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7 Ideal Pre-Wedding and Engagement Photography Spots in London
Amazing city! I can’t express to you how much I care about you. The city’s iconic red double-decker buses, afternoon tea, the royal family and lots of picturesque backdrops for wedding and engagement photos all contribute to London’s widespread appeal amongst couples..
For this post, we teamed up with Stam and Liam, the husband and wife duo behind Liam Collard Photography.
They are London wedding photographers with over ten years experience photographing couples in the capital. Today they share their insights into the 7 best locations around the city to celebrate your engagement in style.
Pre-Wedding and Engagement Photography Spots in London. Liam Collard Photography
Liam Collard Photography
On this tour, Stam and Liam will take us to some of London’s most iconic locations and share some advice on what makes them special for an engagement photo session, when to go and much more.
Top Tip from Liam and Stam: ‘’Doing a pre wedding or engagement session is not always a priority for couples in the UK, but we always recommend doing one for an hour with your chosen photographer. It will really help you feel super confident on your wedding day that they have everything covered for you, as you will have had direct experience of having your photo taken professionally long before your big day. We cannot stress enough how much this helps you relax on the day itself.’’
Here are their 7 London wedding photography locations you should be considering for your engagement session:
1. The beautiful London Eye in its early stages
‘’We love photographing the mesmerizing London Eye. Imagine you and your partner standing on the Waterloo Bridge, gazing up at the London Eye. This iconic wheel gracefully turns behind you, casting golden reflections on the water—pure magic. It’s a symbol of your shared journey, the anticipation of saying ‘I do,’ and the world opening up to you from a new perspective.
Our advice – It is best to visit this location early in the morning, as the crowds can make it challenging and less enjoyable later in the day.’’
2. The Enchanted Kew Gardens (Magical Kew Gardens)
“You could consider something totally different and head to the enchanting Kew Gardens, where your love story can bloom just like the vibrant flowers in every colour imaginable. It is a beautiful place to walk around with lots of romantic spots for an engaged couple to capture some beautiful photos.’’
Top Tip: Head here in spring when the flowers are in full bloom.
Liam Collard Photography
3. Hidden gems of Notting Hill
‘’We Love Notting Hill!
In our experience, It is worth considering but it needs some planning on when to go.
It is a pastel paradise where you can capture some quintessential London photos (with you included). Its streets are Instagram-worthy, but we recommend asking your photographers when a quiet time would be as there are many tourists seeking their slice of this chic London neighborhood.”
Liam Collard Photography
4. The River Thames
‘’There is a lot of choice on which part of the river to visit but it always offers fantastic photos and a fun afternoon celebrating your engagement.
Walking hand-in-hand by the Thames is a classic romantic gesture. The peaceful river juxtaposed with the city’s skyscrapers symbolises the serenity you and your partner bring to each other’s lives. Bridges like the Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge create symmetrical, romantic settings.
Top Tip: Doing this in the late afternoon, leading into dusk, will bring out the special atmosphere of the city and add to the intimacy of your photographs.”
5. Greenwich Park and those views.
“With a fantastic amount of green space and a stunning view across the river towards Canary Wharf, this is a definite contender for an engagement session with your photographers. We love the amount of different perspectives this park gives you, all in one place. You can even pop into Greenwich for a romantic dinner together after you finish taking photographs.”
Liam Collard Photography
Liam Collard Photography
6. Head for nature in the wilds of Richmond Park
We are from this part of London and often take couples here for an engagement session. We have also photographed many weddings at Pembroke lodge in Richmond park.
The backdrop of grazing deer can make your romantic stroll even more magical. Nature is unpredictable, but it often offers beautiful scenery and unexpected moments.”
Top Tip: Use the early summer evenings to visit here one midweek day so that you have the park to yourself. The advantage of early summer is you still have a lot of the wildflowers in bloom from the spring, which adds some interest to your photographs.
7. The South Bank
“Seeking a modern and artistic touch? Then head to the South Bank and celebrate your engagement against the backdrop of contemporary architecture.”
Top Tip: You need to be discreet here with your photographer as a lot of the South Bank is privately owned and you need a licence to do a professional shoot. As long as your photographer has experience working here they will guide you on where the best spots are that won’t get you noticed.
To Conclude…
“As you can see London offers a diverse canvas for pre-wedding and engagement shoots, catering to all tastes, from museums to parks, art, and unique spots that just would not be possible to visit on your wedding day.
These backdrops also work very well for a trash the dress photoshoot, which is just a photoshoot done after your wedding, (so you can put the dress on one more time) in some iconic locations”.
Liam Collard Photography
Liam Collard Photography
As we mentioned at the start, there are two key benefits to doing these shoots. First, you get to take some artistic and beautiful photographs to celebrate your engagement and second, you will be filled with confidence from the experience, having got to know your photographers and experienced having your photo taken well before your big celebrations.
If you are planning your wedding at the moment and would like to learn more about Liam and Stam’s work then head over to their website www.liamcollard.com.
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