Weddings and elopement inspiration for the Old Marylebone Town Hall

I’ve been photographing so many weddings and elopements at the Old Marylebone Town Hall lately, I felt it deserved its very own blog post. If you’re planning to get married in London and are looking for an iconic registry office venue, the OMTH is definitely an excellent choice. It’s a gorgeous building with super friendly and efficient staff, and it’s really close to some beautiful locations for your photos too.

In this blog post, I’ve aimed to share photographs of the different ceremony rooms at the venue, and some of my other favourite spots around the building to give you some ideas for your own big day. I’m also including a few of my favourite local hotels that my couples have stayed and got ready in, which have made beautiful backdrops for getting ready photos.

Rooms at Old Marylebone Town Hall

Westminster Room

The Westminster Room is the biggest of the ceremony rooms and seats up to 100 people. The spacious room has beautiful old wooden wall paneling and gorgeous natural light coming from the big windows, giving your photos a lovely warm and natural feel.

Soho Room

I’m always happy when my couples tell me they have chosen the Soho Room for their wedding ceremony. It’s such a perfect space for an intimate wedding. I love the casual seating arrangements of a sofa mixed in with a few chairs and the cream walls cast a very flattering light for your photos. It feels a bit like you are in someone’s (very beautiful) living room. It only fits 13 guests, so it’s perfect for a micro wedding.

The Knightsbridge Room

I think this room is perfect for a spring or summer wedding. It has such a fresh, airy and contemporary feel. I love the colour of the walls and light in this room, as it’s great from all angles. The room fits 30 seated guests. Here are the lovely Lily and Mark exchanging their vows in front of their close family and friends.

The Paddington Room

The Paddington Room is an intimate and cozy space with wood paneling, a grand fire place and lovely window light. It seats up to 8 guests with casual seating by the window. Aislinn and Richard only had one guest at their intimate wedding ceremony, so I stepped in as a second witness, which is always an honour.

Other photo locations in and around OMTH

Inside the building

We don’t usually get lots of time as we exit the building, but there’s usually just enough to capture some gorgeous moments as you walk down the stairs. I love these shots, as couples always have that super happy “just married” look. The big windows down the stairs are perfect for getting creative with light and reflection. Despite the stairs outside the town hall getting quite busy, it’s usually possible to get a few moments by the beautiful old stone columns outside.

The confetti shot

It doesn’t matter if you’re having 1 wedding guest or a 100, it’s always worth throwing a bit of confetti. The grand staircase makes such a beautiful backdrop for your photos, plus it’s a lot of fun. I recommend getting biodegradable confetti - dried flower petals look great - and are also environmentally friendly. The town hall staff will hide you away for a few minutes after the ceremony - a nice opportunity to spend a bit of time on your own-, while we line everyone up and you make your exit.

Confetti being thrown at bride and groom exiting Old Marylebone Registry Office

The family PHotos

We usually get 5 minutes or so for family photos on the steps after you exit, so it’s important to be organised. I always ask my couples to make a list of group shots and send it to me beforehand. It’s the one time of the day when I put on my school teacher voice (with a big smile on my face) and get everyone organised . It’s usually not a problem to do 5-6 group shots on the steps before we have to move on and the next wedding comes out.

Family photo outside Marylebone Registry Office

Photo opportunities near the town hall

The town hall is so centrally located, there are lots of options for your photos within a short taxi ride. However, it’s worth taking a few shots on the streets near the town hall, as there are some lovely spots for a good London urban backdrop. If you fancy a bit of greenery, Regents Park is my favourite location for a park setting. It has so much variety with beautiful planting, the rose gardens and some wilder bits too. Hyde Park is also just a short taxi ride away and I love Coal Drops Yard near Kings Cross if you are heading that way. Please note that all the Royal Parks require a photography permit, which costs around £100. Couples can easily arrange this via the Royal Parks website beforehand.

If you are travelling on elsewhere in London to celebrate with your guests, we might also stop in a place along the way to take your photos. I always have a pre-wedding chat with my couples, where we go through all those details.

Best hotels to get ready near the town hall

Having a London wedding is a great opportunity to treat yourself to a bit of luxury and stay in one of the beautiful old hotels nearby. Many of my couples add on an extra hour for this, so I can meet them at their hotel for a few getting ready photos before we jump in a car to the town hall. If you are not having your full wedding day photographed, it’s a lovely and easy way to capture this part of the day as well. If it’s in your budget, I definitely recommend splashing out on a suite for extra space (things can get crowded if you have makeup artist, perhaps bridesmaids or parents joining you and a photographer :).

Here are a few of my personal favourite hotels near Marylebone Town Hall:

The Renaissance Hotel, St Pancras - amazing suites and stunning staircase (see photo below)
The Landmark Hotel - right opposite the town hall so you can just walk across.
Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel, Bloomsbury - the rooms have beautiful large windows with great light.
Rosewood Hotel, Holborn - with a gorgeous secluded courtyard.