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The Elgin, Maida Vale pub is the perfect wedding venue in London to host your relaxed celebrations and have incredible wedding photography. It’s location means that it’s easy to get to from most of London’s chic registry offices and Town Halls. So, if you’re looking for a wedding venue where you can host your post ceremony celebrations, a reception at The Elgin could be the one.
We arrived at Maida Vale from Hackney Town Hall (see photos from this part of the day here) via route master bus and dropped the couple’s wedding guests at The Elgin pub, whilst we went off to get couple portraits. I’d been to the area a few days prior and planned where we’d be going on our route.
I try to keep this time to no longer than 20 minutes but I always find that my couple’s find it a nice break to have for just the two of them (and most of the time, this is their first moment alone, married and as husband and wife – eek) before speeches and the wedding breakfast begins.
Near the Elgin, we visited a beautiful and typical London Mews and made the most of some of the beautiful streets. We didn’t venture so far this time but there is also the iconic Maida Vale studios not far too. What I love about this location is also that it’s so close to Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove which are so fun to explore and offer so many amazing backdrops.
Couple Photos in Maida Vale
Return to The Elgin Maida Vale
We arrived back at the Elgin – Maida Vale, London and the party was in full swing! The couple’s family and lovely guests were eagerly awaiting their return with a drink on arrival.
The Space at the Elgin
The decor lends itself to that cool and understated, rustic style where perfectly put together is not the vibe and exposed brick walls are a key feature. It still feels fancy though and as far as London pubs go, this one has a swanky edge to it, and that’s not just because it’s in Maida Vale. The bride and groom also put a lot of effort into creating amazing details across the wedding reception that made it all feel so unique to them.
You can hire the whole venue and it hosts a maximum of 240 standing. The Elgin’s upstairs has big natural light windows and is the perfect place to have your London wedding breakfast (just as Daisy and Fred did) and the bar area downstairs is amazing for a drinks reception. I was lucky to have a main dish on my break from the wedding party’s food menu and it was not your average mass catering standard – in fact, I even booked a table for dinner for my partner and I not long after this wedding it was so good (yes, food-ie and wedding photographer here!).
DIY Details
The Elgin doesn’t have too many restrictions which was perfect for Daisy and Fred’s relaxed DIY wedding. The flowers, styled by the bride and her mum worked so well with the rustic style room. The groom had crafted table names and mini portraits of each guest into wood, which made the most gorgeous personal touch and wedding favour for the guests to take home.
Speeches
The wedding speeches were tear jerking and hilarious, all at intermittent moments. And in keeping with the untraditional style, the bride’s maid of honour gave a speech which had the room laughing so hard.
The space is perfect as the natural light shines through the windows onto the families and guests in groups at tables which is perfect for photos. We had a lovely spring day and I would love to see it in summer. Who doesn’t love a London wedding in the summer?!
Photographing the Party
Each having large a family, the evening guests arrived after the wedding breakfast where there were free flowing cocktails on hand by The Elgin dream team. The bar space was just flowing with excited energy and you could feel the party brewing.
Evening Photos
We had already secured a selection of beautiful couple photos so I used this part of the evening to get a little creative. I stole couple and their grandparents away from the party to capture some portraits in front of the fruit and veg shop next door. I think it’s the variety of backdrops that London offers which makes me love shooting weddings here so much!
As the sun went down and the mood of the day was becoming more relaxed, we spent a little time capturing some creative photos with flash. If you don’t do a Champagne pop on your wedding day, when else would you?
And sometimes in central London, you need to get a little creative with photo locations, so we made the most of this dingy alley way for some more candidly posed photos. Maybe even some of my favourites from the day!
Town Halls to Host your Wedding Ceremony
If you are considering The Elgin in Maida Vale venue in London, there are plenty of Town Halls and registry offices nearby for your wedding ceremony. As well as Hackney Town Hall, take a peek at Old Marylebone Town hall and Burgh House. These are two other favourites of mine.
Contact
Thank you for making it this far and taking the time to read about this relaxed and laidback wedding reception that I was lucky enough to be a part of!
Take a look at the first half of this amazing day over on my blog page Hackney Town Hall
If you feel like my photography style resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you! Get in touch to check my availability on your date and receive my full pricing brochure here.
