Old Marylebone Town Hall Wedding Photographer – Modern Editorial in Marylebone
Elegant, modern wedding photography for Old Marylebone Town Hall ceremonies and city celebrations nearby — calm portraits on the steps, unobtrusive coverage of the moments in between, and refined images that feel timeless rather than traditional. Enquire about your Old Marylebone Town Hall date.
Most of my Old Marylebone Town Hall couples pair the ceremony and confetti on the steps with a favourite Marylebone restaurant or private dining room – a relaxed town hall-and-restaurant flow that still feels beautifully considered
“Effortless, elegant, and so calm! We forgot the cameras were there. The portraits feel editorial, the moments feel real!”
Why Old Marylebone Town Hall
Old Marylebone Town Hall is one of London’s most loved places to marry: a Grade II listed landmark on Marylebone Road, with grand Portland-stone columns, sweeping steps and quietly glamorous ceremony rooms upstairs. Restored and reopened in 2018 after an extensive refurbishment, it manages to feel both historic and fresh — a town hall that photographs more like a small city palace than an office.
It’s perfect for couples who love the idea of a civil ceremony that still feels special: perhaps a morning Westminster Room celebration followed by a long lunch, or a smaller weekday ceremony in one of the intimate rooms before dinner nearby. Many of my couples pair Old Marylebone Town Hall with Marylebone High Street, a favourite restaurant, or a short wander to Regent’s Park for portraits, keeping the day relaxed but beautifully considered.
My approach here is modern and editorial but always calm. I pay attention to light, architecture and composition — using the steps, columns and ceremony rooms as a quiet frame for you and your guests — while keeping the experience gentle and efficient. You won’t be held on the steps for an hour; we’ll plan a short, focused portrait window, organise the essential group photographs smoothly, and then let you get on with celebrating.
Old Marylebone Town Hall also suits the classic town hall-and-restaurant or private dining day beautifully, with coverage shaped around your ceremony, confetti on the steps and a relaxed evening in the city.
Spaces / Rooms guide
Old Marylebone Town Hall has seven ceremony rooms, each named after an area of London. Capacities below are a general guide only — always check current details with Westminster Registrars when you book.
Westminster Room
The Westminster Room is the largest and grandest space in the Town Hall, with rich wood panelling, an ornate plasterwork ceiling and warm, flattering light. It suits ceremonies with up to around 100 guests and has a classic, almost old-club feel: perfect for black-tie registries or celebrations where you want the room to feel impressive without being intimidating. From a photographic perspective, the combination of panelled walls and chandelier light creates a golden, atmospheric backdrop for processional images, vows and joyful recessional moments.
Knightsbridge Room
Knightsbridge is designed for mid-size ceremonies, often around 20–30 seated guests. The mood is softer than Westminster: pale, elegant tones, velvet chairs and contemporary circular chandeliers rather than heavy wood. It’s a room that flatters modern, minimal outfits and feels quietly luxurious rather than formal. For photography, it offers a gentle, even light and a clean backdrop that lets expressions, gestures and small details stand out.
Pimlico Room
Pimlico is ideal for smaller ceremonies — usually up to around 20 guests — with a relaxed yet polished feel. Seating is in deep blue velvet chairs, with off-white walls that keep the room bright and airy. It’s a lovely choice if you prefer the intimacy of a town hall with just close family and friends, while still wanting the ceremony to feel curated and “wedding” rather than purely administrative. The light here lends itself to warm, flattering portraits during and just after the ceremony.
Mayfair Room
The Mayfair Room is a sister space to Knightsbridge, with a similar capacity and refined palette. Think grey and deeper neutral tones, with subtle variation in fabrics and detailing rather than bold decor. It’s well suited to couples who want the ceremony to feel stylish and grown-up but not imposing, and it works beautifully for both monochrome and colourful floral styling. In images, Mayfair reads as contemporary and composed, with enough character to feel special.
Marylebone, Soho and Paddington Rooms
The Marylebone, Soho and Paddington rooms are designed for the most intimate celebrations, from “you plus a handful of guests” to slightly larger but still cosy gatherings. Marylebone and Paddington tend towards warm, traditional panelling and chandelier light, which creates a golden, flattering glow for close-up ceremony photographs; Soho feels more modern, with paler walls and a slightly brighter, contemporary mood. These spaces are especially suited to weekday ceremonies, micro-weddings and couples who want their vows to feel private, personal and quietly stylish.
Share your date, chosen room and outline — I’ll suggest timings, coverage and any helpful enhancements, with everything clearly itemised
Old Marylebone Town Hall — at a glance
Westminster Room — couple + 100 seated guests (largest room)
Knightsbridge Room — couple + 30 seated guests
Mayfair Room — couple + 30 seated guests
Pimlico Room — couple + 20 seated guests
Soho Room — couple + 13 seated guests
Marylebone Room — couple + 12 seated guests
Paddington Room — couple + 8 guests.
Photographer/videographer do not count towards the room capacity; musicians count in all rooms except Westminster.
“You Plus Two” ceremonies are assigned a room on the day; it isn’t possible to request a specific room.
Flow ideas: confetti on the steps → champagne on Marylebone High Street; nearby gardens/streets for relaxed portraits.
Logistics & Photo Flow
On the day, I like to keep things as simple and calm as possible. We’ll agree in advance what you’d like covered before the ceremony — perhaps a few arrival frames as you step out of the taxi, a quiet portrait or two outside before guests arrive, and some moments in the waiting area as you take it all in. If you’re both arriving separately, I’ll build a small window into the plan to document each of you without turning it into a production.
After the ceremony, a town hall usher will usually gather your guests and line them up on the steps for confetti. That gives us a very short window inside – often just a few minutes – so we’ll keep any portraits indoors calm and efficient, then take most congratulations and group photos outside on the steps where everyone can join in.
Once your guests are ready, you’ll be brought downstairs for the classic confetti moment. We let that unfold naturally: you walk out together, everyone cheers, throws confetti and sees you properly for the first time as a married couple. Straight after confetti is usually the best time for hugs, quick congratulations and then a handful of family and group photographs, either on the steps, under the portico or in another agreed spot depending on weather and accessibility. Once the essential family portraits are complete, we can step aside for a short portrait window for just the two of you — either around the building, onto Marylebone High Street, or into a nearby green space if your timeline allows. After that, you’re free to move on to your reception without feeling like the photography has taken over.
Portrait spots nearby
The Portland-stone steps and columns
The steps and columns at the front of Old Marylebone Town Hall are iconic for a reason: they give you height, structure and a clear architectural frame around your guests and confetti. In softer light, they’re perfect for a handful of editorial-style portraits; in brighter weather, we’ll work in open shade near the doorway so you’re not squinting into the sun.
The colonnade and side entrances
Just off the main steps, the colonnade and side entrances offer quieter corners for portraits — stone pillars, doorways and glimpses of the street. These spaces are ideal when the front steps are busy, or when you’d like a few calmer frames away from the main entrance without going far.
Marylebone High Street and cafés
If you’re heading to a local restaurant or private dining room, we can use the walk as an opportunity for photographs: crossing the road, pausing by a favourite shopfront, or stealing a moment outside your reception venue before you go in. These frames tend to feel very “you in London”, with less posing and more natural interaction.
Marylebone side streets and mews
Behind and around the Town Hall you’ll find residential streets, mews and side roads that feel distinctly Marylebone: townhouses, railings, soft brick and a quieter pace than the main road. A five to ten-minute loop is often enough for a set of relaxed portraits that feel editorial and urban without looking like tourist snapshots.
Regent’s Park and nearby greenery
Regent’s Park is just across Marylebone Road and works beautifully if you’re happy to allow a little extra time and perhaps a short taxi hop, especially for spring blossom, soft summer light or autumn colour. It’s ideal if you’d like a second portrait chapter that feels softer and greener to sit alongside the architectural images at the Town Hall.
London wedding photography collections on the Pricing page
Old Marylebone Town Hall gallery
FAQs
-
A London town hall + restaurant day usually flows in three chapters: a focused ceremony at the town hall, confetti and portraits on the steps or nearby streets, then an unhurried lunch or dinner at a favourite restaurant or private dining room. Photography is shaped around that rhythm: a few frames as you arrive, organised but relaxed confetti and group photographs, then a short portrait window before you rejoin your guests. From there I work quietly through drinks, toasts and the mood of the room, so you remember how it felt as well as how it looked.
-
For a simple ceremony with confetti and a few group photographs, 20–30 minutes after the ceremony usually works well. If you’d like a short portrait wander around Marylebone or into Regent’s Park, I recommend planning an additional 20–40 minutes, either straight after the ceremony or between your ceremony and reception. We’ll shape this around your exact booking time and what else you have planned.
-
Most couples choose to use the steps or the area just outside the main entrance for group photographs, as this gives a clear view of everyone and that unmistakable Town Hall backdrop. In busier time slots or in bad weather, we may use the covered portico, a quieter side entrance or a nearby spot agreed with staff on the day. We’ll decide a plan in advance so you don’t have to think about it once the ceremony is over.
-
For many town hall weddings, a single photographer is enough, especially if you’re having a shorter ceremony with a modest guest list. A second photographer can be helpful if you’re both getting ready in different locations, if you have a larger Westminster Room ceremony, or if your reception is in a separate venue and you’d like more angles covered. I’ll always be honest about whether an additional photographer will genuinely add value for your plans.
-
Rain is very workable at Old Marylebone Town Hall. We can use the covered portico and doorway for confetti, and the colonnade or interior spaces for a handful of portraits, keeping you sheltered while still making the most of the architecture. I also recommend a couple of clear or black umbrellas; they photograph elegantly and let us continue outdoors if you’re happy to. We’ll agree a rain-friendly version of the portrait plan so nothing feels improvised in the moment.
-
Shorter slots are common at Old Marylebone Town Hall, especially on popular days. We’ll shape a plan that uses those minutes well — a handful of calm frames before or just after the ceremony, organised confetti and efficient group photographs, and a short portrait window either around the building or en route to your restaurant. The aim is for the photography to feel smooth and considered, not rushed.
-
Old Marylebone Town Hall is very popular, with peak dates and rooms often booking out many months in advance. For spring, early autumn and late-December ceremonies, most of my couples get in touch 9–18 months ahead; for weekday or off-peak dates, there is sometimes availability closer to the time. Even if your ceremony is soon, it’s always worth asking — I keep a small number of dates flexible for intimate city weddings.
Planning Old Marylebone Town Hall? Let’s create something timeless
Share your date, chosen room and outline — I’ll suggest timings, coverage and any helpful enhancements, with everything clearly itemised. I reply personally, usually within one working day, and I’m happy to liaise with your planner from the start.