Though I’m a Shropshire-based wedding photographer, I often find myself in London, capturing celebrations that are full of energy and charm. So when Sophie and Andy were looking for a photographer to capture their two wedding celebrations – a Hackney Town Hall ceremony and London pub wedding reception at The Brownswood, followed by a party in Shrewsbury a couple of weeks later – they knew I was their gal!
I love photographing London pub weddings, they’re effortlessly relaxed and always full of character. Whether it’s for a more intimate crowd like Sophie and Andy’s part one was, or whether it’s for a wedding with a bigger guest list, they’re the perfect way to celebrate in city style.
Hackney Town Hall ceremony
Sophie and Andy chose a Hackney Town Hall ceremony thanks to the role the area played in their relationship. Though they both went to school together in Shrewsbury, their love story properly kicked off in Hackney, where they re-met years later when they were both living there.
The Lanchester Suite, with its dark blue walls, mahogany wood and golden accents, perfectly matched their jewel-toned theme for their London wedding. And after the ceremony we of course had to take photos on the iconic Hackney Town Hall steps, with a confetti throw for good measure!
Did you know you can also have your whole wedding day at Hackney Town Hall? Check out J and J’s wedding here, who did exactly that.
Clissold Park portraits session
After the confetti, Sophie and Andy’s hopped in a taxi and we made a quick stop at Clissold Park, a gorgeous park a stone’s throw from the Brownswood. As it was March we had the pleasure of some early blossom on the trees, which created a beautiful backdrop!
This little pause between ceremony and reception is a great moment for you both to take a quiet moment together during a London wedding day – before heading back to the celebrations.
London Pub Wedding Reception at The Brownswood
Then we walked the short distance to their London pub wedding reception for the afternoon at The Brownswood in Stoke Newington.
Top tip, if you ever want to have a serious main character moment: walk down the street in your wedding dress with a bouquet! We stopped for a few portrait photos outside the pub’s corner facade with its marquee lettering, before heading in to see Sophie and Andy’s adoring fans – by which I of course mean their friends, family and loved ones.
The function room itself has high ceilings, exposed floorboards, and long bay windows making it beautifully light and airy, a perfect mix of London charm and natural light.
As the The Brownswood’s room is so characterful, the decor needed was minimal; for example, Andy and Sophie used the room’s brick fireplace as the backdrop to their top table. They added some balloons to the tables, confetti to the floor and a light box to the card and cake station.
Yet another benefit of a London pub wedding is delicious food and drink, of course. Depending on the venue, you’ve able to enjoy all sorts of particular and specific drinks, from local craft beers to specialist wines, as well as their delicious home cooked food.
And just because you’re having a laidback intimate celebration, it doesn’t mean you can’t do any of the symbolic elements of a wedding day. If you want them in, you should do them! For example, Sophie and Andy had speeches and a cake cutting, with just a single tiered cake for their 20 or so guests; and it was still lovely and meaningful.
Intimate London Wedding Photography
Photographing Sophie and Andy’s Hackney Town Hall ceremony and London pub wedding was such a joy. A couple of weeks later I joined them again for their Shrewsbury celebration, which made it even more special to document their celebrations from city to countryside.
If you’re looking for someone to photograph your intimate London wedding day in a natural, unobtrusive way – then I’d love to chat. You can get in touch here to tell me all about your plans.
Client Kind Words
“Oh Laura! I don’t even know what to say! We’ve been in floods of happy tears, we’ve been laughing, we’ve been on the edge of our seats waiting for the next pics! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!! We are totally in love with every single pic! You’ve captured it all so brilliantly and we couldn’t have asked for anything more! We’re so grateful to you and counting our lucky stars we found you!”
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