Kerry and Artem celebrated their big day at Mayfair’s celebrated In and Out Club, the famous Naval and Military club in St James’ Square. The Club was formerly based opposite Green Park and came to be known as "The In & Out" from the signs on the building's entrance and exit gates. The current Grade I listed building was designed by Edward Shepherd n 1679 for the Earl of Kent, and was once the London residence of Nancy Astor, who’s name is marked with a blue plaque. Designed as an officer’s club, entrance is allowed to both men and women, and, more pertinently, to couples tying the knot.
The In & Out offers a variety of celebrations and weddings for up to 300 with an impressive range of grand rooms that radiate history, large windows, beautiful paintings, sparkling chandeliers, sweeping staircases, double height ceilings, spectacular fireplaces, a beautiful private courtyard area, accommodation, exclusive access to the stunning adjacent St James Square gardens and even the option of a late license!
As for my couple, well you can see for yourself they were every bit as sophisticated as the venue they had chosen, and fabulous-looking into the bargain.
For the ceremony, they had chosen the delightful Fitzrovia Chapel, a Grade II listed building, which is noted for its opulent Gothic Revival style and opulent mosaic interior, situated in the grounds of the former Middlesex Hospital, just off Charlotte Street. The ceiling mosaic work consists of blue stars against gold representing the firmament. The wall mosaics are lined with green onyx. In the arched chancelry there is a Cosmatesque pillar piscina. No, I don’t really know what any of this means either. What I do know is that the little chapel is just exquisite.
So this was really a proper London Wedding, with everything happening in W1. So if you were to ask me what my favourite part of the day was, I would be a bit stumped. The club offered sumptuous surroundings for bridal prep and candlelit wedding breakfast photography, or the glorious yellow ballroom where the riotous knees up gave us a whole lot of fun shooting the first dance wedding videography, while it was a struggle to chose which amazing oil painting of royal figures and celebrated military and political heroes to have as a backdrop to formal posed portrait photographs.
Oh and by the way, before you ask where Kerry’s fabulous dress is from, because when you see it you are going to want to, let me stop you right there. It is by Maggie Sottero and yes, completely gorgeous.
In the end, I have to say my favourite part of the day was shooting Kerry and Artem’s romantic bride and groom couple portrait photography session. These two allowed lots of time for this, which in a hectic wedding day is no easy matter. So straight after the wedding ceremony, I jumped in their white Rolls Royce wedding car and we snatched some cool wedding portrait photographs on Regent’s Street and Piccadilly, taking in the iconic architecture and the bustle of a Saturday in Westminster. We didnt have time for the Georgian arcades, but we did have time to shoot some super relaxed and intimate wedding photography portraits in the secluded private gardens of the In and Out Club, which to my surprise were not just beautifully tended, but lush, peaceful and atmospheric.
All in all, a fantastic, sophisticated, super-classy day in Mayfair, where my generous bride and groom, together with their amazing family and friends, made for a day where we could squeeze the very best wedding photography and videography out of a packed schedule, without any fuss and with the maximum of fun.
If you want to check out the wedding videography we also did for them, click here.
Congratulations Kerry and Artem! x
FIRST DANCE & RASPUTIN
These party animals asked me could I blog this early for them - I think I posted this sneak peek only a week after their wedding day and at the busiest time of the year, because, well because they were a bit special.
but If you want to check out the full wedding videography we also did for them, click here.