Hollie and Tom’s Trinity Buoy Wharf wedding was held on the beginning of a summers long heatwave. The weather was glorious, the sun was shining and I could not contain my excitement for this wedding. I market myself as predominantly a Surrey wedding Photographer, but with this celebration it was nice to stretch my London wedding photography skills. Being able to photograph a wedding at Trinity Buoy Wharf has always been an aspiration.

Hollie’s wedding morning started at the home that she and Tom share in London, not far from Trinity Buoy Wharf. After being greeted by her wedding party and being introduced to Hollie’s pet chickens in the garden, it was time to start documenting. Hollie’s bridesmaids were putting the finishing touches on their home made bouquets . This was whilst Hollie had her make up and hair done. The home was awash with laughter and anticipation of the impending fun. Hollie’s bridesmaids were also preparing the door game challenges.

Chinese Wedding DOOR GAME traditions

If you are not familiar with wedding door games, let me explain to you this wonderful tradition. In Chinese communities (and others Asian countries) wedding door games were challenges organised by the bridesmaids. These challenges are for the groom as a ceremonial demonstration of his love for the bride. The bridesmaids prepare a mixture of salty and sweet challenges for the groom and his groomsmen to undertake. More specifically the flavours are to reflect that marriages have their ups and downs and go through all flavours in life.

The wedding door games that Hollie’s bridesmaid chose to play with Tom and his groomsmen consisted of ‘Pass the Seaweed’ a ‘Q & A about Hollie’ and push up endurance test. But when the groomsmen or Tom did not answer correctly or pass the challenge set, there were spicy wasabi filled Oreo biscuit forfeits! Hollie was hidden away in the house whilst the games continued, watching from Facetime. Tom had to show his devotion to Hollie with a declaration of love before being able to see her. This was followed by lots of tears from all the wedding party, including myself!

Hollie + Tom’s Summer Trinity Buoy Wharf Wedding Extravaganza

Once the door games were concluded it was time for Hollie and Tom to be married. Trinity Buoy Wharf was decorated beautifully for this wedding. The couple had a really heartfelt ceremony conducted by Roxy Celebrates Love and translated by Hollie’s good friend Karlie. There was a traditional Chinese wedding banquet, dragon dancers and a tea ceremony to follow. Along with an absolutely amazing sunset and a choreographed first dance as well. It is safe to say that this wedding was a marathon and not a sprint. But my GOSH was it an absolute favourite mine in 2022 *shhhh just don’t tell the others!*

Thank you for looking through this WONDERFUL Trinity Buoy Wharf Wedding

If like Hollie and Tom you are interested in London wedding photography please do get in touch. Or perhaps for some more London wedding inspiration check out Anna and Sam’s Old Marylebone Town Hall Wedding or maybe Richard and Yue-Zhen’s Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding.

Thank you to these lovely suppliers

Venue: Trinity Buoy Wharf Weddings

Celebrant: Roxy Celebrates Love

Florist: Filth Florist

Dress: The Vampires Wife

Hair: Helen Artistry

Caterer: Leigh House

Cake: Cakes By Robin Cakes

Lion Dancers: Jimmy Lee Pak Mei London

There are so many wonderful spaces to capture relaxed London wedding photography that it is hard to choose a selection.  Apart from a wish list which includes The Secret River Garden wedding gig at their gorgeous venue on the Thames in Twickenham! But to choose a couple of my favourite London wedding venues is easy. The best places for relaxed London wedding photography include a couple of must have features.  For a photographers perspective, light is a really key element when selecting a London wedding venue. This is why I adore the first venue that is going to be showcased.

An OLD MARYLEBONE TOWN HALL WEDDING 

As London wedding photographer, an Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding is so quintessentially London. From the glorious outdoor pillars that showcase the town hall entrance, to the sweeping staircases inside. The ceremony rooms are full of luscious light from big gorgeous windows which highlight couples taking their vows beautifully. Take a look at Anna and Sam’s Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding here. With lovely wide steps for confetti throwing and a picturesque London Mews behind the Town Hall for some quick couples portraits, this venue is really a winner in my eyes.  Whether you are planning a small wedding or grand celebration Old Marylebone town hall ticks all the boxes.

ISLINGTON TOWN HALL

Another town hall that is a notorious London wedding photographer hang out, is Islington Town Hall. With it’s iconic red carpeted hall (which to some is off putting) and in the round seating. The large ceremony room is such a wonderful space that as a wedding photographer you do not feel intrusive within proceedings. There isa great space outside that allows for confetti and for wedding transport to be parked. Overall it is a solid favourite London wedding venue.

CHELSEA OLD TOWN HALL WEDDING

The area around Chelsea Old Town Hall is so gorgeous. As a London wedding photographer the surrounding area of Kensington is extremely photogenic. Not to mention the intimate wedding ceremony room at the Town Hall. It is perfect for smaller scale weddings and also has the space to accomodate larger parties as well. It is a great all round London wedding venue. Check out Richard and Yue-Zhen’s intimate Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding and see for yourselves.

Relaxed London Wedding Photography Venue Wish List

THE SECRET RIVER GARDEN WEDDING

BINGHAM RIVER HOUSE WEDDING

ASYLUM CHAPEL WEDDING

THE HOXTON SOUTHWARK WEDDING

THE BARBICAN WEDDING

This list is my wish list for London wedding photography goals. To photograph at any of these venues would be incredible. Including the ones I have already had the pleasure of photographing at, to be invited to shoot an Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding again for example would be wonderful.

I Hope You Have ENJOYED reading about my FAVOURITE London Wedding Venues

If you are looking for a destination wedding photographer or a Surrey wedding photographer please do get in touch. I am mostly based in the UK but I would love to test the waters as a Copenhagen wedding photographer or further overseas. There is also a blog about my favourite Surrey wedding venues that might take your interest with wedding inspiration.

PERHAPS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR LONDON ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY?

It is not just London weddings that I have the pleasure of photographing – take a look at Sarah and Tim’s London pre-wedding shoot or perhaps Amy and Siobhan’s London engagement photography shoot at the Southbank.

It was so wonderful to be part of Anoushka and Laurie’s Forty Hall wedding. We had together first visited the site for their engagement shoot at the venue months pervious to this. It was refreshing to see the change of the seasons as the colours of the wisteria had faded giving way to beautiful autumnal tones for their London wedding photography. The couple chose to have their ceremony at their local church St Mary the Virgin in Cheshunt.  It is a beautifully bright and open church building with a lovely community feel. As guests began to arrive they mingled together and took their seats. Being prompt, Anoushka was there bright and early, ready to walk down the aisle with her mother and father.

Natural London Wedding Photography at Forty Hall

To honour both of their families heritages, the couple had two ceremonies. One to pay tribute to Laurie’s Christian family roots and then another wedding celebration at South Farm. This was where Anoushka and Laurie were married in a Hindu Ceremony. This blog is however in the pipeline so you will have to wait to see the gorgeous Cambridgeshire wedding. After a beautiful ceremony at St Mary’s, the couple exited the church to a flurry of brightly coloured rose petals. A Rolls Royce whisking the newlyweds away to their Forty Hall reception as their guests followed them to the venue.

Thank you to their wonderful suppliers Who MADE their day so special

Ceremony: St Mary The Virgin

Reception: Forty Hall

Cake: Cake Rush

Dress: Mona Vora

Flowers: Floral Cabin

If you would like to see more London engagement photography take a look at Siobhan and Amy’s London engagement shoot or Tamara and Nick’s Greenwich Park engagement photos for a little London wedding photography inspiration. If however, you are looking for something a little further afield have a look at Grace and Craig’s destination French vineyard wedding. 

Anna and Sam had an Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding on a lovely mild October day. Being able to capture their London wedding photography was amazing for me. Old Marylebone Town Hall has always been on my list of London wedding venues to photograph at. Their day reflected them as a couple perfectly. No fuss, simple and elegant. It was a day all about them and their closest friends and family.

The beauty with London wedding photography is that you are never too far away from gorgeous architecture and wonderful registry offices. This wedding had both! Spending the morning with Sam and her bridesmaids was lovely and relaxing. They all did their own hair and make up and spent the morning laughing together.

Anna and Sam were not a couple hot on convention. In fact they strayed away from some ‘typical’ wedding traditions. Anna had her bridesmaids choose dresses that made them feel most comfortable within the colour spectrum of navy blue. They were not matching and I think made the bridal party aesthetics very chic.

 

After their Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding the couple departed with close knit friends and family to have an intimate wedding breakfast in the centre of London soho’s Two Brydges. With an anti-Brexit march charging through their group photographs Anna and Sam laughed their way through the complications! This is where London wedding photography is so thrilling – you never know what you are going to encounter. 

Relaxed London Wedding Photographer

During dinner they had their traditional speeches from the father of the bride and the groom, however Anna gave a speech instead of the best man. Yet another way the couple wrote their own wedding day rules together. As a couple it is so important to design your wedding exactly how you want it.

 

When they met up with all their wedding guests later in the evening (with yet another gorgeous dress change from Anna) the couple had an impromptu first dance to a brass band group! But they decided against cutting a cake together to instead have bespoke cocktails made at their Victorian Bath House venue.

 

I enjoy documenting couples weddings from memory, but I also love their perspective of the day. I asked Anna and Sam a couple of questions about their Old Marylebone Town Hall wedding. Including elements of their wedding day that were most special to them as a couple. If like Anna and Sam you are also planning a small wedding, I have your micro wedding guide that is perfect for planning a small intimate wedding.

What was the best moment of your day?

It is so hard for us to chose one moment! We loved walking out of the Old Marylebone Town Hall as husband and wife for the first time surrounded by our loved ones and, of course, confetti. We also loved our intimate lunch, sharing our speeches and listening to the kind words from each other and the father of the bride. And of course, we enjoyed dancing to the band on the evening – we didn’t want it to end!

Is there any advice you would give to other couples? 

Our top three tips are:

1) Try to have a pre-wedding drinks and a casual event the day after your wedding. The drinks the night before will calm your nerves and the day after will give you chance to say goodbyes to your guests. You will be so busy on the day that you won’t manage to see everyone you’d like so this also helps to spend quality time with as many people as possible.

2) Don’t dwell on the small details that don’t have a major impact on your day. Such as particular cakes, flowers or decorations. These things can easily be changed last minute meaning it can be a possible let down on the day.

3) Plan in at least a few days after the wedding to just relax and reminisce together. We were so exhausted after the wedding weekend, we couldn’t imagine jetting off to our honeymoon or going back into work. It also meant we didn’t need to organise packing/ getting ready for a holiday in the run up to the wedding too. 

Do you have a moment during the day when you were most surprised? 

As the groom, I was surprised just how emotional I was before and during the ceremony (and pretty much all day, to be honest!). Both of us didn’t realise just how special and monumental the moment you actually make that commitment would be. We were also surprised how special it was for our guests to be a part of the ceremony and witness us tie the knot. Looking back, this part of the day was the most special for us both.

Is there anything from your day that you are particularly proud of? 

Our speeches. We managed to say everything we wanted to and gave our guests a deeper insight into our relationship and story. We also managed to do it without too many tears!

Anna and Sam Were Kind Enough To Give a Few Words About My Old Marylebone Town Hall Wedding Photography

We are both so glad we chose Jesse to photograph our Old Marleybone Town Hall wedding. From the initial contact, we knew we were in safe hands with her wide range of experience, professionalism and personalised service. We didn’t feel one worry- and we were right. Jesse was a pleasure to have at our wedding, she helped organise guests and had great advice. Our photos exceeded anything we’d hoped for and we will treasure them forever. Timeless, natural and captured the day perfectly.

ENJOY ANNA AND SAM’S OLD MARYLEBONE TOWN HALL WEDDING

Thank you to the wonderful suppliers

Ceremony: Old Marylebone Town Hall
Reception Venue: Victorian Bath House
Wedding Breakfast: Two Brydges
Flowers: Marks and Spencer
Dress: Sherri Hill
Bridal Shoes: Kurt Geiger
Suit: Woven, Durham
Entertainment: Hosen Brass
Catering: Camm and Hooper

If you are looking for London wedding photography and are looking for a little more inspiration why not check out Richard and Yue-Zhen’s Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding. Or perhaps you are if you are still deciding, peruse Sarah and Tim’s London engagement photography shoot in Greenwich.