Abney Park Chapel Wedding Photographer

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY AT ABNEY PARK CHAPEL

Welcome to this gorgeous wedding at Abney Park Chapel that I had the honour of photographing for the wonderful couple, Charlotte and Kees. 

You may not have heard about this Hackney wedding venue before because it has only just opened after a mammoth restoration project, thanks to the National Lottery.

Amazingly, for Kees and Charlotte, theirs was the second ever wedding to be held there since the opening and it was truly an honour to photograph.

PRAISE FROM THE NEWLYWEDS ABOUT THEIR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

“Juliet is not only the most wonderful photographer, she has the most incredible energy. She made us feel so relaxed at our wedding; she blended in with the guests seamlessly making everyone feel at ease whilst getting the best out of us all effortlessly. She has a fab eye for details and got shots we didn’t even know we wanted. A total delight to work with in every way! Couldn’t recommend her more highly!” – Charlotte & Kees, newlyweds.

A STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL WEDDING CEREMONY SETTING

Nestled in the lush, verdant Abney Park in Stoke Newington  is a real hidden gem of a wedding venue, which is steeped in history and surrounded by the tranquillity of the equally lush park, Abney Park Chapel.

The Grade II listed building is as  magnificent from the inside as it is from the out.  With beautiful turrets and an impressively high spire towering above the treeline, it was designed by William Hosking. Interestingly, it’s the oldest surviving non-denominational chapel in Europe, completed in 1842.

Having recently been lovingly restored to its former glory,thanks to funding from the National Lottery, the interior of Abney Park Capel is imposing. Soaring ceilings, intricate stonework and the exquisite stained glass windows have all been meticulously preserved, creating a really special setting for exchanging marriage vows.

I especially loved the viewpoint from the mezzanine level which was a great photo-taking spot during the ceremony.

LOCATIONS FOR PHOTOS AROUND ABNEY PARK CHAPEL

Positioned in the middle of Abney Park, the chapel is surrounded by this verdant, quiet oasis amidst the bustling city of London. This green haven isn’t just a pretty backdrop, it’s actually steeped in history and biodiversity. As one of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ cemeteries, Abney Park is the final resting place of many notable figures, including William and Catherine Booth, the founders of the Salvation Army. From towering trees to wildflower meadows, the park offers a picturesque setting for wedding photos, which of course makes me one very happy wedding photographer!

THE WEDDING RECEPTION

Following the epic confetti-throwing action, the couple and their wedding guests strolled through the park to Stoke Newington High Street, which is actually the oldest recorded road in the Borough of Hackney dating back to at least the 13th century, and hopped on a double decker red London bus, the 76 to Waterloo, to The Rosemary Branch Pub in Islington where the reception was held.At the pub, there was such a chilled fun vibe for the couple and their entourage. Laughter, champagne bubbles flowed together with excited nattering and tonnes of fun.

Late afternoon, the newlyweds went down to the canal for a little stroll and of course I joined them with my cameras to get some fab, fun shots of them together.

FUN, VIBRANT PHOTOS OF MAGIC WEDDING MOMENTS CAPTURED

My cameras and I give our absolute all on a wedding day!

From the beautiful Bride getting ready during hair and makeup with her gorgeous bridesmaids to the excited nerves as the handsome Groom patiently waits at the altar for the first glimpse of his wife-to-be at the end of the aisle. Always fun to capture clouds of confetti filling the sky, clinking of champagne flutes as guests natter excitedly, meaningful family moments, tonnes of laughter as a result of epic speeches delivered by the groomsmen. Plus definitely ready to snap the first dance and the subsequent party action when the dance floor is filled and great shapes are thrown to specially chosen tunes. 

Rest assured, it will all be captured resulting in an uniquely beautiful and memorable set of photos that will fill your heart with joy!

WHAT TO EXPECT IF I’M HIRED TO PHOTOGRAPH YOUR WEDDING

My cameras and I are all about fitting in with you and the flow of your big day. With over 16 year’s experience of working as a fill-time wedding photographer, I know how to adapt perfectly to your day and how to capture fabulous photos of you looking your absolute best whilst having a total ball!

In the run up to the wedding, you will share all the information I need about the details and timings of your big day allowing me to plan perfectly for the photo-taking.

On the day, I work consciously behind the camera, constantly on the lookout for moments, details and action to be captured, am thinking ahead to what is happening next all whilst being super-chilled and relaxed. I often get mistaken for being a wedding guest with a great camera because I fit in so well with the day!

I want you newlyweds to have as much fun together and with your guests as much as possible.  No awkward posing and definitely no leaving your wedding party to go for long photo sessions. I will get stuck into the action to capture those fun, real moments as they unfold.

MY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE AND APPROACH

I’m often asked about my approach to capturing great photos of newlyweds on their big day so I would love to go into detail about that here for you.  My warm and friendly manner has a big twist of happiness and smiles which aim to create a fun, relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for my couples and their guests, enabling everyone to feel at ease in front of my cameras.  

With so much experience of working weddings (it was over 400 at the last count!) on the day I am alert and tuned into what is happening that I can often preempt an opportunity so I am in the perfect position with my cameras poised and the shoot settings spot on to get that great shot at the right time.  It’s being on the lookout for those moments of connection, the laughter, the tears of joy and those genuine, real in- between moments that result in timeless candid images.

I can tailor my shoot style to work perfectly with each couple. Some love prancing around for the camera and looking at the lens so of course I can totally ramp things up and snap away within sight, others may be a tad more reserved in which case I can adopt more of a documentary and reportage style of shooting where I blend into the day and the shots are much more candid.

WHAT CAMERA GEAR DO YOU SHOOT WEDDINGS WITH?

I shoot with Canon cameras, always have done, and I absolutely love my gear.  On a wedding day I’ll shoot with my mirrorless Canon R5 body as well as my two 5D mkIV camera bodies.  

For the lenses, I tend to shoot with prime lenses as I just love being able to open up the aperture, shoot at lower f-stops which result in shallow depth of field in the shots. The collection of L series lenses that always get packed in my camera bag are 24mm f/1.4L II USM, 35mm f/1.4L II USM, 50mm f/1.2L USM and 85 mm f/1.2L II USM, with the 16-35.. f/2.8L III USM  on standby when those much wide-angle shots are needed.

I shoot mostly with natural, ambient light, but of course will bring a flash if a bit of extra lighting is needed for any low light conditions which may happen once the sun has set. The flashes I use are the Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT.

At weddings, I tend to freehold my cameras so don’t use a monopod and tend not to use a tripod in the day, more so late at night for long exposure shots.

For London weddings that have multiple locations throughout the wedding day, I clip the two primary cameras I’ll use most throughout the day to my leather harness, then fit the rest of my gear into my trusted Peak Design bags.

ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED?

Yes, if you’re getting married in Stoke Newington, or at any other venue, firstly, massive CONGRATULATIONS! What an exciting time ahead you two have! If you’re looking for a wedding photographer to capture vibrant photos filled with energy, emotion and real, natural, meaningful moments as they happen, then it would be a delight to chat more. Please have a good click around my website to look through my wedding photography images and get in touch. It would be a delight to chat, find out about your exciting wedding plans and talk through how I can take stunning photos of your marriage and celebrations.