Kravis vibes, love-heart sunnies and cowboy hats
If you’ve not seen a wedding in The Asylum, prepare to have your little socks blown off. Actually, fuck it. You’re probably better just removing those socks o’ yours altogether for the foreseeable. Ross and Daisy’s wedding was off-the-fucking-charts.
Multiple people were topless. There was a mop involved.
It all began with a ‘first look’ in a Peckham pub. We sank our pints, and took a stroll through the sunshine to the most hauntingly beautiful wedding venue London has to offer. They tied the knot, we laughed, we drank some more. We raved on a double-decker through the city. And then ended the day with one of the wildest fucking parties I’ve ever been to.
There were a million outfit changes, love-heart sunnies and cowboy hats. Truly spectacular amounts of alcohol (and some of alcohol’s best mates).
It was absolute chaos from start to finish. For real, it was completely fucking perfect.
If you’re on the lookout for some super non-traditional London wedding inspiration, you’ve hit the freakin’ motherload. Come take a look…
The Prince (and Princess) of Peckham
Our story begins- as all the best ones do- with a mid-morning pint.
I’d met up with Daisy to catch all the girls getting ready together. And then we headed over to the iconic Prince of Peckham pub for a lightening-swift livener. Ross was what we call, fashionably late. So for a little while we just chatted away and chilled at the bar.
Then in struts our guy. All-black, sunnies on. And just the biggest fucking smile on his face.
As first looks go, it was as informal as it gets. It was actually less ‘first look’, and more ‘first one to the bar’. But shit, they were so happy to see each other. I coulda set off a firework and they wouldn’t have noticed.
And damn, they looked good together. Ross in his baggy black trousers, and loose black shirt. Daisy in her black dress, celestial headpiece and badass cowboy boots. These guys were giving some serious Kravis vibes and I was loving it.
I swear, those drinks went down quicker than a homesick mole. One minute I’m payin’ the guy. The next minute someone’s tappin’ their watch, and I’m tryna’ neck my pint as I’m running out the door!
Empty glasses on the bar, Ross and Daisy leading the way. Through the sunny streets of Peckham to their wedding in The Asylum.
A quick intro to The Asylum wedding venue
The Asylum wedding venue in Peckham (AKA Asylum Chapel) is a mecca for the untraditional.
Unapologetic in its imperfection; unforgettable in its dilapidated beauty. You step inside, and this surreal atmosphere just washes over you. Candles flicker in the recesses. Plaster cracks, paint peels from the walls. And light pours through the open doors, and stained glass windows.
Style it how you like, but you won’t need much. There aren’t many wedding venues in London- maybe even the country- that are inherently this fucking cool.
The most high-energy wedding in The Asylum
When we got there, the vibe was on point. Everyone was chilling with drinks, chatting away and waiting for the show to begin. And then it all started kicking off…
I’ll be honest, at first I didn’t know what was going on. (And yeah, maybe ‘cause my dumbass was wearing all-black in 30 degree heat.)
But all of a sudden, out of nowhere, this guy just runs down the aisle like Michael Scott from The Office. The guests all stood up, drinks in hand, just cheering it on. The bridal party followed in pairs, running down, kissing their grandmas, lapping up the love from the audience!
It was five solid minutes of wild, infectious energy. Best start to a ceremony I’ve ever seen.
Their mate, James, who did the ceremony is a professional comedian. And he did the ceremony the only way a comedian would. With a whole lotta charisma, a whole lotta heart, and a shit ton o’ laughs. They read some pretty darn emotional personal vows, said their ‘I dos’, and sealed the deal with a kiss.
A few minutes later, they were outside in the sunshine. Standing on the steps of The Asylum. And kissing beneath a cascade of crimson confetti.
My guys brought those mad group shots vibes
Lemme just say real quick, wedding party group shots are my fucking jam.
If I’ma be your wedding photographer, we’re gonna get a little crazy. Round up ya mates, bring some drinks, I’ll bring the tunes and let’s fucking go.
So you know when I saw Daisy and Ross in all black, and their wedding party in all white, I was buzzing for this moment. Man, I’d been looking forward to these group shots all damn day!
And these guys did not disappoint.
Ross and Daisy like Kourtney and Travis nestled in a sea of pure white. Their guys just absolutely vibing, dancing, giving more damn attitude than I knew what to do with. And all that backdropped by the cracked and peeling walls of The Asylum. The wedding photographer in me was fucking loving life.
Eventually the guys went off to top up their alcohol-blood levels. And I stuck around with Ross and Daisy for their couple’s shots.
Badass couples photography in The Asylum
I gotta be honest. When you’re having your wedding in The Asylum, your couples shots options are pretty limited.
You ain’t got any grounds to explore, or back-rooms to disappear into. It’s just the chapel. So basically you just gotta get on with it while all your guests are milling about in the background.
But you know what? Despite all their mates chatting and nibbling a few yards away, Ross and Daisy were in their own little world.
I swear my guys were one drink away from consummating the thing. So in love, so into each other, and just so goddamn cool.
The big red party bus
The ‘Wedding in The Asylum’ part of the day was officially done ‘n’ dusted. So we jumped on a big red party bus to the reception in Bermondsey Social.
And man, this day just kept reaching new heights. Tunes blazing out as we weaved through the London streets. Cider cans became karaoke mics; love-heart sunnies on every face. Gimme blaring music and beers on a bus over a dead-silent Rolls any day.
We poured outta the bus at Bermondsey Social and headed inside.
Streamadelica had already been in setting up. And I’ll tell ya, the place looked immense. Sensational neons glowed out into the darkness, tassels poured from the ceiling. It just brought the whole place alive. We finished setting up together, scranned on some DELICIOUS pizza and waited for the guests to arrive.
Only for the ears of the last ones standing
We drank, like a lot.
Then came the first dance. The cowboy hats were on, the love heart sunnies were out. And Ross’ gradual descent into near-nakedness had begun.
Before we knew it, there were half-dressed folk everywhere you looked. It was utter fucking madness. One girl danced her heart out while mopping the floor. Said mop then turned into a limbo ‘how low can ya go?’ stick, and the rest is history.
The DJ clocked-off at 2am, just in time for their immaculately-curated, final-hour playlist. A collection of nostalgia that took me back to my college days, black-out fucked in Corporation, Sheffield. Naughty emo hits, only for the ears of the last ones standing.
If every wedding in The Asylum was like this, I’d pitch a tent outside.
Do I even need to say it?! This was my kinda wedding.
Man, if my liver could cope I’d do it every weekend. If you’d love a wedding day like this and think I’m the guy to tell your story, HMU and let’s chat.
