Greenwich is the part of London that doesn’t feel like London. It’s a riverside town with a royal park behind it, a row of Wren’s buildings along the water, and a view back up the Thames to Canary Wharf and the City. For a wedding it gives you something rare this close to the centre: grand architecture and a lot of green, all within a few minutes’ walk.
This page is the practical version. The venues, where the portraits are, and what it costs.
From Victoria and Brian’s wedding at the Laban building on Deptford Creek, a few minutes from Greenwich. About the most colourful venue in south-east London.
The venues
The Old Royal Naval College. Wren’s baroque buildings on the river. The Painted Hall is the showpiece, and the college also has the Admiral’s House for smaller weddings and the colonnades for drinks outside. Couples also get the grounds for photographs, which is most of the reason to be here.
The Queen’s House. Finished in 1635 for Queen Henrietta Maria, and much older than anything around it. It takes up to 120 guests for a ceremony or a full day. Being that old, it comes with rules, no stilettos and no open flames among them, so read the small print early.
Cutty Sark. You can get married underneath the ship. The Dry Berth takes up to 300 for a ceremony and 250 for dinner, with the copper hull above you. It’s one of the most unusual rooms in London to photograph, and it’s licensed.
The National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory are both available too, and the Observatory sits at the top of the park with the best view in Greenwich.
Where the portraits are
- The riverside by the Naval College. Stone, symmetry and the Thames. Better early or late, when the light comes across the water.
- Greenwich Park. Nearly two hundred acres, with old trees and long avenues. Useful when the light is harsh.
- The hill by the Observatory. The view over the Queen’s House, the Naval College and the river to Canary Wharf. It’s a climb in a wedding dress, so it needs a few minutes in the timeline.
- The streets around the market. Small, busy, and very different from the grand buildings a street away.
How I photograph a Greenwich wedding
Quietly, for most of the day. I cover it as it happens and stay out of the way. Then, at a time that suits you, I take you away for fifteen or twenty minutes for the portraits. Those are the editorial, slightly dramatic pictures couples tend to book me for, and in Greenwich you have the river, the colonnades and the park to choose from, all within a short walk. You’re back with your guests before anyone notices you’d gone.
If your guests are coming from central London, the river is worth thinking about. The Naval College can arrange arrival by boat, and it makes a very good first picture of the day.
This one and the garden picture above are from other London weddings, to give you a feel for the style.
What it costs
The same as anywhere else in London.
- £1,350 for five hours
- £1,800 for eight hours, which covers getting ready through to the first dance
- £2,200 for eleven hours
Every photograph is edited, the gallery is ready within 24 hours for a smaller wedding or within a week for a full day, and a second photographer (£1,250) or an album can be added if you want them. The full breakdown is on the wedding photography prices page. Greenwich is also a very good place for a pre-wedding shoot, especially early in the morning when the park is empty.
Questions couples ask
Which Greenwich venues are licensed for weddings?
The Queen’s House and Cutty Sark both host ceremonies, and the Old Royal Naval College has several spaces for weddings, including the Painted Hall. Check the current details with each venue, as rooms and numbers change.
Where are the best places for photos in Greenwich?
The riverside by the Naval College, Greenwich Park, and the hill by the Royal Observatory for the view over the river. All are within a short walk of the main venues.
How much does a Greenwich wedding photographer cost?
My prices are the same across London: £1,350 for five hours, £1,800 for eight and £2,200 for eleven.
Tell me your date and your venue and I’ll let you know straight away whether I’m free. Get in touch here.
Barrie
