Aaliyah & Ben’s London Wedding by Myriame Lawley Photography
I met Aaliyah & Ben at The National Wedding Show in the ExCel earlier in the year. As a Surrey based wedding photographer I frequently photograph weddings in London and Marylebone Town Hall is one of my favourites. This historic, Grade 2 listed building has been host to many weddings, recently celebrating 100 years of marrying couples, the first wedding being held on the 1st October 1924. Marylebone Town Hall was built between 1914 and 1920 originally to replace an old courthouse. The new building was designed by Sir Edwin Copper in a Graeco-Roman classicist style, which makes for stunning wedding photographs. The building has been host to many celebrity weddings including Sir Paul McCartney, Liam Gallagher and Claudia Winkleman to name a few. There is a choice of seven different rooms which cater for weddings from seven to hundred guests. Ben & Aaliyah’s wedding ceremony was held in the Soho room which holds 13 guests, just perfect for their family and friends.
Aaliyah & Ben’s Story
I was delighted to be asked to photograph their wedding which was going to be a small celebration with just family and close friends at Marylebone Town Hall. We got to know each other better during their complimentary engagement shoot which we did at the height of the azalea season in the local park. Aaliyah is very artistic and used some of their engagement photos for her wedding ‘save the date’ invites and wedding table decorations. She kindly gave me a ‘save the date’ fridge magnet using one of their engagement photos.
engaged couple kissing by a pond and beautiful azalea flowers in the background
Holmes Hotel London
Aaliyah & Ben had chosen Holmes Hotel in London as the hotel for their wedding celebrations. Holmes Hotel is conveniently situated a short walk from Bakerloo tube station and a 10 minute walk to Marylebone Town Hall. Since the weather was good everyone was planning to walk to Marylebone and back after the ceremony and this made for different and fun photos. I arrived early at Holmes Hotel to get some images of Aaliyah, her mum and sister all getting ready for the wedding ceremony. There was such an emotional moment when her dad and brother entered the room for a ‘first look’ I just love those moments.
Before Ben and his mum and dad left for Marylebone, we did some button hole images outside the hotel and then we set off to walk the short distance making sure we were well ahead of Aaliyah and her bridal party. I waited by one of the traffic lights to get photos of Aaliyah and her family walking to Marylebone. When we arrived at Marylebone there was time for family portraits in front of the huge stone lions outside the historic building.
Their ceremony took place in the Soho room, ideal for small intimate groups, light and bright, elegantly decorated with big sash windows. The ceremony was watched by the bridal party and whilst there were some tears, there was mostly lots of laughter and very proud parents. After the ceremony everyone is ushered out to the famous steps, but not before I took some bridal portraits of the delighted Aayliah and Ben. At Marylebone you are allowed around 10 – 15 minutes before being ushered along, to make way for other bridal parties, but it is so organised you don’t bump into the next couple. We did a fabulous confetti throw on the steps outside, I always have the bride and groom stand on the steps while the guests throw the confetti as it makes for better photos than the bridal couple trying to walk down steps without falling! We had time for bride and groom portraits in the alcoves which just have that iconic Marylebone look.
We then set off as a group walking back to Holmes Hotel. I walked ahead to get some fun photos of the bridal party crossing the road with the City of Westminster road sign in the photo. Just a few blocks down from the hotel is a small park with beautiful pink roses and it was here we did the group photos, the parent photos and then some bride and groom portraits. Just outside the park is an architect building with a great colourful stone feature which made for some lovely bride and groom portraits, especially as Aaliyah is an architect so it was just perfect for photos. Earlier in the day I had done a quick walk about as the hotel staff told me about the little park, so I had been to have a look and it proved to be just right for family and bride & groom portraits added to which it wasn’t far to walk so everyone was happy to go there.
After we finished in the park the three of us caught a cab to be whisked off to Buckingham Palace as Aaliyah & Ben really wanted some photos with the palace in the background. The cab drivers are used to taking bridal couples to Buckingham Place, they drop you off and then drive around the block for 15 minutes before picking you up again, just enough time for photos, I love it!
Wedding Breakfast
We arrived back from Buckingham Palace where Aaliyah & Ben were greeted with glasses of champagne and cheers from the bridal party. Everyone was seated for the wedding breakfast, the table being beautifully decorated with Aaliyah’s artist flair and little gifts for each of the guests. Breakfast was followed by some very amusing speeches which had everyone in stitches, they laughed so much. The section of the hotel where the wedding breakfast is held is completely separate from the main section of the hotel and therefore totally private. There are some really different rooms one of which painted in blue, matched Aaliyah’s hair colour and just begged for more bridal party photos and bride and groom portraits, it was great fun. The evening finished with cutting the cake and a first dance, before their friends needed to catch the tube and train to head up country.
