About Southend Barns Wophams Lane, Donnington, ChichesterWest Sussex, PO20 7PS Set on a stunning working farm in the beautiful West Sussex Countryside, Southend Barn has been lovingly restored with rustic charm and romantic touches. Surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens and peaceful courtyards, it is a truly magical setting for your wedding celebration. Dine and dance the night away in the magnificent 200-year-old Threshing Barn which emits warmth and character, with its authentic wooden beams and wrought iron chandeliers. The large windows provide views of the gardens and stunning sunsets over the surrounding fields. The barn can accommodate up to 150 for a sit down meal which is catered for by their in-house team, Roots Catering. Sitting adjacent to this is the Dairy Barn, which is fully licensed for all civil ceremonies and partnerships. With its exposed beams and muted color scheme, the wedding barn can be kept simple or styled to suit your theme. The barn can seat up to 90 guests on sweet chestnut benches and has a beautiful sweeping aisle and plenty of natural lighting to create the perfect setting for a romantic wedding ceremony. Nestled in a tranquil spot between the venue's resident alpaca’s field and the romantic flint walls of the Dairy Barn is the outdoor wedding ceremony area. Using beautiful natural elements that complement the rest of the wedding barn, The Secret Garden is a hidden gem that features a stunning 50-foot aisle set amidst peaceful scenery. Couples can also make use of the calm and luxurious surroundings of the bridal suite, which is located in its own private courtyard. Once used as a dairy parlour it has now been revamped with contemporary interiors complete with driftwood mirrors, lavish rugs and log fire, which will be lit and ready for the couple’s return with a bottle of local Sparkling Wine followed by a special breakfast hamper delivery in the morning. There is ample outdoor space with a picturesque courtyard that lies at the heart of the venue, with its luscious lawn, well-kept pots and Cornish slate patio lined with dairy inspired milk churns – it is the perfect spot for photographs and for mingling with guests over drinks and canapés. As evening falls, the gardens are lit with romantic up-lights that show off the fantastic flint and log walls of the wedding barns. Here guests can gather around the relaxing Collecting Yard with its sumptuous sofas and fire pit to enjoy a truly magical evening setting; the perfect end to a perfect day. • Stunning working farm in Chichester • Licensed for all Civil Ceremonies with an outdoor ceremony area option • 200-year-old Threshing Barn is ideal for a wedding breakfast and evening reception • Romantic and tranquil setting • Bridal Suite has its own private courtyard within the Barns • Attentive and professional team to help you plan the perfect day Upcoming Wedding Fairs Find out when the next Wedding Fair at Southend Barns is
Facilities at Southend Barns Venue Type : Civil Ceremony Licence Exclusive Use In the Country Barn Outdoor LicenseEvening Entertainment : Evening Reception Facilities Dance Floor Entertainment Licence Live Band Facilities DJ Facilities Outdoor Fireworks PermittedOvernight Accommodation : Overnight Accommodation for Wedding CoupleOther Features : Confetti Permitted Disabled Facilities Car Parking Pets Welcome Dining Options : Seated Meal Facilities Buffet Meal Facilities In House Catering Alcohol LicenceCapacity : 30 to 50 guests 50 to 75 guests 75 to 100 guests 100 to 150 guests 150 to 250 guestsVenue Staff Assistance : Wedding Coordinator
Southend Barns Reviews (11) Write a review Our Dream Wedding Day Venue Service By Sara Caldwell, on 18 Jun 2019Date of Wedding - 05 May 2019 From the second we viewed this venue we knew it was the one, Mariella and all of her staff were second to none in their service nothing was too much to ask. Laura on the day for us was absolutely outstanding she made our day run so smoothly her service was impeccable she kept the groom calm and collected, and reassured me when I got very emotional. Nothing was too much to ask from anyone even when we made last minute changes it was never a problem. It was our dream wedding and more I would recommend this venue to anyone thank you to Mariella, Laura and the rest of there team you are truly amazing.Simply perfection! Venue Service By Carly and Max, on 11 Jul 2019Date of Wedding - 22 Mar 2019 From start to finish, our wedding day experience at Southend Barns was absolutely perfect. We first saw it on a cold, wet January day and immediately knew it was where we wanted to get married. Despite the rubbish weather, it looked amazing and was so warm and inviting, we knew it was the one for us. The whole style and attention to detail at Southend Barns is spot on. It is perfectly rustic, and so beautiful everywhere you look- from the fire pit in the collecting yard, to the gorgeous beams in the diary barn, the wood burning fire in the bridal suite, and the huge expanse of rustic style in the threshing barn. Not to mention the endless little touches- like the fur throws on the chairs outside, the plants in pots, the landscaped lawns, the fairy lights in the reception barn, and even posh hand cream in the toilets! It made us realise that we wouldn't really need to spend any extra on décor and styling- because it was all there waiting for us! Aside from how stunning Southend Barns itself is, the whole team- including Mariella, Alice, Laura, Amy, Sophie and the bar manager (Mark?), are endlessly professional and supportive, and they really couldn't do enough to make our day the absolute best day of our lives. From the beginning, they answered our many emails and queries so promptly, helped us with ideas for our day, and then on the day itself they made sure it went without a single hitch and were so lovely and friendly- we were made to feel incredibly special. I really can't express enough just how amazingly special Southend Barns and all of its team really are. You will not be disappointed if you chose to have your wedding day here!The best day every! Venue Service By Chris & Milly, on 20 Nov 2018Date of Wedding - 09 Sep 2018 This was the second venue we looked at and as soon as we saw it we knew it was THE one. The whole day ran so smoothly, we didn’t have to do anything or worry about a think they took care of everything. The service was second to none. Everyone has said so many comments about how amazing the day was and how beautiful the setting was. Would absolutely 110% recommend to anyone looking at this venue.Wonderful Southend Barns! Venue Service By Kimberly and Joshua, on 15 Sep 2018Date of Wedding - 27 Aug 2018 We got married at Southend Barns in August 2018 and had the wedding day of our dreams. The Southend Barns and Field and Fork teams are absolutely outstanding. They are experts in the best in the industry. Nothing is too much trouble for them. They listen to your visions and ideas and just make everything happen effortlessly. Rob from Field and Fork who ran the operation on the day is absolutely phenomenal at what he does. He filled us with confidence as soon as we met him and he ensured that everything on the day was absolutely perfect. The venue itself is absolutely stunning. Every detail has been carefully considered and the grounds are immaculate. There are beautiful flowers everywhere! The two barns are gorgeous and so atmospheric. We knew we wanted to get married at Southend Barns from the moment we stepped inside and met Mariella. Our wedding day completely exceeded our expectations. Our guests are all still talking about it. Thank you Southend Barns... you are absolutely wonderful.Our gorgeous wedding Venue Service By Lucy Lisher, on 30 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 16 Aug 2018 This venue is truly perfection. Our dream wedding came true! The team at the barns are utterly fantastic, they guide you through the process step by step to ensure every single aspect of your day is as you want it to be. We can’t thank them enough! As for the venue itself, our guests couldn’t get over just how gorgeous it all was, all the tiny touches and decor just create a calming and beautiful atmosphere for a relaxing and magnificent day. We truly had our perfect wedding and want to do it all over again!August Wedding 2018 Venue Service By Rachel Shaw Morris, on 28 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 12 Aug 2018 This is a dream venue. Beautiful rooms, fantastic staff, gorgeous setting. The team were prepared for anything and everything, we had absolutely no stress on the day. The bridal suite is a lovely additional space to have as well. And Rob from Field & Fork was an amazing MC / Front of House. We couldn't have asked for a better day.Our dream wedding day! Venue Service By Jamie Keable-Hallitt, on 09 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 03 Aug 2018 We got married at Southend Barns on 3rd August 2018. The most important thing for us was always the venue; as well as having all the essentials, it had to all be in one place to save travelling between venues, it had to have a bit of a "wow" factor and it needed to accommodate around 100 guests of all ages. We viewed a handful of venues and whittled them down to Tithe Barn and Southend Barns. Southend Barns won hands-down because of the outside space and the friendly and welcoming staff. We got married inside - as it was 30C degrees and didn't want our guests to burn/die of heatstroke - but the recently-built outside ceremony area is absolutely stunning, so I would recommend booking a viewing even just to see it! The venue is absolutely flawless, the staff are extremely organised and catered for our (very specific) needs! I sang my wife down the aisle and they made sure everything was in place to make this possible, including several practice runs. Alice was absolutely brilliant. She completely put us both at ease and on the day she kept me (the groom) calm and collected. Every detail was thought of, and - whilst that means more time planning the day - it meant that we all knew what was happening and literally EVERYTHING went to plan. Not one thing went wrong and we just couldn't believe how smoothly the whole day went. Thank you SO much for hosting us and all our guests, for organising the big day and giving us the most stress-free and perfect wedding possible!Amazing venue but issues with attitude of staff Venue Service By Roger White, on 16 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 10 Jun 2018 We got married at Southend Barns in June 2018 and had a wonderful wedding. The venue is an Ibiza style modern venue with a beautiful barn area and outdoor grass areas that was exactly our taste. The caterers and Rob in particular were truly amazing. Unfortunately the venue owner (Mariella) and one of the staff (Alice) seemed to be more concerned about what suited them than what we wanted. They made a massive fuss about some confetti cannons we wanted to use when it was only 48 hours before the wedding. The reasoning given also changed as they tried to justify their position. So if you are planning to book this venue (which is lovely) then you should have a good think about exactly what you want at the wedding, check it all is OK (preferably in writing) and have a good read of their terms and conditions, expect them to be quoted to you later if not! If you can do your wedding the way they want you to and comply with all their rules then you should have a wonderful wedding as the venue is stunning. Obviously there is no day more special than your wedding and we hoped and expected all our suppliers would do everything in their power to make it special for us, I think Mariella and Alice really need to learn to be more customer focused. I should mention that Laura (our original rep we dealt with) was lovely and even turned up to help on our wedding day when she had not planned to.Mariella , Owner at Southend Barns responded to this review on 23/08/2018 09:20:30We are so sorry that you were disappointed in the service you received. We always endeavour to be as flexible as possible to make sure our couples enjoy their dream wedding day, but there are limitations in what we can do. We don't allow paper confetti cannons in the Threshing Barn primarily for health and safety reasons as our staff serve food and drinks in there and the confetti can be a slip hazard for them and for guests. Additionally it can affect future weddings due to the confetti becoming stuck in the original features of the 200-year-old barn. We are always more than happy for couples to use real petal confetti in other parts of the venue, including the Dairy Barn and the gardens. Unfortunately we were not aware of the cannons until they were dropped off two days before the wedding otherwise we would have had this conversation earlier and avoided any last minute stress, which is the last thing we want. We apologise for any miscommunication on our part and while we do have to consider health and safety, we really do try to be as accommodating as possible and have welcomed personal additions such as dogs, owls, helicopters, archery, funfairs, flyovers, fireworks and more. We really hope despite your disappointment that you still enjoyed your day and wish you all the best for the future. The most perfect venue we could have imagined! Venue Service By Gemma and Matt Brockhurst, on 30 Mar 2017Date of Wedding - 03 Dec 2016 We just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you to you and all your staff for all your efforts in making our wedding day so special on 3rd December 2016. The Barns looked absolutely beautiful, the most perfect venue we could have imagined for our winter/Christmas wedding. It was a truly magical day for us and we are so thankful to you and your staff for all your hard work - it was so smooth and flawless. We would like to thank all your staff but offer a special thanks to Alice, Laura and Rob for supporting us both before and throughout the day. All your staff looked after us, our families and friends so well. So many of our guests have commented on how amazing the venue was and how impressed they were with the service from your staff. The Christmas tree, confetti moment, the marshmallows over the fire pit and the tea and coffee station were such lovely touches and the waiting staff ensured no-one ever had an empty glass - many of our guests were amazed at how attentive they were :). Thank you again for helping to make our winter wedding so very special!A BIG thank you for a truly wonderful day Venue Service By Mr and Mrs Randolph Stephens, on 30 Mar 2017Date of Wedding - 05 Nov 2016 Thank you so much for hosting our big day and making it everything we always wanted. The venue is truly stunning with such a rustic, natural style that suited us perfectly. Every single person who came to our wedding has said how beautiful it all looked and how comfortable they felt there. Indeed, many of them have said that this was the best wedding they have ever attended, and all the Danish guests said it was totally ‘hygge’! Field & Fork are fantastic, the food was absolutely delicious (and left friends of ours, who have also got married recently, a little jealous!) and the wait staff were very professional and attentive. Rob deserves special mention, he was simply fantastic, taking care of so much for us and doing it all with ease. He must be a mind-reader because if there was anything I meant to ask him about, I’d soon discover that he had already taken care of it - especially keeping our Champagne glasses filled! We really couldn’t have asked for anything more from our day, every single member of the team worked so hard to make the day perfect, from answering all of our many, many questions to helping us pack up the car on the morning after. We know that absolutely made the right choice! A BIG thank you for a truly wonderful day,Everything we had dreamed of Venue Service By Mr & Mrs Goodall, on 30 Mar 2017Date of Wedding - 02 Oct 2016 I just wanted to say how fantastic the venue and all the staff on our wedding day. It was absolutely perfect and everything we had dreamed of. Your members of staff went out of their way to make sure everything was as it should be. From table decorations through to the catering. We are so happy to be able to tell our friends and family we got married at your wonderful wedding venue.
Our Dream Wedding Day Venue Service By Sara Caldwell, on 18 Jun 2019Date of Wedding - 05 May 2019 From the second we viewed this venue we knew it was the one, Mariella and all of her staff were second to none in their service nothing was too much to ask. Laura on the day for us was absolutely outstanding she made our day run so smoothly her service was impeccable she kept the groom calm and collected, and reassured me when I got very emotional. Nothing was too much to ask from anyone even when we made last minute changes it was never a problem. It was our dream wedding and more I would recommend this venue to anyone thank you to Mariella, Laura and the rest of there team you are truly amazing.
Simply perfection! Venue Service By Carly and Max, on 11 Jul 2019Date of Wedding - 22 Mar 2019 From start to finish, our wedding day experience at Southend Barns was absolutely perfect. We first saw it on a cold, wet January day and immediately knew it was where we wanted to get married. Despite the rubbish weather, it looked amazing and was so warm and inviting, we knew it was the one for us. The whole style and attention to detail at Southend Barns is spot on. It is perfectly rustic, and so beautiful everywhere you look- from the fire pit in the collecting yard, to the gorgeous beams in the diary barn, the wood burning fire in the bridal suite, and the huge expanse of rustic style in the threshing barn. Not to mention the endless little touches- like the fur throws on the chairs outside, the plants in pots, the landscaped lawns, the fairy lights in the reception barn, and even posh hand cream in the toilets! It made us realise that we wouldn't really need to spend any extra on décor and styling- because it was all there waiting for us! Aside from how stunning Southend Barns itself is, the whole team- including Mariella, Alice, Laura, Amy, Sophie and the bar manager (Mark?), are endlessly professional and supportive, and they really couldn't do enough to make our day the absolute best day of our lives. From the beginning, they answered our many emails and queries so promptly, helped us with ideas for our day, and then on the day itself they made sure it went without a single hitch and were so lovely and friendly- we were made to feel incredibly special. I really can't express enough just how amazingly special Southend Barns and all of its team really are. You will not be disappointed if you chose to have your wedding day here!
The best day every! Venue Service By Chris & Milly, on 20 Nov 2018Date of Wedding - 09 Sep 2018 This was the second venue we looked at and as soon as we saw it we knew it was THE one. The whole day ran so smoothly, we didn’t have to do anything or worry about a think they took care of everything. The service was second to none. Everyone has said so many comments about how amazing the day was and how beautiful the setting was. Would absolutely 110% recommend to anyone looking at this venue.
Wonderful Southend Barns! Venue Service By Kimberly and Joshua, on 15 Sep 2018Date of Wedding - 27 Aug 2018 We got married at Southend Barns in August 2018 and had the wedding day of our dreams. The Southend Barns and Field and Fork teams are absolutely outstanding. They are experts in the best in the industry. Nothing is too much trouble for them. They listen to your visions and ideas and just make everything happen effortlessly. Rob from Field and Fork who ran the operation on the day is absolutely phenomenal at what he does. He filled us with confidence as soon as we met him and he ensured that everything on the day was absolutely perfect. The venue itself is absolutely stunning. Every detail has been carefully considered and the grounds are immaculate. There are beautiful flowers everywhere! The two barns are gorgeous and so atmospheric. We knew we wanted to get married at Southend Barns from the moment we stepped inside and met Mariella. Our wedding day completely exceeded our expectations. Our guests are all still talking about it. Thank you Southend Barns... you are absolutely wonderful.
Our gorgeous wedding Venue Service By Lucy Lisher, on 30 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 16 Aug 2018 This venue is truly perfection. Our dream wedding came true! The team at the barns are utterly fantastic, they guide you through the process step by step to ensure every single aspect of your day is as you want it to be. We can’t thank them enough! As for the venue itself, our guests couldn’t get over just how gorgeous it all was, all the tiny touches and decor just create a calming and beautiful atmosphere for a relaxing and magnificent day. We truly had our perfect wedding and want to do it all over again!
August Wedding 2018 Venue Service By Rachel Shaw Morris, on 28 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 12 Aug 2018 This is a dream venue. Beautiful rooms, fantastic staff, gorgeous setting. The team were prepared for anything and everything, we had absolutely no stress on the day. The bridal suite is a lovely additional space to have as well. And Rob from Field & Fork was an amazing MC / Front of House. We couldn't have asked for a better day.
Our dream wedding day! Venue Service By Jamie Keable-Hallitt, on 09 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 03 Aug 2018 We got married at Southend Barns on 3rd August 2018. The most important thing for us was always the venue; as well as having all the essentials, it had to all be in one place to save travelling between venues, it had to have a bit of a "wow" factor and it needed to accommodate around 100 guests of all ages. We viewed a handful of venues and whittled them down to Tithe Barn and Southend Barns. Southend Barns won hands-down because of the outside space and the friendly and welcoming staff. We got married inside - as it was 30C degrees and didn't want our guests to burn/die of heatstroke - but the recently-built outside ceremony area is absolutely stunning, so I would recommend booking a viewing even just to see it! The venue is absolutely flawless, the staff are extremely organised and catered for our (very specific) needs! I sang my wife down the aisle and they made sure everything was in place to make this possible, including several practice runs. Alice was absolutely brilliant. She completely put us both at ease and on the day she kept me (the groom) calm and collected. Every detail was thought of, and - whilst that means more time planning the day - it meant that we all knew what was happening and literally EVERYTHING went to plan. Not one thing went wrong and we just couldn't believe how smoothly the whole day went. Thank you SO much for hosting us and all our guests, for organising the big day and giving us the most stress-free and perfect wedding possible!
Amazing venue but issues with attitude of staff Venue Service By Roger White, on 16 Aug 2018Date of Wedding - 10 Jun 2018 We got married at Southend Barns in June 2018 and had a wonderful wedding. The venue is an Ibiza style modern venue with a beautiful barn area and outdoor grass areas that was exactly our taste. The caterers and Rob in particular were truly amazing. Unfortunately the venue owner (Mariella) and one of the staff (Alice) seemed to be more concerned about what suited them than what we wanted. They made a massive fuss about some confetti cannons we wanted to use when it was only 48 hours before the wedding. The reasoning given also changed as they tried to justify their position. So if you are planning to book this venue (which is lovely) then you should have a good think about exactly what you want at the wedding, check it all is OK (preferably in writing) and have a good read of their terms and conditions, expect them to be quoted to you later if not! If you can do your wedding the way they want you to and comply with all their rules then you should have a wonderful wedding as the venue is stunning. Obviously there is no day more special than your wedding and we hoped and expected all our suppliers would do everything in their power to make it special for us, I think Mariella and Alice really need to learn to be more customer focused. I should mention that Laura (our original rep we dealt with) was lovely and even turned up to help on our wedding day when she had not planned to.Mariella , Owner at Southend Barns responded to this review on 23/08/2018 09:20:30We are so sorry that you were disappointed in the service you received. We always endeavour to be as flexible as possible to make sure our couples enjoy their dream wedding day, but there are limitations in what we can do. We don't allow paper confetti cannons in the Threshing Barn primarily for health and safety reasons as our staff serve food and drinks in there and the confetti can be a slip hazard for them and for guests. Additionally it can affect future weddings due to the confetti becoming stuck in the original features of the 200-year-old barn. We are always more than happy for couples to use real petal confetti in other parts of the venue, including the Dairy Barn and the gardens. Unfortunately we were not aware of the cannons until they were dropped off two days before the wedding otherwise we would have had this conversation earlier and avoided any last minute stress, which is the last thing we want. We apologise for any miscommunication on our part and while we do have to consider health and safety, we really do try to be as accommodating as possible and have welcomed personal additions such as dogs, owls, helicopters, archery, funfairs, flyovers, fireworks and more. We really hope despite your disappointment that you still enjoyed your day and wish you all the best for the future.
The most perfect venue we could have imagined! Venue Service By Gemma and Matt Brockhurst, on 30 Mar 2017Date of Wedding - 03 Dec 2016 We just wanted to drop you a line to say thank you to you and all your staff for all your efforts in making our wedding day so special on 3rd December 2016. The Barns looked absolutely beautiful, the most perfect venue we could have imagined for our winter/Christmas wedding. It was a truly magical day for us and we are so thankful to you and your staff for all your hard work - it was so smooth and flawless. We would like to thank all your staff but offer a special thanks to Alice, Laura and Rob for supporting us both before and throughout the day. All your staff looked after us, our families and friends so well. So many of our guests have commented on how amazing the venue was and how impressed they were with the service from your staff. The Christmas tree, confetti moment, the marshmallows over the fire pit and the tea and coffee station were such lovely touches and the waiting staff ensured no-one ever had an empty glass - many of our guests were amazed at how attentive they were :). Thank you again for helping to make our winter wedding so very special!
A BIG thank you for a truly wonderful day Venue Service By Mr and Mrs Randolph Stephens, on 30 Mar 2017Date of Wedding - 05 Nov 2016 Thank you so much for hosting our big day and making it everything we always wanted. The venue is truly stunning with such a rustic, natural style that suited us perfectly. Every single person who came to our wedding has said how beautiful it all looked and how comfortable they felt there. Indeed, many of them have said that this was the best wedding they have ever attended, and all the Danish guests said it was totally ‘hygge’! Field & Fork are fantastic, the food was absolutely delicious (and left friends of ours, who have also got married recently, a little jealous!) and the wait staff were very professional and attentive. Rob deserves special mention, he was simply fantastic, taking care of so much for us and doing it all with ease. He must be a mind-reader because if there was anything I meant to ask him about, I’d soon discover that he had already taken care of it - especially keeping our Champagne glasses filled! We really couldn’t have asked for anything more from our day, every single member of the team worked so hard to make the day perfect, from answering all of our many, many questions to helping us pack up the car on the morning after. We know that absolutely made the right choice! A BIG thank you for a truly wonderful day,
Everything we had dreamed of Venue Service By Mr & Mrs Goodall, on 30 Mar 2017Date of Wedding - 02 Oct 2016 I just wanted to say how fantastic the venue and all the staff on our wedding day. It was absolutely perfect and everything we had dreamed of. Your members of staff went out of their way to make sure everything was as it should be. From table decorations through to the catering. We are so happy to be able to tell our friends and family we got married at your wonderful wedding venue.