One of my favourite aspects of my job is photographing in incredible locations, and shooting at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich was a dream come true. This iconic ship offers an amazing combination of history and modern architecture. Standing on the deck, you feel as though you’re sailing on the Thames, cruising into London. Exploring beneath the ship and seeing the hull from below is a remarkable experience. So, when Ellie and Sam contacted me about their wedding reception at the Cutty Sark, I knew I had to be a part of it.
As the Cutty Sark is open to the public until later in the day, the wedding ceremony took place at another Royal Museums Greenwich venue, the Queen’s House. I’ve had the pleasure of photographing at the Queen’s House many times, and it’s a stunning wedding venue in its own right. The ceremony space is bright and airy, and the mezzanine offers a unique perspective of the proceedings. It’s one of the few venues where I’d recommend a second photographer, at least for the ceremony, to capture that distinctive viewpoint.
It was a scorching June day, so it was wonderful to move to the rear of the Queen’s House after the ceremony for a drinks reception and group photographs. The Queen’s House is fantastic as it offers several excellent covered areas for outdoor photos. While we often utilise these spaces in rainy weather, the bright midday sun made them perfect for creating even, flattering light on everyone’s faces.
While the guests strolled over to the Cutty Sark for the reception, I took Ellie and Sam aside for a few quick portraits at the Queen’s House, including the iconic Tulip Staircase and the lovely view over Greenwich Park and the Royal Observatory.
One of the highlights of the wedding was the drinks reception on the deck of the Cutty Sark, overlooking Canary Wharf. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, and it truly felt like being on holiday. I really loved photographing the guests relaxing on deck.
Shortly afterwards, everyone descended to the space beneath the hull for the wedding breakfast. Thankfully, it was air-conditioned—a welcome feature for a summer wedding in London. This dramatic space provided a stunning backdrop for the meal, and it was lovely to share the occasion with the guests and get to know their friends and family.
The evening culminated in dancing. From a photography perspective, this is an interesting space to capture the action. The curved bronze hull and glass roof present a fun lighting challenge, but it was incredibly exciting to photograph a wedding celebration under such a historic ship.
Sam and Ellie- Thank you so much for booking me to be apart of your incredible wedding. It was so lovely to get to know you both over the course of your wedding planning. It’s the ultimate compliment to be booked by a fellow photographer and I really hope that I did you proud!