A bride and groom holding hands, dancing on the rooftop of the Oh Yeah building in Belfast after their Belfast elopement, framed by large wooden barrels in the foreground.

BELFAST ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Bride and groom walking through the cobbled streets of Cathedral Quarter after celebrating their Belfast City Elopement

BELFAST CITY ELOPEMENTS

Thinking of eloping in Belfast? Good call. Skip the spreadsheets, the seating plans, and the hundred-person guest list. Just you two, a registrar, and a stress-free day that's completely about you.

We've been photographing Belfast elopements for years — civil ceremonies in City Hall, humanist weddings in the Ulster Museum, small church weddings. We know the city and we know how to make a two-person wedding feel like the best day of your life.

A bride and groom standing on a the rooftop of the Oh Yeah building in Belfast after their Belfast elopement, surrounded by urban buildings and a clock tower in the background.

Simple Tapestry is a husband-and-wife photography team. For elopements, you'll have the two of us with you; relaxed, unobtrusive, there to document and help however we can. We’ll even be your legal witnesses, should you need it.

We cover your ceremony and portraits in the city. This could be a walk through Cathedral Quarter, a trip to Botanic Gardens, a whirlwind black taxi tour, or a ramble in one of the forest parks on the edge of the city.

Along with photography, we take short-form vertical iPhone videos. High-Resolution printable Photos and videos are delivered within 2-3 days so you can quickly share with family and friends.

WHAT WE OFFER

GREAT BELFAST ELOPEMENT LOCATIONS

  • A bride and groom at their elopement in Belfast City Hall. The bride is holding a bouquet of pink flowers, and the groom is dressed in a dark suit.

    Belfast City Hall

    Elegant, central, and one of the most popular civil ceremony venues in the city

  • A bride and groom eloping in The Ulster Museum in Belfast.

    The Ulster Museum

    A beautiful setting for civil and humanist ceremonies, with Botanic Gardens right outside the door

  • Titanic Hotel

    A gorgeous historic building in the heart of Titanic Quarter that offers the complete elopement experience.

  • A couple stand on the steps of the merchant hotel just after celebrating their Belfast City elopement inside.

    The Merchant Hotel

    A luxury hotel in the heart of Cathedral Quarter, suitable for prep, ceremony and dinner.

THE LEGAL BIT

A legal wedding in Northern Ireland is pretty straightforward. You'll need to give notice to the registrar, pay the relevant fees, and have two witnesses present (we’ve signed dozens of marriage certificates and are happy to be your witnesses).

We're happy to point you in the right direction if you're navigating this for the first time.

WHO TYPICALLY BOOKS A BELFAST ELOPEMENT?

A newlywed couple holding hands and smiling on a cobblestone street in Belfast's cathedral quarter after their elopement in the Merchant hotel.

All kinds of couples book Belfast Elopements. Generally it’s couples who want a proper wedding day without the production. Some live in Belfast and want to keep it low-key and avoid the inevitable spotlight that weddings put you in.

Often it’s couples flying in from England, Wales, Scotland, or further afield like USA or Canada, who want somewhere beautiful and a bit different. Anyone who'd rather spend their wedding budget on a great hotel and a brilliant dinner than hundreds canapés.

GET IN TOUCH

If you're thinking about eloping in Belfast, we'd really love to hear from you. We can help you with venues, photo locations, hotels and restaurants and any suppliers you may need. Jus tell us your rough date, what you're picturing, and we'll take it from there.

GET IN TOUCH
A bride and groom sitting on a red leather bench in front of red velvet curtains in Belfast, with the bride holding a bouquet of white flowers and greenery, looking at each other.

BELFAST ELOPEMENT FAQ

  • We’ll give you professional photography of your elopement, vertical iPhone videos, provide legal witness to your wedding and provide all the planning advice you may need.

  • Honestly, if we’re free we can do it with just a few days or weeks notice! But generally, it’s a good idea to book us early in the planning stage so you can benefit from any advice we can give that might make the process easier for you.

  • For a legal wedding in Northern Ireland, you need two witnesses present for the ceremony. They don't have to be family or friends though; they just need to be over 16.

    We’re happy to provide witness to your wedding. We've signed more marriage certificates than we can count.

  • The legal fees for a civil ceremony in Belfast are relatively modest. Registrar fees and notice of marriage are the main costs. On top of that, photography, your outfit, and maybe a nice dinner are really the only other things you need.

    We can share our elopement package pricing when you get in touch.

  • Absolutely. We’ve photographed couples who’ve flown in from England, Wales, Scotland, and further afield to elope in Belfast. You'll still need to give the required notice to a registrar in Northern Ireland before the date and we can point you to the right information.

  • You'll need to submit a Marriage Notice to the General Register Office for Northern Ireland at least 28 days before your ceremony. Once that's done, you can book your ceremony with a registrar or celebrant. It's a straightforward process and we're happy to help you figure it out.

  • May to October gives you the best chance of decent weather and the best light for photos. That said, Belfast in the rain has its own atmosphere. We've shot some of our favourite elopements on grey winter days. We'll make it work whatever the weather.

  • It depends on what you want. Our basic coverage is 2 hours. This is enough to cover a civil ceremony and relaxed portraits after. Some couples want full day — getting ready, ceremony, portraits, dinner, photos outside the city. Tell us what you're picturing and we'll suggest a rough timeline.

  • Yes. The Causeway Coast, the Mourne Mountains, The Sperrins, Northern Ireland has no shortage of stunning elopement locations beyond the city and we’re happy to travel. If you have somewhere in mind, get in touch and we'll let you know if we can make it happen.

  • Absolutely. The vast majority of Elopements we photograph request this and your privacy is our absolute priority. We will NEVER share photos of your elopement without your consent.

    Your photos will be delivered in a private, password-protected gallery that you will have admin control over. The gallery will stay online for a year. You can order professional prints and share it with friends and family - you’re in total control.

  • Civil ceremonies have to take part in licensed venues, but Humanist and Religious weddings can take place anywhere at the discretion of the celebrant.

    We’ve photographed weddings in forests, parks, back gardens and living rooms. Just make sure you have permission from the land/building owner.