Why London couples are shunning traditional weddings to get hitched in the city

More couples in the capital are throwing out the traditional “wedding rules” and going for local, informal affairs over church-and-country-hotel events.

Industry experts credit the shift on the number of options in London, such as town halls, libraries and even garden centres. Jessica Seal, from planners Quintessentially Weddings, said: “Especially in London there are just so many more places with licences now so people can get married in so many cool different places , that are really unique and representative of who they are.”

Jacqui Black, 35, a picture editor for a publishing house, and Charlie Beckwith, 32, an interior designer for Urban Outfitters, married in Hackney town hall near their home and had a rooftop reception at Shoreditch’s Ace Hotel. Ms Black said: “It’s each to their own, but the more traditional just didn’t suit me. We just weren’t interested in the ‘off the shelf’ weddings you can get in the country hotels. We wanted things to be more relaxed and our day to be about who we were.”

Analysis of customers who used e-card company Paperless Post found a two-thirds increase last year in couples choosing register office weddings over church ceremonies and double the number of city weddings in town halls compared with country hotels. Islington, Westminster and Chelsea town halls were among the most popular.

Other findings included shorter gaps between proposal and wedding — now nine to 11 months — and more people ditching formal invitations. In London, unusual venues included the Asylum Chapel in Peckham, the conservatory at the Barbican, warehouses such as MC Motors in Dalston or Friendly Place in Deptford, or Petersham Nurseries in Richmond.

Charley Beard, a planner and founder of blog London Bride, said: “People might have lower budgets because of what they spend on rents or their house. So they look around and do something a bit different rather than have the country do. They’re proud of living in London — it’s where they live and many of their friends do — and there are so many amazing places to have something more relaxed and informal.”

Photography by missgen.com