Tuesday, June 25, 2013 | London wedding, Register Office, Wedding, Westminster Register Office
The London register office wedding of Anita and Christian at Westminster’s Yellow Room and Duke of Wellington‘s private room was a relaxed event. They arrived at Old Marylebone Town Hall together in a London black cab giggling and kissing.
Anita and Christian love the Old Marylebone Town Hall and wanted their wedding photographs to reflect this. I photographed the architecture as they were checking their details with the registrar.
Their ceremony started with Christian having to list Anita’s many Christian names. He got them right!
Their families were beaming at this point. 
Who has the rings? Is that a Vulcan salute?
I now declare you husband and wife! Have you ever seen a bride look as pleased as this?
Happy chats after Anita and Christian’s London register office wedding in the Yellow Room. 
We walked to the Duke of Wellington a couple of blocks away.
Anita and Christian posed for some portraits on the way. I love the way London’s architecture changes so much in such a short distance, while walking to their Duke of Wellington wedding reception.
Guests drank Pimms and beer.
Anita and Christian’s rings with a tulip from Anita’s bouquet. 
Vintage handkerchiefs, tiny clothes pegs and photos decorated Anita and Christian’s wedding breakfast table. 
The Duke of Wellington’s private room, overlooking St Mary’s Church: after everyone had sat down, I left them to settle in for the wedding breakfast. Congratulations Anita and Christian! 
Tuesday, January 22, 2013 | London wedding, Register Office, Westminster Register Office
I want to share the Westminster Register Office wedding of Karen, Matt and their two sons at Old Marylebone Town Hall. They travelled from Norfolk to have their ceremony and celebrate with afternoon tea and all looked fabulous. The guys had their best cufflinks on and they brought a toy owl called George with them from Karen’s work, which travels to different occasions – apparently this was George’s first wedding.
While Karen was with the registrars, the small guys figured out where they were going to sit and checked they had the rings. They were so excited to be handing over the rings and seeing their mother in such a beautiful dress.
There was a first with Karen and Matt’s wedding – a high five – first with each other and then with the boys.
While Karen, Matth and their witnesses were signing the register the boys had an important job to do – last-minute checks on a reading of The Owl and the Pussycat.
Don’t you love youthful enthusiasm!
The family then headed off for afternoon tea to celebrate.
Karen and Matt let me know when they had seen their photographs: “They’re stunning and really capture the fun and informality. The boys look gorgeous and again you have captured their characters”. It was a huge pleasure to be part of such a happy day.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 | Islington Town Hall, London wedding, Wedding
I often receive inquiries about small or intimate weddings and love photographing them. Tanya and Zhewei had an Islington Register Office wedding before hopping into a limousine that took us to St Pancras for a family lunch. They had cleverly planned going to Paris on the Eurostar, so had only to cross a platform to be on their way.
While Zhewei waited in the council chamber, Tanya saw the registrars before arriving on her mother’s arm. It seemed that Zhewei and his father like to pace the floor while his mother appears a little calmer.
Zhewei’s talented brother played the entire Mendelssohn’s Wedding March while the signing of the register took place, which is quite a bit longer than the excerpt I’ve heard previously. He also played the more whimsical waltz from Amelie.
Here is one proud mother.
Tanya and Zhewei had asked for portraits that showed off the architecture of Islington Town Hall. It has some stunning original features and its steps are the centrepiece of the building.
Do we need any more reasons to celebrate?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 | London wedding, Wedding
Possibly my dream venue combination – London’s South Bank Centre and the Hayward Gallery – were where Helen and Mattie celebrated their wedding a couple of weeks ago. Â I’ve been going regularly to both for the past 20 years and am strangely fond of the grey concrete buildings that have undergone a facelift in the last few years. Helen and Mattie held their ceremony in the South Bank Centre’s St Paul’s Roof Pavilion, then took their guests to the Hayward Gallery for a private view of Ernesto Neto’s exhibition The Edges of the World before returning to the roof pavilion for dancing and more partying.
Helen was walked into their wedding ceremony by her brother.
Then there were drinks on the outdoor deck.
We started Helen and Mattie’s portrait session by waiting for the lift – and making the most of this red counterweight that floats onto the St Paul’s pavilion floor when the lift is on a particular floor (no idea which one).
Wooden panels, the Thames riverside and sunlit balcony also came into play.
Time for the Hayward – with some guests stopping for a break along the way. I especially loved some of the contrasting footwear.
The wonderful thing about the Neto exhibition was its emphasis on fun and interaction – including a funky pool on the Hayward’s roof. Guests had been invited to bring their swimming costumes and this is most definitely the first time I’ve ever photographed a bride and groom in a bikini and trunks – and the first (& hopefully last) time I’ve had water splashing towards me and the camera.
One of Helen & Mattie’s guests was a keen photographer – so I took a couple of portraits of him – you can decide which is his best side.
Helen and her family really got into the swing of the exhibition.
Helen and her new mother in law – how sweet are they!
Helen, Mattie and I LOVE the Hayward’s concrete stairs, although they don’t usually have such stunning light fittings as this.
Outside, the light was fading and it was time to return to the South Bank Centre for partying … and a few more portraits on the way.
Guests who had gone ahead await Helen and Mattie.
Helen does a quick check that Mattie is choosing something suitable … Mattie is thinking perhaps Duran Duran. 
And the party is properly underway.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 | London wedding, Wedding, Westminster Register Office
Greenwich couple Raelene & Kevin set up their wedding itinerary yesterday so that I could capture the moment when Kevin set eyes on Raelene. I had known they were arriving at Marylebone Town Hall together on a traditional red double-decker bus with Kevin on the top deck and Raelene on the bottom. Relatives shielded Raelene from Kevin with a pashmina until he had made his way to the top of the town hall steps and was looking away. Raelene could then walk up behind him, ready for him to turn around.
Raelene on her way to meet the registrars.
Raelene and her father Alex enter the ceremony.
Raelene and Kevin had composed their own vows to each other – and could not have looked happier when they were pronounced man and wife.
Raelene’s two bridesmaids Michelle and Pam had handed out cones of confetti to the guests, who had arranged themselves very neatly down the steps of Marylebone Town Hall to wish Raelene and Kevin well.
Kevin’s first duty as husband was to hold a compact mirror for Raelene to touch up her lipstick. He was a huge success … and wonderfully, the compact matched Raelene’s Jenny Packham dress as if it was made to order.
We stopped off by Lambeth Bridge to get some photographs of the bridal party with the Houses of Parliament in the background – a very London scene. This is one of my faves and includes the distinctive Thames lights with fish details that Raelene very much wanted included.
The bus then took us all to The Guildford, a Greenwich brasserie close to Raelene and Kevin’s (and my) home. After canapes and Pimms in the sunshine, I took Raelene in the street just outside The Guildford for some portraits. Kevin joined us for a few more before it was time for them to sit down for dinner.
