disco (with staff even joining in!) to Jez manning the firepit and chatting with our guests.
And the food… absolutely amazing!
The picturesque views provided a stunning backdrop for our photos, creating memories we'll treasure forever.
We feel so lucky to have celebrated at Blacknest. It was everything we hoped for and more.
We're so excited that we can return each year on our anniversary to celebrate with a drink or meal at the venue—it truly feels like a special place we’ll always hold close to our hearts.
The staff were friendly, accommodating, and nothing was too much trouble. They worked seamlessly with our suppliers, which made everything run even more smoothly.
Vicky really captured our sense of fun and brought our festival theme to life. Her relaxed and professional approach made planning and setup a breeze. As the bride and groom, we felt everything flowed effortlessly from start to finish—from drinks on arrival to the silent disco (with staff even joining in!) to Jez manning the firepit and chatting with our guests.
And the food… absolutely amazing!
The picturesque views provided a stunning backdrop for our photos, creating memories we'll treasure forever.
We feel so lucky to have celebrated at Blacknest. It was everything we hoped for and more.
We're so excited that we can return each year on our anniversary to celebrate with a drink or meal at the venue—it truly feels like a special place we’ll always hold close to our hearts.
Jess Sent on 29/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating
Beautiful venue
Stunning place. Vicky was amazing and helped out so much from the little things to the bigger planning stages.
Freya Sent on 08/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating
Blacknest events team were fantastic
Through out the whole process Vicky was there to support. She was very welcoming and helpful giving advice and support. On the lead up to the day Vicky was there to rant to about any issues. On the big day, Vicky and her team were excellent, problems were solved without anyone noticing. Our guests were very impressed with Blacknest and their staff. I’d definitely recommend Blacknest to anyone getting married, we got married in their clubhouse in March 24.
Olivia Sent on 21/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating
Absolutely phenomenal!
We are absolutely blown away by just how incredible our wedding day was at Blacknest Golf Club. As soon as we saw the tipi 2 years ago when enquiring, we fell in love and knew it was exactly what we where looking for. We loved how the tipi was beautiful on it's own, but also acted as a blank canvas for us to really make it our own for the day.
The events team, Vicky and Georgia have been phenomenal from start to finish. Helping with every enquiry, dealing with suppliers, the set up the day before and both on the day too.
The whole team at Blacknest have been so friendly, and almost made us feel part of their little family. Our wedding day was our focus for the past 2 years, and even with a large number of other weddings and a change of ownership, Vicky & Georgia made us feel important and not just a number.
We can't thank you all enough, we had the most magical day ever, exactly what we had hoped for. So many of our guests commented on how fantastic the venue was, and how beautiful it looked!!
Thank you again,
Olivia & Jake x
The events team, Vicky and Georgia have been phenomenal from start to finish. Helping with every enquiry, dealing with suppliers, the set up the day before and both on the day too.
The whole team at Blacknest have been so friendly, and almost made us feel part of their little family. Our wedding day was our focus for the past 2 years, and even with a large number of other weddings and a change of ownership, Vicky & Georgia made us feel important and not just a number.
We can't thank you all enough, we had the most magical day ever, exactly what we had hoped for. So many of our guests commented on how fantastic the venue was, and how beautiful it looked!!
Thank you again,
Olivia & Jake x
Samara Sent on 17/06/2024
5 out of 5 rating
Amazing and affordable wedding venue
So pleased we found Blacknest. From our initial meeting with Vicky we loved Blacknest and their relaxed vibe.
We had a clubhouse wedding but never felt like we were not as important to those having the tipi wedding.
The clubhouse wedding is such amazing value! All our wedding guest commented on how lovely and attentive the staff were plus how delicious the food was.
The communication that I had between Vicky or Georgia was brilliant, never took too long to response, especially leading up to the day.
The grounds are also amazing and we managed to get some beautiful photos.
Huge thank you to Vicky and Georgia and all of the events/hospitality team. We had the best day ever ❤️
We had a clubhouse wedding but never felt like we were not as important to those having the tipi wedding.
The clubhouse wedding is such amazing value! All our wedding guest commented on how lovely and attentive the staff were plus how delicious the food was.
The communication that I had between Vicky or Georgia was brilliant, never took too long to response, especially leading up to the day.
The grounds are also amazing and we managed to get some beautiful photos.
Huge thank you to Vicky and Georgia and all of the events/hospitality team. We had the best day ever ❤️
Rebecca Sent on 15/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Absoloutley perfect!
I honestly cannot praise Vicky and all the staff at blacknest enough if I tried!
For us finding a venue wasn't something we overly enjoyed. We felt as though alot of venues just wanted our money, and didn't truly care about what or how we wanted our day to be. That was until we met with Vicky at blacknest! She was absoloutley amazing from the moment we met her, the sincerity of her interest about what we wanted our day to look like was outstanding! She made us both feel completely at ease and bought the exictiement back into planning our wedding.
Blacknest is a stunning venue, and all the staff are absoloutley incredible and genuinly care and listen to how you would like your day to be. We personally couldn't have done any of it without them. Every worry, every concern we had, Vicky and the team were there to straighten everything out. Even when we were blessed with beautiful weather for an October wedding and decided (last minute) to have an outdoor ceremony, Vicky made it happen because it was what we wanted, and it was absolutley beautiful.
Thank you so much to all the staff at blacknest for your constant reassurance and communication throughout, you really did make the whole experience easy and enjoyable. The day itself was absoloutley perfect in every way, we couldn't have wished for a better day, it really was everything we ever imagined it would be, thank you so much,
Mr & Mrs Tullett
For us finding a venue wasn't something we overly enjoyed. We felt as though alot of venues just wanted our money, and didn't truly care about what or how we wanted our day to be. That was until we met with Vicky at blacknest! She was absoloutley amazing from the moment we met her, the sincerity of her interest about what we wanted our day to look like was outstanding! She made us both feel completely at ease and bought the exictiement back into planning our wedding.
Blacknest is a stunning venue, and all the staff are absoloutley incredible and genuinly care and listen to how you would like your day to be. We personally couldn't have done any of it without them. Every worry, every concern we had, Vicky and the team were there to straighten everything out. Even when we were blessed with beautiful weather for an October wedding and decided (last minute) to have an outdoor ceremony, Vicky made it happen because it was what we wanted, and it was absolutley beautiful.
Thank you so much to all the staff at blacknest for your constant reassurance and communication throughout, you really did make the whole experience easy and enjoyable. The day itself was absoloutley perfect in every way, we couldn't have wished for a better day, it really was everything we ever imagined it would be, thank you so much,
Mr & Mrs Tullett
Nikki Sent on 14/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Best Day of our Lives
After looking at many wedding venues, we came across Blacknest Golf & Country Club. Both myself and my husband fell in love with it, it was everything we have dreamed of for our wedding day. From start to finish, Vicky and Georgia were so professional, friendly, they just made the whole experience delightful. On the wedding day itself, everything went seamlessly, the guests had the most magical day. The food was delicious, the team who worked on the day of the wedding were exceptional. As the review title suggests, we had the best day of our lives
Rachel Sent on 13/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Amazing venue & team!
Blacknest was the perfect venue for our laidback, festival style wedding! Vicky, Georgia & the team encouraged all of our wildest ideas, and no request we had was too much for them. I couldn’t recommend Blacknest more to other couples - the team are fantastic, the food was incredible & the atmosphere was amazing and made our wedding day incredible.
Alice Sent on 29/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Wonderful experience!
The team at Blacknest Golf & Country Club were absolutely wonderful and made our dream wedding come to life. Excellent service at all times, always gracious with a smile and nothing was too much. Thank you Georgia and team!!!
Katie Sent on 28/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Outstanding!
- creative ideas
- very flowing day
- not stress and very organised
- very controlled for our special guest with dietary requirements
- supportive of each step on the way.
- support for payments plans
- very flowing day
- not stress and very organised
- very controlled for our special guest with dietary requirements
- supportive of each step on the way.
- support for payments plans
Joyce Sent on 25/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Best Day Ever
Everyone at Blacknest Golf and country club were brilliant we had the best wedding day! Vicky our events organiser was so bubbly and welcoming and a good listener! All the details of what we wanted were sorted !
Thank you to all the team again we honestly had the best day of our lives 🥰
Thank you to all the team again we honestly had the best day of our lives 🥰
Hayley Sent on 24/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Perfect wedding
Simple review… because we would not change a thing!
Team were amazing, venue was perfect and food was amazing!
Can’t thank everyone enough
Team were amazing, venue was perfect and food was amazing!
Can’t thank everyone enough
Alexia Sent on 24/10/2023
5 out of 5 rating
Flexible and Friendly
We had our wedding at blacknest on 8th April 2023 and the experience we had was amazing. Vicky and Georgia were attentive and supportive throughout the whole wedding planning process which helped put us at ease. All the staff on the wedding day were outstanding providing a professional service and the food was excellent. They were so flexible and relaxed about our decisions for food for the wedding breakfast as well as providing us with an evening meal the night before the wedding. Would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to book a clubhouse wedding and it was great value for the money.
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Share what you're looking for and see if it's the right fit for you.Meet the team
Vicky Luff
Event Manager
Working here at Mad Swans we like to think we have done it all!
Seen most things and most impotianlty love the job we do.
Lets plan the perfect day, I will do my very best to make treasured memories that last a lifetime.
Mad Swans likes to have a plan but the day remains relaxed.
Preferred suppliers
Nikki Louise Bridal Hair & Make Up
5.0 out of 5 rating , 22 reviews
·
Beauty, Hair & Make Up 
Bus and Bug
4.7 out of 5 rating , 13 reviews
·
Cars and Travel 
Photo Forrester
5.0 out of 5 rating , 11 reviews
·
Photographers 
Classic and Vintage Car Company
5.0 out of 5 rating , 7 reviews
·
Cars and Travel Map
Frith End Road GU34 4QL Alton (Hampshire)
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