Wedding Photography at Asia House, Marylebone
Pretty as a picture: Bride Tanya arrives fashionably late through the ornate entrance and splendid red doors of Asia House.
Asia House is a licensed civil wedding venue located in Marylebone, London – just a ten-minute walk from Oxford Circus.
It is a corporate events venue which doesn’t cater just for weddings – the building isn’t called Asia House without reason. Billed as ‘The Centre of Expertise on Asia‘, it has a rich history in aiding Anglo-Asian relations. So, it primarily aims more at the corporate world than the marital one.
Weddings are something of a sideline, but what a superb venue to hold yours…
Also Consider>> Old Marylebone Town Hall for Your Civil Marriage.
Another Bridal arrival shot: I photographed Charlotte as she walked through the front doors into the reception area.
We Love Our Photos…
My wife and I are so pleased we hired Guy Milnes to shoot our wedding: he did a fantastic job! Patient, knowledgeable and really friendly as well. We had our pictures back in good time and he even put together some bespoke thank you cards for us. Very transparent about costs and easy to work with. He put us at ease and we love our photo’s. Thank you Guy!
– Charlotte & Ryan had their wedding ceremony at Asia House
A Bridesmaid (and the couple's daughter) is excited to present her Mummy and Daddy with the rings. Here, I photographed her as she anticipated the moment.
Asia House: An Elegant and Popular Venue for Your Wedding
Asia House is an 18th Century Grade II listed townhouse in the centre of Marylebone, coming under the Westminster registrars' jurisdiction. It has several 'fine rooms' used for ceremonies. When Old Marylebone Town Hall was temporarily closed for refurbishment, Asia House became a popular choice for engaged couples.
Wedding guests assemble in Fine Room 1. With its ornate ceiling and large windows, this high room is a photogenic room fit for any medium-sized wedding.
Wedding Photography at Asia House: Registrar Rules
The Westminster registrars positively encourage wedding photography. The key is allowing photography of the actual signing rather than a staged photo afterwards with a 'dummy' schedule. My photography is all about natural moments, so this suits me down to the ground.
Photographers' can move around the ceremony room unhindered to capture the best moments of this crucial part of your wedding day.
The moment arrives for the Bridesmaid as she hands up the rings to the registrar. The photographer should anticipate where to be. I try to capture as much of the scene as possible.
The delight of the happy couple is evident in this most cheerful of shots of the rings' exchange. When I capture a photograph with such joy, I'm delighted too.
Group Photos After Your Ceremony
Post-ceremony, the wedding party exits to the stairs, where the photographer takes the group photos. The staircase is excellent for a group shot of all the guests if the wedding party isn't too large.
I tend to mix it up and take some there and others outside the front with the grand Georgian facade as the backdrop.
Asia House truly is the perfect setting for your ideal wedding day. It is a venue where I love photographing wedding days.
Are you having a gay/LGBT+ wedding, civil ceremony or baby naming? Asia House caters for these, too.
The main room is photographed from the back just before the vows: Your photographer should look for many angles and viewpoints as they document your ceremony.
The all-important first kiss shot: I always tell the newlyweds to slow down for this crucial wedding moment. They are usually only too happy to oblige.
Asia House Wedding Ceremony Rooms
3 Georgian-styled but unimaginatively titled Fine Rooms are used for weddings at Asia House.
Fine Room 1:
The largest of the wedding spaces with a 100 (80 for a seated reception) capacity: It features a marbled fireplace at the front with an ornate painted ceiling. With large, south-facing windows looking out onto New Cavendish Street, the room is light, airy, and perfect for wedding photography. Rooms 1 & 2 are adjoining and can be interlinked to increase reception capacity.
Fine Room 2:
Similar in style to the first room, yet slightly smaller, it can hold 50 seated guests for the ceremony or 100 for a standing reception.
Fine Room 3:
The most intimate of rooms with an impressive circular ceiling dating from its time as a private house in the 1700s. Both the wedding ceremony and reception seat 30 guests.
Hutchison Room:
Tastefully decorated in yellow with ornate features, this is another light and bright room that seats 40 people for a banqueting-style reception.
The Asia House Library:
Worthy of mention is this room's connection with the history of book collecting. John Sloane designed the bookshelves - the first adjustable bookshelves ever made. Holds up to 45 people.
You can telephone or email the venue for more details at 02073 075454 or venue.hire@asiahouse.co.uk
There is also a booking enquiry form here: asiahouse.org/venue-hire/make-booking/
There are always unexpected moments for which your photographer should be on the lookout. Here, the Bridesmaid receives a loving kiss as she is a perfect ring bearer.
Read More>> Asia House is Perfect for Those Wanting Short-Day Wedding Photography.
The stairs at Asia House are a photogenic feature worth taking time on. The Bride and Groom descend the stairs after the ceremony.
A good place for a group shot of everyone is the staircase. From the top, a weird perspective makes those near the camera look far larger.
Asia House Confetti Rules
Unfortunately, confetti is not allowed inside or outside of Asia House. However, bubbles are popular and well worth considering for a striking 'confetti' sequence, as in the photo below. Below was one of around 12 shots I took as the couple exited the venue.
Asia House doesn't allow confetti, but bubbles are a popular alternative. The Georgian facade is a beautiful backdrop post-ceremony.
Asia House FAQs
Q. WHY GET MARRIED AT ASIA HOUSE?
A. The Georgian townhouse is in the perfect Central London location, close to tube lines and bus routes. Yet it's not too in the thick of it to get much noise and distraction from the city hubbub. The wedding rooms are elegant and tastefully decorated in keeping with its history.
Q. IS PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED OF OUR WEDDING CEREMONY AND VOWS?
A. The ceremony is overseen by the City of Westminster, which provides some of London's most relaxed registrars. They allow the photographer full access to shoot the whole of the ceremony and are very helpful throughout. They also allow photography of the register signing, which many do not.
Q. DOES ASIA HOUSE ALLOW CONFETTI AFTERWARDS FOR A NICE SEQUENCE OF PHOTOS?
A. Confetti is not allowed in any part of the building or outside on the steps. However, there are alternatives, such as bubbles or sparklers, for a striking sequence as the couple exit the venue.
Q. WHAT IS THE LIGHT LIKE INSIDE ASIA HOUSE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY?
A. The large windows illuminate the ceremony well during daylight hours. A couple of the rooms are brighter than others, but a good photographer should have no problem with low light at all.
Asia House,
63 New Cavendish Street,
Marylebone,
London W1G 7LP
