Landmark Hotel Wedding photos
In this London micro-wedding, the bride and groom met ahead of the ceremony for photos at the Landmark Hotel in Marylebone. Svetlana and Nirari planned their wedding ceremony for later on at Old Marylebone Town Hall, which is right across the road.
Winter Garden photos
The mezzanine above the lobby of the Landmark Hotel is a lovely place for photographs. The bride and groom got to pose while the pianist provided the romantic sound track.
Bride & Groom photos
Overlooking the Winter Garden of the Landmark is a Juliet balcony. Rather than take photos of the wedding couple from there, I positioned myself on the mezzanine to get the distant shot. This meant the bride and groom were centred in the beautiful architecture.
The trumpet-shaped white flowers are called Calla Lillies.
To the west side of the Landmark Hotel is a grand staircase. Another lovely location for the wedding couple to be photographed.
Then at the rear entrance to the Landmark, facing Marylebone station, the bride and groom did a final pose as the Rolls Royce arrived.
And we got some beautiful shots in Regents Park, of the wedding couples with the best man, and maid of honour, and family and friends.
The finally the marriage ceremony at Old Marylebone Town Hall. It may have been a small party, but the whole of this wedding was done in style.
Being asked to photograph a wedding at the Landmark Hotel is a great honour. This is a wonderful historic railway hotel located facing Marylebone railway station, at 222 Marylebone Road, London NW1 6JQ.
Before the bride came down, I found the maître d’ and told him I had a bride and groom who were about to be married across the road in Old Marylebone Town Hall. I explained that they wanted me to take them to Regents park for pre-wedding photos but I considered them crazy not to want to have photos in this beautiful building.
He immediately agreed that the wedding couple be photographed in the lobby, as long as I didn’t use a strong flash that might bother guests. I promised to avoid any flashlights at all and he was very accommodating. Not only were we welcome to move around the mezzanine to find the best location for the photos, but he also directed us to the main staircase, which he considered to be a grand backdrop to a romantic photograph.
Through the photographer’s lens, this is a unique hotel for wedding guests and couples. they boast of grand and glamorous banqueting suites, high-end cuisine and luxurious accommodation. The bridesmaids and page boys can match the interior with their wedding suits and bouquets of flowers.
Visually and photographically, the Landmark Hotel screams opulence, as compared to the often reserved nature of British interior environments. The heart of the hotel, the majestic Winter Garden, a dramatic glass-roofed courtyard, whose central feature are the towering palm trees, a stunning addition for a wedding photographer, and quite unlike anything else in London.
It was originally opened by the Great Central Railway, as the Hotel Great Central. As one of London's railway hotels it declined after the advent of the motor car, and served as a military convalescent home during the Second World War, and later the headquarters of the British Railways Board. It reopened as a hotel in 1993.
The Telegraph ran a photo-feature review with a well-written section: “This grand dame railway hotel attracts an international crowd with its classic style and dramatic glass-roofed atrium filled with lush palms. A refurbishment has refreshed the rooms, but the legendary Sunday brunch remains the same as ever, with free-flowing champagne poured to a backdrop of tinkling grand piano.”
It was a pleasure to photograph the bride and groom to the background sound of the pianist, creating a musical atmosphere which fitted the scene very well. I wasn’t surprised to discover that it is in fact owned by a Thai company. They certainly know how to put on a show and create a wonderful environment for romantic wedding photography.