LONDON PRE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS
A Guide to Planning the best Pre Wedding Shoot in London
The Best London Pre Wedding Photography Locations
A pre-wedding shoot or engagement shoot is an incredible opportunity for couples to take some photographs before their wedding day and I love working with couples from all over the world for a London photoshoot.
My style for pre-wedding photography is very natural and relaxed. Most couples I work with will not have been in front of the camera before, and I won't get you to pose awkwardly or ask you to do anything that's stiff or cheesy. We'll have lots of fun, and the whole experience will be stress-free...I promise!
What makes London one of the best pre wedding photoshoot Locations
The UK is one of the most popular pre-wedding photography locations in the world, and London offers a perfect backdrop for creative photoshoot images. An engagement photoshoot in London should be an incredible experience and filled with a variety of settings that showcase the beautiful architecture and unique locations that London has to offer. From the stunning views of Big Ben to iconic landmarks like Tower Bridge, there are so many amazing places you can take pictures. My aim is always to give you the best possible experience and have lots of fun along the way.
Pre wedding photography is extremely popular with clients travelling from Asia and in particular, couples from Singapore, Hong Kong and India and as a photographer who specialises in Asian wedding photography in London I get asked all the time about the best locations in London for a pre wedding shoot.
If you are thinking of having an Asian pre wedding shoot in England then take a look through some of the best locations for pre wedding photography in London as well as some tips and advice for planning the perfect itinerary and making the most of your time in this incredible city. You can also look through some of my samples of London pre wedding shoots to get some inspiration and ideas for your shoot and get more of an idea about my work as one of the best Asian pre wedding photographers in London.
Top 10 Locations for a London Pre Wedding Photoshoot
The top 10 locations in London for Pre Wedding Photography include:
Tower Bridge
Shad Thames
Big Ben
Westminster
London Eye
St Pauls Cathedral
Hyde Park and St James Park
Camden Town
Whitehall Gardens
Outside of London
Tower Bridge Pre Wedding Photography
This iconic bridge is a must-visit for any couple thinking of a pre wedding shoot in London. It offers beautiful views of the River Thames and Tower of London, making it the perfect backdrop for photos! The bridge and surrounding area look incredible during the day and at night so there is never a bad time to include this location. I love taking photographs in the early evening and then also at night to give them a variety of day and night pre wedding photographs at Tower Bridge.
Take a look at a London nighttime pre wedding photoshoot at Tower Bridge and Shad Thames here.
Shad Thames Pre Wedding Photography
Shad Thames is one of my favourite locations for pre wedding photography and is one of London's most unique settings.
Located alongside Tower Bridge, it is the perfect location to combine with a Tower Bridge pre wedding shoot for some amazingly unique London photographs.
Shad Thames is a historic street and area next to Tower Bridge in Bermondsey London and the cobbled street and warehouse bridges make an amazing backdrop for pre wedding photographs. All of the couples I have worked with here fell in love with Shad Thames and had no idea that an area like this existed in London.
Big Ben Pre Wedding Photoshoot
This large clock tower is one of the worlds most famous landmarks and is usually high on the list of must-see locations for couples travelling to London for a pre wedding shoot.
The location looks incredible during the day and at night so this is an option for both night pre wedding photoshoots and photographs in the day. There are lots of great vantage points to take images with Big Ben in the background and a couple of my favourite spots include near the London Eye, with red phone boxes in the composition or from the other side of the Thames River to include the Houses of Parliament in the image as well.
Take a look at a London pre wedding shoot at Big Ben and Westminster here.
Westminster
If you are taking a pre wedding shoot at Big Ben then there are lots of other locations in Westminster that we can visit and these include Westminster Cathedral, Houses of Parliament, Horseguards Parade and the London Eye. All of these are located within a short walk from each other making Westminster the best overall location in London for a wide variety of images in a short space.
London Eye
I mentioned the London Eye as part of Westminster but it is worth bringing up as a location of its own as there are a couple of great options for pre wedding photographs at the London Eye.
The first is to do this as part of a Westminster pre wedding shoot and the other alternative (or addition) is to do this from the other side of the river near Jubilee Park and Garden. This is a fantastic vantage spot for London Eye engagement images although it does not have as much variety as the Westminster side.
Both of these locations look incredible at night and so are worth a visit once the sun has set for some incredible images with the London Eye and London backdrop lit up after dark.
Take a look at a London Eye pre wedding shoot here.
St Pauls Cathedral Pre Wedding Photography
St Paul’s Cathedral is famous all over the world and is an iconic location for engagement photographs and pre wedding shoots.
The best spot for capturing St Pauls Cathedral images is on Millennium bridge although the bridge itself is always very busy so as long as you don't mind the crowds then this is a highly recommended setting for taking some photographs. Combining Millennium Bridge and St Pauls Cathedral with the Southbank is a great combination as they are so close to each other and will give you a good variety of images within a short distance.
Hyde Park and St James Park
These huge parks are fantastic locations for couples who want naturalistic pre wedding photos. With plenty of green space and beautiful architecture, Hyde Park and St James Park are the perfect places to capture the beauty of London!
For wedding and Lifestyle shoots in the Royal Parks then you will need a permit for shoots there (£125) and you can find out more about photography permits at the London Royal Parks here.
Camden Town
If you're looking for something a bit different, then Camden Town is the perfect place to go. With its eclectic mix of shops, bars and restaurants, it offers a unique look at London that's perfect for pre wedding photos that are a little different!
Whitehall Gardens
If you are looking for some green space in Westminster that does not require a photo permit then Whitehall Gardens is a great option to combine with other Westminster locations such as Big Ben, London Eye and Horseguards Parade. Located alongside the River Thames this is an easy location to combine with other central London pre wedding photography spots and will give you a few natural images with some greenery without having to travel too far during your shoot.
Outside London
If you want to maximise the variety of your UK pre wedding photography and include additional locations then many couples choose to combine a London pre wedding shoot with an additional session or sessions outside of London.
Some of the best locations in the UK to combine a London pre wedding shoot with include:
Peak District
Glencoe in Scotland
Cotswolds
Lake District
Yorkshire Dales
You can take a look at some ideas and sample shoots from locations outside London for a pre wedding shoot below.
Night Pre Wedding Photoshoot in London
London looks completely different at night and the city comes to life as the lights come on. Night pre wedding photography in London requires a little more planning as there are only certain locations that look good after dark but combining a daytime London session with a nighttime shoot can give you an incredible combination of photographs and some of the best locations for photographs at night include:
- The London Eye at night
- Big Ben at night
- Piccadilly Circus
- Oxford Street
- Tower Bridge at night
- The Shard at night.
Take a look at this beautiful nighttime pre wedding photography shoot here.
Where to stay in London
Many of the couples that I work with for a pre wedding shoot are travelling from Asia and some of the most popular places people travel include Hong Kong, Singapore, India and China. If you are visiting London from another country then it is a good idea to stay as centrally as possible so that you can make the most of your stay and take in all the sights during your time in the UK.
There are thousands of hotels and accommodation options to choose from so I won't go into detail about options for these but my advice is to plan out a rough itinerary with some of the places and sights you want to visit during your stay and then look at accommodation options that give you the best access to as many of these locations as possible.
Getting around London
I always recommend taking a taxi, Uber or the London Underground to get around London during your pre wedding shoot. traffic and parking can be quite difficult in the city and most of the major spots that we would visit during a pre wedding shoot make it very difficult to bring a car so I would not recommend doing this. Once we have decided on some locations for your shoot then I will put together the perfect itinerary including what I recommend as the best options for travelling between these locations.
Hair and Makeup
I have several incredible makeup artists, hair stylists and salons that I can suggest depending on your itinerary and preferences. When we have worked out a rough itinerary for your shoot and have some dates in mind for your shoot then I can propose the most suitable options for your hair and makeup based on your itinerary, locations and the length of the shoot.
Pre Wedding Dress Hire
Although there are some places in London to hire gowns, dresses and pre wedding attire, the hire these is not easy in London and can be very expensive. My recommendation to all couples is that they source or buy these themselves before the shoot. That way you will have plenty of time before your pre wedding shoot to try them on, get these altered to fit and accessorise your attire before the shoot takes place.
Itinerary Ideas for a London Pre Wedding Photo Shoot
A full day shoot is recommended to make the most of London's incredible locations for an engagement session but itineraries can be customised for any length of visit. Regardless of whether you are planning a short 3-hour shoot or a more adventurous multi-day visit then get in touch and I will work together with you to come up with the perfect plan.
Some suggestions about what is achievable for different lengths of visits include:
3 Hour London Pre Wedding Photography Shoot
With a few hours available I would suggest focussing on the area around Westminster and then travelling to Tower Bridge for some sunset or evening photographs around here and you would have time for one outfit change.
3 hours should be just enough time for something like the following itinerary:
Location 1: Westminster
Photographs around Horseguards Parade, Big Ben, London Eye, Thames River and Westminster.
Location 2: Shad Thames and Tower Bridge
Outfit change followed by photographs around the Shad Thames area and Tower Bridge.
5 Hour London Pre Wedding Photography Shoot
With 5 hours available then we would have time to include 2-3 outfit changes (if required) as well as fit in a couple more locations such as St Pauls Cathedral or Southbank. We can also expand on some of the other locations and fit in some time for night photographs as well. Something like the following itinerary would give you a really lovely mix of images:
Location 1: Westminster
Photographs around Horseguards Parade, Big Ben, London Eye, Whitehall Gardens, St James Park, Westminster Cathedral, Red Phone Boxes, Thames River and Westminster. Outfit change halfway through if needed.
Location 2: St Pauls Cathedral
Photographs on Millennium Bridge and outside St Pauls Cathedral, walk over to Southbank for photographs here and along the Thames. Outfit change if needed
Location 3: Shad Thames, Tower Bridge. Tower of London
Outfit change followed by photographs around the Shad Thames area, Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Doing this section in the early evening would give us the chance to get some daylight photographs and stick around for some night photographs here.
Location 4: Night photographs
Extending the shoot into the night would allow us to get an additional or repeat location at night and some of the locations I recommend would include London Eye, Westminster or Tower Bridge
1 day Pre Wedding Photography Shoot in London
A full day for a pre wedding shoot in London would give you an opportunity for a great mix of images and I would recommend customising an itinerary to include all of the above plus an additional location or two such as Camden, Holland Park or the Embankment. We could also include an additional couple of night locations such as Piccadilly Circus, additional London Eye spots or The Shard at night.
2-3 day Pre Wedding Photography Shoot in London and the uk
With multiple days for your pre wedding shoot then I would recommend spending up to 1 day in London and then getting out of the city to compliment your London pre wedding images with some different locations. Depending on how long you have then I would recommend the following locations as an incredible addition to a London shoot:
Cotswolds - around 2 hours drive from London, this stunning area is filled with beautiful English countryside villages with rivers, streams and historic buildings
Peak District - 2-3 hours drive from London is the epic views and scenery of the Peak District. This is an incredibly unique location that is perfect for a sunset shoot and will give you some amazing images to complement your city shoot. You can take a look at some locations suggestions within the Peak District for a pre wedding session here.
Scotland - A little further away but nothing in the world beats Scotland for accessible views that are the perfect backdrop for jaw-dropping engagement photographs. Take a look at my dedicated Scotland pre wedding planning page here.
Getting Started
If you are interested in finding out more about a London pre wedding shoot with me, then get in touch and I can talk you through some ideas, suggestions and the next steps in planning your UK adventure.
Further information to help planning your pre wedding adventure in London
I am always available to help you make the most of your time in the UK and London. You can find out more about this incredible city via the Visit London page here.
Get in Touch
Send me a message and let me know when you are thinking of taking your London pre wedding shoot. I will send through some more information and pricing details as well as some ideas to start planning your itinerary. You can also reach me on WhatsApp on +447515876975
Sunset views over the Peak District for a beautiful UK pre wedding photoshoot
