One of my favourite SW London wedding venues, all year round.
SW London has no shortage of wedding venues but Fulham Palace stands out for me, for the beautiful architecture, the photogenic gardens, and the super-friendly staff. Speaking as a Fulham Palace wedding photographer I love how versatile it is, with so many ways to use the space and make great photos all year round. I’ve got plenty of favourite spots, from the walled botanic garden to the bankside walk along the Thames, but I’m always looking for new ones. So if you like what you see here, I’d love to hear from you.
Spend the whole day at Fulham Palace - or just part of it
Fulham Palace works perfectly as either an all-in-one location for your whole wedding day, or just for your reception celebrations. I’ve seen ceremonies in the Great Hall and the cosier drawing rooms, but the Chapel is also available. All of them are perfect for a medium-size guest list and then you can invite more people to join afterwards.
In good weather the gorgeous archway entry into Fulham Palace’s courtyard makes for an impressive grand entrance as a married couple, perhaps in a classic wedding limo or even being piped in by bagpipes. Or you could have your confetti moment at the main door to the palace itself.
After some group shots and portraits around the Palace grounds, the Courtyard itself has plenty of space for your guests to spread out (and if it’s raining then either the Great Hall or the marquee have got you covered, literally).
I’ve seen the Courtyard play host to all kinds of wedding entertainment, from a harpist to string quartets to a roving brass band on stilts, as well as food suppliers ranging from oyster shuckers to popcorn and ice cream stands. And of course the Bovingdons team can keep everyone fed and watered with canapés and champagne.
For your wedding breakfast there’s a huge solid-walled marquee around the side of the Palace, a blank slate for you to style however you like in your wedding themes and colours. Or for medium-sized guest lists there’s the high-ceilinged Great Hall, which definitely gives your wedding breakfast that medieval banquet feel.
Then in the evening when it’s time to really kick back and party, the rear cafe rooms can accommodate a band and dance floor, with a pair of separate rooms for the bar, and a cheese table, and plenty of lawn space to spill out onto at the back.
Getting married at Fulham Palace?
Tell me all about it.
If you’re getting married at Fulham Palace I’d love to be there for you. I only book 25 full weddings a year, and only one per weekend, so if you’ve got a date in mind let me know.
Making wedding photos at Fulham Palace
The very fact there’s a medieval bishop’s palace right in the heart of SW London makes it such a novel wedding venue anyway, but as a photographer the opportunities it offers to create striking images put it high on my list of favourite venues.
My top photo spot at Fulham Palace? Easy: their 3.5 acre botanic garden at the back of the Palace. It’s by far my favourite place on the grounds to create stylish, artistic portraits of you after your ceremony. And no, you really don’t need to be posers, I love my wedding portraits to feel as natural as possible!
After ducking through the decorative brick archway the walled garden feels like a tranquil urban oasis where you can wander hand-in-hand through winding paths amongst the flowerbeds, knotted garden and apple orchard, while I get my lens low in amongst the foliage and steal candid-feeling shots of you having a snuggle and enjoying those first few moments of married life together.
Two paths cross in the centre of the garden, each lined with trees or arching foliage, the perfect spot for a creative portrait that’s as much about the gorgeous location as it is about you, perfect for couples for don’t feel like natural posers.
In the SW corner of the gardens is a huge holm oak tree, believed to be over 500 years old and known as one the Great Trees Of London. It’s rightly roped off for its protection, but that area is surrounded by trees and when the sunlight is just right, filtering through the canopy of foliage, this part of Fulham Palace can make for some magical photographs with a forest-glade feel.
And if you’d like some photographs that capture both the Palace architecture and the natural beauty of the gardens there’s a lovely spot between the chapel and the main Palace building where we can make use of the climbing wisteria, the low-hanging canopies of nearby trees, and the ancient red brick of the chapel walls.
Churches near Fulham Palace for the ceremony
If you want a church wedding ceremony with the reception at Fulham Palace there’s plenty of churches in the surrounding areas of Fulham and Putney.
The closest is All Saints Church, Fulham, an historic Grade II listed building on the banks of the Thames and next to Fulham Palace itself. For great photographs after your ceremony I love the narrow tree-lined path from the main entrance through the church gardens, and then it’s a short scenic stroll along the River Thames embankment path to Fulham Palace, or you can slip straight into the Walled Garden through the back gate.
Staying this side of the Thames, about five minutes drive away you’ll find Holy Cross Church in Parson’s Green. Tucked away on the corner of a residential side-street, the simple brick exterior belies the beauty inside, with high white walls, rich wooden pews, tall clear church windows to let glorious daylight stream in (a wedding photographer’s favourite kind of light) and a stunning wooden-beamed arched ceiling overlooking your ceremony.
On the opposite side of Putney Bridge is St Mary’s Church, Putney. I’ve actually not yet had the pleasure of photographing a wedding ceremony here, so maybe you’ll be my first? But I lived in Putney for several years and can tell you the church has a slightly more modern feel inside than its more traditional sister across the Thames, with your ceremony taking place in a more ‘in-the-round’ setting. Fulham Palace is a gentle 15-20 minutes walk over Putney Bridge and along the Thames embankment walkway. Or just hop in a car and be there in five minutes.
Finally, a touch further away, but only 10-15 minutes by car, is All Saints Church, Putney on the boundary of Putney Common. One of only two churches in Putney (the other being St Mary’s), you’ll enjoy a traditional church wedding decorated with striking artistic stained glass windows on every aspect. Being set back from Lower Richmond Road across Putney Common it’s peaceful and has plenty of space for a couple of waiting private-hire London Buses to carry your guests over to Fulham Palace.
What's the best time of year for a Fulham Palace wedding?
Fulham Palace is one of those very special venues that can accommodate a wedding at any time of year and make it feel special, so there’s not really any time of year to avoid having your Fulham Palace wedding.
That said, if you want to make the most of their beautiful outdoor settings like the courtyard, rear lawns, and walled garden, you’ll want to book a wedding date between spring and autumn. Weather in the UK varies wildly in spring but you usually can’t go too wrong with a date from May to September. When it comes to planning for the weather I love to use Carrot Weather for forecasts, and Sunseeker, for tracking the sun precisely – it’s especially handy for planning where and when to do a sunset photo.
For example, the main entrance in the courtyard looks great for group shots but sometimes it may be better to move into the shade on one side of the courtyard. Alternatively, there’s a gorgeous wall round one side of the Palace covered in beautiful wisteria, although at certain times of year you may find yourself squinting into the sun. So I’ll always keep an eye on where the sun’s going to be.
In autumn or winter we may not have quite as much luck with the weather, and you’ll probably be indoors for most of the post-ceremony cocktail hour, and the reception that evening. But depending on your timings so long as it’s not snowing or blowing a gale it’s still possible to make some gorgeous portraits outside in natural light.
Recommended wedding suppliers
Ceremony & Reception Venue : Fulham Palace Weddings | Ceremony Venues : All Saints Church Fulham • Holy Cross Church Parsons Green • St Mary’s Church Putney • All Saints Church Putney | Florists : Flowers By Kirsty • Mary Jane Vaughn • Albert + Arthur • Twilight Trees | Hair & Makeup Artists : Kristina Gasperas • Anabela Seguro • Carla Francesca (makeup) • Blush + Blow | Entertainment & Music : The Dominos • Real Kudu • Stretto Quartet • Daniel Mills | Stationery : Chelsea Fine Stationery | Wedding Cars : Lux Wedding Car Hire | Caterers : Bovingdons | Event Design : EffectEvent
Getting married at Fulham Palace?
Tell me all about it.
I book 25 all-day weddings a year, and only one per weekend, so if you’re getting married at Fulham Palace let’s connect and have a chat.