For this Chelsea wedding I was booked to start with the bridal preparations at No. 11 Cadogan Gardens. The whole wedding party (what little there was of it), was getting ready there, and the bride wanted to capture that this gorgeous boutique hotel had been part of their day.
Unfortunately, at the time of shooting, No. 11 Cadogan Gardens was undergoing some major cosmetic work from the outside. The whole outside of this combination of four Victorian townhouses merged into one was covered in ugly scaffolding, so there was no chance to get a nice “scene setting” shot for the album.
When I arrived to photograph the bridal preparations, bride Victoria was, in fact, already fully dressed and rearing to go! But it would have been a shame not to use this beautifully appointed suite for some portraits. The mirrored wardrobe and room dividers offered some great opportunities to play with reflections. It was just the bride, the bride’s mother and myself here, so once we had finished up here, we went downstairs into the hotel’s little conservatory to wait for “the others” – the groom, the couple’s little boy, and the father of the bride.
Then it was time to jump in a cab and head over to Chelsea Register Office where today’s wedding ceremony was due to take place in the Rossetti Room. The ceremony itself was super short, with only one ring exchanged. So that left us a bit of time for wedding portraits, after the register had been signed and the confetti had been thrown!
We’ve really had the most wonderful Spring when it comes to the weather, and today was no exception – the sun was coming down in its full glory, sending us off in search of a bit of shade to avoid harsh shadows. After that, I returned the bride and groom to the bosom of their family, to enjoy the rest of their day together.
Many congratulations to Victoria and James on their special day!
