Melanie and Brad’s wedding at Chelsea Old Town Hall and Harrild and Sons, April 2025
Some weddings travel well. Melanie and Brad's day had an energy that could only really happen in London - a bright April morning at Chelsea Old Town Hall, a red bus transfer across the city, portraits in the streets around St Paul's, and a reception that somehow managed to combine Argentine tango, an impromptu serenade and enough warmth and noise to rattle the windows. Melanie is from Argentina, Brad British, and the collision of those two worlds - her family and friends having made the journey across the Atlantic - gave the whole day a genuine sense of occasion and international flair that was a joy to be part of.
The bond between Melanie and her mother was one of the most quietly affecting things I witnessed all year - close in the way that only certain mothers and daughters are, and all the more moving for being so completely unself-conscious about it.
The speeches were raucous and brilliant. And after the first dance, an Argentine tango couple took to the floor to set the tone for the evening - before one guest decided, entirely of their own accord, to commandeer the microphone and serenade the couple as a finale. As endings go, it was hard to beat.
A Note on St Paul's Cathedral
No London wedding photography section would be complete without an honest word about St Paul's. Melanie and Brad were keen to take some portraits on the famous steps - and who could blame them. We were aware that the Cathedral operates a fairly firm policy: the steps are reserved for royalty and those married at St Paul's itself. We were, technically speaking, neither.
Reader, we went anyway.
We got some genuinely beautiful images in front of the famous doors and among the columns at the top of the steps before the Cathedral's monitors descended on us with considerable enthusiasm and politely but firmly sent us on our way. It was funny in the moment, entirely worth it, and a reminder that in photography - as in life - it is occasionally better to ask forgiveness than permission. If you're considering the same gamble on your own London wedding day, consider yourself both warned and quietly encouraged.
Situated on Farringdon Road in the heart of the City, Harrild and Sons is a Grade II listed former printing press factory whose original exposed brickwork and industrial details have been transformed into one of London's most characterful wedding reception spaces. Skylights and large windows bring in generous natural light upstairs, while downstairs the cellar cocktail bar offers a moodier, more intimate space - perfect for after-dinner drinks and a proper dancefloor later in the evening. It has a distinct London energy that suits couples who want their reception to feel like a genuine celebration rather than a formal occasion - and on the day Melanie and Brad filled it, that energy was well and truly matched.
A London wedding across two of the city's most iconic settings, with a side order of cathedral steps adventure - if you're planning a city wedding and want to see what documentary photography looks like when London itself becomes part of the story, this gallery is a good place to start. And if you'd like to talk about your own day, wherever it's taking place, do get in touch.
