St Margaret’s Church Westminster Wedding

St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Wedding

This St Margaret’s Church Westminster wedding was a real joy to be part of. When Emily and David first made contact when planning their London wedding, they were drawn to my work as a photojournalist at The Times newspaper. As an American living in far-flung places around the globe, Emily enjoyed seeing my news photography from Africa, the Middle East and America, and how I now use that experience in my documentary wedding photography. So I knew we’d be a great fit, and that we’d have a fun day looking for great story-telling compositions. I was joined by one of my oldest friends David, who was covering David’s preparations at the Farmer’s Club in Westminster before walking to St Margaret’s Church for the ceremony. Meanwhile, I began over at the Westminster London Hotel where Emily was getting ready with her family.

Church Wedding in London

The 12th century Church, also known as ‘The Church on Parliament Square’, is right next to Westminster Abbey. The church was built by the monks from the nearby monastery of St Peter in Westminster (now Westminster Abbey) as a place for locals to come and worship. It meant that the monks could continue their worship uninterrupted. It’s a superb location for a London wedding, allowing easy access to many of the great reception venues in central London. Emily and her bridesmaids were dropped off outside the entrance to Westminster Abbey, so had a short walk through the church grounds to the entrance – a perfect opportunity for the opening shot you see above. David and I then set about documenting the ceremony – the silent cameras we use are perfect for remaining unobtrusive during the wedding service.

Wedding Reception at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane

After the ceremony, David headed to the reception at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane while I stayed at the church for some formal family group photos. These usually only take 10 minutes or so, and the rest of the family were soon on their way to the wedding reception as well. This is usually a great time to get a few couple portraits done, and we wandered into the nearby square by Westminster School. Then we drove up Whitehall and headed on to Park Lane where Emily and David re-joined the rest of their guests for canapes before being seated for the wedding breakfast. The Ballroom at the Sheraton Grand is a stunning venue for the wedding party, and the balcony overlooking the ballroom gave us a great vantage point for the First Dance.

Check out Emily and David’s preview slideshow above. Family and friends can pre-register here to be notified when the full set of photos is ready.