Big Day Weddings

Another award to end 2021, thank you to all our couples and industry partners!

By Big Day WeddingsBarnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding PhotographersNo Comments

It’s always great to win an award even though we don’t actively enter many competitions. This is the third year in a row we’ve either won a national wedding award or appeared in a final. Voted for by Your Perfect Wedding Photographer as best in the UK is satisfying as it is one of the largest wedding portals out there.

In truth though, all the wedding awards in the world are meaningless unless that translates to a great experience for the people that work with us. When our couples come back to us delighted (and often leaving reviews) with their images and how we behaved with themselves and their guests on their wedding day, then that is the best award of all.

Have a read of our reviews on Google and other places to see people’s real world experiences of us for yourselves.

Google Reviews for Big Day Weddings

Feel free to get in touch to talk over any wedding plans you have. We are more than happy just to give advice and some inside knowledge of venues you may be thinking of, regardless of whatever your final decisions may be.

Wishing all a wonderful 2022!

David and Joanna

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Bride and groom kiss by anchor Cutty Sark Greenwich wedding

Our 47th 5 STAR Google Wedding Review

By Big Day WeddingsBarnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographers, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

It’s no exaggeration to say that at the moment we are waiting on about 15 reviews to come through! The problem is people are very busy, and actually getting a review onto Google without creating an account is not particularly easy, so lovely couples with the best of intentions often don’t get round to actually doing it. We remind them if they said they wanted to (just once) because we don’t want to be over pushy!

Anyway here’s a cut and paste from mighty Google itself of our 47th five star review, thanks to Joanna and Tom and their fabulous wedding day at Islington Town Hall, the Cutty Sark and an incredible hired private mansion in Eltham:

“From our initial conversation with David we knew he would be brilliant. He listened to all our ideas, made loads of helpful suggestions, had lots of local knowledge around the venue and good spots for photos, and filled us with confidence. On the day he was superb – he was chatty and friendly with our guests, made everyone feel very at ease and expertly arranged the group shots. He somehow managed to be everywhere at once and capture every moment of the day while also being completely unobtrusive and blending into the background. The photos themselves were wonderful; so many to choose from, natural and colourful and exactly like we wanted. We are so grateful to him for producing such beautiful photos, but also for being such a fun part of the day and cannot recommend his services highly enough!

Joanna & Tom

Response from the owner a week ago

Joanna and Tom, thank you so much for the goggle review! What a fabulous day we had at the most quirky and impressive private mansion I’ve ever seen, your glorious Council Chamber wedding at Islington Town Hall, and the wonderfully atmospheric Cutty Sark. Wishing you both health and happiness for many years to come.

Google review for Big Day Weddings London

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Shoreditch engagement shoot girls laugh by iron doors

Shoreditch Engagement Shoot, inner London photography

By Big Day WeddingsBarnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographers, Wedding VenuesOne Comment

Well there’s only one thing David likes more than hanging around in a place like Shoreditch, and that is doing a Shoreditch Engagement Shoot!

Shoreditch engagement shoot couple stood by graffiti

Many times we have done a wedding in this most colourful of areas, and then had ten to twenty minutes to get some couple shots between the ceremony and reception. Here’s an example of that at Eight Club Moorgate: Eight Club Wedding in Moorgate and Shoreditch

Shoreditch-engagement shoot couple sat on steps together image

For this shoot I had about fifty minutes, what a luxury, and what a pleasure to work with M and D. This fantastic twosome are getting hitched at the lovely and funky Clapton Country club in August, and quite frankly I can’t wait.

Shoreditch engagement couple in front of large graffiti on black wall London

We started by meeting at Old Street tube station, at 6.30pm. Early evening is ofter best for the quality of light and also the fact that most people working in the city will have wandered home, or into a bar….

Shoreditch engagement shoot couple piggyback and laugh by graffiti

Even so, this is a really buzzing place with people, cycle and electrics scooters whizzing everywhere.

Shoreditch engagement shoot ladies by graffiti

I had a quick walk around before going to Old Street to check a few places I knew, and what has and hasn’t changed graffiti wise and to check whether there was any new scaffolding obscuring anything. Yes scaffolding, London never stops building and growing!

Couple show engagement rings in Shoreditch photo shoot

From our Zoom call earlier in the year I knew I had a great rapport with these guys, and this continued all the way through the shoot. M and D love all things urban and are also partial to any interesting graffiti. This is exactly what suits a Shoreditch engagement shoot.

Engagement couple in Shoreditch by Michaelangelo art display

Such fun finding places, creating reactions, and making use of different lighting and backdrops. Generally speaking I try and make engagement shoots discreet for the couple so that they can relax and feel unselfconscious, usually starting in places where very few people are around.

Couple hand in hand at Shoreditch engagement photo shoot

That’s virtually impossible in Shoreditch, though I did manage, but really these ladies were not shy and just got into the energy and fun of the shoot.

Couple on steps at Shoreditch engagement shoot London

We celebrated a successful time with a cheeky beer afterwards at the Old Blue Last pub.

In fact for those interested I used the area behind and around the Old Blue Last extensively, plus two blocks away from Old Street Station to begin the session.

Next stop Clapton Country Club…

By David Green

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London-wedding-couple-pose-sat-in-bus stop

Intimate Weddings at Old Marylebone Town Hall

By Big Day WeddingsBarnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

Here’s a very recent small intimate and covid friendly wedding at London’s iconic Old Marylebone Town Hall. This June wedding was shot by myself David, as there was just seven people involved and to be as unobtrusive as possible. I had a great time with this bunch of very positive people, and huge congratulations to Valentina and James for tying the knot 🙂

Bride crossing road to Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding

Bride outside Old Marylebone Town Hall with wedding bouquet

Both of these guys work in the bus and transportation industry in Oxford, and decided to come down to the “big smoke” to have their ceremony in a town hall that has hosted more famous weddings than perhaps any other single venue in London.

Bride and groom hold hands during wedding ceremony Old Marylebone Town Hall

Bride laughs during Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding ceremony

Exchange of rings Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding ceremony

First kiss Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding ceremony

My first sight of Valentina was crossing the busy Marylebone Road with two of her guests, having stayed the night at The Landmark Hotel. Time for James to get inside and speak with the registrars!

Bride and groom walk through Old Marylebone Town Hall corridor

Wedding couple on balcony inside Old Marylebone Town Hall

Bride and groom walk down stairs Old Marylebone Town Hal wedding

What I usually do in these situations is start documenting the scene, ie: buildings, room if possible, details etc, then the arrival of groom and anyone that is with them, until the bride arrives. Usually I get a minute or two to get some shots before she too has a pre ceremony chat with the registrars.

Confetti throw Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding

Much as I like the staff at Old Marylebone Town Hall, they are friendly and efficient, but in my humble opinion a little too efficient at times. I get the least amount of time allocated in the building of any London registry, on average 3 minutes after a ceremony in the corridors and stairs. I know they are very busy, but…not that busy. Ok I’ve said it, I know plenty of other photographers who feel the same, they won’t say it though, not publicly!

Bride and groom together after Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding

Speaking of ceremonies, this was one of the most affectionate and love filled I’ve seen in a long time, and I’ve documented a lot! Valentina also had the most wonderful and infectious laughter too, which was a joy to capture.

Bride and groom kiss by lion statue Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding

New bride and groom walk past Old Marylebone Town Hall after wedding

Afterwards I used my three minutes inside with the newlyweds at fairly high speed. I work fast anyway and it certainly kept the energy levels up.

Bride and groom hold hands by roller doors Old Marylebone Town Hall

Outside on the famous Old Marylebone Town Hall steps it was time for confetti in super bright sunshine. So many times I’ve heard guests at weddings say that they think the personal photos they are taking will be better in sunshine. Well, while we all love sunshine, it usually makes people squint and…let’s just say it’s not that flattering to many skin tones. I noted the sun was going in and out fairly rapidly, so after a few group shots I asked if there was any confetti left, and everyone enjoyed another throw in what is known in photographic speak as “open shade” and so much better!

Bride and groom on wedding day Regents Park bridge London

My coverage for this was at my minimum two hours, so we had plenty of time to walk towards Regents Park and get some shots there. As is my usual style anything on the way that looks interesting we used for shot variety and some fun. Roller doors, bus stops iron railings and general walking shots. I’ve also included an image with a happy cyclist riding past, I spied her out of the corner of my eye and definitely wanted to include her for a more funky take on a fairly traditional shot.

Cyclist rides past bride and groom Regents Park bridge London

I celebrated a little with the couple afterwards in the park, and then got on my horse and road off into the sunset for the day.

Bride and groom by log in Regents Park London

One week later I was able to send them just under 600 edit images for a permanent reminder of a really fun time. Congratulations to Valentina and James and their super wedding at Old Marylebone Town Hall!!!!!

London-wedding-couple-pose-sat-in-bus stop

By David Green

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Confetti throw outside All Souls church wedding London

All Souls Church Wedding London – with plenty of social distancing joy!

By Big Day WeddingsBarnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding PhotographerNo Comments

Bride in facemask arrives All Souls wedding London Bride arrives for her All Souls wedding London

To say that 2020 to 2021 were challenging years for the world as a whole is of course obvious and a bit of an understatement. The wedding industry like most others was challenged and had to adapt too. We thought it would be a good idea to show what a “socially distanced” wedding looks like for a number of reasons, the main one being to showcase that the the joy, love and uniqueness of a big day, though smaller in scale, is absolutely undiminished!

Groom and bestman at covid secure wedding

David was the busiest last year, sometimes capturing four weddings a week. Although the first three months were well booked with “normal” size and timeline weddings, come March we all had to massively adapt. Many couples understandably moved their dates, but many others decided to press ahead when they could and scale back their plans.

Bride outside All Souls London for her wedding day

Featured here are one such couple Rebecca and Matt, who’s original grand plan was a ceremony in the lovely All Souls church next to the BBC in London, followed by a shoot as newly weds around some central city sights, and then on to a large reception at Crypt on the Green in Clerkenwell. A long planned fusion of American and English families coming together in the capital where the couple met. As ultimate reality would have it, it was 15 souls at All Souls, and a restaurant dinner afterwards, with an amount of Zoom, and some recorded video messages too.

I’m just delighted it went ahead and I was able to be part of an intimate heartfelt and memorable event. As you can see from Rebecca’s arrival it was a mask on mask off affair. Thankfully once things were underway both bride groom and clergy were exempt. I was lucky enough to do twelve such socially distanced weddings and this was pretty much the norm, but absolutely non were any the less for it. I particularly like the two shots below where you can see Matt going from happy and excited to overwhelmed when he first sees his wife to be walking down the aisle towards him.

Grrom waits for bride All Souls church wedding

Grrom cries into hankerchief All Souls wedding

There was so much emotion and love in the room it was palpable 🙂

Wedding ceremony at All Souls church London

When there was some live guitar and singing interludes I snuck quietly up on the balcony, to get the kind of wider shot you can see below.

All Souls church wedding from balcony covid restrictions London

We take a lot of shots by the way, all with a purpose, and all of which we give to our couples after editing. Back to the ceremony, one of my favourite parts was where a family friend performed magic tricks which he’d taught himself especially for the wedding. Very unusual end to the ceremony, and very entertaining too.

By the time the register was signed and Rebecca and Matt walked back down the aisle it was dark outside. Still I’m very experienced with winter weddings, and I was very happy with our confetti shots, family groups and the five minutes or so I had to grab some couple shots outside. A bit less time than the hour we had had originally planned though!