beautiful wedding in Thames Rowing Club, London

Getting married in London and looking for an unusual venue? Look no further - I’ve got some photos from the Thames Rowing Club for you!

Aoife and Joseph both currently live in the Middle East, but really wanted to gather their whole family and friends in an iconic, but a little bit unusual London venue. Thames Rowing Club’s magnificent Great Hall, cosy bar and stunning balcony together combine for a perfect summer wedding venue - it’s located in West London (Putney), right on the River Thames. It is quintessentially London, but also doesn’t feel like London.. it feels like a summer destination, boats, calm river, a stunning Chelsea Bridge when you look to the right. When I was coming home that night, I remember the massive, enormous moon hanging over the bridge. I will never forget this sight.

editorial wedding photography by the River Thames

We were very lucky with the weather (I mean - the whole summer 2022 was just sun everyday, unbelievable, when you live in rainy London) and it really felt like we were not in London, but maybe somewhere in Malta. Are there rowing clubs in Malta? I bet there are! Aoife got ready at a beautiful and cosy Airbnb, with her bridesmaids and sister. There was champagne, laughter and a lot of sisterly love. I really like being there for the getting ready moments, this beautiful chaos of charming little moments before the big, important part of the day. I love the giggling, I love the stress (a little bit of it, let’s call it adrenaline), I love the space took over by the tribe of women, who share this intimate morning rituals of getting ready for a huge life milestone to happen. But have a look yourself: Aoife’s getting ready moments. Aren't they stunning?

getting ready moments - London wedding photography

After the sweet and laughter filled two hours of getting ready, we (and by ‘we’ I mean: the bride, the bridesmaids and me) got on a taxi and went to the church. It was a half an hour filled with intimate chats, wishes of happiness and calm smiles. A little bit of nervousness only added spice to this little journey. When we got to the church, the guests were already there and Joe was waiting by the altar. What followed was a gorgeous ceremony, in a church that saw Joe’s parents get married too, 40 years ago. Everything had multiple layers of meaning and connection. Two families truly coming together, guests from many countries under the summer London light.

I really love London weddings - you can have the whole variety - from unweddingly colourful town hall weddings, through elegant London hotel weddings to the very hi-end London city weddings. You can choose from stunning churches, elegant town halls (Old Chelsea Town Hall, Marylebone Town Hall, among others) or, these days - any city location you could ever wish for (St Pancras station, your mom’s garden, art gallery!)

But, back to Aoife and Joe - they chose a church with meaning. They chose tradition and family connection. Shall we have a look at their wedding ceremony?

bride getting off the London black cab. She's adjusting her long bridal veil, wearing a white dress

A little pause to appreciate how absolutely beautiful Aoife is in her Jesus Peiro wedding gown and a custom made veil. Simply a goddess.

black and white photos of a couple getting married in a church in London. It's a luxury wedding, the bride is wearing a Jesus Peiro bridal gown and a long, custom made veil. — black and white photos of a couple getting married in London church. Jesus Peiro bridal gown and a custom made veil worn by a stunning bride

And now, let me introduce you to the unique London wedding venue - London Thames Rowing club! It’s an elegant wedding (and rowing!) venue with history and traditions. It’s not only beautiful inside, with it’s leather sofas and paintings on the walls, but it also offers glorious panoramic views of the River Thames, with Bishop’s Park just round the corner. The club was founded in 1860 and is located in Putney, West London. The surroundings and the stunning view are the perfect background for a picturesque London wedding. You could hire it for just the reception (up to 160 people) or for both - a ceremony and the reception.

a black and white photograph of a stunning, elegant bride, wearing a Jesus Peiro white dress and a custom made veil. She's standing in the garden surrounded by trees and smiling like a Mona Lisa — Jesus Peiro bride, smiling like a Mona Lisa

What does it mean: an editorial wedding photographer?

Before I show you the photos from the Thames Rowing Club wedding reception, let me quickly explain why do I call myself an editorial wedding photographer. Most of the photos I take during a wedding day are candids. At my core, I’m a documentary wedding photographer, meaning - I don’t like (or want) to choreograph your wedding. I don’t want to tell you where to look or how to hold your bride. I capture what I see, I photograph how the day unfolds. Instead of telling you to smile to the camera, I make sure I see and document your spontaneous smile. your natural laugh. Your happiness! But then, why don’t I call myself a documentary wedding photographer? Here’s why.

I’m an artist. I was trained as a painter (I still paint a little), I worked as a fashion photographer, using my artist’s eye to photograph models, beautiful designs and ‘editorials’ for fashion magazines. Now, I use it all to photograph weddings, to transform people’s memories into heirlooms that would last for generations, gaining meaning as the years go by. I don’t only document a wedding, I filter it through my artistic sensitivity, I curate and edit the photos so they tell a story in the most beautiful way. That’s why I call myself an editorial wedding photographer.