Asylum Chapel Wedding Photographer
One of the most unique venues I’ve ever come across, with amazing light and an atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
Photographing weddings at the Asylum Chapel
The Asylum Chapel in Peckham is one of London’s most unusual wedding venues: a beautifully faded chapel with peeling plaster, stained glass, candlelight and extraordinary natural light. It stands at the heart of Caroline Gardens, a terrace of former almshouses in the London Borough of Southwark, and it has an atmosphere unlike anywhere else.
Lucy and Claude held their ceremony here before heading across the river to St John Restaurant for the celebration. It was the perfect pairing: the Asylum for the vows, St John for the food. You can see the whole day in Lucy and Claude’s St John wedding. If you’re planning something similar, I’d love to hear about it.
About the Asylum Chapel
The chapel was built between 1827 and 1833 for the Licensed Victuallers’ Benevolent Institution, as the centrepiece of its almshouses for retired pub landlords, behind a portico of six columns. Bombing in the Second World War destroyed the roof and gutted the interior, but the stained glass and carved memorials survived. The residents moved out around 1960, the site became Caroline Gardens, and the chapel stood derelict for years. It’s Grade II listed, and conservation work began in 2018.
Today it’s licensed for marriages through Southwark Council and run as a ceremony venue for up to around 120 guests, with morning and afternoon slots and exclusive use of the chapel. There’s room for a toast and canapés after the vows, and the meal usually happens elsewhere, which is exactly why it pairs so well with a favourite London restaurant.
A wedding day at the Asylum Chapel
Lucy and Claude’s day started high up across the river from the City, with Lucy’s gold heels on a windowsill and the towers of the Square Mile beyond. Claude did up his cuffs with sunlight pouring through the windows behind him. In the car, a little flower girl could barely contain her excitement. Before the ceremony, a flower girl stood at an old, peeling door in the yellow brick, looking very small beside it.
Inside, candles flickered against the crumbling walls and the light came in through the high windows. A page boy and a flower girl walked down the aisle hand in hand, Claude waited at the front with his hands clasped, and there were hugs all round when Lucy arrived. Afterwards everyone spilled out under the portico into the sunshine, and I stole the two of them for a few quiet minutes against the old brickwork and in the chapel doorway.
Why couples choose the Asylum Chapel
- Nowhere else looks like it. Peeling plaster, stained glass and candlelight give your photographs real texture and character.
- The light is extraordinary. Daylight pours through the windows across the old walls, which is a gift for a photographer.
- Made for a two-venue day. It’s a ceremony venue, so it suits couples who want to marry somewhere special and then celebrate at a favourite restaurant.
- A piece of London history. Built for retired pub landlords, bombed in the war and carefully conserved since.
Questions couples ask
Is the Asylum Chapel licensed for weddings?
Yes. It’s licensed for marriages through Southwark Council and takes ceremonies of up to around 120 guests, with morning and afternoon slots.
Where can we hold the reception after an Asylum Chapel ceremony?
The chapel is a ceremony venue with drinks and canapés afterwards, so the meal usually happens elsewhere. Lucy and Claude went on to St John Restaurant in Smithfield, which I’d recommend to any food lover.
How much does an Asylum Chapel wedding photographer cost?
My full-day photography collection is £1,750 and full-day film is £1,500, with travel and accommodation included. See prices for what’s included.
Do you film weddings at the Asylum Chapel?
Yes, on their own or alongside photography. See my London wedding videography for films and what’s included.
Weddings at the Asylum Chapel
Nearby venues and areas
Planning a wedding elsewhere? See all my London wedding photography or browse every venue I’ve photographed.
