East London wedding photographer: Why Wanstead Park is a perfect London engagement shoot location!

On this week’s blog I’m letting you into a secret. As an East London wedding photographer, I’m going to share one of my favourite engagement shoot locations with you. It’s not what you’d expect when you think of London shoots, but it’s a hidden gem. Wanstead Park!

Today’s blog features not one, but two London engagement shoots in Wanstead Park.  Although I can’t be out shooting new sessions, I wanted to put a smile on your face with these two throwbacks. Today on the blog are Jaime and Tommy, and Rosie and Davide. I’m going to share why I love Wanstead Park as a London engagement shoot location.

1. It’s a bluebell hot spot!

It’s bluebell season! ?? I always look forward to this time of year. You can be sure that when I have engagement shoots planned during April I would definitely include a few bluebell hot spots. Buried in Wanstead Park is Chalet Wood, an absolute treasure trove of bluebells for a short period each year.

As an East London wedding photographer, a few years ago I ran a Wanstead based competition for an engagement session with me. Rosie and Davide were my winners! I think this shoot was actually the first time I had ever been to Wanstead Park. Even though I lived nearby, it was a complete surprise to me.

As usual with my couples, we started out with a walk to chat and get some moving images,  and then we found a beautiful spot right in the middle of the bluebells. We were super careful to stick to the paths, and where we went in, only to use open spaces amongst the bluebells.

2. Beautiful dappled woodland light

With Rosie and Davide, it was one of those super warm days for April. The light was streaming through the woods creating beautiful patches of light. This is partly why I love shooting in woodland so much. The streams and patterns of dappled light are a photographer’s dream. It also creates the perfect opportunity for gorgeous bokeh aesthetic.

I went on to shoot Rosie and Davide’s wedding at the local church and Forest School in Wanstead. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and shooting a wedding a few minutes from my house was so cool.

3. Secluded spots

So maybe not in bluebell season when the whole world is in Chalet Wood, but Wanstead Park has some great secluded spots in the wood. This is perfect if you are feeling a bit self conscious and don’t want people watching.

This is why I would normally start with my couples in the wood. We can get loosened up and then head out into the rest of the open park. The above image is also just another reason why I love woods. Shooting through trees and dappled light is totally my jam.

4. No tourists or permits

Unlike most of London’s parks it appears you don’t need a permit to shoot in Wanstead Park. If you are planning a shoot in central London, most of the parks are ‘Royal Parks’. This means you need to pay for a permit to shoot in them.

They will also mostly be full of tourists. However, not many tourists venture out as far as Wanstead! The park is definitely just a local hot spot, despite it’s fascinating history.

And there you have it, the reasons Wanstead Park is a fab location for a London engagement shoot.

If you live in East London, go check it out (after lockdown if you’re not local). If you are getting married and are looking for a laid back and fun London wedding photographer then do get in touch. My diary for 2020/2021 is open and I would love to hear from you. Head to my contact form to tell me all your day.

Stay well and safe everyone.