When you book your St Albans Registry Office wedding photographers, you may or may not know you are booking one of the most unique and also famous buildings not just in Hertfordshire, but the entire UK.
I (David) thought that seen as we’ve/I’ve worked at this lovely venue now about ten times that I really should write something about it. If nothing else to be a heads up for anyone considering it for their wedding ceremony.
I love a bit of history and this place has it in spades! St Albans is a beautiful town, a jewel as far as I’m concerned in Hertfordshire, and I often find any old excuse to go shopping there, usually on a Sunday with the family. It was an important Roman settlement and among many other places of interest has a stunning cathedral and grounds, not to mention a brilliant comedy festival in the park.
The registry office itself was the governor’s residence for what was formerly St Albans prison. The prison itself opened in 1867 and closed at the beginning of the first world war. The entrance gate and outer walls still exist, along with of course the part used for the registry office. I love to use those old walls whenever I can in the time I have before heading off to reception venues. The doors to the registry were famously used in the 1974 much loved BBC comedy series “Porridge” starring Ronnie Barker, as the entrance to the fictional Slade Prison. Note the camera phone selfie with myself and the wedding party towards the end.
I’ve chosen to show my most recent visit as a St Albans Registry Office wedding photographer to be the focus of this blog post. This was a Saturday and my lovely couple were N and R tying the knot officially before their summer wedding in Cyprus. Unfortunately I was already booked on that particular date 🙂
I was as usual there in good time to refresh my memory of the venue and to look where the light was best for pics, this is something I ALWAYS do. It doesn’t matter how often you do a venue, one way or another it is different every time.
N and R arrived in separate cars and it soon became apparent there had been some crossed wires and the bridal bouquet and confetti had been left at home by mistake! Good news though that the ever helpful, and I have to say really friendly registrars at St Albans, had an emergency bouquet to hand, which I rather liked anyway 🙂
This was a very intimate wedding, the couple and four guests including one best man and his partner, one sister and the bride’s best friend.
Once the ceremony was done and everyone had a good cry, I took N and R around the grounds (admittedly rather small). I made sure to get plenty of the old prison walls and doors in their shots. Plus a very well preserved 1840 siege canon that imposing sits at the front of the registry office.
Although I visit a great variety of venues as a London and Home counties wedding photographer, I’m really looking forward to returning to St Albans registry in the near future!
By David Green
Oh and here’s our lovely couple, and Ronnie Barker leaving from the same spot (blurry BBC image)
