Last year I had the amazing
opportunity to do the central London wedding photography of a lovely couple
Rachel and Dario. And what a location –
you can’t get more central than that for a wedding photography in Central
London. The wedding reception took place in the Carlton Club which is just
round the corner from the Ritz Hotel and the wedding church ceremony took place
at All Saints Margaret street church near Oxford street.
The day started at the Carlton
Club where the bride was getting ready. I’m proud to say the Carlton Club (www.carltonclub.co.uk) is the latest London
wedding venue where I am one of the preferred wedding photographers thanks to
the lovely Selina who is the Private Dining & Events coordinator for the Carlton Club. Just like
the Lansdowne club, where I’m also one of the recommended wedding
photographers, the Carlton club is an old gentlemen’s club. Founded in 1832 in
the aftermath of the victory of the reforming party, The Carlton Club was
designed as a party political organisation, just as other clubs after the
Napoleonic War were founded to satisfy particular interests. Now the Carlton
Club is able to offer a full range of facilities including private function
rooms for lunches, dinners, events and certainly a wedding reception in Central
London. The Georgian building offers one of the most prestigious wedding venues
in the West End. The unique charm and elegance of the Carlton Club are second
to none combining style and traditions with modern facilities and resources.
From the Carlton Club my
assistant and I jumped in a black cab and headed to the church. Being a wedding
photographer in London is not easy in terms of parking so when I have such a
Central London wedding photography job I often just get a cab or share the
transport with the guests. I love to be a wedding photographer in Central
London as very often even the bride takes a black cab. And with All Saints
Margaret Street church being only 5 minutes drive from the Carlton club it
certainly made sense for Rachel and her father to do exactly that – arrive in a
traditional black cab which is a signature of London and makes a perfect
addition to a wedding photography in London.
All Saints Margaret
Street church (www.allsaintsmargaretstreet.org.uk)
is a unique church in the heart of London. Before I met Rachel and Dario I
didn’t even know about its existence despite the fact that the church which is
just a block away from Oxford circus. The church had an extra special meaning
to Rachel as her parents also had married there. The church is a true hidden gem and is very different from anything I’ve
seen in London. It’s not surprising as it is regarded as one of the foremost
examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture in Britain. It was
designed in 1850 by William Butterfield, an architect strongly associated with
Gothic revival church building and the Oxford Movement.
As the church is nestled
among other buildings in this densely built-up area of central London there was
hardly any light in the church. Luckily my newly bought camera allowed for the
use of a very high ISO and the interior of the church’s rich colours came out
magnificently. The colours look amazing when I visited the church with Rachel
and Dario but on the wedding day they were gorgeous and provided a real treat
for a Central London wedding photography. Following the wedding ceremony we had
a very short time to do some of the group formal wedding photography photos in
the church courtyard as the light was disappearing fast. Luckily the interior
of the Carlton club is a glamorous setting for wedding photography so I wasn’t
too worried that the creative wedding photography session of Rachel and Dario
at the church was indeed a short one. Once we finished with the more formal
family photography in one of the Carlton clubs rooms I spent some additional
time with Rachel and Dario to capture some more formal wedding photography
shots by the fire place as well as some more traditional wedding photography
images on the beautiful stairs of the club and we finished with some more
creative wedding photography photos where I shot Rachel and Dario on the stairs
from above.
The whole wedding
photography in the Carlton club including the family photos didn’t take more
than 45minutes and Rachel and Dario joined their guests just as people were
getting relaxed with a glass of champagne. While Rachel and Dario enjoyed time
with their guests I rushed to the dining room to photograph all the table set
ups and detail shots of the favours and table decorations. The wedding
reception room was truly glamorous with rich red walls which perfectly
complemented the colours of the church earlier in the day. I could already see
how perfect it will all look in the wedding album.
The beautiful dinner was
followed by more drinks and nibbles when more guests arrived at the Carlton
club to enjoy the first dance of the newly married couple. When I originally
met with Rachel and Dario we have discussed that after the first dance we might
venture to the Ritz Hotel and take some more romantic and creative wedding
photography but as Rachel and Dario were enjoying their party I decided not to
take them away from their guests. However when I saw that they are taking a
break from the dance floor I pulled them away for a couple of minutes to take a
few photos of a more creative wedding photography. The wedding photo of Rachel
and Dario in front of the red wall what is probably my favourite shot at this
Central London wedding photography in the Carlton Club. It is certainly a
perfect venue for any high end luxury wedding as it provides everything even
the most discerning bride and groom could wish for: a splendid location in St.
James’s in the heart of Central London, beautiful reception rooms and a
spectacular grand staircase to descend in true style. A wedding like Rachel and
Dario’s in this beautiful Central London wedding venue is a gem in the portfolio
of any wedding photographer in London.
For further information on London wedding photography and to view our portfolio of wedding photography in London, Europe, France, Monaco, Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Portugal, Zurich and Russia please visit www.NeliPrahova.com or contact Neli on nprahova@gmail.com.
