The Gallivant

A dream venue

When we first discovered the Gallivant, we knew it was our dream wedding venue. I am a wedding photographer myself, and I knew I wanted a venue that was gorgeous inside and out, filled with light, fantastic service and plenty of opportunities for photos. We also really wanted our guests to feel like they were on holiday. But we never thought we’d actually be able to make it happen. However, from the moment we got in touch with Victoria, she was so warm and welcoming and flexible with all of our requirements, and it was just a dream come true to get married at the Gallivant.

To take over the entire gorgeous venue and fill it with your nearest and dearest, it’s such a special thing. We had 45 guests, with the majority staying over for either one or two nights, and it felt like the perfect amount of people to fill the space without it feeling overly crowded. My friends and I did yoga on the beach on the morning of the wedding, and so many of us went for a morning beach stroll/swim the day after our wedding. Our guests cannot stop raving about how gorgeous the hotel was, how incredibly friendly and attentive the staff were and how delicious the food was. Several guests told us it was the best wedding food they’ve ever eaten.

The team at the Gallivant accommodated all of our requests and really looked after our guests. One thing to note was that it poured with rain when we were having our drinks reception, which meant we didn’t make it out to the coastal garden, but this didn’t make the slightest bit of difference. The Gallivant is so cosy that it felt like we were in a friend’s living room (a friend with impeccable taste in interior design!) But when the rain stopped, we hotfooted it to the beach for some gorgeous pictures in the dunes.

We wanted our day to feel super relaxed, and the Gallivant team made that happen in abundance. We can’t wait to return every year for our anniversary!

Married July 2025

We had originally planned to marry at a different venue in the centre of Rye but unfortunately, three months before our wedding, there was a fire and the venue was forced to close. We’d spent over a year planning the day and so the thought of having to do it all again, in such a short space of time, was pretty soul-destroying. However, the team at The Gallivant were amazing at recreating our vision and went above and beyond to make sure all the little details we’d already planned could still be incorporated into the day. We wanted a laid-back, slightly less conventional wedding, with an intimate breakfast for family and then a big party with plenty of locally-sourced food and drink for everyone afterwards. A special mention to head chef Jamie, who as well as creating a stunning menu, also sourced and shucked local oysters, which is something not usually on the menu, but we were keen to include for our guests in the afternoon. They say things happen for a reason and, while the day wasn’t the original we had planned, The Gallivant was the absolutely perfect venue for us and the day surpassed all our (and our guests’) expectations.

Married October 2019

Just a short note to say a massive, giant Thank You for the amazing experience we had at our wedding. It absolutely exceeded our expectations and made our day a massive pleasure. Special thanks to the team for being so super attentive, helpful, kind (and fun!). The hands-on support and super attentive guidance on the day is worth special mention, as it really de-stressed the day. The food was phenomenal also, and has been commented on by almost commented on by almost literally every guest.

Married April 2023

Simply perfect

The most beautiful, special wedding weekend we could have ever dreamed of! In contrast to many other wedding venues, The Gallivant really does make an effort to make you feel special from the very first visit onwards. There is nothing about it that makes you feel like you’re “just another wedding”. Their attention to detail, incredible local food and wine, impeccable service and absolutely stunning venue make this a really special place to get married.

It has a relaxed, yet stylish and high-quality feel to it, without being pretentious. Being able to hire the whole hotel out for your friends and family to stay with you feels so special and unique, and our guests haven’t been able to stop praising it since, from the outstanding food and drink (some of the best we’ve ever had, despite it being “mass catering”), to the amazingly helpful and friendly staff, to the organisation in the lead up to and on the day itself. Everything felt taken care of, and we had a completely stress-free and care-free day! Drinks reception on the dunes, in the beaming sunshine, really was the icing on the cake too!

We can’t recommend The Gallivant enough if you’re looking for a relaxed, slightly alternative, unique, beautiful, stylish wedding venue with the best food and drink you could imagine!

Married June 2025

Our dream day

From the moment we viewed The Gallivant, we knew we had to have our wedding there. We were treated to a lovely lunch with great service, showcasing everything that was to come.

Victoria and Agnes were very helpful in setting out the different options for the day and what was possible within the spaces available. There is a good variety of places where you can hold the different elements of a wedding, depending on your preference.

On the day of the wedding itself, every single member of staff was incredibly kind to our guests and made the hotel a home away from home – this made all the difference and meant we were not stressed at all going into the day.

There were some last-minute changes required due to the weather, and the team were so helpful in planning for lots of eventualities to make sure we had a great day no matter what.

Our guests commented that the wedding food was the best they had had. It came out promptly, with excellent service, and was hot and unbelievably tasty. The dishes looked exactly the same as they had at the tasting.

We had the most wonderful day, and if you are looking for a coastal wedding with incredible food and great service, then this is the venue for you.

We will be eternally grateful to everyone at the Gallivant for enabling us to have our perfect wedding day.

Married August 2025

Having originally planned to get married in August 2020, due to government restrictions we tied the knot in October 2020 with 15 of our nearest and dearest. Even at the best of times, the build up to your wedding can become quite stressful(!) however the support we received from everyone at the Gallivant was overwhelming. Sarah was our main point of contact and was amazing from the planning stages through to the day itself, going above and beyond to make sure we and our guests were perfectly looked after. Head chef Jamie put together the most incredible menu for the day, and the quality of the food and drink served across our weekend really stood out and was a big highlight for us. The venue styling feels so sophisticated yet relaxed, and having the exclusive use of such a beautiful space and accommodation felt very special. There were little details at every turn that made the day so personal to us, like the Bloody Mary ‘Recovery Station’ at breakfast as an example! Our day couldn’t have been more perfect, thank you all so much for the efforts you went to for us, it’s one we will always remember.

Married October 2020

We just wanted to say the biggest thank you for making our day so special. You and the team couldn’t have made the whole experience any better. You honestly thought of everything throughout the day and before and made it so enjoyable for us and all of our guests. We will forever be thankful for how amazing and seamless you made it.

Daisy was responsive and accommodating throughout the planning process and unbelievable on the detail. Thank you for making us feel so calm throughout the day. You thought of everything, and every little detail made the day a bit more special. Sorry for a rather giddy group of bridesmaids following you around!

The food was unbelievable! So many people said it was the best food they’d ever eaten, let alone at a wedding. And thank you for coming out to talk about it – it meant so much to us.
Truly, thank you all so much. The Gallivant will always be a special place to us, and it is so lucky to have such an incredible team like you – you all make it just a gorgeous and one-of-a-kind little haven.

Married May 2023