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Islington wedding couple laugh by blue wall Upper Street London

Last ever Islington Town Hall Wedding…before lockdown

By Barnet Wedding Photographers, London venues and events, London Wedding Photographer, London Wedding Photographers, Wedding VenuesOne Comment

This was a truly lovely and somewhat surreal wedding spent with Alex and Brett, for the very last wedding ceremony at Islington Town Hall before London’s end of March lockdown.

Islington Town Hall wedding couple by London street signs

It felt a privilege, and quite honestly inwardly a little sad for me, to document a special day which none of us knew from the registrars to general staff of the Town Hall, when any of us would be back.

Islington wedding couple back to back by brick wall central London

That didn’t dent the energy of myself or this really fantastic couple and their three guests. One photographer only (David) plus five people, that’s all we were legally allowed!

Bride and groom cross road after Islington wedding

No reception either, as the government at that time had already ordered the closing of venues.

Islington Fire Station wedding image with bride and groom

Anyway, I had a good sense of what Alex and Brett were looking for from our chats on the phone, and as a former resident of the borough and a very frequent wedding photographer at Islington Town Hall, I knew where to go and where the light would be in the surrounding area.

Upper Street wedding reception venue with bride and groom

Meeting firstly in front of that imposing Islington landmark we hit the ground running, with literally energy and laughter all the way.

Islington Town Hall wedding ceremony Mayors Parlour

We really love people and what we do and I think time and again it shows in the photography and the good-natured energy we bring to every wedding. Check out our Google reviews to read what previous couples think of us here: Google wedding reviews

Bride and groom hug Islington Town Hall Mayors Parlour

We spent just under thirty minutes on our pre-ceremony travels before returning to the Majors Parlour for the big event. Ahh how we love the Mayors Parlour. Why? Because that’s where we were married ourselves, so it’s always very special to return to that particular part of the Town Hall.

Wedding couple and marriage certificate Islington Town Hall

After a suitably touching and intimate ceremony and some quick shots in the nearby corridors, it was time for the world’s smallest confetti throw on the steps leading to Upper Street!

Wedding party walk down Islington Town Hall steps

I said my goodbyes as these crazy cats skipped away down the street and I rode off in the sunset.

Small wedding confetti throw Islington Town Hall

Islington we love you. Until next time…Adios.

Islington bride and groom hand in hand by blue wall image

Going to let our little bridesmaid have the final say 🙂

Bridesmaid with balloons at Islington Town Hall

By David Green

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Couple by red phone boxes London wedding day Smithfield

St Paul’s Cathedral Wedding ceremony and Smithfield Reception at The Butchers Hook and Cleaver

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

When we started capturing wedding days St Paul’s was on our bucket list of places to photograph, if the opportunity arose. Little did we think we would be there multiple times, let alone become regular St Paul’s Cathedral wedding photographers.

Bridal prep on St Pauls Cathedral wedding morning

Groomsmen talking near St Pauls Cathedral on wedding day

When ‘J’ and ‘N’ got in touch to tell us their big day plans for a ceremony at this national treasure, we knew exactly what to expect and also the protocol and rules that St Paul’s asks wedding photographers to abide by.

Groomsmen laugh in front of St Pauls Cathedral

Having done an engagement shoot with these guys in Greenwich Park, we had already got to know them a little better and what worked best for them image wise. Here’s one of those images below.

The day started with myself jogging between ‘J’ and her bridal prep at the lovely Leonardo Hotel in the shadow of the cathedral itself, and then with N with his son and best man at a coffee shop a few streets away. Joanna stayed with the bridal party because she doesn’t like jogging, ha ha just a little joke of course.

Bridal party walk to St Pauls wedding

When the time came I also took a bunch of candid and messing around shots with the wedding party meeting on the famous steps of the cathedral. These parts of the day are always interesting because it’s such a public space and you know that the photographer and their antics are also becoming an Instagram post for someone visiting the capital.

OBE chapel wedding ceremony St Pauls Cathedral London

For wedding ceremonies at St Paul’s everything takes place in the atmospheric OBE chapel. For photographers the rules are strict. We are only allowed to photograph the wedding party before the ceremony, then the brides entrance, the first hymn and the recessional. All shots have to be from the very back of the chapel, and all without flash of any kind. No problem!

The best wedding photo at St Pauls Cathedral London

After the ceremony there is a couple of minutes to be able to take non flash shots under the iconic dome, so there will always be interested members of the public behind you.

Wedding party waves on the St Pauls Cathedral

London bus passengers wave at St Pauls Cathedral wedding party

The place where we usually do any requested family and friends shots on the steps of the north transept entrance, was having some renovation. That is a fairly private area, whereas the south transept we had to use as an alternative exit is not. Nevertheless we got some great shots, and I particularly liked involving the public on their London buses waving at us all. See the pics above 🙂

Bride and groom hold hands by red London phone boxes

After that it was time for the wedding party to head to old Smithfield and the impressive Butcher’s Hook and Cleaver gastro pub.

Bride and groom on St Pauls Cathedral steps

Bride and groom at St Pauls Cathedral fisheye lens

Wedding couple outside St Pauls Cathedral

While this happened we spent half an hour with the newly weds doing some quick couple shots around St Paul’s, and then by Smithfield Market itself. It’s one of our favourite parts of the day, and from what couples tell us, one of theirs too.

Bride and groom kiss by Smithfield Market phone boxes

A fantastic drinks reception at the Butchers Hook and Cleaver was followed by speeches, cake cutting, much merriment and an excellent live band to boogie the night away to.

Bride and groom outside The Butchers Hook and Cleaver Smithfield

By David Green

Here’s another St Paul’s Cathedral wedding on the blog: St Paul’s Cathedral Wedding Photographers & Skinners Hall Reception

Butchers Hook and Cleaver wedding collage one

Butchers Hook and Cleaver wedding collage two

Butchers Hook and Cleaver wedding reception collage three

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Big Day Weddings 2019 Collage One

More of our favourite wedding images from in and around London in the past year

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

Here we go a nice quick overview of recent wedding images from in and around London, as three sets of nine, Instagram friendly, easy to digest, and good for the soul, honest!

Big Day Weddings 2019 compilation wedding images part two

Venues featured and photographed at are The House of Commons, The Gherkin, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Ivy, Blenheim Palace, The Sheraton, The Brewery, The Ned central London, Trinity Buoy Wharf, Eight Club Moorgate, Brook Farm Cuffley, Leadenhall Market and Smithfield, Chelsea Old Town Hall, Royal Chace, The Waldorf and Gaynes Park.

Big Day Weddings image collage 3 2019

All in all a busy year and it’s a good job we are full-time otherwise we would have struggled! With that in mind we made a conscious decision not to follow the crowd and blog incessantly to appease Google, nor to post a zillion images on Instagram. We put our time and effort into our weddings and home life too.

In 2020 to keep the right balance we are limiting our weddings to thirty five a year. That way we will be fresh and able to put maximum effort into every wedding we capture, and the post production and editing that is needed afterwards. It will also give us time to put quality attention towards our kids and hobbies as well.

Having said that we will still be living in perpetual wedding land, in that we will continue to spend our working hours shooting, editing, speaking to you, and planning the many special days we are entrusted with. Bearing that in mind always feel free to get in touch whether that’s by email, phone, Whatsapp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger or smoke signals. Whatever floats your boats!

Speak soon 🙂

Here are some blog article links to a few of the images featured here:

Eight Club Wedding in Moorgate and Shoreditch

Best London Engagement Shoot from Covent Garden to Leadenhall Market

By David Green

 

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Big Day Weddings Google review for Lansdowne Club Wedding

Mayfair wedding day Google review just in, for Farm Street Church & Lansdowne Club Mayfair

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

Just in another Google review this time from renowned Sunday Times senior journalist Rosamund Urwin.

We had the pleasure of photographing Rosamund and Charlie’s wedding at Farm Street Church and then The Lansdowne Club, both in Mayfair central London.

It’s a popular combination of venues as they are literally just a couple of streets away from each other, so very hard to lose your guests! There’s also a great pub The Punchbowl just yards from the church should anyone feel the need to congregate there beforehand.

Behind Farm Street Church itself is a nice little park for group photos if needed, and the streets around have a good London vibe for couple shots.

The Lansdowne Club is a fantastic members only venue with a very impressive grand hall and dining room. It was also a former home for renowned socialite and businessman Mr Selfridge. No prizes for guessing the name of the department store he founded!

Congratulations to Rosamund and Charlie, and wishing you both the best for the future.

Here’s a link to a recent Farm Street and Lansdowne Club wedding day: Lansdowne Club and Farm Street Church Wedding Photography

Here’s the original text of the review:

“David and Joanna were absolutely fantastic. I love the photographs – they did really well with the light in the church particularly – but I love the photos they took in the venue too. I couldn’t be happier with the result, and they were charming to our guests too. Can’t really recommend enough.”

By David Green

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Couple in Leadenhall Market London engagement shoot image

Our latest international award winning London wedding image

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

Just a quick note to post our latest award, this time an international one from Wedaward who are one of the main and most recognised awarding bodies for photographers across the globe.

This was an early morning wedding engagement shoot that took place across multiple venues in central London. This image was done with a fish eye lens at one of our favourite places Leadenhall Market. We used this along with other lenses of course to pull in to the frame the truly incredible Victorian structure that exists intact to this day.

When I say early morning I mean VERY early morning. Hope you enjoyed your lie-in Joanna…

This is ‘A’ and ‘A’ featured here, and we are really looking forward to capturing the story of their wedding soon in Faro Portugal.

Thanks ‘A’ and ‘A’ and thanks Wedaward.

By David Green

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