A Singapore couple’s London pre wedding shoot
St Paul’s, Tower Bridge and Shad Thames in a white gown, then the Hyde Park bandstand in red.
This couple flew in from Singapore with a list of London places they wanted in their photos. We started at St Paul’s, finished at the bandstand in Hyde Park, and got lucky with a proper spring day in between.
A route like this runs east to west across the city, so it’s mostly walking with a cab for the longer hops.
East to west across London
Hair and makeup with Pipa
Hair and makeup was by Pipa, who I’ve worked with many times. She got the bride ready in the morning and then came out on the shoot with us, fixing hair and touching up makeup as we went.
That’s worth having on a London pre wedding shoot. You’re outside all day, it’s usually windy by the river, and you’re walking between locations. Having someone there to sort a loose bit of hair before the next photo saves a lot of retouching later, and saves the bride worrying about it.
St Paul’s Cathedral
We met on the steps of St Paul’s and worked around the front of the cathedral and the streets beside it. It’s a good place to start a day. The building is huge, so even with people walking past you can find an angle where it’s just the two of them and the dome.
The white dress with a long veil against all that pale stone made for a strong first set.
The Tower of London and Tower Bridge
From St Paul’s we headed down to the river by the Tower of London, where you look straight across to Tower Bridge.
There’s a bench on the riverside there that I like to use. Sit a couple on it facing each other with the bridge behind them and it just works. It’s the same bench I used for Yuefasi and Lian’s full day shoot, in completely different light.
Across Tower Bridge to Shad Thames
Then we walked over Tower Bridge itself. It’s busy with traffic, so we picked our spot and waited for a red bus to come past behind them.
On the other side we went down into Shad Thames. The old warehouses, the walkways overhead and the cobbles give you a completely different feel from the landmarks, and you still get Tower Bridge in the background from the riverside.
Lunch, then Westminster and the Palace
We stopped for something to eat and a drink. I always build a proper break into a pre wedding day. Couples look much better in the afternoon photos when they’ve sat down for half an hour.
After that we went to Westminster Bridge and the London Eye for the Houses of Parliament across the river, then took a short cab ride to Buckingham Palace for a few photos there.
The bandstand in red
We finished in Hyde Park, with the bride in a red dress for the last set. After a day of stone and bridges, the park softens everything. The trees were just coming into leaf and the light through them was lovely.
We ended the day at the bandstand. It’s a simple spot, but with the white paintwork and a red dress in the middle of it, it made a good final photo.
Thank you both for a great day, and for coming all the way from Singapore to do it.
— Barrie
More London pre wedding stories: a full day across London with Yuefasi and Lian and a British Museum shoot ending at Westminster Bridge.
Planning a pre wedding shoot in London?
Send me your dates and the places on your list, and I’ll work out a route that makes sense on the map and gets the best light at each stop. A lot of the couples I photograph are flying in from Singapore, Hong Kong and China, so I’m used to planning around a short trip.
- A route planned around your list, the light and the crowds
- Royal Parks permits for places like Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, which you need for a shoot in wedding clothes
- Hair and makeup at your hotel, and dress rental if you’d rather not fly a gown in
London shoots from £850 for three hours. Five hours adds an outfit change and golden hour, and longer days are built as a bespoke package. Packages, permits and planning are all on my pre wedding photography London page.
