Documentary Wedding Photography Gallery from ceremonies at Old Marylebone Town Hall
- Anya
- Jan 3
- 2 min read
Old Marylebone Town Hall is such an iconic place, full of history and right in the heart of London, but what draws me to it most is how open it feels. It welcomes all kinds of people and stories, and all kinds of ceremonies, from quiet registrations with just witnesses, to intimate city weddings with close family and friends, to large celebrations. The architecture and design here are really thoughtful rather than dramatic, I find that the background and elements never compete with the people in the photos, but create space for them and support their characters, presence and emotions.
What follows is a documentary wedding photography gallery of my experience working at Old Marylebone Town Hall (a mix of digital & 35mm film), with an emphasis on feeling over perfection. Each of these days was flowing naturally, with me just observing and noticing the moments that hold meaning.
Part 1: Arriving at the venue
You can choose to arrive together or separately - I document those moments, as well as you meeting your guests outside before going in.
Part 2: The Ceremony
The moments right before the ceremony you could spend together, with you parent, or alone - before entering the ceremony room. I love all the emotions around it, time really slows down. The venue team usually arranges one of the spare rooms to "hide" in - likely, where you will have your interviews as well. The rooms pictured here are the Westminster room, the Pimlico room and the Paddington room.
Part 3: Portraits inside the town hall & Confetti
These portraits are taken while heading out for the confetti moment on the staircase and time with your people immediately after. The team at this venue is one of the most organised I've ever worked with, and even if it's super busy on the day, they make sure to give us at least 5 minutes to walk through the corridors and the stairs. If it's a weekday, usually there is way more time to have these portraits taken than on weekends. After the confetti is the best time to get in all the congratulations and the hugs, and then do a few group shots on the side staircase - there is plenty of room.
Part 5: Couple portraits outside of the town hall and in the area
After taking the portraits with the iconic columns and lions of the town hall, I love to go through the nearby streets, to the St Mary's church square, and down to Bryanston square. I suggest carving out at least 20-30 minutes for this portion of the day - not just for the photos, but for you to take a breather, ground yourselves and spend some time alone before continuing with the day.
I hope this gallery gave you some inspiration and ideas! If you are getting married at the Old Marylebone Town Hall and love the documentary photography style, I'd love to hear from you!
