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Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding couple walk to London bus

Old Marylebone Town Hall Weddings – Two recent ones right here!

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographer, London Wedding Photographers, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

Old Marylebone Town Hall weddings are probably some of the most iconic that happen in central London. Right next to Baker Street and not far from Madame Tussauds it has been trendy and very sought after for over a century. I’m there a lot (that’s me David) and I think if I was going to choose a place, especially if I was coming in from another country, this would be it.

Confetti throw Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding day

In fact, if you were appearing in a Richard Curtiss rom-com THIS is where you would get married, when the girl gets the guy in the final scenes! Or the guy gets the guy, or the girl gets the girl…well you get my drift.

Old Marylebone Town Hall Wedding Couple in Christmas decorations image

Wedding drinks reception Holmes Hotel London

Old Marylebone wedding couple at Holmes Hotel London

I’m going to write an info piece soon with lots of examples of all the main London Registry offices, as I’ve photographed at all of themย  multiple times, just to give an insight for prospective couples and other photographers spying on me (lol!). Old Marylebone, Islington and Chelsea Town Hall’s I would put as the big three. All with rich history and plenty of A listers who got married there. Including myself ๐Ÿ˜‰

London wedding couple kiss on street near Marylebone Old Town Hall

Old Marylebone Town Hall bride and groom hold hands by wall

Honorable mentions also go to Camden Town Hall, Hackney Town Hall and Stoke Newington Town Hall. All great choices.

Bride and groom walk to their Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding

The December wedding I’m featuring here was shorter than most I do at Old Marylebone Town Hall, as this was both a smaller celebration and a legal requirement for V and P who were getting married later overseas (I wasn’t available for that one). This is quite a frequent request for central London registries though.

Wedding couple on way to Old Marylebone Town Hall

Bride and groom walk uo Old Marylebone Town Hall stairs

On a freezing cold crisp morning I started my coverage in The Holmes Hotel on Chiltern Street, just round the corner from fictional (is he!?) character Sherlock Holmes’s home at 221b Baker Street. V and P were staying at The Holmes and met myself and their wedding party there for celebratory champagne before taking the short walk to Old Marylebone Town Hall.

Wedding ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall image

Wedding Ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall wide shot

Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding ceremony collage

First kiss at Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding ceremony

Bride and groom celebrate in wedding ceremony Old Marylebone Town Hall

Our plan was for V and P to spend 15 to 20 minutes with myself on the way. The thing is: all the images features in the blog: Blog – London Wedding Photographers Big Day Weddings (bigdayweddings.co.uk) on Instagram: Big Day Weddings (@bigdayweddingsuk) โ€ข Instagram photos and videos, and the galleries on the website: Wedding Galleries – London Wedding Photographers Big Day Weddings (bigdayweddings.co.uk)ย  (there are four of them by the way) are all done in short real world time scales, in whatever the prevailing conditions might be. That’s the best way to be relaxed and natural, as long as your photographer has skill and a ‘can do’ calm attitude! One of my gripes is how much fake stuff I see on socials, where photographers have set up entire wedding shoots with models and other suppliers. While undoubtably some are really pretty and are obviously a form of advert for those involved, it is totally unrealistic, and I believe misleading in expectations for potential couples. Sorry, small rant over!

Couple kiss in corridor Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding

Bride and groom laughing Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding

Wedding couple corridor Old Marylebone Town Hall

Ok, so I was delighted to go to Holmes Mews on our little jaunt to the Town Hall, which is tucked away round the corner from the hotel, and then to work in some of the streets I know so well. Of course with a busy city every time you visit a location it may be different, or too busy, or covered in scaffolding, so it’s good to be adaptable and have a backup plan in mind.

Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding couple walk down stairs

Wedding ceremonies at Old Marylebone Town Hall are strictly controlled now, especially since the venue’s refurbishment. I think this is a really good thing and what I mean by that is: it’s a very busy place, a lot of weddings take place there on the main days and if the staff were not clear about when you can go in, how long a photographer has in a particular spot, then it could be chaos, and nobody wants that on their big day. So for those of you in the stages of planning for an Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding, bear in mind that you will get somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes only with you photographer after the ceremony within the building itself. That’s fine because I will get everything we need and more in that time. Your wedding party will have been charmingly ushered out of the building in that time, to get ready on the outside steps for a confetti throw if you are having one.

Couple tango by window Old Marylebone Town Hall London

As with V and P at that point I go outside and get the wedding party ready and super motivated. Then it’s thumbs up time from me, and you come out and enjoy your iconic wedding ‘moment’ on the beautiful steps of Old Marylebone Town Hall. It’s a good time after that to move to the right hand side steps, for any group shots you might have requested, or not!

Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding collage

Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding couple sat on lion

Two things usually happen after that, one, everyone gets on a Red Routemaster old London bus or taxis, and shoots off to the reception venue.ย  And/or two: our new bride and groom go and do some quick couple shots/portraits in the local area. Don’t ever worry about these though. They are going to be natural looking and sometimes epic, just because… Most people are a bit anxious about having their pics taken, read my reviews though here on the site or Google itself: big day weddings reviews – Google Searchย  We will do natural stuff, gently directed if needs be, that you need absolutely no skills or ability for. We have fun, I will coax candid genuine positive reactions from you, and most of all we will have a blast! Many times I’ve been told it’s one of the main highlights of a couple’s day ๐Ÿ™‚

Wedding couple dance outside Old Marylebone Town Hall

I take a lot of shots, and I give you everything where you are not blinking or falling over, unless it’s funny… For V and P I delivered over 700 edited sots in a fairly short time scale. I’m including their review here.

Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding review from Google

Wedding group shot at Old Marylebone Town Hall

Jeez these guys were very romantic, they loved to kiss and dance. I didn’t ask them to do that, I just put them in good situations to be able to do what THEY wanted to do! They were both delighted by the results, and ultimately that is what is the single most important thing.

Wedding couple celebrate by lion outside Old Marylebone Town Hall

Wedding bus and bride and groom Old Marylebone Town Hall

Every wedding is so different even in the same locations, and that is one of the fantastic things about wedding photography and in this case about Old Marylebone Town Hall weddings!

By David Green

Here’s some other posts of many Old Marylebone Town Hall weddings featured on the blog:

Another great Old Marylebone Town Hall Wedding

Click the link above to see another set of images AND the story behind them.

Alternatively here’s some of the images below:

Two grooms hand in hand outside Old Marylebone Town Hall weddingTwo grooms at Old Marylebone Town Hall WeddingTwo grooms laugh and walk by Old Marylebone Town HallWide shot grooms walking by Old Marylebone Town Hall weddingTwo grooms hold hands Old Marylebone Town Hall weddingOld Marylebone Town Hall wedding grooms embraceGroom and groom by black doors Marylebone weddingTwo grooms with sunglasses Old Marylebone Town Hall weddingGroom and groom chat by Marylebone wall LondonTwo grooms together behind Old Marylebone Town HallTwo grooms romantic moment at Old Marylebone Town Hall weddingGroom and groom at Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding by rose windowGrooms walk through Old Marylebone Town Hall corridors at weddingGrooms entrance Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding ceremonySame sex wedding at Old Marylebone Town HallSigning the register Old Marylebone Town Hall gay weddingGrooms recessional Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding ceremonyTwo grooms on balcony Old Marylebone Town HallGrooms walking down stairs after Old Marylebone Town Hall WeddingTwo grooms by window gay wedding Old Marylebone Town HallTwo grooms hand in hand down stairs Old Marylebone Town HallConfetti throw two grooms Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding 2Confetti throw two grooms Old Marylebone Town Hall weddingTwo grooms by Old Marylebone Town Hall lion BWTwo grooms by Old Marylebone Town Hall lionGoogle review Big Day Weddings Old Marylebone Town HallTwo grooms walking by Old Marylebone Town Hall London

 

Here’s another wedding day at Old Marylebone Town Hall on the link below:

Intimate Weddings at Old Marylebone Town Hall

 

 

Clapton Country Club wedding day two brides laugh image

Clapton Country Club Wedding photographers

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

We love a quirky wedding venue, almost as much as we enjoy a challenge. Especially a Clapton County Club Wedding in one of London’s great alternative and unique wedding spaces, and it perfectly complemented the vibe and values of brides D & M.

Clapton Country Club wedding ceremony black and white image

Clapton Country Club used to be a tram depot and all throughout its different spaces there’s was evidence of its former role. D & M told us they wanted photographers experienced with urban and quirky weddings and plenty of creativity when we originally spoke, and we were delighted to give them exactly what they wanted and then some ๐Ÿ™‚ Not your home counties stately home big day for these two!

Clapton Country Club wedding prep collage one

Two brides and dresses Clapton Country Club wedding

Clapton Country Club Wedding prep first look collage

David had built a rapport with both through zoom and a very enjoyable engagement shoot in Shoreditch central London. Here’s a link to that shoot:ย Shoreditch Engagement Shoot, inner London photography

Clapton Country Club Wedding collage one

A new challenge for us as photographers was the fact that both brides were profoundly deaf, and so were ninety percent of the wedding guests plus the two videographers.

Clapton Country Club Wedding Ceremony Collage one

In truth, through communicating through a bit of universal sign language and skilled lip-reading on D & M’s behalf made everything a pleasure. In fact, I for one (David) hardly thought about it throughout the day, and it ultimately made no difference whatsoever, which is of course how it should be!

Clapton Country Club wedding ceremony holding hands

Clapton Country Club Wedding Ceremony collage two

End of Clapton Country Club wedding ceremony London

Our day started with both brides getting ready in a lovely hired Airbnb loft space five minutes away from the venue. Although they saw each one another on the morning, neither had seen the other in their respective wedding dresses, and it was a fantastic moment to document their first look and embrace in the loft.

Clapton Country Club wedding ceremony collage three

First kiss at Clapton Country Club wedding ceremony

A swift walk with cameras and equipment through the streets of Clapton lead us to the Country Club to get some establishing shots and into the wonderfully titled “Department of Life” which is used for wedding ceremonies. Full of urban chic and good looking well chosen tat ๐Ÿ™‚

Wedding recessional at Clapton Country Club London two brides

A great ceremony followed, with sign language interpreters so everyone totally understood, including D & M, what was being said by the registrars, interspersed with much love and laughter. A totally unique and moving half an hour or so.

Two brides at Clapton Country Club wedding London 2

Two brides laughing at Clapton CountryClub wedding in London

When the big deed was finished and that magical first kiss as newly weds was done, we had a little time around the venue during the drinks reception to get some couple shots before some more structured pics of friends and family. Not forgetting of course an exuberant confetti throw in the road and yard space of the club. One thing to bear in mind if you are planning on booking this fantastic space, is that it is a working space with some other businesses around. That’s why we couldn’t get those cars out of some of our shots!

Clapton Country Club Wedding confetti throw collage

Clapton Country Club confetti throw image London

Clapton Country Club Wedding reception collage one

The Country Club’s largest internal area is called…wait for it…Clapton Country Club! In this chic industrial space D & M had their brilliant reception. It’s also used for ceremonies too if there’s more people than the Department of Life can hold, or the couple favour it. We’ve put some images of it shot from the balcony to give a sense of this excellent space.

Two brides black roller doors Clapton Country Club wedding London

Clapton Country Club Wedding reception collage one

Clapton Country Club Wedding reception collage two

Two brides sitting at Clapton Country Club wedding reception

Entrance of two brides Clapton Country Club wedding reception

Food, speeches, laughter and then a lovely first dance where D & M romantically signed the words to each other, set the tone for the rest of a fabulous evening. We particularly enjoyed their sparklers at dusk. But most of all we enjoyed working with a simply brilliant couple and lovely crowd of friends and family. It felt a privilege to be part of their very big day ๐Ÿ™‚

Clapton Country Club Wedding Reception speeches collage

Clapton Country Club wedding reception venue London

Clapton Country Club Wedding Reception collage four

Clapton Country Club Wedding cake dancing and sparklers collage

Two brides and sparklers at Clapton Country Club wedding

Congratulations to the both of you, and thank you Clapton Country Club for your hospitality and professionalism throughout the day!!!

Clapton Country Club wedding day two brides laugh image

By David Green – The man, the myth, the legend. I just wrote that bit because I’m convinced everyone just looks at the pics rather than reads the words all the way to the end ๐Ÿ˜‰

More posts about two brides? Here’s another, take a look:

Two fantastic brides marry at Essendon Country Park. Gay wedding photographers London since 2006 – London Wedding Photographer – Natural Wedding Photography (bigdayweddings.co.uk)

Another lovely Google review from an Essendon Country Club wedding day – London Wedding Photographer – Natural Wedding Photography (bigdayweddings.co.uk)

Confetti throw at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding 5 crop

Chelsea Old Town Hall Weddings – Three recent :-)

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

Chelsea Old Town Hall weddings have to one of our favourites in central London. Just as well as we have been there four times in the last five weeks alone! From ceremonies and wedding days of just four people, to forty five people, it’s been the usual blast on the famous Kings Road at this iconic venue for us.

Groom helps pageboy Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding ceremony

Groom waits at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding ceremony

Bride and mum in aisle at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

Bride arrives in aisle Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

For this particular day it was the meeting of two great cultures as well as their happy and exuberant families. A and D as we will call them were our fantastic bride and groom. A was of Persian descent and D’s heritage was Italian. David captured this wedding on his own, and as he has both Persian and Italian friends felt he had an extra insight into the dynamics involved.

Bride and groom laugh during Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

Exchange of rings at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding ceremony

We’ve also done quite a few full Persian and Italian weddings in their own rights so it was interesting to see this as a simple but lovely pure registry ceremony for a change, rather than the usual large and often lavish affairs these can often be.

Exchange of rings at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding ceremony two

First kiss at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding ceremony

Chelsea Old Town Hall is a very busy registry office, and most of it’s weddings are done in daylight. For this celebration it was wet, dark and windy. No problem though, over 14 years experience meant that absolutely non of that mattered, in fact in it’s own way it added to things.

Confetti throw at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding 1

Confetti throw at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

David converted a lot of shots to black and white, though the couple got all the edited colour originals too, because he felt A and D had an almost 1960’s film star look so it seemed appropriate. In fact they were delighted with these and wrote him a glowing Google review afterwards.

Confetti throw at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding 4

Confetti throw at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

After all, along with Old Marylebone Town Hall, Chelsea Old Town Hall is and has been thee glamour destination registry for countless film stars, musicians and public figures over the years. A quick look on Google will confirm that for you, and it’s an intersting read for wedding bores like ourselves!

Couple by flowers at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

Couple laughing by flowers at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

After a laughter filled and pretty emotional ceremony, we all went out into the rain for that must have confetti shot on the steps of the town hall, before quickly going inside again! Although David was ready to do some couple shots with umbrellas in the rain, and a few sheltered places he knew, A and D decided they would like shots around the town hall instead. In the end we think a pretty good choice.

Bride and groom sat on stairs at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

Bride and groom by doors at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

Bride and groom kiss by doors at Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding

After that time for toasts, celebrations and reception eats at Diba further down the Kings Road.

Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding reception toasts

Here’s a screenshot below of one of the reviews we received afterwards, this one posted straight on to Google:

Google review Big Day Weddings at Chelsea Old Town Hall

Here is a link to a daytime Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding as well: Find a Chelsea Old Town Wedding Photographer today

Click the link for images AND the story of the day. Here’s some of those shots below:

Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding couple by pink doorsBride arrives in car Chelsea Old Town Hall weddingWedding ceremony couple hold hands Chelsea Old Town HallBride and Groom laugh inside Chelsea Old Town HallBride and groom leaving Chelsea Old Town Hall WeddingSmall confetti throw at Chelsea Old Town Hall weddingBride and groom on Kings Road by Chelsea Old Town Hall cropBride and groom on Kings Road by Chelsea Old Town HallChelsea Old Town Hall Wedding bride and groom by red phone boxChelsea Old Town Hall wedding couple by red London phone boxChelsea Old Town Hall wedding couple walking in parkChelsea wedding couple by St Lukes ChurchBride and groom on crossing Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding dayChelsea Old Town Hall wedding couple by black railingsChelsea Old Town Hall wedding couple by black railings 2Chelsea Old Town Hall bride stood by street mirrorChelsea Old Town Hall wedding couple walking with dogChelsea Old Town Hall Wedding couple laugh by pink doorClose up of dog from Chelsea wedding coupleBride groom and dog by wall Chelsea Old Town HallBride and groom with dog in street Chelsea Old Town Hall WeddingBride and groom on their wedding car Chelsea Old Town HallChelsea Old town Hall wedding couple get in bridal car

 

Here is a link to another two wedding days at the town hall:

Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding with David

Wedding at Chelsea Old Town Hall with Laura and James

London Christening photographer font image Greek church Camden

London Christening Photography at All Saints Greek Orthodox Cathedral Camden

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding PhotographersNo Comments

London Christening Photography is something that David has done, time permitting, between weddings for the best part of ten years now. We don’t post about it very often, but it does happen! Just pleased to receive a lovely thank you card here from Stella and Michael who’s wedding we captured at Old Marylebone Town Hall and the iconic original Ivy Restaurant in West Street Covent garden two years ago.

In the meantime they have started a wonderful family ๐Ÿ™‚

David documented the christening at All Saints Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Camden on a very very hot Sunday in June, and stella gave us permission to release one of the images of her lovely daughter Emily.

Big Day Weddings thank you card image 2023

The card reads: “Dear David, Thank you so much for the fabulous photos for Emily’s christening. We love them and you’ve really captured some great moments of our baby girl. We really appreciate what a great job you did in 2 hours and the photos will stayย with us forever! Pleased to work with you as always! All the best, Stella, Michael and Emily.”

It was seriously great to see so many faces again that were also at their fantastic wedding, and see the circle of life in action with the arrival of little Emily!

London wedding couple with balloons by red phone booth wide

Screen on the Green Cinema Wedding Islington, Reception at The Juno Rooms

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

There are days that live long in the memory for wedding photographers, and not just the bride and groom! This fantastic celebration stretching from Islington’s iconic cinema and gig venue Screen on the Green, via London Routemaster bus, to the Juno Rooms on Watling Street in the shadow of St Paul’s is one of them.

Groomsmen laughing together Islington wedding day

Islington Screen on the Green wedding cinema groomsmen in front

K and K wanted to put their personal stamp on their big day, and they excelled at everything they planned. The area’s most popular wedding venue is of course the wonderfulย  Islington Town Hall on Upper Street. We should know, we were married there ourselves! But these two as avid film lovers wanted to get hitched in one of London’s greatest cinemas: The Screen on The Green.

Islington Screen on the Green wedding cinema sign

Islington Screen on the Green cinema wedding venue

Screen on the Green Wedding Collage 2

The Screen on the Green has also been a gig venue of legendary status, most notably for the Sex Pistols.

Bride arrives for Islington wedding ceremony

Day began with us switching between the cinema and the set up for the ceremony there, to the Fox on the Green pub just across the road where groom friends and family began to gather.

Groom waits by cinema screen Islington wedding ceremony

As the time for he ceremony drew near everyone drank up their pints and cocktails and headed to the cinema. K and K had a cinematic slideshow playing of themselves superimposed onto famous actors and movie shots for the delight and amusement of their wedding party.

Screen on the Green cinema Islington wedding ceremony

After documenting our brides arrival we absolutely loved the theatrics of having Islington’s registrars and the lovely couple conduct their wedding ceremony on stage with a spotlight highlighting the action.

Wedding ceremony at Screen on the Green cinema Islington

First kiss wedding ceremony Screen on the Green Islington

That took me David back to another Islington wedding day we did, starting at the town hall and ending with a reception on stage at the Charring Cross Theatre, owned by the groom no less!

Wedding couple kiss in front of Islington Screen on the Green

Bride and groom in front of black wall Islington wedding day

Islington wedding bride and groom by glass wall London

Islington wedding couple laughing by glass wall Upper Street London

After a brilliant ceremony and drink reception in the cinema we all hoped on a Routemaster bus to the excellent Juno Rooms on Watling Street near St Paul’s Cathedral, another of our frequent wedding venues we are ever delighted to photograph at.

Islington wedding couple by London routemaster bus

One of our absolute favourite parts of the day was of banter with the City of London Police outside St Paul’s, who agreed with very little persuasion to pretend to arrest the couple for a pic opportunity.

Under arrest wedding couple at St Pauls Cathedral

We are back there twice this year for wedding ceremonies in the cathedral itself.

Islington wedding couple with balloons by St Pauls Cathedral image

London wedding couple with balloons by red phone booth wide

The Juno Rooms is a modern vibrant and quirky venue both upstairs and downstairs. I (David) went on a short exploration during the wedding breakfast and found the most incredible little streets and alley ways full of character and history all within a minutes walk of the place. Recommended!

Cake cutting with confetti cannons Islington wedding reception 2

Cake cutting with bride and groom Juno Rooms London

Juno Rooms Wedding Reception Collage

Cake cutting was truly bonkers. K and K wanted it to be lively and memorable. Well it was for me as a confetti cannon set off right by my ear send me temporarily deaf but thankfully by the end of the party I was almost normal again ๐Ÿ™‚

First dance Islington wedding couple at Juno Rooms central London

Wedding breakfast was downstairs and so was the speeches first and dance and the mother of all parties. What a day, and thankfully I can hear properly again!

Islington bride and groom dance at Juno Rooms wedding reception London

We delivered over 1150 images to the couple, full of their friends and family having a great time and all the natural moments as the day unfolded. We’ve highlighted some of our favourites, but of course this is just a snap shot of an all round quirky and pretty awesome day!

We are always working in Islington so if you would like to see another day this time based at Islington Town Hall have a look on the link below:

Another great Islington Town Hall Wedding Day