Paying for a Wedding in Belfast

Why Restaurant Weddings at AMPM & Chubby Cherub Lisburn Road Buck the Trend

The Price of “I Do” in 2025 Belfast

Weddings have always been emotional. In 2025, they’re financial gymnastics as well.

Across the UK, the average wedding now sits in the £21,000–£25,000 range, once you factor in venue, food, dress, flowers, photography and entertainment. In Northern Ireland the headline figure is lower – around £18,300 on average – but the pressure feels just as sharp when you combine it with the cost-of-living crisis, rising rents and mortgages, and the fact many couples are also trying to save for a home deposit.

It isn’t just couples feeling the squeeze. Guests are, too. Recent research shows it now costs a UK guest around £451 just to attend a wedding once you add travel, accommodation, outfits and gifts – almost a fifth of the average monthly salary. No wonder more people are quietly turning down invitations or trimming back their own plans.

Behind the glossy Instagram moments, a lot of modern wedding planning looks like this:

• Spreadsheets, not scrapbooks
• Sredit scores, not mood boards
• Trade-offs between house deposit vs. big day

For many Belfast couples, the question isn’t just “What kind of wedding do we want?” but “How do we make this feel special without losing our minds – or our savings?”

The Big Venue Problem

Traditional hotel and country house weddings still dominate, but they come with a familiar set of financial and emotional pressures:

• High minimum spends – many venues require large guest numbers or significant package spends to secure a Saturday.
• Package creep – every extra (chair covers, upgraded drinks, late-night food) seems to come with a “wedding tax”.
• One-size-fits-all – couples slot into set timings and standard menus that don’t always reflect how they actually like to eat, drink and celebrate.
• Guest list inflation – you invite 80 because the room “needs it”… then suddenly you’re feeding 120.

Layer on rising per-head venue packages, which now commonly sit around £84–£135 a guest in the UK, and it’s easy to see how budgets run away.

Against that backdrop, a quiet but powerful shift is happening: restaurant weddings and engagement celebrations.

1. Cost

You’re paying for a working restaurant – not a purpose-built, rarely-used ballroom. That often means:

• lower or more realistic minimum spends
• per-head costs that already include restaurant-quality food and service
• the option to choose smaller guest numbers without the guilt

2. Pressure

Restaurant spaces are built for atmosphere. You don’t need to spend thousands “making it look less like a conference room”. The vibe is included.

3. Experience

Chefs, bartenders and front-of-house teams do this every single service. That expertise translates directly into:

• Food that arrives hot and on time
• Drinks that feel generous and well-made
• A natural flow to the evening, not awkward gaps

Two Belfast venues, in particular, stand out in this space AMPM and Chubby Cherub Belfast

Why AMPM Restaurant Works Beautifully for Weddings & Engagements

AMPM, in Belfast city centre, has always traded on romance, theatre and food-forward dining. For couples, that translates into a wedding or engagement celebration that feels warm, decadent and very Belfast – without needing a 200-person guest list.

Key Features & Benefits

1. Central Belfast location

• Easy access for local guests, taxis and city-centre hotels.
• Perfect for civil ceremonies elsewhere followed by a short walk to the reception.

2. Built-in atmosphere

• AMPM’s signature interiors – floral details, warm lighting, intimate corners – mean the room already looks like an event space.
• You don’t need to blow the budget on decor just to make it feel special; a few personal touches go a long way.

3. Food that feels like a treat, not “function catering”

• Proper restaurant dishes, plated to the same standard as regular service.
• Menus can lean into modern Irish comfort with a French twist or more celebratory showpieces, depending on the couple.
• Much easier to offer vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options that feel considered and generous.

4. Flexible formats

You’re not locked into a hotel template. You can design:

• An intimate long-table dinner for 30–50
• A stand-up reception with canapés and small plates
• A “big night out” hybrid: sit-down main meal, then cocktails, music and dancing

5. More control over spend

• Couples can shape menus around a per-head budget that makes sense for them.
• It’s often easier to say, “We’re having 60 guests, incredible food and cocktails – and that’s our priority”, instead of being upsold into extras.

6. Ideal for “non-traditional” couples

AMPM suits people who care more about food, music and atmosphere than about matching napkins to chair covers. It’s a great fit for:

• Second marriages
• Couples who already have children
• Those who’d rather put the savings into a house deposit or honeymoon, but still want a beautiful day

Choosing a Wedding That Fits Real Life

The numbers are clear: weddings in the UK and Northern Ireland are more expensive than ever, and the financial pressure is real for both couples and guests.

The good news is that a meaningful, stylish Belfast wedding doesn’t have to look like a traditional hotel package. Restaurant venues like AMPM and Chubby Cherub Lisburn Road offer:

• More control over budget
• More authenticity in food and atmosphere
• More flexibility in guest numbers and format
• More chances to come back and relive it

For couples trying to balance “dream day” with “sensible life choices”, that combination is powerful.

If you’re planning a wedding or engagement celebration in Belfast and you’re feeling the weight of the usual numbers, it might be time to flip the script:

Instead of asking, “How do we afford a big wedding?” Ask, “Where will this feel like the best night of our lives?”

For a lot of modern couples, the honest answer looks a lot like a candlelit table at AMPM or a long Italian feast at Chubby Cherub Lisburn Road.