Thames Rowing Club Wedding Photography

I always feel there’s a real buzz about photographing weddings in London, and Ella and Danny’s Thames Rowing Club wedding photography was no exception. For me, the day started with Ella and all the girls getting ready at home. There were some lovely moments to capture as the excitement began to build, before the taxi cabs arrived to take us to the Sacred Heart Church in Wimbledon for the ceremony. The church was founded by Edith Arendrup, a member of the wealthy Courtauld family who came to live in Wimbledon in 1877. The Grade II listed building was designed by Frederick Walters, a young architect, who designed it in the late Decorated Gothic style.

I photographed some ceremonies in some very unusually places in 2014, but one of the nicest things about photographing church ceremonies is the time and space one has to move around and capture everything that’s going on. The quality of the light in church is also a dream to work with. Being able to shoot from a distance also means that I can be really discreet and, done right, it can give the pictures a really intimate feel. I was so pleased when I got some feedback from Ella and Danny after the wedding to learn that the pictures of the ceremony were their favourites from the day.

Thames Rowing Club Wedding Photography

After the ceremony it was all off to the Thames Rowing Club for the reception. A Route Master bus had been laid on for all the guests to spare them from having to battle the London traffic. Founded in 1860, the rowing club is situated on the Putney Embankment in West London. The Great Hall with its six metre high ceiling and panoramic views of the river is the perfect venue for anyone who loves London. Ella and Danny used to live on a house boat on the river, so it obviously has a lot of sentimental value for them. Earlier in the year we’d shot their pre-wedding pictures along the river near Battersea Park.