Flavia and Olivier married at Islington Town Hall, with a small ceremony for family and friends. Afterwards everyone moved on to Le Café du Marché, by Charterhouse Square, for a champagne reception. In between the rain showers there was time to take the two of them round Smithfield Market for portraits, before they went back to enjoy their evening meal.
The ceremony at Islington Town Hall
Islington Town Hall is on Upper Street. It’s a relaxed register office with a lot of character. Flavia and Olivier kept theirs to family and friends.
Champagne at Le Café du Marché
The reception was at Le Café du Marché, a French restaurant tucked away by Charterhouse Square in Clerkenwell. The champagne came first, and dinner came later in the evening.
Portraits at Smithfield, between the showers
Smithfield Market is a couple of minutes’ walk from Charterhouse Square. It’s London’s historic meat market, and the Victorian market buildings, with their ironwork and arches, give you a proper London backdrop without needing a cab. It was a showery day, so the portraits were fitted in whenever the rain stopped.
Congratulations to Flavia and Olivier.
Planning an Islington Town Hall wedding
- Keep the day close together. Islington, Clerkenwell and Smithfield are near each other, so a small wedding can move from ceremony to reception without a long journey.
- Think about portraits nearby. Upper Street and the Canonbury terraces are close to the town hall, and Smithfield is on the doorstep of Charterhouse Square.
- Have a wet-weather plan. Covered spots like the market buildings help on a showery day, and short breaks in the rain are often enough.
- Book by the hour if it’s small. A register office ceremony doesn’t need a full day of coverage.
For more on small London weddings and register offices, see my London elopement photography page. For other register office weddings, see Chelsea Old Town Hall and Old Marylebone Town Hall, or the City of London. You can also have a look at my prices and send me your date.
