Maddy & Joe in East London

A London Town hall wedding are some of my favourite days when it comes to my film photography work.

There’s something so timeless about the registry office wedding, the London architecture, the red buses and black taxis. Maddy and Joe’s relaxed but intentional celebration was on such a beautiful sunny day in East London.

The ceremony

Cameras & lenses:
- Nikon F5
- Nikon F80
  - Nikkor 28mm f2.8
  - Nikkor 50mm f1.8
- Mamiya C330 (Medium format)
- Canon R6ii
  - RF 35mm f1.8
Film:
- Kodak Portra 400
- Kodak Portra 800
- Ilford HP5

The day started with a joyous ceremony in the unique Council Chamber in Hackney Town Hall, with its formal green seating set out like, well, a council chamber. As guests. filtered in and took their seats in the semi-circular seating of the council chamber, there was a buzz of expectation. Maddy entered via the door at the back of the room walked around the side of the room rather than a classic aisle. The pride on Joe’s face as he watches Maddy walk in is something I’m so glad I got on film. The way these two look at each other is a beautiful theme throughout this gallery. It’s so loving, caring and exciting, and it felt really romantic like they were in their own bubble.

The ceremony was officiated by a fantastic registrar, and I have to say, most at London Town Hall registry offices are just wonderful people. Lots of laughs, tears from everyone in the room.

I’m NEVER afraid of a bit of motion blur occurring naturally when I need a bit more light, or in general for that matter. I feel that it adds a bit of real life feeling to photos - we don’t see things as perfectly with our eyes, so why do our cameras need to? There’s no loss of understanding as to how these people felt in these moments.

For this wedding, I used Kodak Portra 400 and Ilford HP5 for my film stocks. Even in the warm light of the council chamber, I really like how you can feel what the ambience actually was. I often leave indoor photos quite warm because that’s just what it was. I find that if you try and ‘fix’ the skin tones, it often makes the photo feel quite unnatural compared to what the actual environment was.

The portraits

Hackney Town Hall has one of the most beautiful interiors of anywhere I’ve been. It’s stunning, art deco and really accessible. We took these photos over the course of about two minutes before they headed outside. The black and white photo through some doorways was a stolen moment while I left them to be with each other after they exited the ceremony. Again, not super clear, but you understand what the moment feels like.

Maddy’s flowers were so vibrant and perfectly aligned with who she was, put together by the lovely Stems Wilder.

The exit

I love a confetti exit at a London Town hall, especially when couples use great confetti (light biodegradable tissue paper - it really flutters!). The colours of this exit look beautiful on Portra 400, and my style is definitely about getting into that confetti a little bit, so you can feel part of the couple’s bubble as they walk through their people. I’m there, but definitely not in the way. We’re good friends by this point!

After a few photos on the iconic Hackney Town Hall steps, guests mingled in the sun on the forecourt. This is where the ‘documentary’ in ‘documentary wedding photographer’ really comes into action. I love the photo of Maddy’s mum hugging her after their exit - I’m not exactly sure what she’s feeling in this moment as I’m not a parent, but I imagine it to be joy, relief and love. I’d love to know. Moments like this feel immortalised when caught on film. They REALLY happened. These simplicity of these moments are what film is for. One hug, one press of the shutter, and it’s remembered forever. So pure.

Guests prepared for the walk through East London by cracking open a few drinks from the wheel cool bags.

The walk

The walk was so fab.

Leaving Hackney Town Hall, we headed south through London Fields and Broadway Market, which was thriving as the market was actually on that day. It was an incredible experience and like something out of a rom-com, with market vendors offering freebies and everyone cheering as we went past. Given the fact that it felt like a 90s rom-com (Notting Hill maybe?), it was only right that this montage through the crowds was on film. So nostalgic.

We headed west along the canal and Maddy entertained passers by as they cheered from their dingies and sunbathing spots. The narrowboats were a lovely backdrop, which was pretty unique for wedding photos. We had to take a photo with the iconic sharks in the canal of course.

The reception

The celebrations continued at Signature Brew in Haggerston, where drinks, nibbles from Garner and Graze and ice cream from Marcelo’s Ice Cream. Guests tucked in, and I took a few photos of them tucking in - you’ve got to sometimes. They’ll treasure the photo of Joe’s dad and his ice cream for years to come, I’m sure.

Hugs, joy on faces, playing with the kids and reuniting with family and friends who have travelled from all over the world to celebrate