Wedding Photography at Bromley Civic Centre/Register Office
**Taking bookings for weddings at this venue for 2021-22 now**
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The Old Palace’s Georgian architecture provides a perfect backdrop to the entire wedding party at this Bromley Civic Centre Marriage.
London Borough of Bromley Register Office
Formally part of Kent, Bromley is now a London Borough, lying between Croydon and Lewisham and south of Lambeth and Southwark. The Civic Centre is in the town and houses Bromley Register Office (often mistakenly called ‘registry’ office). To date, I have been a wedding photographer for one marriage there, but I am very keen to explore the venue further. Read on to find out why.
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The grooms approach the Georgian facade of the Old Palace whilst their guests watch on.
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A short while later, guests greet each other outside the Old Palace.
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I feel they could have come up with a more imaginative title for the Function Room, but it’s a charming space for the happy couple to make their appearance and walk down the aisle.
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Bromley provides attractive floral displays in keeping with the occasion and elegant surroundings. I try to capture as many of these details as possible for the couple throughout their wedding day.
The Old Palace for a Georgian Feel
Weddings at the Civic Centre’s wedding spaces occur in rooms on the ground floor of the Old Palace. The building (also known as Bromley Palace or the Bishop’s Palace) was built in 1775 on the site of a former manor house. The building was incorporated into Bromley Civic Centre in 1982, having been a girl’s boarding school and a teacher training college. It now plays a beautiful backdrop to couples wishing to get married at Bromley Register Office.
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An overview of a wedding in the Function Room. The double doors at the back lead to a similar room – also part of the same suite.
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I’m not quite sure why the grooms were buttoning their jackets at this point! But it was part of their day, so I photographed it.
Read More>> Short/Micro-Wedding Photography – Ideal for Civil Weddings.
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I shoot from lots of different positions and angles to present a diverse set of images. At this point, couples’ are always too involved in each other and the ceremony to notice me at all.
The Registrar’s Rules & Regulations
The registrars that I have encountered at Bromley Register Office weddings have been lovely and very and photography friendly, making things a lot easier and more relaxed. The only major stipulation is that there is to be no photographing the register signing. However, they happily set up a dummy register and allow time for posed shots of the newly-weds ‘signing’. The witnesses may also join for a photo at this point.
I write much more on register office photography in Chapter 5: Signing the Register of my ‘Ultimate Guide to Wedding Photography‘. It is well worth a read if this part of the day concerns you at all.
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I took a few shots of the grooms with their backs to the guests. This photo is of their actual register signing.
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Then I turned them round to give a clean background with the fireplace and portrait of Queen Anne. It provides the couple with the choice of which they’d prefer for their wedding album.
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I invite the witnesses are to pose with the couple as they played a major legal part of the signing.
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I also invite the guests forwards to take photos of the couple if they wish, which gives me a chance to take more natural shots of friends and family at the ceremony.
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I love it when this happens: The two mums can’t wait to congratulate the couple and rush forwards to hug them. I took a sequence of this moment of dynamic wedding fun!
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An even better moment was when a dad joined in, and the mum’s hugged each other! It’s wedding photography that I can’t stage and happens unexpectedly!
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The happy couple receive their wedding document: At Bromley, they make a little presentation of it, which presents another essential photo opportunity.
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The newlyweds walk back down the aisle with their friends and family watching on.
Bromley Civic Centre Confetti & Congratulations
Happily, confetti is allowed in the grounds of the Old Palace. There is a perfect place to do this sequence in the gardens where the steps lead down to the lower lawn. It’s also an excellent time to take shots of all the guests congratulating the couple with hugs, kisses and the odd handshake.
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A time for more hugs and congratulations as everybody else gets a chance to congratulate the freshly married couple.
Portraits in the Garden of the Old Bromley Palace
Most couples I photograph want mainly natural shots, but the majority also require staged group portraits outside their wedding venue. There is time for these in the expansive gardens after the ceremony. I have the couple make a list beforehand to ensure things go smoothly and carry out this photography with minimal fuss.
After the group shots, the garden lends itself well to portraits of the couple with various backdrops including benches, trees and even a lake!
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The Georgian exterior is a fantastic backdrop against which to take the family portraits.
Bromley Civic Centre Wedding Photography Rooms
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The Function Room: This suite seats up to 45 guests.
The Chairman’s Room: Unusual in that it has a circular table for up to 20 guests.
The Rose Room: Seating 45 guests, this room is the most affordable in Bromley Old Palace.
The Garden Room: The largest of the wedding suites, the Garden Room seats 130 guests. Not available Monday – Thursday.
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- All ceremonies last no longer than 20 minutes.
- The Superintendent Registrar needs to approve all additions at least two weeks before the day.
- Photography is allowed in all ceremony venues and the courtyard, hallway, staircase, and gardens.
- The venue provides the option of a drinks’ reception as part of the package, but not a meal.
- Regular Open Days are held throughout the year to give couples a chance to come along and discuss their requirements.
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The Bromley Civic Centre registrars are very accommodating and allow the photographer to get close for shots like this.
Also Consider>> Woolwich Town Hall for Your Civil Wedding Ceremony.
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LGBT+/Gay Weddings at Bromley Civic Centre
Are you having your small same-sex wedding in South London? Then look no further than Bromley Register Office. The venue is genuinely gay friendly, and the registrars open and invested in helping you to have the best day. These days it shouldn’t need pointing out, but it’s reassuring to know for gay wedding couples.
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A very intimate and personal moment: Couples rarely notice their chosen wedding photographer at the crucial time they exchange rings. These two only had eyes for each other.
Moving On to the Reception
After the ceremony and posed shots, Bromley offers many venues to move on to for the wedding breakfast. The Civic Centre is a short walk from the town centre with its wide range of restaurants, pubs and hotels to choose from. I am happy to accompany the wedding party for some shots of the early part of the meal. My two-hour package allows time for this.
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The Civic Centre’s modern entrance gives no clue to The Old Palace’s historic beauty where they hold the wedding ceremonies.
Bromley Register Office FAQs
Q. WHY GET MARRIED AT BROMLEY CIVIC CENTRE?
A. The wedding venue is located not far from Bromley town centre. Despite the centre’s modern, urban appearance from the front, the Old Palace is where wedding ceremonies take place. It is an ornate and historic building with beautiful gardens for your posed shots after the ceremony.
Q. HOW LONG BEFORE OUR WEDDING CEREMONY CAN WE GAIN ACCESS TO THE ROOM FOR PHOTOGRAPHY?
A. Timings permit about 10-15 minutes for your guests to settle in whilst you have your interviews. Whether you choose to join them or make an announced entrance is up to you, but your photographer should make the most of this time to take some shots of the goings-on.
Q. IS PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED OF OUR WEDDING CEREMONY AND VOWS?
A. The Bromley registrars welcome photographers with few restrictions as long as they are reasonably discreet. They do not allow the signing photography, but this is common outside Central London.
Q. IS CONFETTI ALLOWED AFTERWARDS FOR A NICE SEQUENCE OF PHOTOS?
A. Happily, biodegradable confetti is allowed outside in the garden. The couple leaves through French windows facing out onto the lawn, and the couple can exit in a shower of confetti.
Q. WHAT IS THE LIGHT LIKE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY INSIDE THE VENUE?
A. As with most venues, the light varies throughout, but it is generally good at Bromley. Don’t worry about the light at all; a decent photographer will take care to shoot good photos whatever the lighting conditions. See my website for examples.
Civic Centre,
Stockwell Close,
Bromley.
BR1 3UH.
