Asian Wedding Photographer London
Indian and Asian weddings at The Ritz, Syon Park, Middle Temple, Cliveden and Old Marylebone Town Hall, photographed quietly by someone who has done a lot of them.
Asian weddings are some of the best days I photograph. More colour, more family, more going on, and usually the best party of the year.
I've photographed Indian weddings at The Ritz, Syon Park, Middle Temple, Cliveden House and Old Marylebone Town Hall. Some had a few hundred guests in a ballroom. One had eight of the family in the Paddington Room. The job is the same either way: know what's coming, be in the right place for it, and stay out of the way.
Twenty years of London weddings, a lot of them Asian
I don't direct the ceremony. I find out what happens and when, and make sure I'm standing in the right place for it.
Indian ceremonies mix low light, candles or a havan, and very saturated fabric, sometimes all in the same frame. Getting skin tones right, and gold looking like gold rather than a white patch, isn't about the venue. It comes from having shot enough of them to know what to expect.
On the day I work quietly. I photograph the wedding as it happens, take the two of you away for portraits when the light is right, and get the family groups done quickly so nobody is stuck in a line. The rest of the time you'll forget I'm there.
BarrieAsian weddings in London
A few of the venues I know well, each with a real wedding or a full guide on this site.
The Ritz
Enough separate rooms to hold the different parts of an Indian wedding without the same backdrop all day. The Palm Court windows give some of the best daylight in London, and the gilding suits red and gold.
Indian weddings at The Ritz →
Syon Park
Proper parkland without leaving London. The drive gives a baraat room to arrive, the Great Conservatory takes a mandap without the room fighting it, and large guest lists are normal.
Syon Park guide →
Middle Temple
A ceremony in the gardens, an Indian feast in Middle Temple Hall, an outfit change at the hotel, then dancing back at the Temple.
Chetna and Rakesh's wedding →
Gayathri and Pranav, Old Marylebone Town Hall after dark
Eight of them in total, the two of them and six of their family. Photos on the steps at six while it was still light, a seven o'clock ceremony in the Paddington Room, confetti in the dark, then the cobbled mews round the corner. Their gallery went over to them the next day.
More Asian weddingsJen and Dharmesh at Cliveden House · Raj and Shermila at The Ritz · Sangeet weddings at Corinthia London
Colour, gold and flowers
The details at an Asian wedding are worth photographing properly, and early, before the day gets going.
From Gayathri and Pranav's wedding at Old Marylebone Town Hall, and Raj and Shermila's at The Ritz.
Big families, done properly
Family matters more at an Asian wedding than at most, and the guest lists are long. The group photos are worth doing properly rather than rushing.
- A list, and a helperSend me the group list beforehand, and give me a cousin or a friend who knows everyone's names. They round people up, I take the photo.
- The big group firstDo the largest group while everyone is still together, then work down to the smaller ones.
- Keep it movingNobody enjoys standing in a line, and it shows on their faces if it drags on.
- The moments afterSome of the strongest pictures come straight after the ceremony, when everyone wants to hold the bride at once.
With a really big guest list, a second photographer means the groups and the candids can happen at the same time.
How I cover an Asian wedding
Every family does it differently. This is roughly how it goes from where I'm standing.
Before, the running order
Send me the running order early, with the muhurat time if there is one. I want to know what's coming, who matters and where to stand before the day, not during it.
Arrivals and the ceremony
A baraat, a procession or a car at the door. During the ceremony I stay close enough for hands, jewellery and parents watching, without getting in the way of the ritual. I don't direct any of it.
Family and portraits
Family groups from your list, then fifteen or twenty minutes with the two of you. If there's an outfit change, I build ten minutes of portraits into it. It's the easiest way to get two looks into one album.
Reception and the dance floor
Speeches from a distance, so the reactions are real. Then the first dance and the party. Indian weddings throw some of the best parties I photograph.
What Asian wedding photography costs
London collections, priced by the hours you actually need. Asian weddings tend to run long, so most couples choose Classic or Premium, often with a second photographer.
Ceremony through to the speeches.
- For civil ceremonies and smaller family weddings
- Arrivals and the ceremony
- Family groups and portraits
- Wedding breakfast and speeches
- No evening party coverage
Preparations through to the first dance.
- The standard full wedding day
- Getting ready, for both of you
- Baraat or arrivals, ceremony and drinks
- Family groups and portraits
- Speeches, cake and first dance
Preparations through to the last dance.
- For big celebrations where nothing gets missed
- Everything in Classic
- Portraits in your evening outfits
- The reception and dance floor
- An unhurried pace across the whole day
A second photographer is £1,250 and worth it for a big guest list or a day with a lot happening at once. Albums are quoted separately. A mehndi, sangeet or reception on another day is priced by the hours, so send me the schedule and I'll put a quote together. Full details are on my London wedding photography prices page, and for a small civil ceremony first, see Old Marylebone Town Hall.
What couples say
A few words from couples I've photographed, in Sussex, London and further afield.
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…
Asian wedding questions
Do you photograph Indian weddings in London?
Yes, a lot of them. At The Ritz, Syon Park, Middle Temple, Cliveden House and Old Marylebone Town Hall, from small civil ceremonies with eight of the family to ballroom weddings with a few hundred guests.
Can you cover the mehndi and sangeet too?
Yes. Each event is priced by the hours, so send me the schedule for every day and I'll put a quote together.
Do we need a second photographer?
For a big guest list, usually yes. A second photographer is £1,250 and means the groups and the candids, or both sets of preparations, can be covered at the same time.
Which London venues work well for Asian weddings?
Syon Park is one of the best, with room for a baraat on the drive and a mandap in the Great Conservatory. The Ritz has enough rooms for the different parts of the day. Corinthia, The Landmark and the Mandarin Oriental all handle big numbers and Indian menus. For a civil ceremony first, Old Marylebone Town Hall is hard to beat.
How do you handle low light and colour?
Indian ceremonies often mix low light, candles or a havan and very saturated fabric in the same frame. Getting skin tones right, and gold looking like gold, comes from having shot a lot of them.
How much does an Asian wedding photographer cost?
My London collections are £1,350 for five hours, £1,800 for eight and £2,200 for eleven, with every image edited. A second photographer is an optional £1,250. Events on other days are priced by the hours.
When will we get our photos?
Within 24 hours for a smaller wedding and within a week for a full day, in a private online gallery with high-resolution downloads and no watermarks.
As featured in
Planning an Asian wedding?
Send me your date, and the dates of any other events. I read every enquiry myself and I'll let you know straight away whether I'm free.
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…