A tower of London Wedding | Jess & Jack

Some weddings stay with you forever.

Not because they're extravagant or because everything goes perfectly, but because they make you stop every few minutes and think, "I can't quite believe this is my job."

Jess & Jack's Tower of London wedding was exactly that.

I'd photographed their family for years, ever since my Dixie Dot pop-up sessions when their children were little, so being asked to capture their wedding day felt incredibly special. Walking alongside a family you've watched grow, and then being trusted to document one of the biggest days of their lives, is something I'll never take for granted.

As if that wasn't enough, they were getting married at one of the most iconic and historic landmarks in the world.

Why the Tower of London meant so much

The Tower of London wasn't just an impressive wedding venue for Jess & Jack – it was home.

The groom actually grew up living within the Tower walls. His grandfather had been a Yeoman Warder (Beefeater), and as we wandered around throughout the afternoon he shared stories of growing up there, pointing out places that had been part of his childhood.

One of my favourite moments happened before the ceremony had even begun. Watching the current Beefeaters chatting with the family about his grandfather and the legacy he had left behind was incredibly moving. It was clear just how much history, pride and family were wrapped up in this place.

As a photographer, getting little glimpses into people's lives like this is one of the things I love most about my job.

A beautifully warm June afternoon

The weather certainly played its part.

It was one of those classic June days where the sun didn't disappear once. The skies were blue, the air was completely still and temperatures reached around 28°C.

At 34 weeks pregnant, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't questioning some of my life choices as I jogged backwards with two cameras whilst photographing the guard of honour!

Thankfully, Jess & Jack were wonderfully relaxed from the moment I arrived. There was never any pressure to rush from one location to another, and that calm atmosphere made the whole afternoon such a pleasure to photograph.

A ceremony unlike any other

Their ceremony took place in the beautiful Chapel Royal within the Tower of London.

Photography during the ceremony is understandably very restricted, so I spent much of the service quietly outside the chapel. Rather than feeling disappointing, it actually became one of the highlights of the day.

The chapel's singer filled the historic building with the most incredible music. Everyone standing outside fell completely silent to listen. It was genuinely awe-inspiring, and hearing those voices echo around such an ancient building gave me goosebumps.

I was invited inside only to photograph the signing of the register, which somehow made it feel even more special. I remember feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves as I stepped inside, determined not to accidentally photograph anything I shouldn't!

Walking through history

After the ceremony we headed onto one of the lawns for the family photographs.

In true London fashion, there was another unexpected story waiting for us.

Earlier that very day, the same lawn had been used to film promotional content for House of the Dragon. Production lighting was still in place after a mechanical dragon had apparently flown over Tower Bridge for filming.

Only at the Tower of London!

Once the guests headed to the reception, we had around an hour to explore the grounds for Jess & Jack's portraits.

Having a groom who had actually lived there turned into the biggest advantage imaginable. Instead of wandering aimlessly, we were given a whistle-stop tour through parts of the Tower that held personal memories, including Henry VIII's apartments, with stories accompanying almost every stop.

It transformed the portrait session into something far more meaningful than simply ticking off pretty locations.

The challenge nobody warns you about

If you're planning a Tower of London wedding, here's one thing to prepare yourself for...

The tourists.

Lots and lots of tourists.

Although the later ceremony time definitely helped reduce the crowds, there were still hundreds of visitors exploring the grounds.

Many seemed convinced Jess must be royalty because camera phones appeared from absolutely everywhere. People stopped to photograph the bride, stepped into my shots, and occasionally wandered directly in front of my camera with seemingly no awareness of what was happening around them!

Needless to say, there was quite a bit of careful editing afterwards to remove phones and spectators from the final gallery.

But honestly?

It all became part of the experience.

Hearing visitors gasp as the newlyweds walked through the Tower with their guard of honour was something none of us will ever forget.

The photographs I couldn't wait to edit

Every wedding has that photograph.

The image you know you absolutely have to nail.

For me, it was the portrait with Tower Bridge standing proudly behind Jess & Jack.

It perfectly combined London's iconic skyline with the incredible history surrounding them.

I also fell completely in love with photographing inside the Tower itself. The centuries-old stonework, the beautiful window light and the rich textures created exactly the sort of timeless, editorial feel I love in my work.

By the time I got home, I couldn't wait to begin editing.

Advice for future Tower of London couples

If you're getting married at the Tower of London, my biggest piece of advice is simple.

Don't worry if your photographer can't capture every moment during the ceremony.

The opportunities afterwards are absolutely incredible.

Give yourselves plenty of time to wander the grounds, soak up the atmosphere and simply enjoy being there together.

Very few people get to say they were married somewhere with nearly a thousand years of history behind it.

And yes... prepare yourself for a lot of people pointing cameras at you.

My advice?

Smile, wave if you want to, and enjoy every second. It's your moment.

One of the most memorable weddings I've photographed

As I packed my cameras away at the end of the afternoon, I felt completely buzzing.

The adrenaline was unreal.

I'd just spent the afternoon photographing a family I'd known for years, inside one of the world's most famous landmarks, surrounded by centuries of history.

My dad has always loved the Tower of London, so one of the first things I did on the journey home was ring him to tell him all about it and show him a few previews. I don't think either of us quite believed I'd just photographed a wedding there.

Would I do it again?

In a heartbeat.

(Although next time I might try to squeeze in a recce beforehand—there were still little corners of the Tower I spotted afterwards that instantly had me imagining even more beautiful photographs.)

If you're planning your own Tower of London wedding and you're looking for a photographer who loves natural moments, genuine storytelling and making the most of extraordinary locations, I'd love to hear all about your plans.