A Wedding at St John, London: An Asylum Chapel Ceremony and a Feast for Chefs
Sunlight through high windows, candles against peeling plaster, and Claude waiting at the front with his hands clasped. Lucy and Claude’s wedding began in the faded beauty of the Asylum Chapel and ended at St John. There, a whole roast pig was carried through the dining room, and three guests ended up holding pigs’ heads to their faces like masks. It was a real highlight of our year, and we’d been eager to share it for quite some time.
The Asylum Chapel and St John: a London ceremony and reception
The Asylum Chapel stands at the centre of Caroline Gardens in Peckham, in the borough of Southwark. It was built between 1827 and 1833 as the chapel for the Licensed Victuallers’ Benevolent Institution’s almshouses, homes 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. Today it’s Grade II listed and licensed for weddings, a ceremony venue for up to 120 guests.
St John opened in 1994 in a former bacon smokehouse near Smithfield Market, and it’s been famous for its ‘nose to tail’ cooking ever since, winning a Michelin star in 2009. With exclusive hire, it seats up to 110 for dinner. When the groom held two Michelin stars and the bride also worked in the restaurant industry, food was always going to be high on the agenda. St John was an incredibly apt setting.
A ceremony in candlelight
The morning 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. In the car, a little flower girl could barely contain her excitement.
At the chapel, candles flickered against crumbling walls, greenery stood in tall blue glass vases, and light poured in through the high windows. Claude waited with his hands clasped, and when Lucy arrived in her lace gown with a bouquet of white flowers, there were smiles and hugs all round. Our favourite frame is the two of them silhouetted in the chapel doorway, with rows of old wooden chairs in front of them.
Cigars, a roast pig and the best company
Afterwards everyone spilled out under the portico into the sunshine, a cigar or two appeared, and a flower girl swung happily around the columns. We stole Lucy and Claude for a few quiet minutes against the old brickwork, then everyone headed across town to St John.
Given that Lucy and Claude’s industry isn’t exactly nine to five, it’s hardly surprising that their guests were mostly chefs and food experts from around the world. What was lovely to see was the bonds they’d built over the years with people they’d worked with or met along the way. The canapés went round, a chef carried in a whole roast pig, and the speeches had the room laughing. By the end of the night, Lucy and Claude were dancing under green lights.
We won’t claim to have the faintest idea what it takes to reach the level Lucy and Claude have in their careers. We do know the feeling of a career that’s more than just a job, though. They didn’t want to spend hours on couple shots or formalities; they chose to spend their time enjoying a beautiful venue, great food and great company. You can’t ask for much more than that.
Why we love an Asylum Chapel and St John wedding
If you’re thinking about pairing a London ceremony venue with a restaurant, here’s our honest take:
- Two venues, two moods. The Asylum’s faded, candlelit chapel and St John’s bright white dining room give you completely different photographs in one day.
- Know the format. The Asylum works best as a ceremony venue, with drinks and canapés afterwards, so plan your meal somewhere else.
- Let the food lead. At St John the menu is the main event, and long tables and good company do the rest.
- Keep the formalities short. Like Lucy and Claude, you don’t need hours of couple shots. A few quiet minutes go a long way in places like these.
Planning your own London wedding?
We’d love to hear about it. See more on our Asylum Chapel weddings and St John Restaurant weddings pages, browse our London wedding photography, or get in touch to check your date.
