Fort Belan
A unique eighteenth century fortress, built in 1775 by Thomas Wynn, who later became Lord Newborough, in response to a perceived threat to the British mainland during the American war of independence.
Llanwnda, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL54 5TP
Rather than any strict package, the fort provides something of a blank canvas for a handful of weddings. We aim to listen to ideas and do our best to accommodate suggestions. We enjoy the variety of these occasions which are uniquely tailored for each couple.
Our galleried Music Room can accommodate up to 80 guests and the fort is licensed for weddings and civil ceremonies.
A popular choice is to follow the wedding with a champagne reception on the gun battery, and to arrange for members of the Anglesey Hussars, in costume, to fire the cannon.
We held our wedding at Fort Belan in September 2023. We had been previously twenty years prior and even named our dog after the fort so it had a special place in our hearts already. When my mother suggested it, we immediately knew this was the place we should celebrate.
We held the ceremony up by the beach outside. We had a beautiful setting with the water and beach through the arch and the guests even saw porpoises swim by just before we began walking down the ‘aisle’. We had reception drinks up in the fort walls under the summer sun and held the meal and party within the fort in the courtyard. We had the cannons go off after the ceremony which was incredibly fun, starting our marriage with a bang. It was the most special day and the venue was a huge part of that. Every guest was so amazed by the scenery and the building and how vast it was. We could make it completely our own. It was unlike other venues which sometimes make you use their caterers or their decorations etc. - we had a completely blank canvas so we could do what suited us best. It also meant we could have an open ‘bar’ and just hired a local hand to serve the drinks and a local band who played into the night inside the fort bouncing off the fort walls. It has its quirks too which we love. The £1 for the electricity (You use the same £1 to reload you don’t keep paying), the drive which gets washed up by the ocean at high tide. Thank you to Chris for helping so much with various pre - wedding planning, he was very patient with us and responded in a timely manner. It is a little hidden gem in the north of Wales, we are so lucky to have found it and wouldn’t have changed a thing.
