Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding Photographer from £350
A register office ceremony takes half an hour, not half a day, so I price it by the hour. Every frame edited, and your gallery online within 24 hours.
Chelsea Old Town Hall is the best-looking register office in London, and most couples who marry there already know it. I've photographed more than twenty weddings here.
The Grade II-listed front on the King's Road, the columns, and the steps every couple stops on for the confetti. It does more for a wedding photograph than a lot of venues charging thousands. Photographing it doesn't have to cost thousands either.
Affordable, not cheap
A full London wedding is twelve hours on site. A Chelsea register office wedding is an hour or two. The price reflects that, and nothing else.
I'm Barrie. I've photographed London weddings for twenty years, from Claridge's and the Mandarin Oriental to a great many register office ceremonies, including plenty at Chelsea. You get the same photographer and the same editing as a full-day wedding, just fewer hours. There's more of my work as a wedding photographer in London on the home page.
Every image is edited by me and delivered at full resolution within 24 hours. No proofs to buy, no albums to turn down, no per-image charges.
BarrieChelsea Old Town Hall wedding photography prices
Booked by the hour, which is what a register office wedding needs. Most couples here take two hours: the ceremony, the steps, and a walk down the King's Road afterwards.
The ceremony, the signing and confetti on the steps.
- For elopements and small ceremonies
- Arrivals and the ceremony
- Signing the register
- Confetti on the front steps
- A few portraits outside
The ceremony plus portraits around Chelsea.
- What most Chelsea couples book
- Everything in one hour
- Family and friends on the steps
- Portraits on the King's Road
- St Luke's or the Embankment
Arrival through to portraits and the start of your party.
- Room for a second location
- Everything in two hours
- Albert Bridge at its best
- Royal Albert Hall or Kensington
- Drinks or lunch afterwards
Planning a longer day? Full-day collections start from £1,350 on my London wedding photography prices page, and half day wedding photography covers the ceremony and a long lunch. Just the two of you? See elopement photography or micro weddings. Marrying in Marylebone instead? See Old Marylebone Town Hall, or all my London register office weddings.
Why couples choose Chelsea Old Town Hall
John McKean Brydon designed the building in the 1880s, and it's still doing the heavy lifting for wedding photographs: stone columns, tall windows, and a portico that turns an ordinary Tuesday into an occasion.
The steps are the reason half of London gets married here. Biodegradable confetti is allowed on the front steps, so the moment you walk out of those doors is the picture most couples end up framing. Tell your guests in advance, so someone is actually holding the confetti.
It houses the Kensington and Chelsea Register Office, so you'll also see it called Chelsea Register Office or Chelsea Registry Office. Same building, SW3 5EE.
Three rooms, three sizes
Rooms are booked through Kensington and Chelsea Register Office. For bigger guest lists, the Small Hall and Main Hall upstairs can be hired separately.
The Brydon Room
The largest and most requested. Neutral tones, mahogany and double doors, with tall windows that give good natural light for most of the day. It has a proper aisle, which is rarer in a register office than you'd think.
The Rossetti Room
The one couples fall for. Jade-green panelling, paintings in gilt frames and parquet floors. Small enough that I work quietly and close, which is where the honest pictures come from anyway.
The Harrington Room
Made for elopements. Clean lines, a fern-green palette and a sculptural glass light. Availability is more limited than the other rooms, so ask early if this is the one you want.
How I photograph a Chelsea wedding
Documentary. I don't direct the ceremony, arrange guests or stop anything to fix the light. In a room holding twelve people, a photographer who takes charge becomes the event, so I stay out of it and watch.
A ceremony here is quick: the registrar, the vows, the rings, the signing, and out onto the steps. Twenty to thirty minutes, and none of it can be repeated. I photograph all of it rather than asking you to do anything twice.
The moments that end up mattering are rarely the planned ones. A mother's face during the vows, a friend laughing at the back, the two of you in the doorway before you've noticed anyone watching.
Where we go for portraits
Step out of the Town Hall and you're on the King's Road, with the river ten minutes south.
St Luke's Church and Gardens
Gothic stonework and mature trees, and the nearest proper greenery to the Town Hall. Lovely light through the arches in the late afternoon.
Royal Albert Hall and Kensington
A taxi ride away. Not necessary by any means, but if you want more of the city in your gallery, it's very doable.
The river and Westminster
Albert Bridge and the Embankment are a short walk south and best at dusk. Westminster is a taxi away if you've booked longer.
Right outsideThe King's Road, with shopfronts, taxis and the odd red bus · Chelsea Library next door, which shares the Town Hall's facade and is useful when the steps are busy with the next wedding
What couples say
A few words from couples I've photographed in London and beyond.
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…
Chelsea Old Town Hall questions
How many weddings have you photographed at Chelsea Old Town Hall?
More than 20, from eight-guest ceremonies in the Harrington Room to a full Brydon Room with confetti on the steps. Coverage starts from £350 for the ceremony hour, and your gallery is online within 24 hours. Two of those weddings are on the blog: Alexander and Laura and Liliya and Charles.
How much does a Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding photographer cost?
One hour is £350, two hours £550 and three hours £750. Every booking includes all images edited, an online gallery within 24 hours, high-resolution downloads and a shareable link. Most couples book two hours.
Is it cheap or budget wedding photography?
I wouldn't call it cheap, but it's good value. It starts at £350 because a register office ceremony takes an hour rather than a full day, not because anything has been taken out. It's the same photographer and editing as a full-day London wedding, priced for the hours you need.
Which ceremony rooms are there?
Three main rooms. The Brydon Room holds up to 38 guests, the Rossetti Room 12, and the Harrington Room 8. Larger ceremonies can be held in the Small Hall or Main Hall. Rooms are booked through Kensington and Chelsea Register Office.
Is confetti allowed?
Yes. Biodegradable confetti is allowed on the front steps, which is where most couples have their confetti photograph taken.
Is Chelsea Old Town Hall the same as Chelsea Register Office?
Yes. Chelsea Old Town Hall on the King's Road houses the Kensington and Chelsea Register Office. It's also called Chelsea Register Office or Chelsea Registry Office. All the same Grade II-listed building at SW3 5EE.
Where are the best places for photos nearby?
The front steps for confetti, then St Luke's Church and Gardens five minutes away, the King's Road directly outside, Chelsea Library next door, and Albert Bridge and the Embankment a short walk south.
How far ahead should I book?
For a Saturday, 10 to 14 months is sensible, as Chelsea is one of the busiest register offices in London. Weekday ceremonies are often available at much shorter notice.
Can you photograph an elopement?
Yes. The Harrington Room holds eight and the Rossetti twelve, so ceremonies are often just the couple, two witnesses and close family. There's no minimum guest count, and one hour is usually plenty.
Book your Chelsea Old Town Hall photographer
Eight of you in the Harrington Room or a full Brydon Room with confetti on the steps. If your date is free, you can book online in a couple of minutes.
Questions first? Get in touch
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…