July 10, 2023

London Shell Co. boat wedding inspiration: immaculate vibes and impeccable style

As a London wedding photographer, I don’t have favourites…but if I did, Charlotte and Alex’s boat wedding would definitely be a contender. They had a classic City Hall wedding in Chelsea before hopping on a bus to get to their floating restaurant for the reception. (And yes, when I say floating restaurant, I do mean a boat, hence it being a boat wedding.)

I loved this gang – they were just up for so much fun and spent all day long hyping each other up. Charlotte and Alex are childhood sweethearts, and their guests were a mix of old school friends as well as new London friends. Alex’s best man even flew in from Australia, so you can tell they’re obviously a really tight bunch!

When they originally enquired with me, Charlotte and Alex said the thing that excited them most about their wedding plans was “having everyone that they love and who are very special to them in their favourite city for a weekend of fun and celebration” – and it’s fair to say they absolutely nailed it.

Pink bridesmaids

Charlotte and her bridesmaids brought their serious style A-game to this wedding day! Charlotte was resplendent in a Vivienne Westwood strapless dress with a draped corset and classic blue Manolo Blahniks, whilst her bridesmaids all wore their own perfect dress in hot pink.

Not to be outdone, Alex and his groomsmen all looked impeccable in black suits and bow ties too. (Although, all day the bridesmaids were warning me that one of the guys was going to get naked… and he did with perfect timing, just as the boat was docking alongside a restaurant full of people.)

Chelsea Old Town Hall wedding ceremony

Before their boat wedding reception, Charlotte and Alex had their actual official wedding ceremony at Chelsea Old Town Hall. We followed their short and sweet ceremony with their guests lined up either side of the iconic steps for a confetti throw, as well as some group photos at the base of them.

To get between their ceremony and reception, Charlotte and Alex had hired a red double decker bus for all of their guests. On board, they enjoyed glasses of champagne and Greggs sausage rolls straight from the paper bag (an elite combination, if you ask me!)

Boat wedding reception aboard The London Shell Co.

Once the bus reached Paddington, it was time to hop off, do some quick portraits, and then climb aboard their boat wedding venue: the incredible The London Shell Co. barge.

The London Shell Co. is a floating restaurant: meaning you board, you eat, you drink, you see some of the best sights in London as you sail down Regent’s Canal. And, in Charlotte and Alex’s case, you party: hard!

As the name might suggest, they specialise in seafood and fine wine, so guests were treated to oysters as the first course before speeches began, delivered from the middle of the floor as the barge is lined with tables of four on either side. (I particularly love that even though Charlotte and Alex weren’t sat at the same table, they were constantly interacting with each other.) The tables were laid simply but stylishly with floral arrangements made by one of the bridesmaids, and chic wavy stationery.

Another epic element of this boat wedding venue is the deck at the front. Guests were able to step out for a smoke, some fresh air, or some epic photos as the wonders of Central and North London passed them by, as well as the aforementioned full-frontal nudity…

Boat wedding reception aboard The London Shell Co.

The time of their lives

And not in a Dirty Dancing way – but in a genuine, Charlotte and Alex had the time of their lives, kind of way. Their boat wedding is the perfect example of how style and substance aren’t polar opposites – you can totally have both. Here the styling was incredible, the setting was impeccable, but most of all: the vibes were immaculate. The bride, the groom and their guests just approached the day with the best energy, ready to have an absolute party – and so they did!

Natural London wedding photography

If you love Charlotte and Alex’s stylish, relaxed boat wedding and are planning an epic wedding celebration of your own, then I’d love to chat to you about capturing it in my natural, editorial wedding photography style. Get in touch here to tell me all about your plans – I can’t wait to hear what you’ve got up your sleeve!

In Charlotte and Alex’s own words…

And don’t just take my word for it – here’s how Charlotte and Alex found working with me on their wedding day.

“Thank you so so much - we have received the pictures and we are totally in love! It was very emotional to watch the slideshow back and relive the wedding day - you have perfectly captured the atmosphere, the joy and the people who made the day so special for us. It is going to be very very difficult to pick our favourites and I keep finding beautiful little details in every image. I will be spending many many a happy hour looking through them and reliving our day. You were such a brilliant addition to our wedding party and you were the ultimate professional - giving instruction amongst all of the chaos. Every single one of our guests commented on how brilliant you were and how lovely it was to have you join us for the day. Myself, Alex and all of our friends and family are so so pleased with the pictures and we will all treasure them forever. I want to take this opportunity to thank you again - we really appreciate all of your hard work to capture our day so beautifully (even when faced with a rogue nudist!)”