Venue guide · Donegall Square, Belfast
What to know before you book, from wedding photographers who know the building.
Written by Tommy and Laurene · Updated October 2026
About the venue
Belfast City Hall stands in Donegall Square, right in the middle of the city. It is the civic building of Belfast City Council, and couples can marry here in a civil ceremony led by the council's registrars, with room for up to 80 seated guests.
The council's wedding service covers the ceremony only, so most couples arrange a nearby restaurant or hotel for the celebration afterwards. Ceremonies run to a timetable of up to six a day, which keeps costs clear and the day simple, but it also means a little planning goes a long way.
We have photographed civil ceremonies here, so this guide is written from a photographer's point of view, using the council's own rules and timings. If you are planning a wedding in the city, our wedding photographer in Belfast page has more on how we work.
A grand setting, a clear timetable and good reason to plan ahead.
Costs
Belfast City Council sets the fees for a ceremony in City Hall, and they are easy to follow. This is the council's own breakdown for a ceremony in the building, with figures effective from 1 July 2024.
| What you pay | Weekdays | Saturdays | Bank holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two notice fees, £22 each | £44 | £44 | £44 |
| Ceremony | £36 | £36 | £36 |
| Room hire | £350 | £500 | £500 |
| Registrar's attendance | Free | £126 | £180 |
| Total | £430 | £706 | £760 |
The council asks for all fees to be paid in full at the point you give notice of marriage.
The council says these figures are subject to review, so confirm the current amounts with the Registration Office before you book.
Your photographer, flowers, clothes and the celebration afterwards are not part of these fees. If you would like us, see how we work on our Belfast City Hall wedding photographer page.
Source, Belfast City Council, getting married in a civil ceremony. You can also call the Registration Office on 028 9027 0455.
Booking
City Hall ceremonies are arranged through the council's Registration Office, not a venue coordinator. The steps below follow the council's own process, so you know what is coming and when.
The council says City Hall dates, especially weekends, can book up quickly. If you have a date in mind, enquire early.
Use the council's online marriage enquiry form or call the Registration Office on 028 9027 0455. Ask about the ceremony times on your preferred day, as the timetable runs up to six ceremonies a day.
Rooms can be viewed by appointment from Monday to Thursday, 9am to 9.30am. The council also notes that room allocation on the day cannot be guaranteed because of events in the building.
Each of you gives notice at least 28 days before the ceremony, at £22 each. The council asks for all fees to be paid in full at this point. Bring your original documents and check the council page for exactly what is needed.
Before the ceremony you attend a final appointment at City Hall, Monday to Friday, to present your original documents and your wedding day information form. Book it through the council's online form and choose the civil ceremony final appointment option.
You need two witnesses aged 16 or over, as City Hall does not provide them. Keep to your timetable, because the council may have to reschedule a ceremony that runs late.
Photography
The building is beautiful, but it is busy, so a little flexibility on the day makes all the difference. These are three real City Hall weddings we have photographed, and what each one taught us. You can see how we work on our Belfast City Hall wedding photographer page.
One of our earliest ceremonies. A continental market filled the front of City Hall, roadworks disrupted our Cathedral Quarter plans and part of Botanic Gardens was closed for a concert. We adapted, stopped at a pub where Dani poured Ben a Guinness, and finished in the gardens.
See the full wedding
Sheena and Rajesh married at City Hall, and we photographed the build up and the ceremony in the building before taking relaxed portraits in Botanic Gardens afterwards.
See the full wedding
A low key day with close family and friends. A quieter time slot meant the building was calmer, and a tourist group moved on shortly after the ceremony, which gave us space for photos in and around City Hall before the wedding meal at a nearby restaurant.
See the full weddingThe council allows 15 minutes for photos on the marble staircase after the ceremony, so it helps to know which photos matter most to you there.
The registrar announces any photography boundaries before the ceremony, so it is worth telling your photographer what to expect.
Markets, roadworks and events around the building can change what is possible, so a backup spot for portraits is always worth having.
Botanic Gardens and the Cathedral Quarter are both a short journey away, and we have used both after City Hall ceremonies.
The ceremony day
City Hall runs a tidy timetable, so knowing the practical details helps everything feel calm. This is the council's own guidance for couples, brought together in one place.
Ceremonies run to a timetable of up to six a day. Please keep to your slot, because the council may have to reschedule a ceremony that runs late.
Guests on foot can use the front or back entrance. Ushers are optional, but helpful for a larger ceremony, as the registrar cannot direct guests.
The rear courtyard holds two vehicles on weekdays and four on Saturdays, and a stretch limousine may count as two. Send registrations to City Hall security at least a week ahead. Parking is not guaranteed.
Videoing and live streaming are allowed. Photos on the marble staircase after the ceremony are limited to 15 minutes. Tell the registrar if you would rather the ceremony is not shared on social media.
Rules can change, so please check with the Registration Office on 028 9027 0455 before the day. Source, Belfast City Council, on the day of the ceremony at Belfast City Hall.
Honest view
Every venue has good points and things to plan around. This is what we know from photographing here and from the council's own guidance.
After the ceremony
A City Hall ceremony is short, so the rest of the day is yours to shape. Here are the places we would point you towards, starting with one we have photographed after a City Hall ceremony, and the smaller celebrations that suit a micro wedding.
Sheena and Rajesh married at City Hall and celebrated at The Merchant Hotel, a former bank that is now a five star hotel in the Cathedral Quarter. After portraits in Botanic Gardens, we photographed the cake cutting, the celebrations and the evening there.
Our venue guide covers the rooms, how the day works and where we take portraits.
Couples having a micro wedding at City Hall regularly keep the celebration small too. Many choose a private room or function room in a bar or restaurant in the city, which suits the guest numbers City Hall allows. Our micro wedding photography packages are designed for days like these, and you can see Dani and Ben's in their City Hall day.
A hotel on Donegall Square South, the same square as City Hall, with function rooms for celebrations from small gatherings to large receptions.
High on the slopes of Cave Hill, with views out over the city and some of the grandest rooms in Belfast.
Read the venue guideA hotel beside the Stormont Estate with 105 bedrooms, free parking and a licensed ceremony room on site.
Read the venue guideModern architecture and shipyard history make dramatic backdrops, with plenty of striking indoor spaces if the weather turns.
See a wedding hereThe former Ramada Plaza, in the Lagan Valley Regional Park, with civil ceremonies on site and room for up to 650 guests.
Read the venue guideCity Hall has very limited parking and runs to a strict timetable, so decide early how you and your guests will travel on to the reception. Your photographer can help you plan the timings.
After a City Hall ceremony, couples also regularly choose city centre hotels for the wedding meal and the evening. Popular choices include these.
Questions
The questions couples ask us most about getting married here. If yours is not covered, send us a message.
From 1 July 2024 the council's fees for a ceremony in City Hall are £430 on weekdays, £706 on Saturdays and £760 on bank holidays. That covers the two notice fees, the ceremony, room hire and the registrar's attendance. The council says fees are subject to review, so please confirm the current amounts with the Registration Office.
The council allows up to 80 guests at the ceremony, and every guest must be seated. If you would rather keep it very small, there is also a small ceremony option for just the two of you and your two legal witnesses, at limited times.
Enquire through the council's online marriage enquiry form or call the Registration Office on 028 9027 0455. You then give notice at least 28 days before the ceremony and attend a final appointment at City Hall to present your original documents. The council says dates, especially weekends, can book up quickly.
Up to six ceremonies take place each day, on a set timetable. The Registration Office will confirm the slots available on your date. Please keep to your time, because the council may have to reschedule a ceremony that runs late.
Yes, couples can have a professional photographer. The registrar explains any photography boundaries before the ceremony, and photos on the marble staircase after the ceremony are limited to 15 minutes. Videoing and live streaming are allowed too.
No. The council does not allow confetti, rice or candles. If a confetti photograph matters to you, talk to your photographer about another location and timing for it.
City Hall ceremonies are civil, and religious words and music are not allowed. You can include non religious music, your own vows, a non religious reading, or a hand tying or sand ceremony, and the council has a separate route for religious or belief ceremonies.
The council's wedding service covers the ceremony only, so you will need to arrange the celebration elsewhere. Couples having a micro wedding regularly choose a smaller celebration at places like The Empire, Cafe Parisien and The Dark Horse, or a function room in a bar or restaurant in the city. For something larger, see our guide to The Merchant Hotel, where Sheena and Rajesh celebrated after their City Hall ceremony.
We start on the marble staircase if time allows, then use the grounds around the building when the city allows it. We have also taken couples to Botanic Gardens and the Cathedral Quarter. Markets, roadworks and events can change what is possible, so we always have a plan B, as you can see in Dani and Ben's day.
Yes, we photograph civil ceremonies at City Hall regularly. You can see how we work on our Belfast City Hall wedding photographer page, and see our packages and prices on our pricing page.
Getting married at Belfast City Hall?
We photograph civil ceremonies at Belfast City Hall regularly, and we would love to photograph yours. We know how the building works, from the ceremony timetable to the staircase window, and we plan a backup for the weather and city events, so your photos stay calm even when the building is busy. Whether you are planning a short micro wedding or a longer day, we will plan the portraits and the move on to your celebration with you.
To see how we photograph weddings here, have a look at our Belfast City Hall wedding photographer page, or our micro wedding photography packages if you are planning a smaller day. You can also see our prices.
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