YOUR WEDDING DAY
Your Wedding Day in Winchester
Your Day. Your Way.
There’s no set formula for a wedding at Forte.
Whether you’re planning an intimate lunch after your ceremony at Winchester Registry Office, a long wedding breakfast with family and friends, or a celebration that carries on into the evening, we’ll help you shape the day around the way you want it to feel.
No unnecessary traditions. No rigid timetable. Just thoughtful planning, great food, warm hospitality and an experienced team making sure everything comes together beautifully.
FROM FIRST ENQUIRY TO THE BIG DAY
It starts with a conversation. Tell us what you're imagining, how many people you'd like to invite and what matters most to you.
We'll show you around, talk through the different ways to use our rooms, explain the food and drink options and help you work out what might suit your plans and budget.
As the day gets closer, we'll confirm the details, from menus and dietary requirements to timings, room layouts and those little extras that make it personal.
You can also have a dedicated wedding host as your point of contact, helping you through the planning process and making sure the details are in place before the first guest arrives.
LET THE CELEBRATIONS BEGIN
Forte Kitchen is just a short walk from Winchester Registry Office, so while you make the most of Winchester’s historic streets and Cathedral for those first photographs as a married couple, your guests can head ahead to Forte for welcome drinks and settle into the celebrations.
While you're enjoying a few photographs around Winchester, your guests can head over for a glass of fizz, a cocktail or something delicious to nibble on.
Whether you'd like a relaxed welcome or a more structured drinks reception, we'll help you get everyone settled in.
A WEDDING BREAKFAST OR AFTERNOON MINGLING?
Some couples picture a beautiful sit-down wedding breakfast, complete with speeches and everyone gathered around the table.
Others would rather spend the afternoon mingling, with food brought to guests as they celebrate.
From traditional wedding breakfasts to our sociable Roaming Feast, we've got different ways to bring everyone together over brilliant food.
There’s no prescribed order. We’ll help you create a running order that makes sense for you, your guests and the kind of wedding you want.
SPEECHES. TOASTS AND ALL THE LITTLE MOMENTS
A few heartfelt words, a glass raised, cutting the cake or gathering everyone for a photograph.
We'll talk through the moments you'd like to include and how they fit into the day, without making everything feel overly scheduled.
AND THEN, LET THE PARTY BEGIN …
As the evening arrives, Forte can take on a whole new atmosphere.
Our Black Room has its own bar and makes a brilliant party space, with room for music, dancing and late-night celebrations. The White Room can offer somewhere quieter to catch up, enjoy a drink or tuck into evening food.
Prefer a relaxed evening of conversation and cocktails? We can get that to work too.
YOUR OWN DEDICATED TEAM
Every wedding includes our friendly team to welcome guests, serve food and drinks and look after your celebration.
For weddings with more moving parts, you can also add a dedicated event host, giving you a single point of contact on the day to help manage timings, guide guests between rooms and coordinate those important moments.
It's all about giving you the freedom to enjoy your wedding, knowing there's someone keeping an eye on the details.
HELP HOWEVER YOU WANT IT
We know wedding planning can feel like a lot, so we're here to make the Forte part as straightforward as possible.
From your first viewing to finalising menus, timings and room layouts, our experienced team will guide you through the arrangements for your celebration.
And if you'd like a little more support, we offer additional planning meetings, menu tastings and a dedicated event host to help coordinate everything on the day.
No unnecessary extras, just the support that works for you.
READY FOR THE EVENING
As dinner finishes and the light starts to change, Forte can change with it.
The relaxed atmosphere of the daytime gives way naturally to an evening celebration, with the bar open, music playing and plenty of space for everyone to carry on enjoying themselves.
Whether that means cocktails and conversation, a DJ and a packed room, or something somewhere in between, we’ll help you create an evening that feels like a continuation of your day rather than a completely separate event.
And when everyone needs a little more fuel, evening food can be built into your plans too.
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EVERYTHING AGREED BEFORE THE DAY
In the run-up to your wedding, we’ll make sure the practical details have been talked through and agreed.
That includes the shape of your day, guest numbers, room layout, food and drinks, key timings and anything else we need to know to make the celebration run smoothly.
It means that when your wedding day arrives, there should be very little for you to think about other than getting married and enjoying yourself.
COME AND TELL US YOUR PLANS
Every Forte wedding begins with a conversation.
Come and see the rooms, tell us what you’re imagining and let’s start working out how your Winchester wedding could come together.
Whether you've got a detailed plan or just a few ideas scribbled down, we’re here to help.
“A huge thank you for a fabulous evening. The whole night went so well and we all had a fantastic time at Forte Kitchen. Everyone said how excellent the food was, and Mum and I were so grateful to you for ensuring her allergies were fully catered for, so thank you, we appreciate how tricky it can be! The room looked great, and the venue was perfect.”
Photos featured on this page were taken by Jason Williams Photography and Angela Ward Brown