Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding Venue Guide — what you need to know!
- Apr 20, 2022
- 11 min read
Updated: Nov 7
By Queen Bea Photography — relaxed, documentary wedding photography in London & Somerset
Now updated for 2025!
Why I Love Chelsea Old Town Hall Weddings
Chelsea Old Town Hall is one of London’s most iconic register offices - and I’m lucky enough to call it my local! With elegant ceremony rooms, a prime central London location, and gorgeous photo spots right on its doorstep, it’s a dream venue for stylish, relaxed, and intimate weddings, as well as bigger celebrations!
As a local Chelsea wedding photographer, I’ve shot here countless times, so I’ve put together this handy insider guide with everything you need to know, from ceremony options and photo locations to nearby reception spots. I've added lots of photos as well, for your inspiration!
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. It's in a beautiful, well-heeled area with loads going on nearby, including amazing reception venues and gorgeous hotels to stay in.
You can explore all ceremony rooms, check availability, and book directly via the Royal Borough’s official website, which also lists trusted local suppliers (including yours truly – hello!). 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
2025 update - the Brydon Room is no longer sunny yellow. It has been redecorated in a classy, neutral cream, which is even better for photos!
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.
The Brydon Room is so nice that it is where royalty and celebrities have tied the knot. And I don't blame them; I can't think of a bad word to say about it, especially now it's no longer yellow! This is my favourite room at Chelsea's register office and I'd always recommend it as a lovely place in which to say 'I do'.
Getting married in the Rosetti Room
2025 update - the Rosetti Room is no longer snot green! It has also been redecorated in white and blue, which is a DREAM in comparison, as I no longer need to use flash to stop people looking seasick! Yay!
The Rosetti Room, at the front of the registry office, has space for up to 12 guests, so it is great for intimate weddings (and has more room to manouvre than the mini 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 bit 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.
The Harrington Room might be small, but it is light, fresh, and affordable but stylish. If you're eloping, or having a micro wedding, this might be the room for you!
Getting married in the Cadogan Suite
Ok, so I told a white lie earlier, as THIS is my absolute favourite place for a Chelsea town hall wedding, but it isn't technically in the registry office. It is instead run by the Conferencing and Events Team, who you'll need to contact for availability. One of the good things about the Cadogan Suite is because you're hiring it directly, as you would, say, a hotel events space, you can decorate it 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! And look how pretty it is - the powder blue walls, the fireplace, the MOULDINGS.
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 (contrary to its name), is 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 for your reception, so you never even need to leave the building! And, when it's so beautiful, why 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 confetti with you, and plenty of it for a dramatic photo!
If you really want to go for it, get confetti canons, and the more colourful the better to really make the shower pop. Paper confetti is also usually far more effective than flower petals, and it's larger and floats longer.
You can also grab a cute group photo of all your wedding guests on the steps once you're done with confetti - or do all your family group photos there if your group is small enough, and another wedding doesn't need to follow you out the doors. You may be shuffled off quicker on peak dates, such as summer Saturdays, whereas on a Thursday in May (for example), you will usually have quite a while to make the most of the setting.
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 one minute 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. It has been everything from random vegetables (not my favourite!), to more graffiti style, and statement lettering. I always enjoy seeing what's up there whenever I head down King's Road.
Some couples also like having their picture taken in front of the statement building of Chelsea Fire Station and, good news, no one has got run down by a fire engine yet!
Also next to Chelsea Fire Station is Dovehouse Green...which is a great small open space for photos if you don't want to venture that little bit further to St Luke's Gardens (see below).
Across the road from Dovehouse Green you can find The Ivy Chelsea Garden, which often is covered in beautiful flowers or seasonal decorations, though it can be hard to get pictures there due to all the selfie-seekers trying to do the same.
2025 update - heartbroken to say that Peggy's has now SHUT and is a much-less-romantic Pizza Pilgrims. However, I'm going to leave this section of the blog up, just because people still ask me about the photos with the cute pink bike.
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.
There's usually a very cute pink bike covered in flowers down the side of the café, and being that it is on a side road, it is a little quieter. The photos above, and the one at the beginning of this segment, are making the most of its vintage charms.
The doorway of Peggy's is decorated differently depending on the season, but it is always beautiful! I loved the 'tea time' theme (above), and below you can see the doorway decorated with plenty of twinkly lights and pink branches for Christmas, and dried flowers and pumpkins for autumn.
Glebe Place
You can't go wrong with this GORGEOUS street, teeming with perfect photo spots. It's right next to Peggy Porschen/Pizza Pilgrims, and once you've gone a minute or so down it, the bustle of King's Road vanishes and it's quiet and quaint. The street stretches around several bends, and eventually leads down towards the River Thames, so is a great route for some varied photo options.
If you like beautiful doorways and lots of foliage, you're in the right place, and you can find them all the way up and down the street. It's a great street for those typical 'London' wedding photos - urban but stylish!
One of my favourite spots (which you can't often get a decent photo angle for due to so many cars parked in front of it), are these stunning pink doors. These buildings were the studios of the artist JMW Turner from 1811-1829!
2025 update - this lovely bench has also gone! Such a shame, but leaving here for reference!
Just around the bend, you can find this really quaint spot with an ornate bench, situated perfectly between two white pillars.
The section of road near the bench is usually very quiet so don't be afraid to step into the middle for a stroll - or a dance! And as it curves around down towards the Thames, there are some lovely old lamp posts you can also have in your shots.
Down by the Thames
It's a short walk from Glebe Place down to the Thames, which is populated with beautiful places for your wedding photographs. You can take a stroll along Cheyne Walk, or visit Chelsea Embankment Gardens for a bit of greenery.
If you cross the road you can take some gorgeous spots down by the river, with Albert Bridge in the background, and the greenery of Battersea Park just across the Thames.
If you fancy, you can also head up onto the striking Albert Bridge for some shots, and you could even make the journey the whole way across for some shots in Battersea Park.
If you're brave and there's no traffic, you can even hop into the middle of the bridge for a dramatic shot!
Just off the embankment, you can find No. Fifty Cheyne, a really nice blue pub with lovely foliage outside, and while you may also want to consider it for your intimate wedding reception, it also makes for a nice photo opportunity!
Oakley Street
2025 update - this MAY also be gone. I need to drive by and confirm, but the last time I was there, the property had just been sold and there is a good chance the new owners will have removed the sign to discourage photo-takers.
A few streets over, Oakley Street is worth a visit for its pink 'LOVE' door alone. It's near the river-end of the road, so easy to combine with a visit to the Thames.
St Luke's Gardens
This small, pretty park is a good shout for group photographs, as it is usually quite quiet and only a short walk away from Chelsea Old Town Hall. It is also perfect if you want photos with a bit more greenery, but don't want to travel to one of the big parks.
The outside of St Luke's Church itself is also nice to utilise for photos, or to use as a backdrop for your group shots.
HELP, IT'S RAINING
So what do you do if the skies have opened and you can't enjoy any of these stunning spots near Chelsea Old Town Hall? Well firstly, a bit of drizzle doesn't need to ruin your day. I always recommend that my couples purchase a couple of clear umbrellas ahead of the wedding, just in case the weather is bad. They don't block any light and don't look bad, so you can still get the shots you want.
However, if it is truly bucketing it down, sometimes going outside can be off the cards unless you want to have a pretty miserable experience, and ruin your beautiful wedding outfits! Well, don't panic. Chelsea has some lovely spots inside where you can take photos.
The end of the Town Hall where the Cadogan Suite, the Small Hall, and the Main Hall are, is probably slightly more aesthetically pleasing, but the whole building is nice inside. The waiting area in the registry office has a great period staircase, as well as a really cute pink and white flower wall.
Intimate wedding reception venues in Chelsea
So you've had your perfect wedding at Chelsea Old Town Hall - where do you go next? Fortunately, the area is teeming with lovely pubs and restaurants, and all the suggestions below are walkable within ten minutes, so no need to load your guests into a stream of taxis!
This lovely pub has an unexpectedly large garden available for hire, as well as a wide range of indoor spaces. It's only five minutes' walk away, and is really lovely. The food is also delicious!
I mentioned this beautiful blue pub earlier, which has a range of spaces to hire for your intimate wedding reception. I've also had dinner here, and can attest that the food is lovely!
This fantastic Italian restaurant in Duke of York Square boasts a conservatory and private patio at the rear, available for private hire. It's really nice inside, with the huge mirrors, brick walls, and foliage giving it a rustic, industrial look. It is a short walk from Chelsea Old Town Hall and is handily close to Sloane Square station for all your transport needs.
This restaurant not only serves yummy food, but it has four private dining rooms to hire, as well as a new private event space. It also boasts a large terrace out the front, so if you're wanting a venue where you can take the air, this is a great choice. I have shot a reception here, but the couple have chosen to keep their photos private - so you'll have to use your imaginations! I'd highly recommend it as a venue.
And of course, if you don't want to have your reception somewhere in Chelsea, the rest of central and west London is only a short hop away. The easiest way to ferry your guests to the next bit of your wedding is to hire a vintage Routemaster bus like Sofia and Sian did - and you can pop some bubbly while you're travelling and keep the celebrations going!
There's a lot more I could say about the benefits of tying the knot in my 'hood, but that's it for this blog (though do feel free to message me if you want any more tips or suggestions!). I really hope this blog has been helpful and given you lots of inspiration to plan your own magical Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding!
And if you're thinking of a Chelsea wedding, I’d love to capture your day. Whether you’re planning a chic London elopement or a big family celebration, my relaxed, documentary approach lets you focus on what matters most — enjoying the moment.
Check my availability for your Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding by hitting the contact button below!
Frequently asked questions
What’s the largest ceremony room at Chelsea Old Town Hall?
The Brydon Room seats up to 38 guests and is bright, airy and photographer-friendly.
Is confetti allowed on the steps?
Yes — biodegradable confetti is permitted and makes for an iconic exit photo on the main steps.
Do you know the best photo spots nearby?
Absolutely — from King’s Road murals to Chelsea Embankment and St Luke’s Gardens, I’ve shot here many times and know all the hidden gems.
What’s the best room for a small wedding?
The Rosetti Room (up to 12 guests) or the Harrington Room (up to 8) are ideal for intimate ceremonies.
Do you photograph LGBTQ+ weddings?
Absolutely! All couples are welcome — I’ve photographed many same-sex and queet weddings at Chelsea Old Town Hall and nearby venues.