getting married in wandsworth
Wandsworth Town Hall is such a great option for your South London Wedding ceremony. It’s a Grade II listed building with art deco elements very similar vibes to Hackney Town Hall), and has a dreamy marble hall!
Weirdly, my favourite part of this venue for weddings is the private courtyard in front of the fountain (to the left of the parking!) that actually feels like your very own secluded little celebration spot!
wandsworth town hall weddings
As a fellow South London resident, I’m a bit fan of getting married south of the river, and Wandsworth Town Hall is such a great option for this.
With the main exit stairs sitting further back and secluded off the busy road, it’s actually one of the quietest registry offices in London which makes it great for calm, intimate weddings.
You’ve got 5 rooms to choose from for your wedding ceremony, and after your ceremony, you have access to the marbled grand hall and the art deco steps outside for your confetti. Ceremony rooms can accommodate anywhere from 8 to 100 guests.
Read on for more information about each room, my advice for photos and everything you need to know about getting married at Wandsworth Town Hall.
Where to get ready for your wandsworth town hall wedding
A lot of my couples who have chosen to get married at Wandsworth Town Hall live locally and have gotten ready at home, which is always such a wonderful option. However, if you’re wanting a bit more space or you’re traveling in from somewhere you could always rent an Airbnb in South West London.
If you’re looking for something a little bit more special, you could rent a hotel for the morning and evening of your wedding. And while you could rent something closer in Wandsworth or Putney, I’d suggest renting just across the river over in Chelsea. You’re only a 15 – 30 minute cab drive away from Wandsworth Town Hall and you have a few more luxury options. Or alternatively, Battersea, Putney and Richmond are great options too.
LUXURY HOTELS IN CHELSEA
Number 16
11 Cadogan Gardens
The Kensington Hotel
The Franklin, London
The Pelham, London
LUXURY HOTELS IN battersea, putney & richmond
The Petersham Hotel
Art Hotel, Battersea
Richmond Hill Hotel
Spread Eagle, Wandsworth
The Bingham Riverhouse
wandsworth town hall ceremony
As with any registry office wedding, you’re going to need to book ahead by giving notice. On the day, you and your partner need arrive 15-20 minutes earlier for your pre-ceremony interview. During this time your guests will either wait in the courtyard on in the room you’re getting married in.
You can choose your music and play it through a bluetooth speaker (for your entrance, the signing of the register and your exit). If you’d like to personalise your ceremony with your own readings and personal vows – you totally can! Just remember nothing religious is permitted.
rooms at wandsworth town hall
There are five different rooms for you to get married in at Wandsworth Town Hall, and you can go ahead and have tours every Saturday morning to help you decide which one works best for you.
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The Mayor’s Parlour: capacity 8
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The Elizabeth Room: capacity 10
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The Victoria Room: capacity 25
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The Alexandra Room: capacity 45
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The Grand Chamber: capacity 100
the mayor's parlour
It only has a capacity of 8 people, and that includes you and your partner and your photographer. So this would only work if you’re having a very small intimate wedding with perhaps just witnesses and a photographer.
Cost: £444 – £561
the elizabeth room
You and your partner will be facing the big windows (which face the courtyard), so there’s plenty of light on your faces which is always great.
You can have up to 10 people in this room, but again that includes the photographer, you and any children.
It’s important to note that you can’t personalise your ceremony in this room. It’s just the standard legal ceremony with a ring exchange. No readings, no music and no personalised vows.
Capacity: 10 people total
Cost: from as little as £53 on a Monday to £165 on a Saturday.
the victoria room
Another well lit room at Wandsworth Town Hall which is an excellent option for your ceremony. Like the other rooms, you’ll be seated at a large wooden table facing the registrars (and the light from the windows!). Your guests sit against the wall around you. I really think the light walls and the roomier venue space makes for a really great ceremony venue.
You don’t really have much of an aisle if you’re wanting a long entrance, but you can play your own music when you enter and still have that moment.
This is great if your wedding guest list is a bit bigger since you can have up to 25 people here (again – that includes everyone including your photographer).
You can also personalise your wedding ceremony in this room. You can pick your music to play during your entrance, signing of the register and your exit. You can also have some of your guests do readings and you can include your personal vows too.
Capacity: 25 people total
Cost: £190 during the week and £210 during the weekend.
The alexandra room
You can completely personalise your ceremony in this room with custom music, vows, and readings.
Capacity: 45 people total
Cost: £220 during the week and £280 on Saturday
the grand chamber
Almost anything goes here with complete personalisation allowed, including live acoustic music – maybe a guitarist or string quartet?
Capacity: 100 people total
Cost: £410 during the week, and £535 on Saturdays
how much does it cost to get married at wandsworth town hall
Your fees include having separate interviews with the registrar if you’d rather only see each other when you walk down the aisle. And depending on the room you choose, it can include personalisation of your ceremony with up to three readings, your chose of music, and personal vows.
Costs range between £55 and £560 depending on which room you choose, and whether you get married during the week or on a Saturday.
a wandsworth town hall elopement
Katie & Lian were the first post-lockdown couple to have a Wandsworth Town Hall wedding the very next day after the first lockdown ended. Even though they had planned a simple wedding pre-Covid, they were told only 9 days ago that their wedding would go ahead after all.
They quickly gathered 6 close friends, grabbed some confetti, their masks, hand sanitiser and a bouquet and got married! Their family watched along on zoom, and they plan to celebrate more when it’s safe to do so.
There is so much to learn about eloping from Katie & Lian. These were my takeaways;
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Wear what you like! Katie opted for something that not only looked elegant but made her feel comfortable, and like her self!
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Small touches make a difference. Don’t forget to grab things that will make you & the day feel special. Get a bouquet, some confetti, some champagne! It’s still your wedding day after all!
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Put someone in charge of the tech & video calls. You don’t want to be panicking about Zoom connectivity issues – put someone in charge of streaming your wedding & handling the calls.
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Hire a photographer! Even if you do hire someone only 9 days before your wedding – DO IT. So many people won’t be at your wedding, so it’s super important to make sure that your day is captured!
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Add in celebrations, before, & after. Katie & Lian hung around the courtyard at Wandsworth Town Hall & Registry office afterwards, just spending time with their guests and celebrating the fact that they got married!
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Plan fast! You don’t need months to plan a wedding. If you want to get married – do it!
wandsworth wedding venues
If you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate your wedding after getting married at Wandsworth Town Hall, you have a few options.
If it’s a micro wedding, you can find quite a few restaurants with private dining areas. Some that my previous clients have used include;
The River Cafe (they have a private dining room!)
Artisans of Sardinia (they can host up to 12 people in their private dining cellar)
Wild by Tart (this is over in Victoria, but you could move with your guests there)
If your wedding party is a bit bigger, you could consider hosting your reception at these locations (I can vouch for them – they’re great!)
London Rowing Club (right on the river, in Putney – this is such a relaxed and gorgeous spot)
The Duke’s Head, Putney (you have a private area in the pub, while being right on the river.
wandsworth town hall wedding photography
The absolute BEST thing about choosing Wandsworth Town Hall as your ceremony spot is the sheer variety of photos you can get during your ceremony.
After your ceremony, while your guests are assembling on the steps getting ready to congratulate you, you can make the most of the gorgeous marbled interior. It’s really striking, is often completely empty (a nice pocket of quiet for you just after your wedding), and has the most wonderful art deco look.
Once you’ve had your confetti moment and been congratulated by your family and friends, you can do group photos in the courtyard – either with the town hall or fountain as your backdrop. Once your guests have moved on to your reception location, you and your partner can hold back in the courtyard for some more photographs.
Depending on your plans after your wedding ceremony, and where you’re headed to for your reception, I can recommend some spots along the way for some extra photos.
I’d suggest stopping at Wandsworth Park along the way (I LOVE the tree lined path), and you get to walk along the Thames for a couple more photos.