Register Offices reopen for weddings from Saturday 4 July 2020
Post Updated Sunday 20 December 2020

Like many Register Offices, Westminster’s Old Marylebone Town Hall reopened on 4 July with new ceremony room layouts in place. The Government allowed weddings to go ahead with up to 30 people, subsequently reduced to 15.

The newer 15-person capacity allows for the couple and up to 13 guests. Registrars and external suppliers (photographer, musician) do not count towards this total.

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies can take place in Tiers 1, 2, and 3. Receptions can take place in Tiers 1 and 2, but not Tier 3. Sadly, on Sunday 20 December 2020 London entered Tier 4. Weddings and civil partnerships cannot take place under Tier 4.

During the first lock down A Day to Remember (iconic weddings in Westminster) took the best health and safety advice to protect their staff and visitors. They restricted capacities in each of their ceremony rooms to meet social distancing guidelines. The two Registrars and the couple do not have to wear masks inside the building, but all guests and suppliers must do so. The safety signage and antibacterial hand wash stations are there but do not overpower or get in the way of photographs.

Just because your ceremony might not be what you planned numbers-wise it won’t be any less special. In fact, from the chats I have had with my couples, their wedding mindsets have been turned on their heads. People are looking to have meaningful and intimate ceremonies which focus on their love and commitment to each other. The hullabaloo which can accompany a wedding has become less noticeable. Many of my clients are planning their small legal ceremony now and then planning a larger wedding or reception for 2021 or 2022.

Whatever your plans just remember to do what feels right and true to you.

I have covered 26 weddings at Old Marylebone Town Hall since the first lock down ended. The Team have worked extremely hard to ensure that everyone has had a fantastic experience. Most of my weddings have taken place in the Westminster Room but it never felt like we were being swamped by the grandness of the room. In fact, it has felt lovely and intimate. Above all, it has felt special. I have seen more love, laughter, joy and tears than ever before and I feel privileged to be photographing such special moments.

I specialise in wedding photography at Old Marylebone Town Hall for parties of up to 30 guests so if you are getting married and need a photographer please do contact me. I have 1, 1.5 and 2.5-hour package options available which include coverage, editing and delivery of your high-resolution digital photographs via a download link and USB.

If you can’t decide which room to choose give me a call on 01342 811631.

Safety first

Everything at Old Marylebone Town Hall has been planned with you and your guests’ safety at the forefront:

• Couples do not need to wear a mask within the building, but all guests and suppliers must do so
• Parties are invited to wash their hands and use antibacterial hand wash before making their way to your ceremony room
• Guests, musicians, and photographers are asked to take a seat and move around as little as possible
• Ceremonies mostly start with the couple in the room (with their pre-ceremony interview taking place in the ceremony room)
• Signing the register using supplied antibacterial hand wash first
• Confetti, group, and couple photographs remain unchanged (although photographs inside the building are sometimes now not possible)

A Day to Remember Westminster wedding ceremony guidelines

For a complete rundown of the new ceremony guidelines and Code of Conduct for photographers and musicians visit the A Day to Remember Westminster website.

Old Marylebone Town Hall new room layouts and photography

I am delighted to write that the new room layouts will not affect your ceremony photographs. Real thought has been put into each room so that they maintain their feel and allow both your guests and photographer an excellent view of proceedings.

In each room (except the Westminster Room) your photographer must take one of the seats and must not move around the room. I have covered weddings in every room and this does not affect the resulting photographs. In the Westminster Room your photographer does not have an allotted seat and can move around but must not get within 2 metres of those without masks, or 1 metre of those with masks.

The Knightsbridge Room is closed until further notice.

New Room Layout Photographs

Here are the Old Marylebone Town Hall new ceremony room layouts.

Mayfair Room – up to 8 guests
(including photographer)
plus couple and two Registrars (total 12)

For more photographs and to see the original room layout please see my Mayfair Room page.

NOTE: there are 10 chairs shown in these photographs, but capacity has been confirmed as 8 guests

Pimlico Room – up to 7 guests
(including photographer)
plus couple and two Registrars (total 11)

For more photographs and to see the original room layout please see my Pimlico Room page.

Paddington Room – up to 6 guests
(including photographer)
plus couple and two Registrars (total 10)

For more photographs and to see the original room layout please see my Paddington Room page.

Westminster Room – up to 13 guests
plus couple and two Registrars
plus up to 2 photographers
plus up to 4 musicians (total 23)

For more photographs and to see the original room layout please see my Westminster Room page.

Marylebone Room – up to 6 guests
(including photographer)
plus couple and two Registrars (total 10)

For more photographs and to see the original room layout please see my Marylebone Room page.

Soho Room – up to 6 guests
(including photographer)
plus couple and two Registrars (total 10)

For more photographs and to see the original room layout please see my Soho Room page.

Knightsbridge Room – closed until further notice

For more photographs and to see the original room layout please see my Knightsbridge Room page.