Islington Town Hall & Frederick’s Wedding

Beryl and Tom chose Islington Town Hall for their ceremony, marrying inside the grand Council Chamber surrounded by close friends and family. From our first calls I already had a sense of their energy, relaxed, warm, and very clear that they didn’t want the day to feel overly structured or heavy with formalities. They wanted space for things to unfold naturally.

To set the tone, they hired a gospel choir to sing inside the Council Chamber while guests took their seats and waited for Beryl’s arrival. It completely shifted the atmosphere. Instead of quiet anticipation, the room felt alive, people smiling, swaying, exchanging glances. It was one of those moments where you can feel the day settling into its own rhythm before the ceremony had even begun.

I spent the a few minutes beforehand moving through the building, photographing the build up in the way I always try to, watching for small gestures, nervous energy, hands finding each other, the subtle body language that says more than any posed image ever could. That’s what truly draws me to weddings. The architecture is grand, but the moments are intimate.

After confetti outside the popular steps, everyone walked the short distance to Frederick’s in Islington for the reception. The weather couldn’t have been better, so most of the afternoon unfolded in the garden, drinks in hand, jackets off, guests drifting between conversations. Frederick’s has a completely different feel to the ceremony space, softer and more tucked away, which makes it perfect for a relaxed restaurant celebration. I’ve photographed a few weddings there now, and it’s always interesting seeing how each couple shapes the space to suit them.

From the formality of Islington Town Hall to the warmth of Frederick’s garden, the whole day felt effortless and unforced, exactly as Beryl and Tom had hoped.