Chelsea Old Town Hall is truly an iconic place to tie the knot, and I'm a local Chelsea wedding photographer, lucky enough to have it right on my doorstep! With a variety of beautiful ceremony rooms, a location in Central London, and gorgeous spots nearby for all the photos your heart could desire, if you're looking for a place to get married in London, especially if you're having an intimate wedding, I can think of few better locations.
As I've shot at Chelsea many times, I thought I'd compile a handy guide with everything you need to know if you want to get married at this fab venue, with loads of photos that will hopefully inspire you. If you'd like to skip ahead just click the links below, or else scroll down to read the whole thing!
Where to take your wedding photos
Getting married at Chelsea Old Town Hall: The Basics
Chelsea Old Town Hall is in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, situated a short way from the centre of London (traditionally thought of as Charing Cross). It's in a beautiful, well-heeled area with loads going on nearby, including amazing reception venues and gorgeous hotels to stay in.
The Borough has a really helpful website, where you can view photos of the ceremony rooms, check availability, and book yourselves in. There are also great sections on local wedding suppliers (where you will also see me - hello!), and other venues in the area. So if you're thinking you want to be a Chelsea bride/groom then that's a great place to start.
Getting married in the Brydon Room
This popular room is large, bright, and sunny, and has a decent amount of room to manoeuvre, which is always appreciated as a photographer! It can seat up to 38 people, and is available every day of the week.
According to Chelsea Old Town Hall's website, this is the room where royalty, and other famous couples, have tied the knot! And I don't blame them, I can't think of a bad word to say about it. This is my favourite room at Chelsea register office and I'd always recommend it as a lovely place in which to say 'I do'.
Getting married in the Rosetti Room
The Rosetti Room, at the front of the building, is where I have shot most frequently. It has space for up to 12 guests, so it is great for intimate weddings, but has more space than the Harrington Room. It is also available every day of the week.
The Rosetti Room is a fair bit smaller than the Brydon Room and photo angles are a more limited, but it's a wonderful, light room for your small Chelsea wedding.
Getting married in the Harrington Room
This is the smallest of Chelsea's offerings, with space for up to eight people. It has limited availability between Monday and Friday, and offers a cosy space for the most intimate of weddings.
Getting married in the Cadogan Suite
This is my absolute favourite place for a Chelsea town hall wedding. The powder blue walls, the fireplace, the MOULDINGS. However, it's important to note that despite being in the Town Hall, it isn't part of the registry office, and is instead run by the Conferencing and Events Team, who you'll need to contact for availability if you have your heart set on it. One of the good things about this is, because you're hiring it directly, as you would, say, a hotel, you can decorate the space and make it your own!
The Cadogan Suite has room for 116 seated, so plenty of space for all your nearest and dearest, and comes with a private ante-room off to the side where everyone can leave coats, bags, presents etc - and it's also perfect for drinks and mingling afterwards!
Shot by Sabrina Remme for Queen Bea Photography
Getting married in the Small Hall
Alas, dear reader, I have not had the pleasure of shooting in this beautiful space yet, as the Small Hall is better suited for big weddings, seating up to a whopping 150 guests! Like the Cadogan Suite, it is not part of the registry office and has to be independently hired. The big room boasts loads of daylight, period features, and a wealth of space to do with as you please. This is a perfect venue hired in conjunction with the Main Hall, next door, for your reception, so you never even need to leave the building! And, when it's so beautiful, why the hell would you want to?
Photo Locations - the perfect places to take your Chelsea wedding pictures
There are so many great places nearby to take your wedding photos that you're spoilt for choice! And if you don't want to stay local, iconic spots such as Westminster, South Kensington, and Hyde Park are only a short taxi ride away.
Chelsea Old Town Hall itself
The confetti shot on the steps of the Town Hall is instantly recognisable, and a MUST HAVE if you're getting married here, so don't forget to bring some with you, and plenty of it for a dramatic photo!
If you really want to go for it, do what Harry and Lidia did and get confetti canons! (Though, beware, they're louder than you think they'll be - hence the bride's surprise!!)
You can also grab a cute group photo on the steps once you're done with confetti - or do them all there if your group is small enough, and another wedding doesn't need to follow you out the doors.
The flowers around the door also make a sweet backdrop to photos, so think about taking the time to take a couple shot on the steps if you have a chance.
King's Road
You don't need to even venture to any other streets to find great spots for your photos. Head westwards along King's Road for literally two minutes and there are some great spots to hit. Next to Chelsea Fire Station, there is a long stretch of wall which plays host to a changing series of murals. For a long time the street in front of this wall was dug up for roadworks, meaning pictures in front of some awesome murals weren't possible (sob), but the roadworks are now long gone! This was the perfect spot for Tori and Shannen, who had told me their favourite areas in London were Camden and Shoreditch, and wanted some of their pictures to have that kind of vibe.
Also next to Chelsea Fire Station is Dovehouse Green...which is also dug up at the time of writing. This is a great small open space for photos if you don't want to venture that little bit further to St Luke's Gardens.
Across the road from Dovehouse Green you can find The Ivy Chelsea Garden, which often is covered in beautiful flowers, though it can be hard to get pictures there due to all the selfie-seekers trying to do the same. Another minute's walk down the street you will find the perfect pink paradise of Peggy Porschen.
Putting aside your wedding photos for a moment - GO HERE FOR BRUNCH SOMETIME. The pancakes are amazing, the cakes are delicious, and the service is always great. The staff also don't mind if you take a few snaps outside, though you will frequently have to compete with floods of tourists doing it for the 'gram.