Hi, I’m Paola, a London wedding photographer and a preferred wedding supplier at Burgh House in Hampstead. I’ve photographed many weddings here over the years, and every time I return I discover another little reason to love this wonderfully quirky and elegant place.

I wanted to write this guide from my point of view as a photographer, but also as someone who genuinely knows and treasures Burgh House, its rooms, its light, its garden, the people behind it and, of course, the beautiful Hampstead neighbourhood that surrounds it.

So if you’re considering a Burgh House wedding, let me show you why this place is so special to me and why I think it attracts a very particular kind of couple.

Burgh House sign surrounded by autumn leaves in Hampstead, London

Newly married couple outside the entrance of Burgh House in Hampstead

My First Impression of Burgh House

My first impression of Burgh House is one of rich English heritage, without the stiffness that can sometimes come with a historic building.

It felt welcoming and warm, almost like stepping into somebody’s wonderfully eclectic private home. There are books, paintings, original fireplaces and beautiful rooms filled with history, but none of it feels imposing.

The history is tangible, but somehow nurturing rather than overwhelming. You can embrace the past here while still feeling completely relaxed.

After photographing many weddings at Burgh House, the more time I spend here, the more I love it!

Historic interior of Burgh House in Hampstead with large windows and artwork

Pianist playing during a wedding at Burgh House in Hampstead

A Hampstead Wedding Venue That Feels Like a Village in London

Part of what makes a Burgh House wedding so special is Hampstead itself.

You are in London, and yet it doesn’t feel like London.

Hampstead is green, quirky, creative and full of independent shops, cafés, beautiful streets and unexpected little corners. To me, it feels like a village within a city, with a strong personality and a real sense of community.

And that feeling continues when you arrive at Burgh House.

It isn’t a wedding venue created to look beautiful for weddings. It is also a museum, an art gallery, and a music venue, all run as an independent charity with a strong connection to its local community.

I love that. It has a life and personality of its own.

Wedding ceremony at Burgh House with the couple's dog looking at the camera

Who Is Burgh House Wedding For?

I don’t think every wedding venue is right for every couple and I don’t think it should be.

Burgh House is for people who appreciate historical elegance but don’t need everything to be polished and perfect.

It is for couples who love London but also value nature, community, art and music.

Perhaps you are historically curious. Perhaps you love gardens, books, paintings and music. Perhaps the idea of a very traditional luxury London hotel leaves you a little cold.

You want somewhere elegant, but you also want somewhere that feels human.

I’ve photographed very different weddings here: multicultural celebrations, two grooms with their dog, two beautiful brides with a baby on the way, sophisticated second marriages and relaxed London professionals whose dog had the very important job of being their ring bearer.

Every wedding has been different.

But all these couples have something in common.

They appreciate authentic beauty without the pretension.

Burgh House has history, but it doesn’t need to shout about its importance.

It is elegant but not perfect.

And I think that’s really beautiful.

Two brides sharing a joyful moment inside the Library at Burgh House

What Does a Wedding at Burgh House Actually Feel Like?

On a wedding day, Burgh House can feel like a sophisticated English home with a wonderfully quirky and daring side.

There are books and old artefacts, wooden panelling and paintings, but there are also changing art exhibitions and a garden filled with life.

The Music Room is particularly beautiful. Its wooden panelling and large windows create soft natural light that can almost feel like the light in a painting.

Then you can move into the garden for cocktails, flowers, conversation and birdsong.

In summer, as daylight starts to disappear and the fairy lights begin to glow, the atmosphere changes again.

That’s one of the things I love about photographing weddings here.

Burgh House doesn’t give me just one background or one feeling but many.

Newly married couple embracing in the garden at Burgh House in Hampstead

Photographing a Wedding at Burgh House

From a photographer’s point of view, the possibilities are endless.

I can photograph something romantic and floral in the garden, particularly as the fairy lights begin to appear at dusk.

I can create something cleaner and more contemporary around the gallery, where the changing exhibitions mean the space never feels completely static.

Then I can move into the Library, with its deep green walls, books and original fireplace, and suddenly the photographs become darker, more intimate and almost painterly.

And outside, Hampstead gives us another world altogether.

I don’t need to force couples into artificial poses, I can follow what is naturally happening and allow the architecture, light, garden and people to become part of the story.

That’s much closer to the way I photograph weddings: fun, relaxed and documentary, full of real connection but always with an eye for beauty, light and the wonderfully unexpected.

View through the leafy garden towards the entrance of Burgh House in Hampstead

The Many Different Weddings I’ve Photographed Here

One of the things I love most about Burgh House is that it doesn’t seem to attract just one type of couple.

I’ve photographed multicultural weddings here, two grooms celebrating with their dog, two beautiful brides with a baby on the way, second marriages and elegant London celebrations where family, friends and sometimes four-legged members of the family are very much part of the day.

For me, that diversity feels completely natural here.

Burgh House has a warmth and openness that allows people to make the place their own rather than feeling that they have to fit themselves into somebody else’s idea of a wedding.

And as an LGBTQ+ inclusive London wedding photographer, that feeling of welcome and acceptance is particularly important to me.

Child walking a dog during a relaxed wedding celebration at Burgh House

A Few Practical Things I’ve Learned From Photographing Weddings Here

My biggest advice is to embrace Burgh House for what it is.

This is a beautiful historical house, not a new, perfectly designed building where every surface and corner looks the same.

That is precisely its charm.

Think about how you can work with the rooms rather than trying to transform them into something they’re not.

Flower displays can look incredible here. The garden can become part of your celebration. And the different spaces allow the atmosphere to change naturally throughout the day.

I recommend walking or taking a taxi to Burgh House rather than planning around parking.

And personally, if you can walk, I would.

You’re in Hampstead. Enjoy it.

Give yourself a little time to experience the neighbourhood rather than simply arriving at the venue and leaving again.

Historic staircase and wood-panelled interior at Burgh House in Hampstead

The People Behind Burgh House

A venue can be beautiful, but the people running it make an enormous difference to how a wedding actually feels.

One of the things I have always valued about working at Burgh House is the warmth of the team.

Through photographing weddings here repeatedly, I’ve got to know the people behind the venue, and that relationship matters to me. There is a kindness, competence and calmness that somehow suits the house itself.

Ask for help, as they genuinely care about helping you create something memorable.

That human side is important to me, both as a photographer and as a person.

Music Room at Burgh House set up for an intimate wedding ceremony

Why Burgh House Fits My Wedding Photography

This may be why I keep enjoying photographing weddings here.

Burgh House and I believe in some of the same things.

Warmth rather than exhibitionism.

Personality rather than perfection.

Creativity without pretension.

It is beautiful, but it doesn’t need to prove it.

It is historical without feeling trapped in its history. It is supported by its community and filled with art, music, creativity and personality.

And that’s very close to how I want my photography to feel, too.

A warm, personal, boutique experience where people can relax, be themselves and trust me to notice the moments that matter.

Elegant wedding dinner table set inside Burgh House in Hampstead

Planning Your Own Burgh House Wedding?

If you’ve just discovered Burgh House, my heart is doing a little happy dance for you.

You’ve found one of London’s most welcoming, elegant and wonderfully relaxed historical venues, hidden in beautiful Hampstead.

You can have a romantic, intimate dinner, an elegant celebration or a fun, relaxed summer evening sipping cocktails under fairy lights.

You can have a little bit of everything here.

Whether you’re historically curious, artistically minded, a garden lover or simply looking for a London wedding venue with genuine personality, Burgh House has something very special to offer.

If unusual, creative venues are your thing, you might also enjoy my 10 Alternative London Wedding Venues for Couples Who Want Something Different, where Burgh House is naturally one of my choices.

I’m incredibly happy to have been chosen as one of Burgh House’s preferred wedding suppliers, and it is always a joy to return.

If you’re planning a Burgh House wedding and you’re looking for relaxed, creative documentary photography that celebrates who you really are, come and say hello.