Wedding Photography at Chelsea Old Town Hall/Register Office
The Borough of Kensington and Chelsea now feature me on their Favourite Suppliers Page. See how here:
Guy Milnes Photography: Kensington and Chelsea Weddings
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Countless couples have left the iconic Chelsea Old Town Hall as happy newlyweds. Your wedding photographer should be ready to capture every moment, such as when these newlyweds bounded out of the venue.
**I’m taking bookings for weddings at this venue for 2022-23 now!**
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 London SW3.
It is a venue where I love photographing weddings and civil ceremonies, even more since the recent refurbishment.
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Countless couples have left the iconic Chelsea Old Town Hall happily married. Your wedding photographer should be ready to capture every moment, such as when these newlyweds bounded out of the venue.
I have photographed 73 weddings at Chelsea Old Town Hall (and counting!)
So, read on for some great info and tips to get the most out of your wedding photographer at Chelsea…
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The pale olive green of the Rossetti Suite is ideal for some fine wedding ceremony photography.
Are You Planning Your Wedding at Chelsea Old Town Hall?I photograph discretely and unobtrusively to capture all the very best moments, leaving you to enjoy your day. With me as your wedding photographer, your memories will be in safe hands, so please get in touch any time to discuss… |
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Sealed with a first kiss: the Chelsea newlyweds share a kiss with their guests looking on. The relaxed nature of the Chelsea Registrars will enable your wedding photographer to capture such pleasing shots.
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This couple kissed, then hugged to seal the deal in the Harrington, the smallest of the three civil marriage ceremony rooms at Chelsea.
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Some couples can’t take the first kiss seriously… Which makes for some fun photography!
Whoever thought about the colour scheme and finer refurbishment points seems to have seriously considered wedding photography.
The colour palette was very well thought out. The shades are very subtle and work well with photography and artificial lighting if required.
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I met with Eve and Dan beforehand to take some wedding portraits in the King’s Road area. We arrived at the venue early, so they rested awhile on a bench outside the town hall.
Read More>> Short Day Wedding Photography – Ideal for Register Office Weddings.
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The bride waits with her father in the hall for the ceremony to start. Next to them is the door to The Harrington Room – the smallest of the three civil marriage ceremony rooms.
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It’s the same wedding as above. Shortly before the bride’s entrance, I took this photo of the groom waiting with his guests. Couples have often asked me to replicate this in their wedding photos.
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Traditionally, the bride and groom arrive separately. Here, the groom’s nerves are very apparent as he waits for her entrance to the Rossetti Room. This small room makes it easy to photograph both at this moment.
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Peter and Neil did things non-traditionally and entered their wedding ceremony together: Here, they enter the Harrington room.
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Bride Charlotte and her father enter the back of the Brydon Room accompanied by her beautiful bridesmaid daughter. The wedding ceremony wasn’t as empty as this photo suggests! The room comfortably seats 38 guests and is the largest at the Chelsea register office.
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Every couple’s wedding ceremony entrance is different, and I added a slight vignette in this photo to draw the eye to the couple.
A Great Location on the Trendy King’s Road, London
Chelsea Old Town Hall is halfway down the long King’s Road, running between Sloane Square and Fulham in the west. It is in Chelsea’s vibrant beating heart.
The registry office area is mainly urban, but a stone’s throw away is the splendid St Luke’s Church and gardens that are great for portraits after the ceremony (see the bottom of page).
Chelsea Town Hall weddings are not only extremely fun but convenient too!
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This photo of the bride tossing the bouquet shows off a little more of the bustling King’s Road location.
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Suited bride posing with family on the street by the side entrance of Chelsea Old Town Hall
The Waiting Area and Stairs
On arrival, staff show guests the waiting area at the back, a throughway with the grand stairs and landing window – a fantastic opportunity for some stunning portrait shots.
Sometimes, the couple joins 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 waits with the guests, whilst the bride arrives a little later via Chelsea Manor Street’s side door.
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Subtle window light in the waiting area enables your photographer to capture some beautiful shots during the pre-ceremony time.
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The Rose Wall is popular but suitable for smaller groups due to its width. Larger groups can pose here too, but I always explain that the wall may show at the sides.
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The groom greets his arriving guests in the waiting area – an ideal spot for natural greetings shots as both sides of the family meet.
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When the bride arrives at Chelsea Old Town Hall, the bridal party is often kept separate in an area near the reception desk. I try to photograph her here if possible.
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I try to photograph everything in the waiting area before the ceremony, including last-minute adjustments.
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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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The registrars at Kensington and Chelsea are very laid back and happy with photographing the wedding from the front. Deniz was smiling through the ceremony, and it was amazing to capture such joy and happiness as Tobias placed the ring on her finger.
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I photograph from as many angles as I can, and from the back is from the guest’s perspective.
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Photographing from the front also enables me to capture anything unexpected. I honestly can’t remember what the humour was here, but I’m sure that it sparked a memory with the couple when they saw their photos.
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Anything that can add a different element to your photos is a good thing. At this wedding, the couple’s baby was the star of the show as they tried to exchange rings around her.
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The registrars made a bit of a presentation of the marriage certificate. Not all register offices did that! **The register is now online, so the certificate is posted to you after the day**
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Straight after the ceremony is a prime time when family members want to congratulate the couple. I’m always looking out for emotive shots such as this.
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A good clear photo of a wedding ‘man hug’!
The Efficiency of the Kensington & Chelsea Registrars
As their borough is one of the most popular for weddings in the country, the registrars and staff at Chelsea Old Town Hall are exceptionally well-versed in running a busy wedding Saturday in summer. Nevertheless, couples often ask me what happens if their wedding runs late or things don’t go according to plan.
The short answer is: They don’t! – usually… And in the rare case when things do overrun (checking the paperwork can sometimes hold things up), you will be well looked after and kept informed.
As long as you’re on time and ready, then things will go smoothly for you.
Saturdays are usually busy, and occasionally you may be asked to speed things up on the steps outside, but I know an excellent dodge if this happens – see my ‘Tip‘ below.
Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding Photography Rooms
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The Brydon Room is the largest of the three wedding spaces 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 reasonably long aisle for you as a couple or the bride alone to walk down (if you choose to uphold this tradition).
The Rossetti Room: Equally elegant but for a smaller guest list. The Rossetti Room is the more popular room but is only aable to accommodate up to 12 guests.
The Harrington Room: The smallest room has limited availability, available just three times a week. It accommodates up to 8 guests. I have photographed one wedding in this room and feel that most couples booking it don’t require a photographer.
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The Coat of Arms of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: The motto, ‘Quam Bonum in Unum Habitare,’ is taken from the 133rd Psalm and translates as, ‘What a good thing it is to dwell in unity At the back of the Brydon Room, this door is where the bride enters for her marriage ceremony.
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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 Kensington Town Hall’s first floor. With wood panelling, it is tastefully decorated in blue and yellow.
The Mayor’s Parlour: Only available on 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.
Illustrious Marriages: Reasons for the Iconic Status
Over the years, many notable people have been married at Chelsea Old Town Hall, including Judy Garland and Wallis Simpson, making it one of London’s most iconic small wedding venues. So an appearance at number 16 in The Independent’s list of 50 Best Wedding Locations is for good reason. The newspaper 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. Again, it shows the potential for gorgeous photography no matter where you go inside the venue.
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The groom goes through the reading with a guest shortly before the ceremony.
Also Consider>> Camden Town Hall for Your Civil Marriage.
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A vital shot to capture: I try to photograph a sequence of the wedding vows and exchange of rings.
The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Registrars
If you are having your wedding at Chelsea Old Town Hall, you’ll find the venue and staff so easy to work with. The staff and registrars are all accommodating and approachable, and it’s important to them that you get the most from your day.
The same goes for your photography.
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The tiny Harrington Room with flora to add splashes of colour. Since Covid, the signing tables are behind perspex for safety.
There are no issues with my moving around during the ceremony, although I try to observe the occasion discreetly. The Kensington & Chelsea registrars seem keen that I take all the required shots to present to the couple later on, making the wedding photographer’s job so much easier.
They are accommodating throughout the couple’s short time getting married, treating every wedding with the care and attention that the occasion deserves.
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The best man hands the rings to the ceremony officiant. The relaxed nature of the Chelsea registrars makes close up shots like this possible.
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The Brydon Room from behind the couple looking towards the front.
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Registrar Joe points out where the bride needs to sign the register. You can see how comfortable he is with me photographing the signing.
Signing the Chelsea Marriage Schedule
As of May 2021, everything changed regarding the signing of the wedding register as it moved online. The signing of a marriage schedule has now replaced the traditional register. Gone too is the marriage certificate, which will be posted to couples after the day. I have mixed feelings about these changes.
The Kensington and Chelsea registrars have always allowed photography of the register, whereas many boroughs outside Central London did not. So in that respect, nothing has changed with regards to the signing.
I shall miss the presentation of the wedding certificate, though. The certificate was something tangible that the couple could take away with them on the day. Chelsea Old Town Hall made a show of handing it to the couple, a beautiful wedding photo moment again.
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Photographing the actual signing was preferable to a dummy register pose, which often made couples feel awkward. The register has now gone online to be replaced by a marriage schedule.
Hiring Chelsea Pensioners to Witness Your Signing
Occasionally couples ask me to provide their witnesses. I’m very happy to witness and will try to provide a friend to be a second witness, but at Chelsea, there’s a better option:
The close proximity of the Royal Hospital Chelsea means that there’s a tradition of booking two Chelsea Pensioners as witnesses for your small wedding ceremony. This will add a new dimension to your wedding and add vibrant colour – the red uniforms are iconic and striking.
You can book your Chelsea Pensioner witnesses through the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea website (link at the top).
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The posed shots can be nice, though, as this one demonstrates.
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At Chelsea, time is allowed for other members of the wedding party to pose with the couple. This shot includes both sets of parents.
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Sometimes there’s time left to set up a quick group portrait of the entire wedding party in the ceremony room.
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Weddings during the Coronavirus pandemic weren’t ideal and were restricted. However, this also presented some fun photo ops, such as this group shot in the waiting area.
How Chelsea Old Town Hall Deals with COVID-19 Restrictions
In 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic hit the wedding industry hard. Weddings have been cancelled and rescheduled like never before, but Chelsea Old Town Hall is keen to carry on providing couples with the best possible civil marriage service and a day to remember.
Since restrictions were eased in July 2021, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea were quick to follow suit and have relaxed all the rules surrounding Covid-19. This doesn’t surprise me and sits well with their ethic of giving the bride and groom the best day to remember!
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Ania and Daniel could have invited more guests but decided to keep it small: This shows a very socially distanced Brydon Room.
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Evelyn and Daniel embraced their Coronavirus restricted day at Chelsea as they were let into their wedding ceremony by a masked registrar.
Chelsea Register Office Confetti & Congratulations
After they are married, the couple waits in the ceremony room as their guests assemble on the steps. I like to arrange everyone into a tunnel that the couple can walk through when they exit the venue under confetti showers.
It’s another plus point that confetti is allowed for Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding photography purposes.
Often, venues in Central London don’t allow confetti because it could be regarded as litter. But the registrars at Kensington and Chelsea have no such issue. So many wonderful wedding photographs have been taken on the steps as the happy couple leave in a shower of confetti.
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One of London’s most iconic backdrops for wedding confetti! I love it when the guests throw plenty into the air as it makes for more dramatic photos.
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I think this photo must hold my record for most confetti in one photograph. I’ve no idea how the guests managed to get so much in the air at once…
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Be very careful if it’s windy! The groom saw the funny side as a bridesmaid is covered in confetti…
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The couple stop for a moment of joyous intimacy. It’s crucial that your wedding photographer looks for and captures moments like this.
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The building’s facade provides a fantastic stopping point for a cheeky post-ceremony kiss on exiting the venue!
Post-confetti, wedding parties naturally start congratulating the couple with hugs, kisses and warm good wishes – an ideal time to capture some of the wedding day’s most dynamic shots. Of course, time constraints can limit this, particularly on a Saturday, but I feel it’s important not to rush everyone… First, however, I need to take the posed photos before the next wedding group exit…
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When family and friends can spend time with congratulations, the moments after the confetti is one of the most memorable times to capture and provide some fantastic wedding photography memories. Their daughter throwing confetti in the background makes this an even more special photograph.
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Two hugs are better than one! I love it when I can capture both bride and groom congratulations simultaneously.
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Often, there can be some general milling around outside the venue, and I’m always on the lookout for unusual shots, such as this selfie.
After Ceremony Portraits on the Iconic Steps
I supply a questionnaire when couples book me for their Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding photography, including a section for any posed shots they need. It makes things run more efficiently to have a point of reference when taking the posed wedding portraits.
So, after everyone has given the couple their best wishes, we go straight into taking the posed group shots. I work through this as quickly as possible. If another wedding does back up behind us (it doesn’t often happen but can do), I have a clever dodge to get the shots whilst alleviating congestion (see below).
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Group photos such as this don’t take long to arrange, and I try to work through them quickly.
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A wide shot of the newlyweds shows off the ornate facade of Chelsea Old Town Hall beautifully.
Chelsea Group Portrait Photography Tip
The above and below photographs perfectly illustrate what to do when another wedding party starts to exit if we are still photographing on the steps:
I took the below group shot at a different wedding, but it’s not the exact location (the giveaways are the missing confetti and flower arrangements).
Chelsea Old Town Hall also houses Chelsea Library, a different entrance with an identical facade. Apart from there being no flowers outside, you wouldn’t know that it was a different location. People are frequently coming and going, but I can work around this to capture any remaining shots.
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Chelsea Library provides an identical backdrop for any remaining photos a few metres away.
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The three in the foreground were challenging to slot in for this larger group photo, so I seated them at the front.
Chelsea Old Town Hall FAQs
Q. WHY GET MARRIED AT CHELSEA OLD TOWN HALL?
A. The Victorian neoclassical building on the King’s Road is arguably London’s most iconic register office. If you marry at the venue, then you’re in good company. As well as being a beautiful venue, the building has a rich history of famous weddings. Throughout the 20th Century, big names have wed there: Judy Garland, Pierce Brosnan and glam rock icon Marc Bolan all had their weddings there. Richard Burton and Hugh Grant are two other big names to tie the knot at Chelsea.
Aside from this, the registrars are amongst the most helpful and friendly in London. They are keen for everything to go without a hitch and are exceptionally photographer-friendly too, ensuring that you will have a set of photos to treasure of your wedding day for years to come.
Q. HOW LONG BEFORE OUR WEDDING CEREMONY CAN WE GAIN ACCESS TO THE ROOM FOR PHOTOGRAPHY?
A. On arrival at the venue, guests are shown into a waiting area until the room becomes free. The couple or just the groom may wait here as well, depending on if you’re staying separate until the ceremony or not. Then a registrar will show everyone into the ceremony room. There will be a gap of about 5-10 minutes whilst you are both interviewed before the ceremony commences.
Q. IS PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED OF OUR WEDDING CEREMONY AND VOWS?
A. Absolutely, yes. The venue welcomes photographers with no restrictions as long as they aren’t too intrusive, allowing movement throughout the ceremony.
Q. IS CONFETTI ALLOWED AFTERWARDS FOR A NICE SEQUENCE OF PHOTOS?
A. Biodegradable confetti is allowed and encouraged on the steps outside the front doors. The registrars are instrumental in setting this up by holding the couple inside until the photographer sets up outside and is ready to go.
Q. WHAT IS THE LIGHT LIKE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY INSIDE THE VENUE?
A. Chelsea Old Town Hall lies on the shaded south side of the King’s Road, making the rooms darker than they otherwise would be. However, the bright decor helps remedy this, and with a bit of bounce flash, there is no problem with the light as far as photography is concerned.
Q. CAN WE BOOK CHELSEA PENSIONERS TO WITNESS AT OUR SMALL WEDDING?
A. Yes, you can! To book two Chelsea Pensioners, contact the register office at Chelsea Old Town Hall directly.
Chelsea Pensioners will add a different dimension to your wedding photos – their distinctive red uniforms look great and you’ll have a number of photographs taken with them.
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A peck on the cheek for a thrilled and newly married groom!
LGBTQ/Same-sex Weddings at Chelsea Old Town Hall
If you have your small same-sex wedding in London, look no further than Chelsea Old town Hall. The registrars are very open and accommodating, and the venue is gay friendly. Of course, that shouldn’t need pointing out in this day and age, but I think it’s reassuring for LGBTQ wedding couples to know.
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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.
Moving On to the Next Location: Posed Shots Nearby & at St Luke’s Church
The posed shots are usually the last photographs I take before moving to the reception venue.
If the couple has booked me for 2 hours or longer, there is often time for a walk to take some more couples posed photos locally. There is no more suitable location than St Luke’s Church – a five-minute walk away.
Its 19th century Gothic Revival architecture, magnificent doorway and arches, provides great directional light – fantastic for wedding photography portraits, as the two photos below show.
There are also many other photogenic locations within walking distance, including the Albert Bridge and the now-famous pink ‘Love Door‘:
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Chelse’s famous ‘Love Door’… The couple that lives there accept charity donations to use their doorstep for wedding photos.
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This door is to the side of St Luke’s Church. Slightly hidden from view, it is perfect for intimate shots.
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The directional light at this spot is fantastic for photography, even on an overcast and rainy day such as here.
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I’m always happy to take portraits of guests, and this bridesmaid looked stunning with her green dress and bouquet.
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I try to keep my portrait shoot lighthearted and fun, and I am happy to capture the laughter and romance…
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I took this picture on the path to the right of St Luke’s. The door in the previous photos is round the corner in the distance, and they’re walking towards the front of the church and Sydney Street.
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At the front entrance door, I take some fun photos that get across the couple’s personality.
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The Abert Bridge is also a stone’s throw away!
Local Pubs & Restaurants
Newly-weds often hold their reception locally to Chelsea Old Town Hall, where there is further scope for more candid shots.
The renowned Bluebird Restaurant is a few minutes’ walk and proves a popular choice for couples who require an intimate meal after their nuptials.
The Ivy has magnificent floral displays outside, which is even closer and a plethora of other pubs and restaurants such as The Phene (below).
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Charlotte and Dan’s wedding was rainy, so the scope for photos on the town hall steps was limited. So they saved the larger group shots for the reception venue, a ten-minute walk away.
Kensington & Chelsea Register Office,
Chelsea Old Town Hall,
King’s Road,
London.
SW3 5EE.
Kensington Town Hall,
Hornton Street,
London.
W8 7NX.
