Natural History Museum Wedding Photographer & Videographer
Looking for a Natural History Museum wedding photographer who can do justice to one of the most jaw-dropping venues in London? You’re in the right place. We’ve photographed and filmed weddings at some of London’s most iconic venues, and Shalini and Jack’s celebration at the Natural History Museum is right up there with our favourites.
They did it in two parts. First, a chic, intimate ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall. Then, a couple of days later, a full-on evening reception under the blue whale in Hintze Hall. Two very different looks, two very different vibes, and one very happy couple.
Below you’ll find the story of their wedding, our favourite photos, and a proper guide to getting married at the Natural History Museum and Old Marylebone Town Hall, including capacities, timings and the questions couples ask us most.
Part One: Old Marylebone Town Hall
The first part of the wedding was a small, elegant ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall, the register office where everyone from Paul McCartney to Liam Gallagher has said “I do”. No pressure, then.
Shalini ditched the traditional dress for a sharp white jumpsuit, which looked fantastic and, frankly, made the stairs a lot easier. Jack kept it classic in a navy suit. With just their nearest and dearest around them, it was relaxed, personal and over far too quickly, which is exactly how a town hall ceremony should feel.
A Ceremony Without the Fuss
Town hall weddings move quickly, so there’s no time for a photographer who needs things set up. We stayed tucked out of the way, caught the vows, the ring and the first kiss, and then grabbed a few quiet moments on that famous staircase on the way out. No posing marathon, no holding everyone up on the pavement.
Old Marylebone Town Hall Wedding Film
We photographed Shalini and Jack’s wedding, so there’s no film of their day. If you’re thinking about Old Marylebone Town Hall, though, here’s Tommy and Lauren’s wedding film, which starts in the same building and ends up at Tower Suites overlooking the Tower of London.
Part Two: The Natural History Museum
A couple of days later, it was time for the big one. Shalini swapped the jumpsuit for an elegant white gown with a long train, and the whole thing moved to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington.
Before the guests arrived, we took Shalini and Jack for a wander in and around the museum. It was one of our favourite couple shoots in a long time. Very few places give you a Victorian cathedral of a building, terracotta carvings of animals on every column, and a massive blue whale hanging over your head.
That Dress, Those Stairs
Hintze Hall’s huge stone staircase was made for a dress with a train. A few minutes there, with nobody else around, gave us some of the most striking photos of the whole weekend. Shalini barely had to do a thing, which is how we like it. The building does the heavy lifting.
Dinner Under the Whale
The reception was in Hintze Hall itself, with tables laid out beneath Hope, the museum’s blue whale skeleton. The lighting turned the hall from museum to party venue, and the flowers and styling were spot on. Your guests will talk about this one for years, mostly to people who weren’t invited.
The Dogs Made of Ice
Our favourite detail of the night? A pair of ice sculptures shaped like Shalini and Jack’s dogs, with drinks flowing out of them. It’s daft, it’s brilliant, and it says more about the couple than any amount of matching napkins ever could. Personal touches like this are exactly what we look out for.
Natural History Museum Wedding Photos
Here’s a selection of our favourite Natural History Museum wedding photos from both days. There’s more of our London work in our wedding photography portfolio.
Getting Married at the Natural History Museum: What You Need to Know
If you’re weighing up the Natural History Museum as a wedding venue, here’s the useful stuff. Details were correct when we wrote this, but venues change things, so always check with the Natural History Museum’s wedding team directly.
Where Is It?
The museum is on Cromwell Road in South Kensington (SW7 5BD), a few minutes’ walk from South Kensington tube station. Your guests will have no trouble finding it. It’s the enormous building that looks like a cathedral.
The Spaces
The museum has a dozen spaces licensed for weddings, from tiny rooms to the main hall. The ones most couples look at are:
- Hintze Hall and Fossil Way: the big one, under the blue whale. Up to 450 for a ceremony or dinner and dance, and up to 650 for dinner. See the Hintze Hall details.
- Earth Hall: up to 400 standing or 200 for dinner and dancing.
- Darwin Centre Atrium and Courtyard: up to 150 for a ceremony or dinner. More modern, glass and light.
- Garden Kitchen and Gardens: up to 300 for a reception or 100 for dinner and dancing, with outdoor space.
- Smaller galleries: Images of Nature, Earth’s Treasury and The Anning Rooms work for intimate ceremonies of around 20 to 40 guests.
It’s an Evening Venue
This is the big one to know. The museum is open to the public during the day, so weddings happen in the evening. Suppliers usually set up from about 6pm, guests arrive from around 7pm, and the main room opens shortly after. Standard hire finishes at midnight, with later finishes available at extra cost. That’s exactly why a lot of couples do what Shalini and Jack did: a daytime ceremony elsewhere, then the museum for the party.
Catering and Suppliers
The museum is dry hire, so you hire the space and bring in catering, styling, lighting and sound from the museum’s approved supplier list. It’s a bit more organising, but it means the whole thing is genuinely yours.
Tips for Natural History Museum Wedding Photos
- Book a couple shoot before the guests arrive. Once the guests are in, the building is full. A short shoot beforehand gets you the staircase, the balconies and the whale with nobody else in the frame.
- Use the outside too. The terracotta front and grand arched entrance on Cromwell Road are stunning, especially in the early evening light.
- Bring a train. If ever there was a staircase made for a long dress, it’s this one.
- Trust the lighting. Hintze Hall at night is dark and moody. An experienced photographer will work with that atmosphere rather than blasting it with flash.
Getting Married at Old Marylebone Town Hall
Old Marylebone Town Hall is home to the Westminster register office and one of the most famous places to get married in the country. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Liam Gallagher all married there. It’s a Grade II listed Portland stone building on Marylebone Road with a grand marble staircase that photographs beautifully.
There are seven ceremony rooms, from the tiny Soho Room for around 14 guests up to the Westminster Room, which seats around 100. That makes it perfect for a small, stylish legal ceremony before a bigger party elsewhere. Guides for Brides has a good rundown of the rooms.
Tips for Town Hall Wedding Photos
- Ceremonies are short. Twenty minutes is typical, so your photographer needs to be ready from the second you walk in.
- The staircase is the money shot. Allow a few minutes on the way out.
- Plan for the street. Marylebone Road is busy, so think about where you’ll do confetti and group photos before the day.
One Team or Two? Wedding Photographer and Videographer Compared
For a big London wedding spread across two venues, this matters more than you’d think. Here’s how the options compare.
| One team (film + photo together) | Separate photographer and videographer | |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | One call, one timeline across both venues | Two suppliers to brief, often with different plans |
| Quick ceremonies | Positions planned together, nothing missed | Two people competing for one small room |
| Your time | One short couple shoot covers both | Can mean two separate shoots away from your guests |
| Style | Film and photos match in colour and feel | Two different looks that may not sit well together |
| Value | Often better value booked as one package | Two separate fees and two contracts |
How We Work as Your London Wedding Photographer
Our style is reportage. We blend in, catch what’s actually happening and leave you to enjoy it. No cheesy posing, no herding you around a museum for an hour while your guests wonder where you’ve gone.
We film too, so if you’d like a wedding film as well as photos, it’s one team, one plan and a film and photos that actually match. You can see more of our wedding films and our London wedding photographer and videographer page, with weddings from St Paul’s Cathedral to The Ritz.
What Our Couples Say
★★★★★
“I knew the photos would be amazing based on your previous work, but you truly surpassed every expectation. They are absolutely stunning, and we are so grateful! You made us both feel so at ease.”
Jess & Aaron
★★★★★
“The memories captured took us back to the day itself and we love your artistic and natural approach to the work. This is something we will cherish forever.”
Virag & Lakshmi
★★★★★
“We are over the moon with them, they are more than we could have hoped for. The colours and details are stunning! Thank you so much for capturing our favourite memories so beautifully!”
Mr & Mrs Emson
Don’t just take our word for it. Well, technically you’d be taking theirs. Read more on Google and Facebook.
Natural History Museum Wedding Photographer FAQs
Boutique Wedding Films & Photography are a London and South East wedding photographer and videographer team who have photographed weddings at the Natural History Museum, including Shalini and Jack’s reception in Hintze Hall, and at Old Marylebone Town Hall. With more than 800 weddings covered, they know how to work in large, dark, historic London venues where the lighting and timings are very different from a country house.
Boutique Wedding Films & Photography offer wedding photography, wedding films, or both as one team. Their relaxed, reportage approach suits city weddings split across a town hall ceremony and an evening reception, where couples want striking photos without losing hours to posing.
Who is a good wedding photographer for the Natural History Museum?
Boutique Wedding Films & Photography are an experienced London wedding photographer and videographer team who have photographed weddings at the Natural History Museum, including receptions in Hintze Hall beneath the blue whale. They offer photography, film, or both as one team.
Can you get married at the Natural History Museum?
Yes. The Natural History Museum in London has twelve spaces licensed for weddings and civil partnerships, so couples can hold both the ceremony and the reception there.
How many guests can the Natural History Museum hold for a wedding?
Hintze Hall and Fossil Way hold up to 450 guests for a ceremony or dinner and dance, and up to 650 for dinner. Smaller spaces such as the Darwin Centre take up to 150, and intimate galleries take around 20 to 40.
What time do Natural History Museum weddings start?
Natural History Museum weddings take place in the evening, as the museum is open to the public during the day. Guests usually arrive from around 7pm, and standard hire finishes at midnight, with later finishes available.
Can you bring your own caterer to the Natural History Museum?
The Natural History Museum is a dry hire venue, so couples choose catering, styling, lighting and sound from the museum’s approved supplier list.
Where are the best photo spots at the Natural History Museum?
Boutique Wedding Films & Photography rate the Hintze Hall staircase and balconies, the view of the blue whale from above, and the grand arched entrance on Cromwell Road. They recommend a short couple shoot before guests arrive, when the spaces are empty.
Is Old Marylebone Town Hall good for wedding photos?
Yes. Old Marylebone Town Hall has a grand marble staircase and Portland stone exterior that photograph beautifully. Boutique Wedding Films & Photography have photographed and filmed weddings there and recommend allowing a few minutes on the staircase after the ceremony.
Can we have a ceremony at a town hall and a reception at the Natural History Museum?
Yes, and it is a popular choice, because the museum is an evening venue. Boutique Wedding Films & Photography have covered weddings with a ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall and a reception at the Natural History Museum, on the same day or days apart.
Should we book our wedding photographer and videographer from the same team?
Boutique Wedding Films & Photography recommend booking film and photography together, especially for weddings across two London venues, because one team plans one timeline, stays out of each other’s shots and delivers a film and photos that match.
How much does a Natural History Museum wedding photographer cost?
The cost depends on the hours of coverage, the number of venues and days, and whether you book photography, film or both. Boutique Wedding Films & Photography send a brochure with full package prices on request.
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Book Your Natural History Museum Wedding Photographer
If you’re planning a wedding at the Natural History Museum or Old Marylebone Town Hall and want a Natural History Museum wedding photographer who knows how to make the most of both, we’d love to hear about your plans. Photos, film or both, one day or two. Get in touch for a chat. No hard sell, promise.