The Depot Wedding Photography | A Relaxed Islington Wedding Reception

Weddings

2 Sept

If you're looking for a relaxed London wedding reception venue with bags of character, a great atmosphere and enough space for a serious party, The Depot in Islington is definitely worth a look.

Hidden away in Carpenter's Mews in North London, The Depot N7 is a former bus depot that's been transformed into a brilliant industrial-style pub and event space. Think exposed brickwork, huge ceilings, big windows, long tables, a fabulous old wooden bar and plenty of room for everyone to eat, drink and dance.

For me as a wedding photographer, it's exactly the sort of venue that works beautifully for natural, documentary wedding photography. It's informal, there's plenty going on and you can photograph the whole day without it ever feeling like you're in a conventional wedding function room.

Getting Married at The Depot in Islington

You'll find The Depot at 1 Carpenter's Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF, within easy reach of Caledonian Road and King's Cross.

One of the biggest advantages of the venue is its flexibility. The Depot currently caters for weddings ranging from around 20 to 280 guests, so it can work for a relatively intimate celebration as well as a big London wedding.

The building's former life as a bus depot explains those wonderfully high ceilings and generous proportions. Inside, there are three levels as well as a courtyard, allowing different parts of your wedding to take place in different areas.

It's a particularly good choice if you're drawn to that slightly industrial London look but still want somewhere warm, inviting and relaxed.

The Depot in Islington dressed for a wedding reception with long wooden tables, flowers and festoon lights.

Wedding reception tables set for guests inside the industrial-style Depot wedding venue in Islington, London.

The Depot Islington wedding reception set-up with long dining tables beside the venue’s large windows and leather seating.

Wedding breakfast set-up inside The Depot in Islington, with rustic tables, floral details and photographs decorating the venue.

The Depot in Islington dressed for a wedding reception with rustic wooden tables, bench seating and festoon lights.

Wedding table setting at The Depot Islington with dried flowers, personalised place cards and glassware.

Rustic wedding reception table decor with dried flowers and greenery inside The Depot in Islington, London.

Wedding photographs displayed around the industrial-style interior of The Depot during an Islington wedding reception.

The Depot in Islington dressed for a wedding reception with rustic long tables, festoon lights and dried flower arrangements.

Wedding table setting at The Depot Islington with dried flowers, wine glasses and personalised place cards.

Inside The Depot N7

One of my favourite things about Wedding Photography at The Depot is the variety of the space.

There's exposed brick, wood, industrial details, huge windows and the impressive vintage wooden bar sitting right at the heart of the venue. The high ceilings stop the space feeling crowded even when you've got a lot of guests.

The different levels are particularly useful from a photography point of view.

I can photograph guests naturally from within the reception and then head upstairs for a completely different perspective over the room. Those higher viewpoints are brilliant later in the evening when the dance floor is packed.

And because there are several distinct areas, people naturally spread themselves around the venue – chatting at the bar, sitting at tables, standing outside or dancing – which is exactly what you want for candid wedding photography.

The Courtyard

Having some outdoor space is a real bonus for a London wedding venue.

The Depot's courtyard gives guests somewhere to head with a drink before the wedding breakfast, and again while the indoor space is being turned around for the evening party.

Wedding party posing in the courtyard at The Depot in Islington during a relaxed London wedding reception.

Wedding guests enjoying drinks in the outdoor courtyard at The Depot wedding venue in Islington, London.

The Depot Islington courtyard filled with wedding guests enjoying drinks and celebrating after the ceremony.

Groom and friends posing for a group photograph in the courtyard at The Depot during an Islington wedding reception.

Wedding guests enjoying drinks and chatting in the leafy courtyard at The Depot in Islington, London.

Entrance to a private wedding reception at The Depot Islington, with guests gathering in the courtyard.

Is The Depot Right for Your Wedding?

I'd particularly consider The Depot if you're looking for:

A relaxed Islington wedding reception venue
An alternative to a traditional hotel or formal wedding venue
An industrial-style London space with loads of character
Somewhere suitable for both smaller weddings and big celebrations
Outdoor space for drinks and photographs
A venue that works brilliantly after an Islington Town Hall ceremony
Long-table dining and an informal wedding breakfast
A proper bar and plenty of space for dancing
A wedding that feels more like an enormous London party

It's particularly well suited to couples who want to do things their own way and aren't interested in their wedding feeling overly formal.

The Depot Party Pics!

The Depot Wedding Photography

From a photography point of view, The Depot ticks a LOT of boxes.

There's natural light from the big windows during the day, loads of texture and character inside, outdoor space, different levels to photograph from and – most importantly – plenty of opportunity for candid photographs.

My approach to The Depot wedding photography is very relaxed and documentary-led.

I'll photograph your guests, the speeches, the drinks, the hugs, the crazy dancing and all the little things happening around you that you probably won't even notice on the day.

We'll still get some beautiful photographs of the two of you, of course, but we don't need to turn your wedding into a photoshoot to do it.

Planning your wedding reception at The Depot in Islington? I'd love to hear what you've got planned!

GET IN TOUCH