Persian Wedding Photographer London
The warmth, the glamour, three generations of family in one room, and a dance floor that doesn't empty until the early hours. Still some of my favourite days of the year.
A Persian wedding is a day trusted to you by two families, often two cultures, and guests who've flown in from Tehran, LA or Dubai to be there.
I've spent a big part of my career photographing Iranian weddings in London, at the Royal Courts of Justice, Home House, The Langham, Kew Gardens, Great Fosters and the Wyndham Grand at Chelsea Harbour, among others.
Over a decade of Iranian weddings
I know the running order of the Aghd, and the moments that matter most to the family.
It isn't about ticking off a shot list. The Sofreh gets a proper set of detail photographs before anyone sits down. Then the real pictures start: the bride sits, the women gather and the sugar is ground over the canopy.
I wear a dark suit, move quietly, and stay out of the way of the speeches. The one part I direct is the portraits of the two of you, fifteen or twenty minutes at a time that suits you.
BarrieHow I photograph a Persian wedding
The Sofreh, then the people
The mirror, the candles, the sugar cones and the noghl first. Then I keep moving to find the angle with the bride, the groom and the family at the canopy in one frame.
Light that keeps changing
Candles, floral chandeliers, bright gowns and a London sky that can't make its mind up. Natural light where I can, and no flash during the Aghd unless the room leaves no choice.
Family photos, planned
Persian families are big. We plan the groups together beforehand, so nobody spends forty minutes rounding up cousins from the bar. That's why I ask for a list.
Letting the party be a party
Once the music starts I'm not staging anything. The pictures people print are the unposed ones: a dad lifted into the air, the bride dancing with her mum.
What to expect at a Persian wedding
A traditional Iranian wedding has two halves: the Aghd, the ceremony itself, and the Jashn-e Aroosi, the celebration. In London they usually run on the same day, with the Aghd in the afternoon and the reception carrying on into a long evening.
The Aghd is the most intimate part to photograph. The couple sit in front of the Sofreh, facing their guests, while the married women of the family hold a fine cloth canopy over them and two cones of sugar are rubbed together above it. I work quietly from the side and the back, then move in for the rings, the honey and the first kiss.
After that the energy changes completely. Long tables of food, Iranian and Western music, speeches in two or three languages, and a dance floor that fills early and stays full. Persian weddings run long, so the eleven-hour collection is usually the one that covers the whole day.
Persian weddings I've photographed
A few to look through, across London and the home counties.
Navid and Roujin
One of the grandest civil settings in London, with Gothic arches for the portraits.
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Neda and Reza
A Marylebone townhouse wedding, with portraits on the curved staircase.
Read the story →
An Iranian wedding by the river
A big evening celebration with the Thames and a stormy sky for the portraits.
Read the story →More Persian weddingsMaryam and Haddi at Kew Gardens · Hamed and Pegah · Sadaf and Mohammad in Kensington · Great Fosters
London venues for a Persian weddingThe Langham · Hotel Café Royal · Corinthia London · Claridge's · Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park · The Landmark
Persian wedding photography prices
The same collections I offer for every London wedding. Persian weddings run long, so most couples choose Premium.
The Aghd, drinks and portraits.
- For an afternoon Aghd and reception
- The Sofreh details
- The Aghd itself
- Portraits and family groups
- No evening party coverage
Preparations through to the first dance.
- The full day up to the dancing
- Getting ready
- Sofreh, Aghd and portraits
- Dinner and speeches
- The first dance
The whole day, well into the evening.
- Right for most Persian weddings
- Everything in Classic
- The party and the dance floor
- Late entrances and celebrations
- An unhurried pace all day
A second photographer is £1,250, worth thinking about for a big guest list or preparations in two places. Albums are separate. The full breakdown is on my London wedding photography prices page. Planning a Persian wedding abroad? Tell me where and when, and I'll put a quote together. I also photograph Jewish weddings in London.
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…
Persian wedding questions
How much does a Persian wedding photographer in London cost?
My collections are £1,350 for five hours, £1,800 for eight and £2,200 for eleven, with every image edited. Galleries come back within 24 hours for smaller weddings and within a week for a full day. A second photographer is an optional £1,250. Persian weddings run long, so the eleven-hour collection usually covers the whole day.
Do you photograph the Sofreh Aghd?
Yes. I photograph the Sofreh in detail before the ceremony starts, then the Aghd itself quietly from the side and back of the room, moving in for the rings, the honey and the first kiss. I don't use flash during the Aghd unless the room leaves no choice.
Which London venues have you photographed Persian weddings at?
Among others, the Royal Courts of Justice, Home House, The Langham, Kew Gardens, Great Fosters and the Wyndham Grand at Chelsea Harbour, plus the civil ceremonies many couples hold first at Old Marylebone Town Hall.
Do I need a second photographer?
Not always, but it helps with a large guest list, preparations in two places, or when you want the Sofreh details and the arriving guests covered at the same time. A second photographer is an optional £1,250.
How do you handle the family group photographs?
We plan them together before the day, so the groups are quick and nobody has to be rounded up from the bar. Send me a list of the combinations you want and I'll work through it.
Do you photograph Persian weddings abroad?
Yes. I travel for destination Persian weddings in Europe and further afield, and quote each one based on where and how many days.
How soon will we get our photographs?
Within 24 hours for a smaller wedding and within a week for a full day, in a private online gallery with every image edited.
As featured in
Planning a Persian wedding?
Send me your date and venue. I read every enquiry myself and I'll let you know straight away whether I'm free.
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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…