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Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding photographer

By London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesOne Comment

Well musician Elvis Costello famously sang “I don’t want to go to Chelsea”. Much as I like that song I’ve always been delighted to be a Chelsea old town hall wedding photographer. At the moment with two to three weddings a week I have to admit writing weekly blog posts is lower on my list of priorities. Editing wedding shots and communicating with couples new, past and present is always going to be number one. However as I sit here with a laptop and frothy cappuccino in our favourite local Italian cafe I’ve just received the following email from Chloe and Daniel who’s short Chelsea wedding I photographed seven days ago:

Chelsea_wedding_photographers_image

“I’ve received the photos and just wanted to say a big thank you. You only had a short space of time and I think did a fantastic job. The pictures of the children are just beautiful and I’m happy Daniel and I have some good shots of the two of us (you even managed to make both of us look good at the same time in some of them which has always been a challenge for us ;). I wanted to also say thank you for being so good with the kids on the day- especially at the points they were getting bored- you employed some excellent distraction techniques which we may use ourselves in the future!
I’d like to post a review (highly recommending you of course) but couldn’t figure out how to do it through google plus. Happy to post something on facebook? Or write something for you to post on our behalf?
Thanks again and best wishes,
Chloe”

Chelsea old town hall wedding photographers

Daniel hailing from Canada and Chloe originally from Liverpool decided on an early morning ceremony to start at 10.30am. I suspect so they would have plenty of time for lunch! I was hired on my own for two hours, sorry Joanna, but of course no matter how short a wedding is it is still one of the most important moments in a couple’s life, and this was reflected by the attendance of close friends and family who had flown in to be a part of their special time.

Chelsea park wedding photos

One of the lovely things about getting married at Chelsea old town hall is that the registrar conducting your wedding ceremony may well be Roger who I’m told has been working there since 1962! In my opinion he is the most charming and charismatic registrar I have ever encountered and can only add to your sense of occasion. You are undoubtedly the star of your own day, but Roger has married a fair few public stars in his time too.

wedding couple laughing in Chelsea

After documenting the preparation. arrivals and small intimate ceremony we all walked around the block for some couple photos. Family photos were done in a small but beautiful park that I like to use when I can near by.

getting ready in Chelsea shot

Of course your Chelsea old town hall wedding photographer would do well to be aware of the fact it has always been a consistently desirable place to get married. Judy Garland tied the knot there, David Niven, Roman Polanski, in fact more famous people than that other old town hall I find myself at all the time: Marylebone.

By David Green

Chelsea pub wedding photo

Hertfordshire Engagement shoot

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

London engagement shoot at Trent park

Well before we talk about one of many photo sessions i.e. a Hertfordshire engagement shoot, just to say what a busy time it is for us at the moment! It’s hard to keep this blog up to date between photography editing and all our various assignments. Two to three engagement sessions a week and an average of two full weddings every seven days too. No complaints though, good job we love it! Joanna and I are happy to say we are busy all year round but it just gets a little more intense at this time of year.

Hertfordshire engagement shoot

We made a decision last year not to do any three weddings in a row i.e. Friday Saturday Sunday. This is because although two consecutive big days are fine, the fact we put everything into what we do means that by the third there is a chance one hundred percent becomes ninety five, and that is just not fair for a couples once only wedding day. Downside business wise it did mean saying a polite no to an extra six weddings this year.

Love my London engagement image

Martina and Petrus featured here are getting married in South Africa, and hey we are already booked for their date, so we won’t be going, but we will be wishing them well in spirit! We chose Trent Park near Enfield and Barnet for its mix of woodland, open countryside and lake locations. We had plenty of fun with props which is what this lovely couple wanted, and as keen golfers we set up a tee with Martina’s engagement ring to sit on while they embraced in the background.

Trent Park photo shoot image

Fallen trees from recent storms made for interesting backdrops, and as usual we used a variety of lenses to get different looks and feels for value and variety. For an example of a more urban engagement shoot take a look at this recent post: London Engagement Shoot

golf love shot London

By David Green

 

London Enfield’s first gay wedding

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London Wedding Photographer, Wedding VenuesNo Comments

We were delighted to be asked to photograph Peter and Mark’s special day, which unknown to us until we arrived turned out to be London borough of Enfield’s first gay wedding.
Right from the beginning when civil partnerships first came into existence, we have been photographing a great many of them in and around the capital, so this was not really unkown territory for us and great to see now that everyone has the chance to fully marry. From our own research, a highly scientific method that involves the question: “so how long have you been together?” we found the average couple has been with each other for about three years before deciding to tie the knot. For a gay couple it seems to be anywhere from five to ten years. These guys confirmed our research…
London gay wedding Enfield registry photo
Peter is originally of Italian decent, so a large group of friends and family made the trip over for the day. The ceremony was held at one of London’s prettiest registries, namely Enfield’s at Gentlemens Row.

Afterwards we had family and couple shots along the old streets and canal bridges nearby, It is an area we have photographed many times that never feels stale. The reception followed a short ride away at the four star Royal Chace Hotel, again a venue we have covered for many Enfield weddings and receptions.

We would like to wish Peter and Mark all the very best for the future. What was a new event for the area is sure to herald in a new era of equality for ALL couples, and we were very happy to be a part of it.

See our related Enfield wedding photographers post at: Enfield wedding photographers

Check out our extensive image galleries here: GALLERIES OR just scroll through this blog, it’s full of images! And here’s a quick link to our London wedding collections and their pricing: Pricing

Find out more on Enfield’s Royal Chace hotel here: Royal Chace Hotel

By David Green

Pembroke Lodge Weddings

By London Wedding Photographer, Wedding Venues2 Comments

There is something about photographing at a place like Pembroke Lodge that no matter how hard you are working, it still feels like a trip out! That may have something to do with the fact that Joanna and I used to go there on our quest for the ultimate London cappuccino experience, long before we photographed a Pembroke Lodge wedding. Although the lodge remains a public treasure your wedding will still have a private and special feel. First floor rooms will be reserved and a beautiful section of the lawn area to the side of the house will be available for drinks, canapes and photos.

Pembroke Lodge wedding photographer

The Lodge was originally a one bedroom cottage in Richmond Park which was developed over time into the fine Georgian mansion we see today. It was given by Queen Victoria to then Prime Minister Lord John Russell in 1847. It has hosted many historical and famous figures from Gladstone and Palmerston, to world renowed authors Charles Dickens and Lewis Carroll. For the past fifty years or so it has been available for wedding days. Civil ceremonies and receptions can be hosted in either Russell Suite upstairs for small to medium size weddings, with the alternative Belvedere seating up to 140 on the ground floor.

wedding car at Pembroke lodge

We think a Pembroke Lodge wedding is always going to have a little bit of everything: a historic classically featured Georgian venue with internals to match. Varied grounds that can also include Richmond Park London’s largest at two thousand three hundred acres. Spectacular long range views over the Thames valley, and pretty nice cappuccino on tap at the wonderfully situated tea rooms. Wander into the public park and find some of six hundred and fifty free roaming deer!

wedding confetti photo at Pembroke lodge

We have always tried to think creatively at every wedding as well as being ever ready to expertly cature those once in a lifetime spontaneous moments, which is why you can see one of the couples featured here is actually driving a Richmond Parks official vehicle. All you have to do is ask, who is going to refuse a confident photographer with a bride and groom in attendance?

Richmond park wedding image

Here is Pembroke Lodge’s official site that includes plenty of info of hosting London weddings: Pembroke Lodge

Pembroke lodge cappuccino drinking wedding shot

To see over 100 wedding images just click on the link here: GALLERIES OR just scroll through this blog, it’s full of images! And here’s a quick link to our London wedding collections and their pricing: Pricing     By David Green

Sign post at Pembroke lodge

wedding procession inside Pembroke lodge

Hoxton wedding shot against corrugated iron

Hackney and Hoxton London Wedding for Carly and Jim

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, Wedding Venues2 Comments

Hackney Wedding photographers

Every wedding is special, individual and memorable, even in the same venues. For instance last weekend in Bloomsbury Square London, there was so much love in the air especially between the couple during their ceremony I found myself fighting back the tears, which is just as well as I didn’t want to fog up the viewfinder! Carly and Jim’s Hackney and Hoxton London wedding was especially memorable, not just for the obvious love between themselves and for their friends and family, but for the individual stamp they put on their special day.  Not to mention the lateness of the ceremony and celebrations. Photographing in the dark..no problem.

Hackney Town hall wedding ceremony

As artists and designers they had a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve and were open minded to our photographic ideas which was great. Carly even helped design her own dress with specialist Claire Hannington-Williams at: Prince Lilly Bespoke Bridalwear

Kiss at Hackney wedding

The evening started with Carly arriving with dad in a specially prepped white london cab. A love filled ceremony followed in the impressive and imposing venue that is Hackney Town Hall. Because of the lateness in the day confetti throwing and all group and family shots took place in the dark, which was atmosheric and no problem light wise when you know what you are doing photographically.

Hackney town hall confetti image

A routemaster bus took us all to an art gallery in Hoxton fashioned underneath a railway arch that was specially converted for the reception. The driving team behind the routemaster “experience” will remain nameless because it was one of the craziest/almost dangerous pieces of driving we have ever witnessed from a bus at a wedding! We’ve also had to travel with them again recently…Having said that it made the journey very memorable and very amusing for most of the guests. We stopped off at a bridge on the way to recover (ha!) and to create an image back drop of one of the couples favourite spots Tower Bridge.

near Tower Bridge wedding kiss

After a little reception time Joanna and myself went walking with the newly weds to explore the night streets of Hoxton. Nothing was pre planned for this rwenty minutes or so apart from an area of corrugated iron Carly and Jim particualrly wanted to feature as a backdrop. We basically just had a lot of fun looking for what interested us all for some memorable London wedding photos.

Hoxton wedding shot against corrugated iron

The entire wedding party had the most delicious pizza based evening meal, hand made by a mobile fired oven facility parked outside the art gallery for the night.

Hoxton car wash

Lovely couple, lovely evening, pleae check out their website and some of their work at: One Penny Piece.

Hoxton street wedding dance

To see over 100 wedding images just click on the link here: GALLERIES OR just scroll through this blog, it’s full of images!

By David Green

Hoxton garage wedding shot