Knightsbridge Pre Wedding Shoot | Stepfanie & Ben

Stepfanie and Ben’s pre wedding shoot started in Knightsbridge at Holy Trinity Brompton, the church where the two of them first met, and finished on the South Bank with Tower Bridge behind them. In between we did the mews behind the church, St Paul’s and the Millennium Bridge, and Borough Market, because they are both food people and it is one of their favourite places in London.

It was a bright spring afternoon with the cherry blossom out. Stepfanie wore a navy dress for the first half and changed into a red poppy-print dress for the City and the market. Two outfits, five stops, one afternoon.

Holy Trinity Brompton, where it started

We began in the church grounds just off the Brompton Road. Starting somewhere that means something to the couple is the easiest way I know to get people relaxed in front of a camera, because they are not thinking about the camera. They are thinking about the place.

The grounds are quieter than you would expect for the middle of Knightsbridge. Late afternoon light comes through the trees, there is a bench by the church, and in April the blossom does half the work for you.

The mews behind the church

From the church we walked into the mews behind it. Cobbles, white and pastel-painted houses, old wooden doors and almost nobody about. It is a complete contrast to the scale of the church and it gives you a second look without going anywhere.

Mews are good for pre wedding shoots because they are narrow. The houses bounce soft light across the street from both sides, so you can shoot at most times of day without hard shadows. I use the doors and steps as frames and let the couple walk.

St Paul’s and the Millennium Bridge

Then a cab to the City and a change into the red dress. St Paul’s and the Millennium Bridge are among the most requested spots for pre wedding photography in London, and for good reason. The sweep of the bridge with the dome behind it is both classically London and properly cinematic.

We took our time here. Wide frames on the walk up to the cathedral, a quieter spot on the steps, then the bridge itself. It was a bright day, so I kept them in the open shade of the buildings for the closer frames and used the sun for the wide ones.

Borough Market

Borough was Stepfanie and Ben’s stop. They are both serious about food and the market is one of their favourite places in the city, so it went in the plan. Colour everywhere, stalls selling everything from Pimm’s to fresh juice to flowers, and the two of them eating their way round it.

I always encourage couples to include a place that is theirs rather than a landmark. The photographs end up being more than nice pictures. They become a record of the places that matter to you, and they are the ones you look at most later.

Tower Bridge to finish

We finished by the river as the light softened, with Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast across the water. From Borough it is a short walk along the Thames, and the railings there give you the bridge, the river and the City skyline in one frame. A good place to end a London afternoon.

Stepfanie and Ben

It was a real pleasure spending the afternoon with you both. Wishing you every happiness for the wedding.

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Planning a London pre wedding shoot?

Everything about how a shoot works, the prices and the packages is on my pre wedding photography London page, and the seventeen places I use most, with the time of day each one works, are in my guide to the best pre wedding photoshoot locations in London.

There are venue guides for St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge, and a page on wedding photography in Knightsbridge. Not engaged yet? I also photograph surprise proposals in London.