Wedding Photography at Wandsworth Town Hall/Register Office.
**I’m taking bookings for weddings at this venue for 2025-26 now!**
Wandsworth Town Hall’s Courtyard is a perfect location for the bride’s arrival and some beautiful wedding photography.
Wandsworth Town Hall is a grand building located in central Wandsworth, SW18. It houses the Wandsworth Register Office (or Registry Office), where many couples have tied the knot. The beautiful Art Deco architecture and features present some lovely wedding photography opportunities, and are just one reason why I absolutely love photographing Wandsworth weddings.
Read on for my Guide to Wandsworth Town Hall and what to expect on your special day!
The top of the marble hall’s staircase is one of many great photo locations for your wedding photographer to take portraits after your ceremony.
An Ideal South London Wedding Photography Location
The Town Hall is ideally located on Wandsworth High Street. The nearest overground train station is Wandsworth Town, and the closest tube station is East Putney, about a mile away. Numerous bus routes serve the high street, but unfortunately, there is no car parking at the venue for wedding guests.
- Built in the 1930s and opened by Queen Mary in 1937, it remains mostly unchanged, with minor alterations in keeping with its original design and character.
- Holds a grade II listed building status.
- Stone reliefs on the exterior portray key events and industries in the history of the five parishes that once made up the Borough of Wandsworth.
The Victoria Room: The interiors of the Wandsworth Town Hall ceremony rooms are just as lovely as the outside and fabulous for your wedding photography.
The Grandeur of Wandsworth Register Office for Your Marriage
I have photographed Wandsworth Town Hall numerous times. On arrival, the building’s seemingly large scale, enhanced by the considerable entrance court, is immediately striking. Over the years, countless brides and grooms have arrived here in opulent style.
The Marble Hall, with its choice of five ornate rooms and handy South London location, is a fantastic register office for getting married.
Capacity at Wandsworth Town Hall varies from 10 in the Mayor’s Parlour to 100 in the Grand Chamber.
As the groom takes his bride’s wedding ring from his son in the Victoria Room, he is oblivious to me taking photos and documenting the occasion to enjoy for years to come.
Also Consider>> Chelsea Old Town Hall for Civil Marriages.
Arriving together gave Vendula and Stan time for some wedding portraits before their ceremony.
Are You Planning Your Wedding at Wandsworth Town Hall?I photograph discretely and unobtrusively to capture the 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… |
I love photography, which provides valuable context and tells a story. For this image, I sneaked behind two guests to capture them photographing the couple and their ‘Mr & Mrs’ balloons. A much more natural photo!
This photo shows the huge scale of the building as Samantha and Tal approach it before their ceremony. An hour later, they left as husband and wife through the door in the middle distance.
Peter and Margaret’s Bond-style Aston Martin DB5 added a touch of ’60s class to their wedding. They were a mature couple, and Wandsworth Town Hall is perfect for older couples getting married, too!
Photographers are often unable to take photos like this. There are usually some cars in the background, but I made the most of the quiet day to show off the building.
A stunning portrait of mother and son taken just before the bride’s entrance into the Alexandra Room.
Wandsworth Register Office: Before the Ceremony
As with all civil marriages, you must arrive early to meet with the registrar—usually 15 to 20 minutes before the ceremony. This ensures that all the legalities and paperwork are in place.
If your photography starts at the town hall, I suggest meeting with your photographer earlier than that, to take some photos in the Courtyard before you go in. Another wedding may be using it, but the Courtyard is enormous, and there is always a corner to use.
Traditionally, the couple arrives separately, but you may tweak this to suit you. It’s common these days for the bride and groom to arrive at their wedding together.
I met with Katrin and Aleks an hour before the ceremony for some portraits. I photographed this a short walk away from Wandsworth Town Hall
A wedding portrait, COVID-19 style! During the coronavirus pandemic, the couple was allowed in without masks, but it was fun to have fun, and some couples came fully prepared with joke face coverings.
Children are adorable at weddings, and are made to feel very welcome at Wandsworth Town Hall. If the adults aren’t doing much, the children will be, and I fully embrace the chance to photograph them as an essential part of the day.
It’s traditional for the groom to wait in the ceremony room for his bride to enter, but these days anything goes! It’s always an exciting time, and I like to capture a sequence of the wedding entrance, whatever you do. Your wedding photographer needs to be at the top of their game at this time so as not to miss anything.
As groom Stan has time to be nervous, the bride is ready to enter the Victoria Room for their ceremony. Photographing wide, enabled me to capture everything going on.
It’s always gorgeous when young bridesmaids lead the entrance procession. With children, there’s no hiding the nerves and excitement.
Also Consider>> Morden Park House for Your Wedding.
Sam and Tal arrived together in the Alexandra Room to enthusiastic applause from their guests.
Wandsworth Register Office Wedding Ceremony Rooms
The Victoria Room is suitable for smaller weddings, holding 23 guests. The ample space lets me capture everything from different angles, complementing my candid documentary photography style.
All room capacities include your photographer:
The Elizabeth Room:
Only seats up to 8 guests. The most minimalist of ceremonies with no readings or music.
Victoria Room:
It accommodates up to 23 guests and has a gorgeous wooden conference table in the centre, facing the registrars. The price includes the choice of music and readings. Guests are seated around the walls, and your photographer has plenty of room to move around.
Alexandra Room:
It is my favourite room to photograph, and has recently been refurbished. It seats 43 guests facing forward, theatre-style, and includes one reading and your choice of music.
The Grand Chamber:
The largest ceremony room seats 98 wedding guests. Up to 3 readings and live acoustic music are included, although you must book this separately. I have never photographed in this room, and there’s a 10% discount for the first couple to book me to photograph their wedding there.
The Mayor’s Parlour:
With seating for only 6 guests. Otherwise, similar additions to The Grand Chamber. Perfect for micro-weddings with just your witnesses.
Up to three readings are allowed during the ceremony, depending on the chosen room. These add a more personal touch to proceedings, and I advise you to make the most of them. This was from one of my earliest weddings; my photographic style has changed—as has the room!
I can’t remember the joke here, but I strive to capture every expression of happiness as the best man presents the rings.
Moments like this are a must for me to photograph, and I love it when they happen spontaneously.
During the ceremony, couples don’t usually notice my camera. They are too involved in the moment – as it should be!
I like to take photos from various angles and positions around the room. The Wandsworth registrars don’t mind this and actively encourage wedding photography.
Moments of joy can happen in an instant and are a joy for me to photograph too!
The signing of the Marriage Register: Photography is allowed at Wandsworth, with the only stipulation that the photographer doesn’t zoom in on the page.
Although the registrars are relaxed about photographing the wedding register signing, they can also set up a ‘dummy’ register for more posed photos with the pen. Here, the couple was more interested in having fun, which was far more, well, fun!
After the signing, the moment becomes all too real for groom, Stan. Moments like this help your photographer tell the story of the day.
After the signing, the registrar allows a little time for posed photos in the room. I took this natural shot after they had lined up, as it was much more in line with my candid photography style.
With the ceremony over, couples generally relax and walk back down the aisle together. Tal made a show of it and high-fived guests as he went! Of course, your photographer must be in the best position to capture the unexpected.
Photography at Wandsworth Registry Office
The registrars actively encourage photography throughout the ceremony so long as it isn’t distracting. Your photographer should be discreet and observe the occasion whilst taking a series of photographs to document your marriage. They also allow guest photography, as long as the guests remain in their seats. Guest photography should not hinder the registrar or your photographer from performing their duties. I have no problem with this, and often capture the guests taking photos of the couple. It’s all part of the day!
After the signing, the registrar may call on your guests to photograph you with the register. I’ll have taken my photos of that, so take natural images of them photographing you as a memory of your day.
Top Tip – Guest Photography, Mobile Phones and Social Media:
Nowadays, everyone has a mobile phone, and guests at weddings are no exception! Although it is okay for guests to take photos at Wandsworth Town Hall, sometimes, the couple may prefer that their guests don’t take pictures during the ceremony, to avoid excess movement and distractions.
If you want a ‘No Photography Rule’, tell your registrar and have them announce it before the ceremony begins. You may also request that guests don’t post to Instagram or other social media before a specific date when you’ve had the chance to do so.
After the ceremony, congratulations: The registrars allow a little time for hugs and kisses, which makes for great photography.
Happiness and love between friends and family are very apparent at this special time of the wedding day.
The Marble Hall staircase is perfect for some group portraits. The best photography position is from the balustrade above.
Group Portraits After Your Wedding Ceremony
After the Wandsworth Town Hall wedding ceremony, group shots are allowed on the ornate Marble Hall staircase, which has a good view from the high balustrade. The time allowed on the stairs inside largely depends on how busy the registry office is that day. Weddings are staggered, but sometimes timings collide.
I provide a questionnaire before the day, with a section for you to write details of any group portraits that are important to you. I follow this to work efficiently through them and ensure nothing is missed.
I would then like to photograph the couple exiting the courtyard. Wandsworth allows confetti, so it’s recommended to take a sequence of confetti shots outside. There’s also scope for posed photos in the magnificent Courtyard with the fountain.
Top Tip – Confetti
For the best wedding confetti photos at Wandsworth, choose large, colourful biodegradable paper confetti. Small petals are popular but don’t appear very well in the pictures.
The couple poses on the grand staircase in the Marble Hall. On busy days, time may be limited because of other weddings.
The newlyweds and bridesmaids spill out into the Courtyard through the elegant doorway.
The Courtyard at Wandsworth Register Office is almost Royal in size and appearance. It is excellent for youngsters to run around after the ceremony.
Further Reading>> Short Wedding Photography Packages to Suit Small Venues.
I took this before they were married. The entrance was busy with a prior wedding, so we used other parts of the Courtyard well.
A group shot of the whole wedding party is a must-have portrait. I went wide in this one to photograph more of the facade around the entrance. Above the door is the Wandsworth Coat of Arms, which includes the shields of all four parishes of the Borough: Battersea, Putney, Tooting and Wandsworth.
Useful to Know When Booking Your Wedding at Wandsworth Town Hall
- You can contact the registrars by calling 020 8871 6120 or emailing registeroffice@wandsworth.gov.uk.
- The venue conducts room viewings by appointment.
- The London Borough of Wandsworth has many other wedding venues to hire, including Battersea Park, the London Rowing Club, the Pump House Gallery & Winchester House. All allow photography.
- You are allowed 15 minutes before the ceremony for guest arrivals and to set up in the venue room.
- Saturdays are the busiest days with a high turnover of weddings. There will be less time for portraits on the stairs and in the Courtyard, but a few minutes are permitted. I try to photograph as long as possible before being moved on.
- You will be at the venue for around 1 hour from arrival to departure, and the ceremony will take just over 20 minutes.
- Parking for guests is available on Saturdays at the Town Hall. Two cars per wedding are allowed in the Courtyard.
- As well as marriages, Wandsworth Town Hall also holds Renewals of Vows, Civil Ceremonies/Conversions and Naming Ceremonies.
For full information, including pricing, visit the Wandsworth Town Hall Website
It was dark when Vendula and Stan left the town hall, but flash lit confetti photos work well and give atmosphere.
A shot of the bride and groom from the doorway shows the other side of Wandsworth Register Office’s octagonal Courtyard.
A standard portrait of the bride and groom shows off the Courtyard’s central fountain. There are many elements to consider when producing stunning wedding photography at Wandsworth Town Hall.
Also Consider>> Lambeth Town Hall for Your Marriage Ceremony.
But I do prefer more fun and natural shots. This one demonstrates the couple’s personalities and sense of fun.
I love Katrin’s eye-contact in this courtyard portrait.
I sometimes ask couples to dance. It can produce some stunning and intimate wedding portraits if they are comfortable.
Finally, the couple leave for their reception. Capturing the back of the bride’s dress is always good, as there’s so much detail.
The Town Hall,
Wandsworth High Street,
London.
SW18 2PU.
Wandsworth Register Office Wedding Photographer – Guy Milnes Photography.
