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Weddings

About

Southsea Castle is a truly historic wedding venue set on the beautiful Hampshire coastline. Offering panoramic views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight, couples can tie the knot within the ancient walls of Henry VIII’s castle before celebrating in our elegant marquee. If you’re dreaming of a fairytale wedding in one breathtaking location, the timeless charm of Southsea Castle provides the perfect setting.

We are licensed to host both wedding ceremonies and receptions, with enchanting spaces for each special moment of your day. To ensure your wedding feels completely exclusive, we offer private hire of the Castle Keep and marquee. From 5pm, when the castle closes to the public, Southsea Castle becomes entirely yours for the evening.

Your ceremony takes place inside the Castle Keep, steeped in centuries of history. After exchanging vows, you and your guests can step out onto the ramparts to enjoy celebratory fizz, canapés, and stunning coastal views across the Solent. Following a confetti moment on the castle drawbridge, festivities continue in the marquee, where your wedding breakfast and evening reception are held.

Our on‑site caterers provide a wide variety of menu options to suit your vision, from refined four‑course dining experiences to relaxed and rustic choices such as hog roasts, chip‑and‑cone evening food, and more.

As the day unfolds, you’ll cut the cake, share your first dance, and then celebrate long into the evening with family and friends, creating unforgettable memories in this remarkable historic setting.

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Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

Coastal weddings
Unusual weddings
Castle
Historic
Landmark
Marquees and tents
In the city
Unique weddings

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

Seated meal facilities
Alcohol licence
Buffet meal facilities
In-house catering

Evening entertainment:

Marquee available
Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities

Venue staff assistance:

Wedding coordinator

Other features:

Exclusive use
Accessible facilities
Confetti permitted
Pet-friendly

Reviews for Southsea Castle

S
Seema Sent on 07/04/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing day!

Jacqui and the team made our day so special. Our first venue originally closed so we had to start again. Jacqui saw us quickly and we booked in with her. Since then she has guided us and supported us with everything and reminded us of things we had forgotten. We truly would have been lost without her support. Jacqui and the team ensured our day went smoothly we could not fault them. We can’t recommend the venue enough! Staff, venue and food were perfect! Thank you so much!
J
John Sent on 02/03/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Small winter wedding

Jacqui and the team were immediately responsive and friendly after we initially enquired. After a visit we knew this was the venue for us - it's cosy, atmospheric with great views and location. The price was great in the winter too. You're tied in to the onsite catering but there was loads of choice and the 3 course roast we went for was delicious. We had a fairly small family wedding in the keep of the castle, with some extra guests in the evening. The ceremony room was efficiently changed into the party room while we ate, which we didn't even notice happening. We had the best wedding day and evening at the castle and all the staff were friendly and helpful. Big shout out to Jacqui for being friendly and responsive to all our questions and for helping everything so go smoothly on the day.
S
Sian Sent on 03/01/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Venue!

We got married in November at Southsea Castle. As we only had a small number of guests we held the wedding in the winter using only The Keep. We had an amazing day!
The venue is stunning. Having the whole of the Keep was fantastic. We had the ceremony, the food and the party all under one historic roof!
The team at the Castle are friendly, responsive and helpful. On the day, one of the rooms was transformed from the Ceremony room to the party room and we didn't even notice this happening. The food was delicious.
We wanted an intimate and relaxed wedding in a stunning venue that didn't cost the earth and we got this with our wedding at Southsea Castle! Whatever your budget is, we highly recommend you consider here. It really is excellent value for money in the most beautiful setting.
E
Ellie Sent on 04/10/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful, special wedding at Southsea Castle

With huge thanks to Jacqui & the team at Southsea Castle - our small, intimate wedding ceremony was absolutely perfect. We had the most beautiful day thanks to their flexibility, kindness and outstanding service. We couldn't recommend enough, they added extra sparkle to our magical day.
Karen
Karen Sent on 08/07/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Sarah & Kaz Wedding 25.6.25

Would highly recommend getting married at Southsea castle. The attention to detail was amazing.
All the staff and especially the castle manager Jackie were very supportive and guided us every step of the way.
You would not be disappointed if you got married at the amazing Southsea castle.
Kat
Kat Sent on 01/06/2025
5 out of 5 rating

The perfect wedding venue!

We had our wedding ceremony and follow up drinks and canapés at Southsea Castle on 10th May 2025. It was the perfect venue - romantic and intimate with incredible photo opportunities and spaces for our guests to relax. We were able to decorate how we liked, had a great range of (tasty!) canapés and drinks to choose from and Jacqui, our Wedding Manager was super helpful and responsive on the run up to and day of our wedding. A special thank you to Jacqui for your help and for getting excited for our day alongside us!

We would wholly recommend Southsea Castle as a wedding venue and all of the staff were fantastic in helping us have the most perfect day.
Jasmin
Jasmin Sent on 10/05/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Nick & Jasmin wedding

Myself and my husband highly recommend Southsea Castle as a wedding venue, everything about the day and the months, weeks leading up to it was perfect in every way.

Jacqui and the staff were so professional and helped with the setting up and clearing away. Jacqui also communicated with all the vendors which was a huge weight of our shoulders!

Thank you so much for ensuring we had the picture perfect day!

Best wishes,
Nick and Jasmin

Julie
Julie Sent on 21/08/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Absolutely stunning location for an intimate wedding by the sea !

The castle staff were very helpful in the run up to the day and the day itself making sure everyone was in the right place at the right time. Reasonably priced for such a statement venue - we had no regrets in choosing this venue it was absolutely stunning and made for some pretty stunning photos
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Clarence Esplanade, Southsea PO5 3PA Southsea (Hampshire)

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