Wedding Photography Chelsea Old Town Hall/Register Office
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Numerous couples have left the iconic Chelsea Old Town Hall happily married. I love it when this clearly shows as with this exuberant pair
A Tasteful Refurbishment, Ideal for Photography
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Register Office (often mistakenly called ‘Registry Office’) is located within Chelsea Old Town Hall in SW3. It is a venue in which I love photographing weddings and civil ceremonies, even more so since the recent refurbishment. I have shot there numerous times (18 at the last count!).
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The pale olive green of the Rossetti Suite is ideal for some pleasing wedding ceremony photography.
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Sealed with a first kiss: the Chelsea newly-weds share a kiss with their guests looking on.
Whoever thought about the colour scheme and finer refurbishment points seems to have seriously considered the wedding photographer. Many venues feature unsightly signage and fire points in the most beautiful doorways and locations. Not so here… Of course, important health and safety law has been considered, but seemingly with very strong thoughts on aesthetics. Most signs that remain are easily edited out.
The colour palette has been very well thought out too. The shades are very subtle and work well with photography and artificial lighting if required..
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Lucy and Daren enter the Brydon room for their Chelsea Town Hall wedding ceremony: The room comfortably seats 38 guests and is the largest at the register office.
A Great Location on the Trendy King’s Road, London
Chelsea Old Town Hall is situated halfway down the long King’s Road, in the vibrant heart of Chelsea. The area surrounding the registry office is mainly urban, but a stone’s throw away is the splendid St Luke’s Church and gardens which is great for portraits after the ceremony.
Newly-weds also travel elsewhere for their reception where there is further scope for more candid shots. The famous Bluebird Restaurant is a five minute walk away and proves a popular choice for couples who require an intimate meal after their nuptials.
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This photo of the bride tossing the bouquet shows off a little more of the location on the King’s Road.
The Waiting Area and Stairs
On arrival, guests are shown into the waiting area at the back. This is also a through way with the splendid stairs and landing window – a fantastic opportunity for some stunning portrait shots.
Sometimes the couple both join the guests here and wait for their pre-wedding interview slots. Other couples prefer to remain separate as is tradition. In this case, the groom generally spends time here with the guests, whilst the bride arrives a little later via the side door on Chelsea Manor Street.
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There is a waiting area where the couple and their guests can wait for their ceremony time slot. Subtle window light will enable the photographer to capture some attractive shots during this time.
Build Your Own>> Bespoke London Wedding Photography Package
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Taken with window light from the stairway window: I love black and white photography, and the window provided perfect light and shadows for this shot of three siblings.
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At the same window (different wedding), I took this portrait of Renata by the window on the stairs. I like to make good use of waiting time to take good photographs like this.
Read More>> Short Day Wedding Photography – Ideal for Register Office Weddings
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The registrars at Kensington and Chelsea are very laid back and happy with my photographing the wedding from the front. Deniz was smiling all the way through the ceremony and it was amazing to capture such joy and happiness as Tobias places the ring on her finger.
Chelsea Register Office Confetti Rules
Another good point is that confetti is allowed for Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding photography purposes. Often, venues in Central London don’t allow confetti for the reason that it could be regarded as litter. But the registrars at Kensington and Chelsea have no such issue and many great shots have been taken on the steps as the happy couple leave in a confetti shower.
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One of London’s most iconic backdrops for wedding confetti!
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On exiting the venue, the building’s facade provides a fantastic stopping point for a cheeky post-ceremony kiss!
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The moments after the confetti when family and friends can spend time with congratulations is one of the most emotive times to capture and provides some fantastic wedding photography moments.
Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding Photography Rooms
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The Rossetti Suite is a beautifully intimate space in which to hold your nuptials.
The Brydon Room: The beautifully elegant Brydon Room has an interior tastefully decorated in yellow and seats 38 guests. It features a fairly long aisle for you as a couple or the bride alone to walk down (if you choose to uphold this tradition).
The Rossetti Suite: Equally elegant but for a smaller guest list. The Rossetti Suite is the more popular room but only able to accommodate up to 12 guests.
The Harrington Room: The smallest room has limited availability, being available just three times a week. It accommodates up to 8 guests. I have yet to photograph in this room and feel that not many photographers have.
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I love raw emotions and bride Sally certainly wore her heart on her sleeve laughing hysterically during the confetti sequence.
Kensington Town Hall Wedding Photography Rooms
The Committee Room: This room seats up to 38 guests and lies on the first floor of Kensington Town Hall. With wood panelling, it is tastefully decorated in blue and yellow.
The Mayor’s Parlour: Only available on Fridays and Saturdays, the Mayor’s Parlour seats up to 68 guests. Modern in design, it has wood panelling and is well lit.
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A bride arrives glamorously and fashionably late for her wedding ceremony.
Famous Marriages: Reasons for it’s Iconic Status
Over the years many famous faces have been married at Chelsea Old Town Hall including Judy Garland and Wallis Simpson which makes it one’s of London’s most iconic small wedding venues. An appearance at number 16 in The Independent’s list of 50 Best Wedding Locations in 2011 was for good reason. In fact, The Independent calls it, ‘still one of the hippest places to get married‘.
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Following closely on from the photo above, I took this portrait of a bridesmaid in the hall. It shows how there is potential for attractive photography no matter where you go inside the venue.
Also Consider>> Camden Town Hall for Your Civil Marriage
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A very important shot to capture: I try to photograph a sequence of the wedding vows and exchange of rings.
The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Registrars
The staff and registrars are all very helpful and approachable. There are no issues about moving around during the ceremony – although I do try to be discrete and observe the occasion.. The Kensington registrars do seem very keen that I take all the required shots to present to the couple later on. This makes the job of wedding photographer so much easier. They are also very happy to allow photographing of the actual signing of the register (below) which so many wedding venues do not.
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They like to make a presentation of the wedding certificate at Kensington and Chelsea Registry Office. Not all registrars do this and it’s a nice touch and good photo opportunity.
LGBT+/Gay Weddings at Chelsea Old Town Hall
If you are having your small same-sex wedding in London, then look no further than Chelsea Old town Hall. The registrars are very open and accommodating and the venue is truly gay friendly. In this day and age, that shouldn’t need to be pointed out, but I think it’s reassuring to know for gay wedding couples.
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I love the look on the face of this little girl as she presents the rings at Martin and Antoine’s gay wedding at Chelsea Old Town Hall.
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A wide shot of the newly-weds shows off the ornate facade of Chelsea Old Town Hall beautifully.
Kensington & Chelsea Register Office,
Chelsea Old Town Hall,
King’s Road,
London.
SW3 5EE.
Kensington Town Hall,
Hornton Street,
London.
W8 7NX.
