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About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2021

Last update: April 2025

The Kings Arms Hotel is a delightful hotel wedding venue located in Christchurch, Dorset. This unique destination offers a truly unforgettable celebratory experience, boasting picture-perfect scenery and an elegant ambience steeped in history.

Facilities and Capacity

The 18th-century Georgian building combines elegance, architectural integrity, and a contemporary twist. This carefully designed venue allows you and your guests to soak in the surrounding views and feel a sense of calm. The Kings Arms Hotel offers exclusive use of wedding suites, a stylish restaurant & bar, and luxury boutique bedrooms. They have a variety of luxury boutique bedrooms perfect to relax in before or after your celebrations, including three bridal suites that can be booked for the night prior to your wedding. The beautiful bowling green and Pavilion are amidst ancient castle ruins, which exude romance for your wedding vows and drinks reception. Your day will continue in the unique and exclusive Kings Priory Suite, a split-level venue created for your wedding breakfast and evening celebrations. This space continues to provide a stunning view overlooking the Avon River, Christchurch Castle, and the Kings Arms Bowling Green.

Services Offered

The Kings Arms Hotel team offers a variety of wedding packages to make planning a little easier. The experienced and dedicated events team will be able to assist with all the planning needs you may have. Whether you are looking for a soirée or a delightfully intimate wedding, we have a variety of options to ensure a beautiful wedding day for you to enjoy with your family and friends. Couples are invited to get in touch and arrange a viewing to learn more about what is on offer.

Frequently asked questions

Venue type:

In the country
Small hotel
Coastal weddings
Castle
Historic
In the city
Outdoor license

Ceremony options:

Civil ceremony licence

Dining options:

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

Evening entertainment:

Dance floor
Entertainment licence
Live band facilities
Evening reception facilities
DJ facilities
Outdoor fireworks permitted

Overnight accommodation:

Overnight accommodation for wedding couple
Overnight accommodation for guests

Venue staff assistance:

Master of ceremonies/toastmaster
Wedding coordinator

Venue leisure facilities:

Hairdresser
Swimming pool
Health suite
Beautician
Fitness centre

Other features:

Exclusive use
illustration notebook

Do you have any questions?

Reviews for The Kings Arms Hotel

Claire
Claire Sent on 02/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The most perfect wedding venue

Where do I start. We fell in love with The Kings Arms the minute we arrived at the wedding fayre back in February, but thought it would be out of our price range due to stunning location and beautiful scenery. We were pleasantly surprised when we received an email from Chamane that evening offering dates for September, we didn't hesitate in booking straight away!
Chamane made the whole planning process so easy, Any questions or concerns I had, were answered straight away, and nothing was too much trouble. She really is amazing at what she does, and I couldn't have done it without her.
The wedding itself was just perfect. We got married in the pavilion, then drinks and canapes outside on the bowling green. The reception was upstairs in the kings priory, then downstairs for the evening. It was lovely having everything in a different places.
All of our friends and family couldn't stop complimenting the venue and the staff.
Dean looked after us on the day of the wedding, he was just brilliant and so attentive. He knew how nervous we both were, but he was so calm and made everything run so smoothly.
I can't not mention Jan and the rest of the bar staff, all of whom were so amazing and offered incredible service. Jan was so welcoming to all of us the day before and on the wedding day itself. He looked after us all was so friendly and funny, such a great character.
I don't think I have ever been anywhere in my life where I have been made to feel so special by all the staff, it was very overwhelming, and certainly was the best day of our lives. We feel like we have made friends with them all, and will definitely be going back regularly for drinks, lunches and date nights!

Holly
Holly Sent on 01/11/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Best day ever!

We celebrated our wedding at The Kings Arms in Christchurch in December 2023, and we couldn’t have asked for a more perfect venue! From the moment we started planning to the big day itself, everything was seamless, and the team went above and beyond to make our day unforgettable. Chamane, our wedding coordinator, was a true gem—her dedication, kindness, and attention to detail made us feel truly special. Even now, she’s in touch with us, helping us plan our first anniversary celebration, which we’re thrilled to be hosting at The Kings again!

The venue itself is stunning, blending classic charm with a warm, intimate atmosphere that made our guests feel so welcomed and comfortable. The beautiful setting added so much magic to our day, and every aspect, from the decor to the service, was just perfect. We genuinely can’t recommend The Kings Arms enough to other couples looking for a venue that combines elegance, exceptional service, and a team that genuinely cares. Thank you to everyone at The Kings for making our wedding the best day of our lives!
Happyblueflowers6856
Tina-Louise Sent on 10/10/2024
4 out of 5 rating

A day to remember

From booking the venue until the day communication was great, they were flexible with decisions made and also did well with the suppliers on the day. There were a few hiccups such as one of the top tables crashing to the floor causing drinks, food and plates everywhere which would think would have been checked the table was secure first. To drinks not fully being supplied to what was advised. Dean the banquet manager was very attentive on the day And resolved.
C
Clare Sent on 26/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Exemplary service and attentive beyond our expectations

The day went perfectly and all the staff were so professional and so in control, we didn’t have to worry about anything. The whole day was above and beyond our expectation's. Could not fault anything. And a huge thanks to Chamane Epps who was there from the start helping every way she could to make it all run so smoothly.
Can’t thank The Kings Arms in Christchurch enough for making our special day so memorable.
Courtney
Courtney Sent on 23/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Highly recommend

We couldn’t recommend the Kings Arms enough! From start to finish they were understanding, efficient, professional and went above and beyond. Nothing was too much trouble and all of our (many) queries were answered and met.
Throughout the planning process Chamane and Sophie were fantastic, supporting us through the planning and adjusting our package to suit us. On the big day, all of the staff were amazing serving our guests and making everyone feel relaxed and comfortable. Sophie and Dean ensured a smooth running of the day and that we were happy throughout. The food was outstanding with all of our guests raving about their meal! We loved the menu tasting process and enjoyed this as a date night.
We highly recommend the King's Arms for your wedding venue, it was perfect from start to finish.
R
Rosie Sent on 22/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect wedding 03.08.24

Dear Chamane, Dean and everyone at the Kings Arms,

Jamie and I would like to say an absolutely massive thank you to everyone at the Kings who were involved in any aspect of our special wedding. Words cannot explain how grateful we feel that we had you all through every stage of the planning process, from the moment we first viewed the Kings last summer we were made to feel like family.

We had so many compliments from all our guests about the staff, the rooms, food, service, and the overall upkeep of the entire venue, you made the day run so smoothly, stress free and to schedule!

Chamane, thank you for always answering all my annoying questions, being so quick to reply to my emails, helping me plan and just being an amazing support network throughout the course of the last year, I’m so grateful and wouldn’t have been able to do it without you,

Dean, thank you for making us laugh, answering all our questions and for running around looking for things for us! Unlocking and opening all the doors, helping us set up and clear away, it’s the little things that really do make the biggest difference..

Thank you for always welcoming us to all your open days and treating us like friends, we truly love you all and will be back for date nights, anniversaries and birthdays, you all hold a very special place in our hearts.

Please pass on our message to all of the team, Chantel and everyone in the restaurant, the bar staff, cleaners, literally everyone was so accommodating to us at all times and never made us feel like a pain.

All our love,

Rosie and Jamie xxxx
Georgia
Georgia Sent on 20/09/2024
4.8 out of 5 rating

Highly recommended!

We're so happy we chose the King's Arms for our wedding. The team were very accommodating and flexible to our requests, helping us to tailor our chosen package to match what we wanted. They also took care of so many of the details for us, from liaising with our suppliers to set-up on the morning of the event, running the day itself and (very importantly!) packing all our materials up for us. It really allowed us to enjoy the day and not have to worry about timings etc. The venue itself is a great and versatile space with the castle ruins as a lovely backdrop. The food was also great, with the chef allowing us to make some adjustments to our chosen options and pick our own pizza toppings for the evening - our guests also said how much they enjoyed it!
Kelly
Kelly Sent on 19/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Just book the Kings Arms for your wedding!

We cannot recommend the Kings Arms highly enough.

From the moment we booked, through the planning to the wedding day itself all staff at the Kings were amazing, especially Chamane.

Chamane co-ordinated our whole wedding and was always so friendly, helpful, professional and efficient. I actually miss planning my wedding as Chamane made the whole process fun and completely stress free.

What we also loved about the Kings is the outdoor space and flexibility the venue offers. We were able to shape our day exactly how we wanted.

Our wedding pictures and video are stunning and every one of our guests commented on what a beautiful venue it was.

We will forever be so grateful we had our wedding at the Kings Arms, we had such a perfect day.
Mark
Mark Sent on 19/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Fantastic Wedding venue

We could't fault the location or the attention given to us throghout the who wedding experience. Chamane was great throughout always responding to our request quickly. The Package we had was fantastic value an we were able to negoitiate the extras we wanted. On the day We were looked after by Dean who could not do enough for us. i'd recomend to Kings to anyone
Natalie
Natalie Sent on 19/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The Most Beautiful Day!

We cannot say enough how amazing our big day was at The Kings Arms, Christchurch. This was largely down to the wonderful staff! They even catered for a fully Gluten Free day, as I (the bride) am coeliac! Our guests raved about the food, even the ones who were sceptical about 'GF food'. The venue was perfect and the staff couldn't do enough to ensure our day went without a hitch! Thank you to Chamane and all the Team, we'll never forget you! xx
Sarah
Sarah Sent on 19/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

The Best Day!

We got married at The Kings Arms in June 2024. I still cannot believe how brilliant our day was and how fabulous all the staff were. We fell in love with the setting on our first visit, and really liked the different levels of the hotel and grounds for each part of our day. The pavilion is stunning and allows you to decorate how you want so you can make it personal to your specific requirements. We definitely utilised every stunning outdoor space and inside area. From the day we booked, until the day itself, the staff were nothing short of spectacular, so attentive, warm and accommodating. Nothing was too much trouble. People are still commenting now on the fantastic food and service. I honestly think the way they supported us made the planning and build up so much less stressful. We have returned since and the staff have welcomed us like family, which is how we felt on the day. We would not hesitate it recommending The Kings Arms as your wedding venue, you wont regret it!
James
James Sent on 19/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Couldn’t have chosen a better place for our wedding

This setting, the staff and the facilities are out of this world..
Npthing was too much trouble, everything was planned and executed how we wanted it, and the staff ( especially Charmaine and Dean) made it the perfect day.
There politeness, help, understanding and support was invaluable, without this and there experience, small dramas would have potentially been made into bigger dramas.
We have not stopped recommending people to go to the kings arms and to make a weekend of it there. Plus everyone who attended have also commented on how they are going to return…
M
Marsh Sent on 19/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding of Andrea and Adrian marsh

I definitely would choose the kings for any function ,
We had our wedding there in May ,
Everything was just perfect from start to finish , the staff were very attentive , they were also happy for us to decorate and plan the day to our own preference. Always on standby to help with anything.
The food was delicious well presented . For the wedding breakfast and the evening buffet. The drinks were flowing .
Location was just perfect . Had some beautiful pictures taken by the ruins . Stayed in the bridal suit lovely big room with great views . Had the best day .

Georgina
Georgina Sent on 18/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Beautiful wedding day and rooms

We got married at the Kings Arms in July this year with Chamane as our planner. We really could not have asked for a better or more wonderfully organised day. The team were incredible, it was so easy to show up and enjoy ourselves, they did everything for us and we are so grateful for all our wonderful memories. We planned our wedding here from overseas, and booked it before even seeing the venue in real life. The team helped us with a virtual tour and took so much off our plate, they are truly experts at weddings. The venue itself - wow. Amazing places for pictures, beautiful hotel rooms and the scenery around where it is located is stunning. Thank you to Chamane and all your colleagues at the Kings Arms!
Katy
Katy Sent on 14/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Stunning venue and staff that care

I can't speak highly enough of the Kings Arms. I'll try to summarise but it was ALL amazing:
- right from the start, our wedding planner Chamane treated us so kindly and was always on hand with quick replies to questions. She let us consider other venues while keeping things open for us, and went through the pricing sooo clearly, even giving a few things comped given our wedding size. Planning a wedding for the first time is scary but Chamane made it so much easier!
- the venue itself is gorgeous - so many photo opps with the ruins, drinks on the green is so nice, and the split level worked SO well. I set up board games on the first floor while the disco was going on downstairs and people loved it!
- the staff were incredible. Right from when I checked in the day before, I felt treated and relaxed. On the day, they worked as a seamless and respectful team, so organised and punctual without being intimidating, and they came up with prosecco for me and my bridesmaids. They kept close to us during the day but not in a stressful way. The night team are superb - everything was perfectly ready for us to set up early in the morning and had been packed away ready for us to clear up in the evening. They were so careful about allergies as well!
- another huge special shout-out to Jan who was an absolute diamond on the day. Honestly can't imagine how it would have been without him and his humour and organisation!
- THE FOOD IS AMAZING. Absolutely gorgeous, from the appetisers to the main meals to the pulled pork burgers. All genuinely 10/10
- the bar staff were friendly, funny and kind during a long (and noisy!) night

Overall, what appealed to me was the vibe of luxury with an undercurrent of being laid back but also taking excellent care of you and guests. It's the perfect balance and at a hugely reasonable price considering the other venues we looked at. Stunning!
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The Kings Arms Hotel Real Weddings

Becky & Mark
77 photos · 28/10/2025
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63 photos · 25/08/2024
Tamzyn & Daniel
19 photos · 08/08/2024
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19 photos · 30/12/2022
Sarah & Lee
15 photos · 02/09/2022
Lucy & Manny
22 photos · 07/11/2021

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The Kings Arm Hotel BH23 1DT Christchurch (Dorset)
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