The Peninsula London wedding photographer
London's newest grand hotel, at Hyde Park Corner with the park on one side and Belgravia on the other. I know the building from an editorial shoot in its courtyard. Here is what I know about the spaces, the portraits nearby, and what to ask before you book.
The Peninsula London opened in September 2023 at Hyde Park Corner, looking across to Wellington Arch. Where Claridge's and The Ritz are all Edwardian flourish, this is clean-lined and modern, with one of the biggest ballrooms of any hotel in London.
I have not photographed a wedding here yet. I know the building from an editorial shoot I did in the entrance courtyard for RM Sotheby's, with a vintage Delahaye parked by the doors. So this page sticks to what I have seen of the spaces myself and what the hotel says about them. No guesswork.
A grand hotel without the fuss
Most central London hotels sit on one busy street. The Peninsula has an off-street courtyard at the entrance, planted like an English garden with ivy, wisteria and a pair of hornbeam trees. It is where the hotel's cars pull in, and where I did the RM Sotheby's shoot. For a wedding it is the natural place for arrivals, confetti and a first group photograph without stepping out onto Grosvenor Place.
Hyde Park Corner station on the Piccadilly line is a couple of minutes' walk, and the address is 1 Grosvenor Place, SW1X 7HJ. The hotel's cars and the doormen are very good at their jobs, which matters on a day when half your guests arrive by taxi.
Where the day happens
Four places to think about, from the biggest room to the smallest table.
St. George Ballroom
The main event space, and the reason most big weddings would look at this hotel. It is pillarless with coffered ceilings. No pillars matters more for photographs than it sounds: nothing blocks the view from the back of the room, so the wide frames of the whole room work from anywhere. Ask early what the lighting plan is and how much daylight the room gets, because in a ballroom that shapes the pictures more than anything else.
Wellington Room and Grand Terrace Suite
The smaller options. The Grand Terrace Suite has an outdoor terrace looking over Belgravia, which is where I would want to be for drinks on a summer evening. The Wellington Room suits a seated dinner for a smaller guest list.
Brooklands and Canton Blue
The rooftop restaurant and the Cantonese restaurant both have private dining rooms. Either suits a small wedding dinner, or somewhere to go after a register office ceremony.
The courtyard
Off the street, planted, and with the hotel's doors and stone lions behind you. Arrivals, confetti, the car, and the first picture of you both before you go inside. It is the part of the hotel I know best.
The courtyard, as I found it
From my editorial shoot for RM Sotheby's. These give you a feel for the building rather than a wedding day.
The car was a Delahaye 135S, photographed before it went to auction. There is more from the shoot here, and the weddings I have photographed at London's other grand hotels are on my venues page.
Three backdrops within a short walk
The location is the best thing about the hotel for portraits. Fifteen or twenty minutes is plenty. I would pick one of these rather than trying all three, and time it for the light.
- Wellington ArchDirectly across Hyde Park Corner. Big, pale stone and unmistakably London. Works at any time of day.
- Hyde ParkA couple of minutes away, with the Rose Garden close to the Hyde Park Corner end. At its best in early summer and in the late afternoon.
- BelgraviaWhite stucco terraces and quiet mews behind the hotel, for something calmer than the park. Belgravia works almost any time.
Four things worth asking the hotel
None of these are deal breakers. They just change how the day photographs.
Is your ceremony room licensed?
Ask the events team which rooms can hold a legal ceremony. If yours cannot, a register office ceremony first and the celebration here works well.
What is the lighting plan for the ballroom?
In a room this size the lighting design shapes the photographs. Find out early what is going in and whether any daylight reaches the room.
Can you use the courtyard and the terrace?
They are the best places for arrivals and drinks, so check they are part of your booking rather than assuming.
Where do cars and taxis drop off?
Hyde Park Corner is a busy junction. The courtyard makes arrivals far easier, so confirm your guests can use it.
Documentary for the day, directed for the portraits
I do not move guests around or stop things to fix the light. The one part I direct is the portraits, fifteen or twenty minutes at a time that suits you, and you are back with your guests before anyone notices you had gone.
In a ballroom this size that split works well. The room is big enough that a photographer can move without anyone noticing, and the editorial frames happen outside, where the architecture and the park do the work. There is more on how I photograph weddings in London on the home page, and on my luxury wedding photography page.
London wedding collections
My prices are the same at The Peninsula as anywhere else in London. For a big ballroom wedding it is worth looking at a second photographer too.
Ceremony, drinks and the portraits.
- For a smaller wedding or a shorter day
- Every image edited
- Private online gallery
- Full print rights
Preparations through to the first dance.
- The one most couples choose
- Every image edited
- Private online gallery within a week
- Full print rights
Preparations to late into the evening.
- For a long day in a big room
- Every image edited
- Private online gallery
- Full print rights
Everything is on my London wedding photography prices page. If you are comparing grand London hotels, I have also written guides to Claridge's and The Langham.
What couples say
From couples I have photographed at London's grand hotels and elsewhere.
We had Barrie come by and photograph our civil ceremony / wedding registration at Old Marylebone Town Hall. We wanted it shot in an elopement style as it was just one of the many pre- weddings events …
Barrie was fab! He knew Old Marylebone Town Hall really well (even the registrars knew him). He made us feel comfortable and took us to really cute places to get some special shots. Would highly recom…
Barrie was the photographer for our civil wedding ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall and he was great! Professional, friendly and creative throughout the day. The photos are amazing, stylish and ple…
Barrie is incredible! He is a total pro and the best in the business! We love our photos so much. We got married at trading boundaries and he was the perfect photographer. So special. Thank you Barrie
Barrie was such a great photographer for our wedding from start to finish. He was so friendly and make us feel so calm and relaxed on our big day. The photos he took were amazing and we loved all of t…
The Peninsula London wedding questions
Have you photographed a wedding at The Peninsula London?
Not yet. I have worked at the hotel on an editorial shoot for RM Sotheby's, so I know the entrance, the courtyard and the streets around it, and I photograph weddings at London's other grand hotels regularly.
Where is The Peninsula London?
At 1 Grosvenor Place, on Hyde Park Corner, opposite Wellington Arch, between Hyde Park and Belgravia. Hyde Park Corner station on the Piccadilly line is a couple of minutes' walk.
When did The Peninsula London open?
It opened in September 2023, which makes it one of the newest luxury hotels in London.
Which rooms can a wedding use?
The St. George Ballroom is the main event space, with the Wellington Room and the Grand Terrace Suite for smaller weddings. The restaurants, Brooklands and Canton Blue, have private dining rooms for a small wedding dinner. Ask the events team which rooms are licensed for a ceremony.
Where are the best places for wedding photos near The Peninsula London?
The entrance courtyard for arrivals, Wellington Arch directly across Hyde Park Corner, Hyde Park and its Rose Garden a couple of minutes away, and the terraces and mews of Belgravia behind the hotel.
How much does a wedding photographer cost at The Peninsula?
The same as anywhere in London. My collections start at £1,350 for five hours, £1,800 for eight and £2,200 for eleven. A second photographer is £1,250.
When will we get our photographs?
Within a week of the wedding, in a private online gallery.
Getting married at The Peninsula?
Send me your date and I will let you know straight away whether I am free. I read every enquiry myself.
Rather use the longer form? Head to the contact page
Barrie was the photographer for our late November wedding at the Old Marylebone Town Hall and we are absolutely delighted with the photographs. He was able to capture all the crucial moments before, d…