Why I love photographing weddings at the Barbican Conservatory

• One of the most unusual places for a wedding
• Incredibly photogenic location for your wedding ceremony and party
• The Brutalist architecture of the surrounding Barbican Estate is perfect for couples pictures
• A fantastic playground for my style of documentary wedding photography
• Different rooms to provide a different feel for the daytime and evening photography
• Needs very little styling or additional decor
• Perfect all year round – the outdoors is indoors

I adore photographing weddings at The Barbican Conservatory. It is without a doubt one of London’s most breathtaking and unique wedding venues. The perfect wedding venue for plant lovers, it’s filled from floor to (very high) ceiling with over 2000 species of tropical plants. Saying your vows surrounded by palm trees and huge ferns, whilst being in the heart of London, is pretty special. It’s also the perfect all weather, year-round wedding venue. It won’t matter if it’s blowing a gale and raining outside, as inside the conservatory, you’re in your own little horticultural paradise.

This hidden gem can be accessed via the main arts centre, or by wandering through the sprawling concrete jungle of the Barbican Estate. Whilst it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I absolutely love this quiet, 1960’s-built residential estate. The lines, textures, and ever-changing light make it a very photogenic and visually appealing location. As a documentary wedding photographer, I only take my couples away from the party for a very short amount of time. Therefore, a 10 minute walk around the Barbican Estate, if you know where to go and where best to utilise the light, is all that’s needed to create some striking, beautifully lit portraits. The muted tones and strong architectural lines are in stark contrast to the tropical, free-flowing greens inside the Barbican Conservatory.

Some useful information for weddings at The Barbican Conservatory

• How much is a wedding at Barbican Conservatory? Cost to hire – from £6000
• Capacity – 120 for a wedding /  72 for dining / 150 for reception
• Perfect all year round: the outdoors is indoors
• In-house catering by Searcy’s
• Licensed til 11pm (later on request)

“A tropical utopia in the heart of London. Exotic plants and concrete terraces create the most unique and gasp-inducing wedding venue.

Weddings at The Barbican Conservatory need very little in the way of styling or decor, due to the plants themselves providing the perfect backdrop for saying your vows. You can, however, dress this area up a little to give a focal point, and tropical bright colours work well, as do more muted, earthy tones. You won’t need to worry about background music for your drinks reception, as the gently gurgling water of the carp pond and the hum of the conservatory do a great job of creating an ambient background noise.

I’ve sent the link round to a couple of people already, and they’ve all said the photographs look like they belong in an exhibition! It was so important to us that the photography itself felt really special and that we could look back in years to come and not cringe at the dated styling of them. Somehow you’ve managed to capture perfectly the feeling and humour of the day while at the same time making it look more magical and beautiful than I could have ever imagined. 

Rose & Ed – Married at Barbican Conservatory

See Rosie & Jason’s colourful, DIY wedding at The Barbican Conservatory below

If you’re planning your wedding at The Barbican Conservatory, I’d love to hear from you