When the theme is “disco jungle”, you know you’re in for a treat – and that was Amy and Aaron’s Copeland Gallery wedding, and then some! After not one but two postponements, Amy and Aaron were more than ready to let loose and party with their loved ones, and I think it’s fair to say the riotous, joyous celebration was absolutely worth the wait. 

If you’re dreaming of a wedding that is a full on party, then get your peepers peeled and your pinning fingers primed, for Amy and Aaron’s ​​Copeland Gallery wedding, a delightful disco day of dreams…

Prep at The Hoxton Southwark 

Amy and Aaron’s day started – for Amy, her bridal party, and I at least – with a really relaxed morning at The Hoxton Southwark. The Hoxton is a super bougie hotel with huge windows, so Amy and her girls were all bathed in wonderful light whilst enjoying bubbles and getting ready to some tunes playing on Absolute Radio. 

Plus, the gorgeous seafoam green interiors even matched the dark green and blue colour scheme for Amy and Aaron’s Copeland Gallery wedding, which made my photographer heart very happy!

(If you’d like both partners’ getting ready covered, then it’s best to book a second shooter – you can see more about that here.) 

Joy-filled Copeland Gallery wedding

Humanist ceremony with RnB sing-a-longs and confetti cannons

They kept the decor fairly simple for their Copeland Gallery wedding ceremony, with a curtain of silver fringed tinsel across the entrance to the ceremony space and a branch of greenery suspended over the top of the aisle. 

Amy and Aaron had opted for a Humanist ceremony by the brilliant celebrant Dave Octave, who led everyone in a rousing, hilarious, joy-filled ceremony including two sing-alongs. Guests read the lyrics in the brilliant, bold blue Orders Of The Day that the best man had designed, which included a lightning bolt motif and listed the bride and groom’s party as the “Line Up”. (The songs, by the way, were (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher by Jackie Wilson, and Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now by McFadden & Whitehead. It’s my firm belief that more Order Of The Day stationery should include the instructions for laser fingers.) 

And how do you round off an epic ceremony? With confetti cannons, of course – because why the hell not!

Outdoor drink reception and street art portraits

One of the most amazing things about Copeland Gallery, and therefore Copeland Gallery weddings, is the wall art that surrounds it, quite literally. After an outdoor drinks reception underneath the silver tassel garlands that Amy and Aaron had strung across the yard, I whisked Amy and Aaron away for their couples’ portraits session. There were so many gorgeous paintings to use as backdrops, from colourful, geometric patterns to the bold blue wall we used for group shots (as well as the cheeky Bansky-esque dog painting that Aaron so kindly replicated for us!) 

Mo’ confetti, no problems (and the Full Monty)

During the drinks hour, the brilliant Copeland Gallery wedding team had turned the ceremony into the reception space, replacing the ceremony seating with long trestle tables that ran the length of the room. As well as the greenery, a hanging installation made from Amy and Aaron’s wedding stationery folded into origami hearts hung in one corner. On another wall, they really played on the gallery aspect of their venue and featured photos from throughout their relationship, complete with gallery-style explanations of each.

Because they have serious style, Amy and Aaron entered their reception through the silver tassels with more confetti cannons. This was an excellent way to set the tone for what was to come, which was one of the most hilarious receptions I’ve ever had the privilege of being at! 

With sharing bread, olives and nuts out to nibble on, they warmed up with a quiz – the winner of which won a picture of Amy and Aaron in superhero costumes. (Worth millions in the right art circles, I’m assured.) Plus, the speeches were so funny that my cheeks hurt from laughing so much – especially the closing one from Aaron’s brother, who played a video of them from their childhood, doing the Full Monty dance. Everyone’s expressions were priceless, and it was the exact kind of moment that just perfectly encapsulates why I love doing what I do so much. 

Disco dancefloor

For the evening portion, Amy and Aaron turned up the dial on the disco element of their “disco jungle” Copeland Gallery wedding. Before their first dance, Amy donned a silver sequinned overskirt atop her minimalist Suzanne Harrington bridal outfit, so she could really sparkle on the dancefloor. On the front of the DJ booth hung a custom neon light with their lightning bolt wedding motif, and the background of the DJ booth was basically a disco ball wall in itself. Even the delicious looking chocolate cake, made by Aaron’s mum, was topped with mini disco balls!

At the end of the first dance, there was an epic balloon drop – the balloons then stayed on the dancefloor and got thrown around a fair bit during the incredible party that followed! 

Alternative London wedding photography

I adored photographing Amy and Aaron’s Copeland Gallery wedding – from start to finish it was the most incredible, fun, heart-warming day. Their energy was totally infectious! Luckily I’m thrilled to say they feel the same about me, and here’s what they had to say about working with me:

“Marni is amazing! We hadn’t met in person before our wedding so all we knew was her style of photography. Not only did she capture our day in exactly the way we wanted but she also was so much fun. Every time I looked at her (and every time she’s on our video) she was laughing, smiling, dancing and looking like she was one of our guests. She found the best locations for our group and couple shots and managed to capture all the confetti/funny moments/ridiculous dancing. We couldn’t have hoped for more and couldn’t recommend her highly enough.”

If you’re looking for someone to capture your epic wedding party plans in an alternative, fun way, then I’d love to chat – you can get in touch here. I can’t wait to hear from you! 

Epic suppliers:

Venue: Copeland Gallery https://www.copelandpark.com/hiring-space/venues/copeland-gallery/ 

Celebrant: Dave Octave https://www.daveoctavecelebrant.com/ 

Bridal Outfit: Suzanne Harrington 

Bridesmaids’ Outfits: Margaret Stephenson (Amy’s mum)

Hair & Make Up: Sadaf Ahmad https://www.sadafmakeup.com/ 

Flowers & cake: Elaine Rosenthal (Aaron’s mum)

Catering: Spirit & Salt by Sophie and Adam https://www.instagram.com/sophonaplate/ https://www.instagram.com/adambushfood/ 

DJ: Johnny Brackenridge 

Stationery and branding: Curtis Rosenthal (Aaron’s Brother)