Mayfair Wedding Photographer London – Jen & James
So, usually weddings in March are full of the early signs of Spring. Crisp, sunny days and a hint of warmth but this London wedding was a little different. Unless you’ve been under a rock recently, the Beast from the East (as it has been not so affectionately titled) has caused quite a stir in merry old England, a place where such extreme weather and temperature changes aren’t so common. Totally undeterred and actually pretty excited, we set off to the Big Smoke. We soon were in London for the not-so Springlike wedding of the wonderful Jen and James at the iconic Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair.
We had spoken with our bride and groom-to-be ahead of the wedding day over Facetime and phone calls, even through these means we could feel their warm personalities and especially their excitement for the wedding and to marry each other. We couldn’t wait to begin!
Mayfair Wedding Photographer
We arrived at Claridge’s, where a light dusting of snow had begun to fall. It was our first time working alongside the extremely lovely Catherine Spencer, one of the events executives at Claridges, and after a quick meeting with her and checking our coats, we headed up to the penthouse. Jen & James were to be married in the Brook Suite, a pastel pink heaven with a roof top balcony and views across London. The ceremony room had been beautifully dressed by the exceptional team at McQueens in an understated and elegant style. David Austin roses in mixed glassware and plenty of candles completed the look and added to the beautiful, intimate atmosphere.
After we’d captured the magic of the Brook Suite, Catherine escorted us down from the penthouse to go and meet our lovely bride, Jen. Catherine delivered a little gift to the bride-to-be from James and left us with Jen to photograph the dress, shoes and other little details. Oh, and they weren’t just any shoes. The ultimate wedding shoes by the one and only Manolo Blahnik, recognised instantly by anyone who saw Carrie Bradshaw get married! Soon, make-up artist and lovely human being, Kate Hughes arrived. We’d worked with Kate before at another wedding a few years ago and it was great to catch up and work alongside her again. Tobiah headed up to the penthouse to capture our groom getting ready, it’s not all completely about the bride and we love to capture the morning from both aspects. This left our little party of three, Laura, Kate and Jen together ahead of the ceremony.
A Pre-Ceremony Guinness!
After the dashing James was ready, He and Tobiah walked across to the Running Horse to watch the rugby. As it was St. Patrick’s Day, naturally a few Guiness’ were ordered, one for James’ soon-to-be Father-In-Law too who had never had one before. The jury’s still out on whether he was a fan or not! With the England vs Ireland match still underway, the beautiful Jen was being zipped into her stunning Sareh Nouri wedding dress by Kate. Time had just melted away. A testament to how much fun we were having, especially with the yak’s milk plot (you had to be there) and it was time to go get married!
James had returned from the Running Horse in plenty of time and was greeting the guests up in the Brook Suite. With everyone seated, Jen made her way up the staircase to marry her James.
Penthouse Wedding Ceremony in London
‘Kiss Me’ played as Jen walked up the aisle and the ceremony began. The emotion and intimacy of this ceremony was electric and we felt extra privileged to be a part of a wedding where only immediate family attended to see these two wonderful people make their vows. Julian’s reading, promises made and everything sealed with a kiss completed the wedding ceremony. Champagne and soft drinks for the little ladies were enjoyed as the family congratulated our newlyweds. Despite the freezing temperatures, everyone braved the falling snow for some photographs on the balcony over looking the London rooftops. Jen and James didn’t seem to mind the weather too much at all! We left the remainder of the guests up in the Brook Suite and headed down onto the streets of Mayfair.
The symmetry and decadence of the Claridge’s exterior was something we were certainly keen to feature in the photographs. This was a little tricky with taxis and passers by but never impossible. One of our favourite photographs from this Claridge’s wedding was with Jen & James, perfectly central in front of the revolving doors with the dusk setting in and a light snowfall – just perfect!
Wedding Photography in Mayfair
We went for a little wander close by before going back into the warmth of the hotel for a few portraits in the lobby. The iconic black and white floors and opulence of this part of the hotel are a photographer’s dream. We had had a clear plan in mind for where and how we wanted to use these areas so we could be as efficient as possible. Again, we were lucky to have a break in traffic through the lobby and some very lovely and obliging hotel guests! We created some show-stopping portraits with Jen & James featuring the best parts of Claridge’s.
It was time for us to say our goodbyes and take to the North! An intimate dinner for our couple and their families was set and we left them to enjoy true 5-star service with those they love the most. A huge thank you to Jen & James for choosing us to photograph their Claridge’s wedding. We enjoyed spending the day with you and are so grateful! Please enjoy some of our highlights from this Claridge’s wedding below.
If you are searching for a wedding photographer in London please do get in touch.
Wedding Dress: Sareh Nouri
Bride’s Shoes: Manolo Blahnik
Groom’s Suit: Zegna
Bridal Hair & Make-Up: Kate Hughes
Venue: Claridge’s
Floristry: McQueens
If you are looking for a Mayfair wedding photographer, please do get in touch.
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