Frequently asked questions

Your Arches questions answered

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How long is the booking for?

For the full wedding option, you have exclusive use of the ceremony space from midday to 6pm and the bridal suite from midday the same day to 10.30am the following morning.

For the elopement option, you have exclusive use of the ceremony space only from 9am to 11am, Monday to Saturday.

Where can I find the registrar?

Find our local registrar here.

What is included in the ceremony room?

7m x 3m permanent flower wall and flower decorations, 104 chairs, 1m x 1m occasional table that the registrar will need for the ceremony, but then can be used for whatever you like, powder room and loo. Please feel free to bring with you anything else you wish to use.

How many guests can we have?

The wedding venue is licensed for 120 guests in total and we have seating for 104.

How much time with the registrar do we need to leave before the ceremony?

You will need around 20 minutes for interviews with registrar before the ceremony starts. For example if you want to get married at 12:00 you will need to book Arches from 11:30.

Can we have music at our ceremony?

You can play whatever music you like. The venue is equipped with surround sound Sonos speakers. So before you arrive make sure you download your playlist to your device using Spotify or Apple Music, as phone signal can be patchy, and sync wirelessly straight to the Sonos. No need for Wifi.

Can we decorate the ceremony space?

Absolutely. Arches is DIY so you can set up and celebrate your wedding the way you want to. We love seeing the little touches that make each wedding personal to you. Though the ceremony room is beautiful as is and ready to use as soon as you open the door.

Can we bring Alcohol?

Yes, what better way to celebrate the day than with a lovely glass of bubbly or hire a pop up licenced bar to serve your favourite tipple. Though please be aware the registrar won’t allow any alcohol in the room whilst the ceremony is underway, open or closed. We suggest bringing a couple of buckets with ice to keep the bottles chilled and put them out in our private garden. Best of all we don’t charge corkage.

Do we have to tidy up after our ceremony?

Yes. Please take away with you everything you have brought with you, personal items, photos, bunting, balloons, empty bottles of fizz and rubbish.

Can we hire caterers?

Yes, be it canapés, pizza or fish ‘n chips, check out our recommended catering suppliers in the directory on the website. Though Arches is not set up for a full sit down dinner.

Are there catering facilities at the venue?

There isn’t a kitchen or any kind of food preparation area in the ceremony space. There is a small kitchen with a toaster, microwave, kettle, fridge and sink in the bridal suite. So there’s space to keep a few bottles of fizz in order to celebrate the occasion.

How do we access the venue?

There are steps leading down from the car park above, right down to the front of the venue. A public pathway also runs in front of the venue. This can be accessed via steps from the A399 (Woodlands) one end and via a ramp from Woodlands the other.

How about wheelchair access? 

The ramp which runs from Woodlands makes it easy to get to the venue as a wheelchair user, while access to the venue itself is via a small ramp at side of the building. Please note that wheelchair access to the garden is limited.

Can I bring a pet?

Yes, you can. Pets on leads are welcome in the ceremony space and garden, but not in the bridal suite.

Can I smoke?

The whole venue is no-smoking, including the ceremony space, the garden, the bridal suite and the balcony. However, you can smoke on the public pathway in front of the venue.

Can we use confetti?

Yes you can, but please use dried flower petals and leaves, we have found the biodegradable confetti just isn’t. Smoke flares on the beach look fantastic, but no plastic confetti cannons. We are in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty and want to keep it as pristine as possible.

Are there places to stay nearby?

Combe Martin is a beautiful place to stay and there are some gorgeous local hotels and B&Bs nearby including abeachbedroom.com cottages. Take a look at our directory.

Where can I park?

We have a private car park in the centre of Combe Martin, which is free for your guests to use if you book the full wedding option. There are also numerous pay and display car parks throughout the village including one next door to the venue. 

Where is a good meeting place before the ceremony?

Before the ceremony, guests can meet at the venue itself. Or you could meet at a local watering hole like the Dolphin Inn then all walk down together. It’s just a short stroll away.

We live locally. Do we get a discount?

Yes! If you or your partner live in North Devon, you can enjoy a 25% discount.

Can I cancel my booking?

You can cancel your booking up to 30 days before your wedding day and receive a full refund minus a £100 reservation fee. If you cancel less than 30 days before your booking, we’re unable to offer any refund.

Please email us with any further queries [email protected]