Venue guide · Shaw's Bridge, Belfast
Crowne Plaza Belfast weddings
What to know before you book, from wedding photographers who know the area.
Written by Tommy and Laurene · Updated October 2026
- LocationShaw's Bridge, Belfast
- CeremonyOn site, civil
- Wedding mealUp to 650 guests
- BedroomsOver 150 on site
- From the cityAbout 10 minutes
About the venue
A large hotel in the Lagan Valley Regional Park
Crowne Plaza Belfast, formerly the Ramada Plaza Belfast, is a hotel wedding venue at Shaw's Bridge in south Belfast. It sits within the Lagan Valley Regional Park, about 10 minutes by car from the city centre, with landscaped gardens, on site parking and a spa.
The hotel is licensed for civil ceremonies, so the ceremony, meal and evening party can all happen in one place. The Laganview Suite has two function rooms and a private garden with a fountain, and the Malone Suite has its own cocktail bar. There are over 150 bedrooms on site, with a bridal suite and a honeymoon suite.
We have photographed weddings here, so this guide is written from a photographer's point of view, with the venue's space and light in mind. If you are planning a wedding in the city, our Belfast wedding photographer page has more on how we work.
Plenty of room for a big day, with parkland right outside.
Honest view
The advantages and disadvantages of Crowne Plaza Belfast
Every venue has good points and things to plan around. This is what we know from photographing here and from the venue details we have found.
Advantages
- The ceremony, wedding meal and evening party can all happen in one place, so guests never have to travel between them.
- Room for very large guest lists, with the hotel listing a capacity of up to 650.
- Over 150 bedrooms on site, plus a bridal suite and a honeymoon suite, so most of your guests can stay over.
- Landscaped gardens in the Lagan Valley Regional Park, and a private garden with a fountain beside the Laganview Suite.
- On site parking, a spa, bridal changing facilities and in house catering.
- About 10 minutes by car from Belfast city centre.
Disadvantages
- It is a large hotel, so it may feel bigger than you want for a small or intimate wedding.
- Wedding packages need a minimum of 80 guests.
- The setting is a hotel with parkland around it, so the look of your photographs depends on choosing the right spots in the grounds.
- The hotel has been renamed, so older photos and reviews online may say Ramada Plaza Belfast.
At a glance
Crowne Plaza Belfast at a glance
The quick facts couples ask us about most, taken from the venue details published online. Please confirm the figures with the venue when you enquire.
- 650guests, the capacity listed for the venue
- 150+bedrooms on site
- 80guests, the minimum for wedding packages
- 10minutes by car from Belfast city centre
117 Milltown Road, Shaw's Bridge, Belfast, BT8 7XP.
The two wedding suites
- Ceremony and receptionLaganview SuiteTwo roomsfunction rooms for one weddingTwo function rooms with a private garden and a fountain, so a civil ceremony and the reception can sit side by side.
- Drinks and diningMalone SuiteOwn barcocktail bar and chandeliersA suite with a cocktail bar, hand blown glass and chandeliers. Ask the hotel for room capacities for your date.
The hotel is licensed for civil ceremonies, so you can marry, dine and celebrate in one place.
A bridal suite and a honeymoon suite, with a complimentary bridal suite on the wedding night in wedding packages, and a spa on site.
Details published on Bridebook. Capacities and room numbers can change, so always check with the venue.
Photography
Crowne Plaza Belfast wedding photography
The hotel sits in the Lagan Valley Regional Park, so you have landscaped gardens right outside and some of Belfast's best portrait locations a short drive away.
We love taking couples to The Lockkeeper's Cottage, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park and Shaw's Bridge. Each one gives you a completely different look, so we plan the timings with you in advance to leave room for the travel.
Photos from weddings we have photographed in the gardens, parks and landmarks around the hotel.
- The Lockkeeper's Cottage
A little white cottage with a red door, full of character and a favourite backdrop for relaxed, romantic portraits.
- Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park
Mature gardens, woodland paths and a handsome red brick house, so you can have several different looks in one stop.
- Shaw's Bridge
The historic bridge over the River Lagan and the riverside paths, only moments from the hotel.
We are a husband and wife team and we have photographed weddings at Crowne Plaza Belfast. See how we work on our Belfast wedding photographer page.
Planning your day
A Crowne Plaza Belfast wedding day timeline
Every wedding is different, but this is how a Crowne Plaza Belfast day with a 1pm ceremony might run. It gives you plenty of time for photos without anyone feeling rushed, and still gets you back with your guests for the afternoon.
Golden hour moves a lot through the year in Northern Ireland, so we plan your evening light photos around your date.
- 9.30amGetting readyIf you are staying over, the bridal suite is a lovely place to get ready.
- 11.30amThe boys get ready
- 12.15pmFinal touches, and family see the bride
- 12.45pmGuests take their seats
- 1.00pmThe ceremonyHeld on site at the hotel, so there is no travel, and we will adjust the rest of the day to fit your plans.
- 1.40pmConfetti and congratulations
- 2.00pmCouple portraitsIn the hotel gardens, or a short drive to The Lockkeeper's Cottage, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park or Shaw's Bridge. Allow extra time for the travel.
- 2.45pmFamily and bridal party photos
- 3.15pmBack with your guestsDrinks with your guests, with the gardens to spread out in when the weather is kind.
- 4.30pmThe speeches
- 5.00pmThe meal
- 7.30pmEvening light photosA short walk in the hotel gardens while the light is soft.
- 7.45pmBack to the partyStraight back inside to enjoy the evening with your guests.
- 8.30pmFirst dance
Planning tips for Crowne Plaza Belfast
- Choose one or two locations, not all three
The Lockkeeper's Cottage, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park and Shaw's Bridge are all lovely, but each stop takes time. Pick the one or two that suit you most and we will build the timeline around them.
- Big guest lists need a group photo plan
With a large wedding, group photographs can take longer than you expect. Give us a short list of the groups you want, and ask a couple of friends or family members to help gather people, so you are back at the party sooner.
- Getting ready on site
With the bridal suite and a spa at the hotel, you can get ready without leaving the building. Share your timings with the hotel's wedding team, and we will plan our morning around them.
Questions
Crowne Plaza Belfast wedding FAQ
The questions couples ask us most about getting married here. If yours is not covered, send us a message.
Where is Crowne Plaza Belfast, and was it the Ramada Plaza?
Crowne Plaza Belfast is at 117 Milltown Road, Shaw's Bridge, in south Belfast, within the Lagan Valley Regional Park and about 10 minutes by car from the city centre. It was formerly the Ramada Plaza Belfast, so older photos and reviews online may use the old name.
Can we have the ceremony at the hotel?
Yes. The hotel is licensed for civil ceremonies, so you can marry, have your meal and celebrate in the same place. Please confirm the ceremony options for your date with the venue.
How many guests can Crowne Plaza Belfast hold?
The venue lists a capacity of up to 650 guests, and wedding packages need a minimum of 80. Room capacities can change, so please ask the hotel what is available for your date.
Can guests stay overnight?
Yes. There are over 150 bedrooms on site, along with a bridal suite and a honeymoon suite. Wedding packages include a complimentary bridal suite on the wedding night, and there is a spa at the hotel.
Where can we take couple portraits?
The hotel has landscaped gardens, including a private garden with a fountain beside the Laganview Suite. A short drive away you have The Lockkeeper's Cottage, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park and Shaw's Bridge. We plan the timings with you in advance, so there is room for the travel.
Can we photograph at more than one location on the day?
Usually one or two locations works best, depending on your timings and the weather. Each stop takes time, so we talk it through with you beforehand and choose the places that matter most.
Does the hotel offer Asian or halal catering?
The hotel lists halal and Asian catering and describes itself as experienced with Asian and Muslim weddings. Please check the menus and options directly with the venue.
What if it rains on our wedding day?
With the ceremony, meal and party under one roof, you are never far from shelter. We plan a wet weather option with every couple and talk it through before the day, and rain can give some of the most atmospheric photographs.
How much does a Crowne Plaza Belfast wedding photographer cost?
You can see our packages and prices on our pricing page. We keep the details there so they stay up to date.
Have you photographed weddings at Crowne Plaza Belfast?
Yes. You can see how we work, and some of our other Belfast weddings, on our wedding photographer Belfast page.
Getting married at Crowne Plaza Belfast?
We would love to be there with you
We have photographed weddings at Crowne Plaza Belfast, and we would love to photograph yours. Whether you have a big guest list or a smaller day, we will plan the timings with you, including time for portraits at The Lockkeeper's Cottage, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park or Shaw's Bridge. Choose half day or full day coverage, with or without an album.
For more on what it is like having us photograph your day, have a look at our wedding photographer Belfast page.
- Based in LisburnWe know Shaw's Bridge and the parks around it well, so we know where the light is best
- Two photographersTommy and Laurene, a husband and wife team, photographing weddings since 2014
- Made for your dayDocumentary first, with relaxed portraits, so the day feels like you
Still choosing a venue?
More Northern Ireland venue guides
We have written guides like this for lots of Northern Ireland’s most popular wedding venues, with the good and the not so good for each one.