Pump House Battersea Park Wedding Photography & Video

One of the reasons that we became so passionate about documentary wedding photography is the inherent individuality of the photographs. With documentary photography (and especially with our unique ‘street-style’ interpretation of the genre) nothing is pre-planned – couples are not placed into a scene that previously worked or carefully positioned in a pose that represents the photographer more than the subject, the documentary wedding photographer fully embraces the personality of the couple and places those individual characteristics at the centre of the imagery.

That sense of individual personality is important for a wedding. This is your big chance to shine and express yourselves as a couple and it should be your day and no-one else’s. It’s not about impressing anyone or following a tried and tested format, it’s about creating the event that you, and, by extension, those that love to spend time in your company, will truly remember for the rest of your lives. And that’s why we especially love venues that allow you the opportunity to fully express yourselves and your unique style and personality.

So it’s fair to say that the Pump House Gallery in London’s expansive Battersea Park is, to us, a pretty perfect space for a wedding and one we’ve always enjoyed photographing and filming.

If it’s a clean and minimalist look you want to go for (perhaps accenting some beautiful floral arrangements or even including your own artwork!) then the gallery is already exactly that – a modern, stylish blank canvas in a beautiful historic building. But if you’re wanting to go for something a little more crazy and expressive then the Pump House has you covered – with dry hire options you can use the multitude of spaces to create exactly the setting you dreamed of, whether that’s elegant sophistication, star-cloths and elaborate lighting or in your face bright colour and a wild party feel.

Set amongst the beautiful Battersea Park it’s not only a great, easily accessible London setting but full of options not just indoors but outside too. Right at the entrance the venue can erect a marquee to give you a beautiful heated outdoor space and your guests can have the freedom to wander the park for your drinks reception. There’s even a licensed Victorian bandstand for you to hold your outdoor ceremony.

If, like us, you believe that your wedding is your day and no-one else’s and should be an expression of your personality, then we can think of no better match than a documentary approach to your photography and a space as stunning and flexible as Battersea’s Pump House Gallery.

One of the Pump House Gallery’s major selling points is undoubtedly the outdoor spaces it offers, particularly when it comes to your wedding ceremony. Imagine your guests perhaps hopping off a boat on the Thames, walking through one of London’s most beautiful parks and arriving at a grand Victorian bandstand, surrounded by trees and all set with your own decoration ready for a beautiful sunlit ceremony.

It’s an idyllic setting in which to get married, particularly with everything you need for the reception and wedding breakfast right on site too but, inevitably, when it comes to outdoor ceremonies there are one or two extra things to consider, especially in the ever-changing climate of the UK. So, with Battersea Park hosting a few options for outdoor celebrations here are a few of our tips and suggestions on how to make your open-air wedding ceremony go off without a hitch.

1. THE BACKUP PLAN
   Whatever the time of year we all know we can never have 100% faith in the weather conditions, particularly in the UK, so if your heart is set upon an outdoor ceremony then it’s always good to have a covered backup option. As the rules stand in England you can only legally get married under a permanent structure (although of course if you want to keep the legalities separate and hold a humanist ceremony of your own design then there are no such restrictions!) so simply putting up an open canopy roof or marquee isn’t generally an option. However with venues like those in Battersea park you do have the option to have your watching guests seated under a canopy whilst you complete the legalities under the cover of the more permanent structure of the Bowling Green Pavillion – both a great first choice and excellent backup option if the weather prevents the Bandstand from being a viable option.
2. BLANKETS & UMBRELLAS
   Even with a backup plan in place you don’t want to be caught out mid-ceremony with a change in the conditions and so providing each seat with a blanket and umbrella not only keeps your guests warm and dry should the worst happen but also provides you with a simple way to add some colour and personality to the area. Rather than a mismatch of the guest’s coats and own umbrellas you can choose a style to fit you, making them as much a great decorating idea as a practical necessity!
   Matching umbrellas and blankets can be hired from many wedding suppliers so there’s no need to end up with 150 brollies and blankets cluttering up the attic once the big day is complete!

3. BLANKETS & UMBRELLAS
   Even with a backup plan in place you don’t want to be caught out mid-ceremony with a change in the conditions and so providing each seat with a blanket and umbrella not only keeps your guests warm and dry should the worst happen but also provides you with a simple way to add some colour and personality to the area. Rather than a mismatch of the guest’s coats and own umbrellas you can choose a style to fit you, making them as much a great decorating idea as a practical necessity!
   Matching umbrellas and blankets can be hired from many wedding suppliers so there’s no need to end up with 150 brollies and blankets cluttering up the attic once the big day is complete!
4. GO CABARET!
   Another possible option (depending on seating numbers required) is to move away from the traditional rows of seating and adopt a cabaret-style set up with guests seated around small parasol covered tables. Once again this provides you not just with rain cover but also an opportunity to style your ceremony with an unusual layout and colour coordinated parasols. If you want to keep your guests extra toasty you could even hire in some parasol heaters to keep them warm whilst you tie the knot in front of them.
   The great thing about the cabaret setup is that you’re also instantly set up for an epic drinks reception in the park, no turnaround time required!
5. CONSIDER ACOUSTICS
   One of the most common problems of the outdoor ceremony is voices being lost in the wind! No matter how booming a voice your celebrant might have, when the wind gushes the wrong way nobody stands a chance, so it’s a good idea to talk to a professional sound company about amplification for your ceremony so that all your guests can hear you! The bandstand at Battersea has power available and professional event sound companies have ways to make amplification equipment discrete and simple so it’s always a good idea if your budget can stretch to it. If you’re having your ceremony filmed your videographer will definitely thank you too as they may be able to take a recording feed direct from the system. Just don’t forget to make sure windshields are included for any microphones!

Outdoor wedding ceremonies are such beautiful events and Battersea Park is the perfect place to hold one so we hope these tips help to make your ceremony extra special!