Why choose a Hackney Town Hall wedding
Hackney Town Hall is a very popular registry office located in Hackney (surprise surprise!) right on the busy Mare Street with Hackney Central as its nearest tube station. It’s part of the official Hackney wedding venues, the others being The Glasshouse, Clissold House and Abney Park Chapel. I have photographed at many of the Hackney wedding venues, and the Town Hall is right up there as an ideal East London wedding ceremony venue. Firstly it has an iconic art deco aesthetic, there’s plenty of lovely natural light filled spaces for both the ceremony and the couple photos afterwards. There is an atrium with high skylights and unique metal plate walls. Then there is the more classic warm wood panelled room that C + R got married in. You can take couple photos around the stairs and corridor, and there’s plenty of outdoor steps for large group photos of everyone.
Wedding prep locations near Hackney Town Hall
For this wedding the couple got ready at the Rose and Crown in Stoke Newington more so because it is close to their reception at The Londesborough. The nearest getting ready locations to Hackney Town Hall are the Town Hall Hotel or you can opt for stylish AirBnB/private home rentals like this home used for this MKII wedding.
Wedding reception venues near Hackney Town Hall
After a Hackney Town Hall wedding there are plenty of reception venues nearby. I’ve photographed weddings at The Hackney (but can’t show it due to NDA). The Round Chapel is a Hackney wedding venue I’ve photographed at many times, it’s a large deconsecrated Chapel hall. I’ve photographed Indian weddings at the Round Chapel, and Autumn weddings at the Round Chapel. There’s also The Boathouse at the Lea Rowing Club where I photographed an epic Wes Anderson wedding. The Museum of the Home is a unique wedding venue option with both indoor and outdoor spaces- stunning gardens and unique museum exhibits.
Getting ready at the Rose and Crown pub in Stoke Newington
E & W Couture champagne wedding dress
The Rose and Crown pub is right next to Stoke Newington Town Hall and is commonly used for bride and groom prep for a lot of Hackney weddings. I love shooting here as it’s got a beautiful unique aesthetic, lots of natural light and the bathroom in the room! C got ready with her bridesmaids, who she had hand made crochet mini handbags for and they wore green dresses. The bouquets were long stem lillies. The bride herself wore a E& W Couture dress in Champagne pleats with a metallic threaded puff sleeve bolero.
The groom and his groomsman gathered on the rooftop of the pub for some photos and to pin their button holes.
Hackney Town Hall wedding ceremony in the council chamber
The couple had their wedding ceremony in the large council chamber which is a long rectangular wood panelled room. Following the ceremony everyone got onto red London buses to make their way back to Stoke Newington.
Taking couple photos at Hackney Town Hall
After a Hackney Town Hall wedding you can take couple photos in the iconic art deco lobby and staircase. You then exit down the steps to confetti. Hackney Town Hall is a busy and popular town hall so if you’re planning a wedding here then you should anticipate that you don’t get much time on the steps. However, the steps are wide enough that you can often still use it for group photos as the other weddings are coming in and out. There are also the signature palm trees just outside which make for great couple photos.
London wedding bus
The couple and their guests took a class red London bus between the ceremony and The Londesborough pub reception
The Londesborough pub wedding
The Londesborough pub is a fab popular pub wedding venue in East London. It used to have red walls but they’ve since painted it over a lovely dark green. Otherwise the layout is the same with an L shape bar, a main floor space and then a beer garden courtyard. When you arrive they give you a glass of champagne and the guests have a canapé and drinks reception period.
Wedding food at The Londesborough pub
You can have food served two ways at the Londesborough- either a buffet sharing style with BQQ skewers, or a sit down three course. I’ve photographed both and it can depend on your number of guests and whether there is the space to seat everyone or if you have standing room only. The latter means you might need a buffet service but at this particular wedding they had the full sit down meal
After the dinner the groom and the groomsmen surprised the guests by forming a wedding band!
Wedding speeches at The Londesborough
The Londesborough is a perfect London pub wedding venue for speeches as it has a slightly raised level that the speaker can stand on.
I hope this wedding at Hackney Town Hall inspires you when planning your own relaxed London wedding. If you are looking for a Hackney wedding photographer who specialises in a relaxed and colourful documentary photography style then feel free to get in touch.
