Old Marylebone Town Hall + London Business School

Old Marylebone Town Hall, Westminster Register Office.It’s been announced today that London Business School (LBS) is going to be the new tenant of Westminster Register Office in Old Marylebone Town Hall, where decades of weddings have taken place. I’ve worked there many times over the past eight years or so and am going to miss going to a building with such stunning architecture. A BBC article said LBS would spend about £60 million on restoring Old Marylebone Town Hall, which would be available for weddings and civil partnerships when work was complete in 2016.  Staff recently said weddings would still take place at Old Marylebone Town Hall until August 2013.

Westminster Register office wedding | Lynsey + Matt

You know the bride and groom aren’t a conventional couple when the bride arrives at Westminster Register Office in a short and chic grey cocktail dress.  Lynsey and Matt also saw each other on the Old Marylebone Town Hall‘s famous steps before sharing a cigarette and walking into the building together.
Lynsey and Matt check their wedding details with Mark and Emma while Lynsey’s son watches. He also walked her into the Blue Room.

Registrar Mark check wedding details with Lynsey and matt

Registrars Mark and Emma check wedding details with the couple.The bride Lynsey and her son enter the Blue Room at Old Marylebone Town Hall.

As the Blue Room was full, Lynsey and Matt chose to have their family sit in the front row while they exchanged vows.

Lynsey and matt exchange vows in the Blue Room, Westminster Lynsey and Matt walk down the Westminster Register Office stairs after their ceremony.

Bride and groom on Westminster Register office steps Lynsey and Matt are given a miniature chimney sweep for good luck, before driving away in a white London wedding cab to their reception drinks.

Bride and groom are given a sweet for wedding good luck.Bride and groom wave goodbye to guests from a white cabBride adjusts her make-up in a white wedding London taxi.Bride and groom arrive at The Plough in Little Russell Street for their wedding reception.

We found this gorgeous newly-painted grey wall for their wedding portraits to tone with Lynsey’s dress.  We also found a less freshly-painted wall next door – a perfect contrast. The front door green is one of my favourite colours.

Little Russell Street wedding portraits of bride and groomBride and groom portraits with vintage green door and houseBride and groom portraits Bride and groom portraits with columns. London wedding bridal portraits.

Westminster Register Office wedding | Jenny + Phil

Hull couple Jenny and Phil chose London’s Westminster Register Office and Notting Hill pub The Mall Tavern for their wedding reception because it was where they first met.  Or rather, Phil chose it as he organised all the wedding – all Jenny had to do was choose something to wear and turn up (in his words).   Jenny and her bridesmaids started their day by getting ready at the Grand Royale Hotel, which was once the home of actress Lilly Langtry.  The hotel had offered the use of the hotel’s ornate theatre for make-up and hairdressing, so it was rather grand. It was also an area for storing luggage, so alongside the opulence, there was a huge assortment of suitcases surrounding us.
Bride and bridesmaids getting ready for wedding

Bride getting ready

Back in Jenny’s room, we looked at some fabulous shoes: hers in black and her bridesmaids’ in red.

Black Prada wedding shoesVivian Westwood red shoes for bridesmaidsBride getting ready for her wedding.Bridesmaid getting ready for weddingBride and bridesmaids getting ready for weddingBridesmaids on their way to wedding

Not often you see four brides at once – and certainly not ones wearing such a fabulous birdcage veil. Jenny’s necklace was a birthday present from Phil.

Bride with birdcage veil in lift

Jenny and her father just before they headed for Old Marylebone Town Hall.

Bride and her father portrait

When Jenny arrived at Westminster Register Office, one of their registrars Amanda asked her to twirl – it seems Jenny’s skirt DOES swirl out a long way.

Bride at Westminster Register OfficeBride and bridesmaids in waiting room of Westminster Register Office, Old Marylebone Town Hall

 It was time for Phil to see Jenny in all her loveliness – he and the guests had been waiting patiently in Westminster Register Office’s Blue Room.

Westminster Register Office wedding ceremony - bride arriving

The boys had made sure their socks matched the day’s red theme.

Westminster Register Office wedding ceremony

As well as the legal part of their ceremony, Jenny and Phil added their own wedding vows, with Phil promising to keep Jenny in shoes, vintage dresses, holidays and mocha coffees and Jenny promising to look after Phil even when suffering from man flu, accept his being late and to make him a cup of tea every morning for the rest of her life.

Westminster Register Office wedding ceremonyWestminster Register Office wedding ceremony
Westminster Register Office wedding ceremony

Westminster Register Office wedding photographs on steps

After a couple of photographs of Jenny and Phil and their bridal party on the famous steps of Old Marylebone Town Hall, they and their guests hopped onto a Routemaster bus for a tour of London.

Westminster Register Office wedding guests wait for RoutemasterRoutemaster bus London tourRoutemaster bus London tourRoutemaster bus London tour

When we got to the London Eye and South Bank Centre, the bus stopped for a break and some wedding portraits on the South Bank. Jenny and Phil were thrilled with the idea of riding on a carousel for a few portraits.

Bride and groom wedding photos on carousel on London South BankBride and groom wedding photos on carousel on London South BankBride and groom wedding photos on carousel on London South Bank

If you see Mickey Mouse, you just have to, don’t you?!

Bride and groom with Mickey Mouse at South Bank, London

And an ice-cream!

Bride and groom with red Routemaster in London

Upon arriving at The Mall Tavern, Jenny and Phil had a few drinks then a couple of portraits nearby.

Bride and groom outside The Mall Tavern
Bridal portrait in Notting HillWedding photo in Notting HillWedding photo in Notting Hill

My part of the day finished while everyone sat down for a delicious looking menu in the late summer afternoon sun.

The Mall Tavern wedding receptionThe Mall Tavern wedding reception

Westminster Register Office wedding + Vinoteca

When Louise and Huw met, it was over cheese at Borough Market, so it was a bit of a given that there might be good food involved at their wedding celebrations. They had their ceremony in Westminster Register Office’s Purple Room, then took a black cab to The Portman in Portman Village for drinks before crossing the road to Vinoteca wine bar for their wedding breakfast.
It’s always a pleasure capturing weddings at Westminster, but what I especially adored about this day was the way that Louise and Huw and their families and friends were so open and friendly with everyone – inside two venues that had amazing natural light on a hot spring day.

Westminster Register Office Purple Room wedding - waiting for bride

Westminster Register Office Purple Room wedding - bride arrives

Westminster Register Office Purple Room wedding - bride and family

Westminster Register Office Purple Room wedding - bride and father arrive

Westminster Register Office Purple Room wedding ceremony

 

Westminster Register Office Purple Room wedding kissing the bride

Westminster Register Office Purple Room wedding
Westminster Register Office Purple Room bride

Purple Room wedding congratulations from guests

Guests leave Westminster Register Office in Marylebone Old Town Hall

 

Bride and groom leave Westminster Register Office in Marylebone Old Town Hall

Westminster Register Office wedding photo

Bride and groom in London black cab

Bride and groom eat strawberry

Bride and groom enter Portman Marylebone restaurant for wedding drinks

 

Portman Marylebone restaurant wedding canapes

Portman Marylebone wedding guests at drinks

Portman Marylebone wedding guests at drinks

Portman Marylebone drinks reception in Portman Village

Portman Marylebone wedding bride

Portman Marylebone wedding guests at drinks

 

Vinoteca wine bar photos in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca wine bar photos in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca groom and father in law in Marylebone for drinks

Vinoteca wine bar groom and father

Vinoteca wine bar photos in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca food Marylebone

Vinoteca wine bar photos in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca wine bar photos in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca wine wedding reception in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca wine wedding reception in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca wine wedding reception in Portman Village, Marylebone

Vinoteca wine wedding reception in Portman Village, Marylebone