An Electric Cinema wedding on film

LUXE KITSCH IN LONDON on KODAK FILM

Ariel and Freddie flew in from the US and threw the most joyful, offbeat, film-soaked celebration I’ve ever had the pleasure of documenting. A ceremony in The Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, followed by a kitschy, 80s-fuelled dinner at Carlotta. And yes, there was a headdress. Obviously.

The groom, Freddie, is a filmmaker (no pressure), and the bride is a self-confessed theatre kid with big main character energy. They walked into the cinema to the sound of their actual friends singing them down the aisle, and I was already tearing up before the ceremony had even started. After the vows, we all sat back in those velvet cinema seats to watch a 10-minute film Freddie had made about their love story. It was funny, moving, and totally original. And had the whole room in bits.

Photographing inside a cinema is no small feat. I pushed my film HARD. Portra 800 pushed to 3200 and 6400, and Ilford Delta 3200 really worked its hardest with the soft, moody light and letting the grain rise up to meet it. The results are everything I love about film: imperfect, emotional, real. I did take a digital photographer with me for this, my friend Tom, as a safety net. The cinema was so dark and we had one chance to get it right. He jokingly refers to himself as a victorian child, backing me up and not talking. We added a stunning sprinkle of digital images in the cinema which blend perfectly.

Afterwards, we jumped on a red London bus and headed to Carlotta, which was pure vintage joy. Neon signs, tiramisu, champagne on tap, and the kind of energy you only get when Americans come to London to throw a party. Ariel and Freddie even had their own lady and the tramp moment, before the bride swapped into a headdress (as every good theatre kid should), and we all piled downstairs for the kind of party that makes you forget what time it is.

This one was a reminder of everything I believe in: film, feelings, and not following the rules.

I work with a limited number of couples each year who want more than just beautiful photos – they want something true. If you’re planning a stylish, cinematic wedding in London and want to be photographed on real film by someone who sees the story as much as the light I’d love to hear from you.

VENDOR LOVE

Photography: Kate Bunny Hampson
Hotel: Portobello Hotel, Notting Hill
Wedding venue: The Electric Cinema, Notting Hill
Reception venue: Carlotta, Marylebone
Ariel’s dress: Amsale
Hair and make up: Jess Hawkins
Flowers: Hedges and Flowers
Transport: Routemaster
Victorian child: Tom Aizenberg
Film Lab: Gary the magic
Shot on: Kodak Portra 400 / 800 / TMax 3200