Battersea Park WeddingsA wedding photographer's guide

Battersea Park, Albert Bridge Road

London, SW11 4NJ

Beautiful parkland in the heart of London with a variety of great spaces to celebrate.

Pump House Battersea Park London Bride and groom leaving the ceremony gold ninja boy throwing confetti

VENUE SUMMARY

LOCATION:

London, UK

ADDRESS:

Battersea Park, Albert Bridge Road, London, SW11 4NJ

STYLE:

Outdoor victorian bandstand, green marquee / teepee space and a stylish modern gallery space.

CAPACITY:

Bandstand / bowling green - 250,

Pump House Gallery - 150

WHAT WE LOVE:

Incredible flexibility with multiple ‘blank-canvas’ spaces to make your own and both indoor and outdoor options for you to choose from right in the heart of London.

The Pump House - A beautiful listed building with a stylish gallery feel set amongst acres of parkland. A super relaxed vibe and variety of backgrounds providing a great playground for documentary wedding photography and video

Battersea Park. in London bride walking through the park guests drinking nearby

LONDON’S PUMP HOUSE BATTERSEA PARK: THE IDEAL WEDDING VENUE FOR THE YORK PLACE STREET – DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDOGRAPHY STYLE

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.

Pump House Gallery Battersea Park Weddings

Pump House Gallery Battersea Park Wedding Photography

Battersea Park bride and groom ceremony first kiss

Looking for photography or videography for your wedding in Battersea Park?

If you're planning a park wedding at beautiful Battersea Park and are looking for wedding photographers and/or videographers to capture your celebrations we'd love to talk to you about what we can offer.

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About the venue - Battersea Park & The Pump House

There are not too many wedding venues in London that can boast beautiful green parkland surroundings, outdoor ceremony and reception options and beautiful views of the lake and surrounds. There are even fewer that can also boast a setting as fitting to a 15 people micro wedding as to a 150 guest seated banquet.

Flexibility really is the name of the game at this stunning exclusive use modern chic London venue. The gallery itself, spread over four floors, offers space for 80 guests and is the perfect space for smaller ceremonies and dinners or just to create a bar, dancefloor, children’s play area, general drinks reception space, cloakroom, performance area or even your own exhibition space! You basically have the run of the building to do with as you please (including bring your own beer!)

Also included is the glass marquee immediately outside the main building on the terrace. Aside from beautifully capturing the feel of the outdoors with its panoramic views whilst still maintaining the warmth and comfort of the indoors, this space allows for up to 150 seated guests – perfect for all but the largest weddings.

For the ceremony there are multiple licensed spaces indoors and out, including the absolutely stunning victorian bandstand in the heart of the park. With wooden seating provided or the freedom to choose your own chairs and decorate the area however you wish, this is the perfect outdoor space to hold as large or as intimate a ceremony as you like before retiring to the gallery or other spaces for your drinks reception.

Then there’s the bowling green pavilion and lawn – licensed for smaller ceremonies (as well as for the sale of alcohol and with the perfect pitch to construct an additional outdoor space, whether that’s for the ceremony, dinner or even dancing under the stars.
With all these features to boast, the Pump House gallery really is a perfect space for just about any type of wedding. It’s a place where history meets nature, art and modern sophistication and with such flexibility thrown in it’s become an absolute favourite of ours and a super relaxed venue to capture some beautiful documentary wedding moments.

“Seriously – the best photos we could ever have asked for! They are so special and brilliant. I have had so many people write to myself and Alastair and say how they are the best wedding photos they’ve ever seen. They capture the day so incredibly. My Grandma couldn’t make it on the day, and she has just been subjected to the whole slideshow and was left in tears. She really felt like she was part of it. Thank you so much!”

CELIA & ALASTAIR

Wedding guests conversing in front of a Tipi at Battersea Park, London

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A GREAT OUTDOOR WEDDING CEREMONY

One of Battersea Park and 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. 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!

4. 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!

View a full wedding at Battersea Park London

Pump House Battersea Park Wedding Photography // Celia & Alastair

A wedding full of fun & personality, from the gold ninja page boy to a toy-tiger-wearing guest!

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We love capturing Pump House Battersea wedding photography & videography and if you're planning a wedding at the Pump House or other Battersea venues and are looking for relaxed, candid documentary wedding photography and videography we'd love to connect with you.

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How to get there

BY CAR:
– 2 small car parks within Battersea Park (Albert Car Park & Chelsea Car Park) – 10mins walk (advise to check for parking hours before journey)
– On-street parking available on the roads surrounding the park
– Secure 24hr Car Parking available at Q-Park Pimlico (23min walk)

PUBLIC TRANSPORT (RECOMMENDED):
Tube – Battersea Park (Overground) – 12mins walk
River Bus – Battersea Power Station Pier (RB1)

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL:

Nearest Airport: Heathrow (46mins drive, 57mins Public Transport)

Train via Eurostar Terminal at St Pancras International (31mins taxi ride, 26mins via Victoria Line Underground and Southern Rail train. Includes a 10 minute walk to the park gate and further walk to the venue inside the park.)