Pre Wedding Photography London
I'm a pre wedding photographer in London. Most of the couples I photograph fly in for their pre wedding photoshoot, from Hong Kong, Singapore, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. I plan the day, sort the permits and the hair and makeup, and your gallery arrives within 24 hours.
A pre wedding shoot in London is a full day in the city, planned around the light rather than the postcards.
Big Ben before seven in the morning. The Albert Memorial when the sun comes round in the afternoon. Tower Bridge as the light goes. Which bridge at half six, which street at four, where to stop for coffee in between. That's the job, and it's most of what twenty years of shooting London has taught me.
Your pre wedding photographer in London
You've flown a long way and you've got a short list of days. You need someone who knows the city well enough that nothing needs explaining twice.
I'm Barrie. I've photographed weddings and pre wedding shoots in London for over twenty years, and BBC News ran a feature on the pre wedding work. Most of it is for couples travelling in from Asia who built a whole trip around the shoot.
I plan the itinerary, apply for the Royal Parks permit, book hair and makeup to come to your hotel, and arrange a dress if you need one. On the day you walk London and I photograph you walking it. Your full edited gallery is online within 24 hours, usually before you've landed home.
This page covers how a shoot works, prices and photoshoot packages, permits, hair and makeup and dress rental, and the questions couples ask on the first call. The seventeen London locations I use most, with the time of day each one works, have their own page: the best pre wedding photoshoot locations in London.
BarrieHow a London pre wedding photoshoot works
Four steps. It's built to be easy if you're travelling from abroad and it's your first time in London.
A call and a plan
Send me your travel dates. We talk through how long you're in London, where you're staying and which places matter to you.
Your itinerary
I build the day around the light: where to start, where to walk, when to change outfits. Permits, hair and makeup and dress rental get booked here.
The shoot
Hair and makeup at your hotel at first light. We start while the city is quiet and finish at golden hour. Relaxed and guided, with no posing drills.
Gallery within 24 hours
Every image edited and delivered in a private online gallery within 24 hours. High-resolution downloads, no watermarks, full print rights.
The London locations couples ask for most
Twenty years as a pre wedding photographer in London is mostly a long lesson in where to stand and when. These are the four most requested. The full list of seventeen, with the time of day each one works and which need a permit, is in my guide to the best pre wedding photoshoot locations in London.
Big Ben and Westminster Bridge
The most requested frame in twenty years of London pre weddings. On the bridge before seven, when the light is low and the city is quiet.
Tower Bridge and the river
Six or seven spots around the bridge that work properly for portraits, including the steps down to the Thames at low tide.
Tower Bridge →
St Paul's Cathedral
The dome, the steps and the colonnade, before the office workers arrive. Pairs with the Millennium Bridge in one morning.
St Paul's →
The Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall
Gold leaf, marble and the Albert Hall thirty paces away. Best when the sun comes round to the west and lights up the gilt.
Thirteen more: Buckingham Palace and the Mall, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Kew, Regent Street, Mayfair, Covent Garden, the City, the South Bank, Greenwich, Marylebone and London at night. See all seventeen locations with timings →
Light, permits and rain
- Sunrise and golden hourThe landmarks are at their best between 6.30 and 8am, and again in the last 90 minutes before sunset. I plan the day around those two windows and use the quieter streets in between.
- Royal Parks permitsHyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St James's Park, Regent's Park and Greenwich Park need a photography permit for bridal wear. I sort it as part of your booking.
- If it rainsWet streets reflect the city lights and look great. Where it won't work, I have covered backups planned: Leadenhall Market, the Sky Garden, Burlington Arcade and hotel lobbies.
Yuefasi and Lian, a full day in London
They wanted as much of London as we could fit into one day. Three outfits, eight stops, a black cab between them, and Tower Bridge as the light went.
More real London shootsStepfanie and Ben, Knightsbridge to Borough Market · A Singapore couple, St Paul's to Hyde Park · The British Museum to Big Ben · Sheela and Brandon, a winter morning
Four seasons of pre wedding photography in London
Spring for blossom and soft light, summer for 5am starts and 9pm golden hour, autumn for colour in the parks, winter for Christmas lights and the night set straight after a 4pm sunset. Autumn weekends book first, so plan six to twelve months ahead. Sunrise and sunset times for each season are in the locations guide.
Pre wedding photography London prices & photoshoot packages
Two clear collections: three hours for a single iconic pairing, and five hours for a full day with an outfit change and golden hour. Hair and makeup and dress rental are optional extras, so you only pay for what you need. If neither fits your trip, I'll build a bespoke pre wedding photoshoot package around it.
A focused session at London's big landmarks.
- For shorter trips and tighter itineraries
- 3 hours across two or three locations
- 80 edited high-resolution images
- Itinerary built around your trip
- Gallery within 24 hours, no watermarks
Room to move across the city properly.
- The full London pre wedding day
- 5 hours across several locations
- 150 edited high-resolution images
- Outfit change included
- Golden-hour coverage, gallery within 24 hours
Hair and makeup
A London bridal team who specialise in pre wedding looks. They come to your hotel at first light.
Dress rental
Renting a gown in London is easier than carrying one through three airports. Fitted on the morning of the shoot.
Extra hours from £200. A second photographer is available on request. Two-city trips, such as London and Paris, are quoted as one booking, with travel for the second city at cost. Wedding prices are on my London wedding photography prices page, and if you're planning a proposal first, see proposal photography. Shooting abroad instead? See destination pre-wedding photography.
Or a bespoke pre wedding photoshoot package, built around the two of you
Tell me what your trip needs and I'll quote one package around it. No fixed tiers, nothing you don't need, nothing you go without.
London, and further afield
A lot of couples pair London with a second city on the same trip.
Dramatic, editorial portraits. A documentary soul.
I'm an editorial photographer at heart. London's landmarks deserve properly considered pictures: the right light, the right composition, and portraits that still feel alive in twenty years.
In practice I'm a documentary photographer too. I keep the camera on the reactions rather than the set-ups. A good pre wedding photoshoot is half editorial and half the two of you laughing on the way between locations, and both halves matter.
Pre wedding photography in London for international couples
Most of my London pre wedding work is for couples from Asia who travel specifically for it. I know the look that matters to you: strong composition, good light, and pictures your family will say are the best in the room. I also know you've got limited days, so everything is planned before you land.
Every London shoot for an international couple is booked as one package: the shoot, the hair and makeup team, the locations and the timings. Many couples pair London with Paris or Iceland, and I'm happy to quote that too.
- China and Hong KongDress rental and a bridal hair and makeup team at your hotel can be included.
- Singapore and MalaysiaLondon often pairs with Paris as one two-city trip, quoted together.
- Japan and KoreaGrand architecture and quiet street scenes, a very different look from home.
- Taiwan and Southeast AsiaFrom Taipei to Bangkok, couples who travel to London specifically for their pre wedding photography.
The BBC News feature, and a pre wedding film
BBC News ran a feature on my London pre wedding work, including an interview with one of the couples. Alongside it is a full-length film from a London shoot.
The BBC News feature
Interviews, one of the couples I worked with, and a look at how an international shoot in London runs.
Light, motion and the city
A full-length film from a London pre wedding shoot. The closest thing to being there on the day.
What couples say
From couples who flew in for their London pre wedding shoot, and a few who didn't.
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…
Your London pre wedding photoshoot questions
Is a pre wedding shoot the same as an engagement shoot?
Yes, it's two names for the same thing. Engagement shoot is the usual term in the UK. Pre wedding shoot is what most international couples call it, and it often means something more planned, with formal outfits, several locations and hair and makeup.
Do we need to be engaged to book?
No. Some couples aren't formally engaged yet, and some are already married and never got the couple photos they wanted. An anniversary or a special trip to London is reason enough.
How much does pre wedding photography in London cost?
Three hours is £850 with 80 edited images, and five hours is £1,250 with 150 edited images and an outfit change. Hair and makeup is £550, dress rental starts from £350, and extra hours are from £200.
What's included in the shoot price?
The shoot, the planned itinerary, your full edited gallery within 24 hours in a private online gallery, and full download and print rights with no watermarks. Hair and makeup and dress rental are optional and priced separately, so you only pay for what you need.
How long does a London pre wedding photoshoot take?
Most couples book three or five hours. Three hours covers two or three landmarks in one focused session. Five hours gives room for an outfit change and a second set of locations, from morning light to golden hour. A bespoke package can be any length.
Can you build a bespoke package?
Yes, and a lot of couples do. Tell me what you want: the hours, hair and makeup, a dress, the locations, extra outfit changes, a second photographer or a second city. I'll quote one package around it.
How far ahead should we book?
Six to twelve months is ideal, especially for summer and autumn, when weekends go first. If your travel dates are fixed and closer than that, ask anyway.
Do we need a Royal Parks permit?
If your shoot includes Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, St James's Park, Regent's Park or Greenwich Park in bridal wear, yes. I apply for it as part of your booking.
Can you arrange hair, makeup and a dress?
Yes. The bridal team I work with specialise in makeup for photographs and come to your hotel at first light. I also work with a London rental house for gowns, fitted on the morning of the shoot. Hair and makeup is £550 for the morning, and dress rental starts from £350.
Can we combine London with Paris or Iceland?
Yes, a lot of couples do. Two-city trips are quoted as one booking, and travel and accommodation for the second city are charged at cost.
What happens if it rains?
Some of my best London shoots have been in the wet. The light goes soft and the streets reflect. Where it won't work, I plan covered backups such as Leadenhall Market, the Sky Garden and Burlington Arcade.
When will we get our photos?
Within 24 hours of the shoot, fully edited, in a private online gallery with high-resolution downloads and no watermarks.
As featured in
Tell me about your London pre wedding photoshoot
Send your travel dates, where you're flying in from and a line about the two of you. I read every enquiry myself and reply straight away.
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…