Not every wedding needs to be a huge, all-day event with hundreds of guests and a packed timeline from morning until midnight. For some couples, the most meaningful way to get married is to keep things simple, relaxed, and completely focused on what actually matters.
That’s exactly what Ellie and Dave did. Their Hull Guildhall registry office wedding was intentionally small, incredibly personal, and honestly one of the most relaxed ceremonies I’ve ever photographed.
Instead of inviting a huge group of people, they chose to keep the ceremony incredibly intimate with just four guests joining them. Yep. Four. It was just the people closest to them, standing alongside them while they officially tied the knot.
Then, a month later, they planned the bigger celebration with everyone they love at Riverlands—which ended up being an incredible Viking-themed wedding!
Splitting their wedding into two parts meant they could enjoy both moments properly without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. It’s actually a brilliant way to do things: have the calm, personal ceremony first, then throw the big party later.
Honestly, the registry office part of their day was perfect.
A Small and Intimate Hull Guildhall Ceremony
Hull Guildhall is one of those places that feels special the moment you walk up to it. The building itself is beautiful with loads of character and history which makes it a brilliant setting for a registry office wedding.
Ellie and Dave arrived looking completely like themselves. No overly formal outfits, no pressure to follow tradition. Just wearing what felt comfortable to them (I especially loved Dave hat, I wish I could pull something like that off). When couples plan their wedding day around who they actually are rather than what they think they’re supposed to do, the whole atmosphere feels different. Everything becomes more relaxed and more them.
Registry office ceremonies tend to move quite quickly but that doesn’t make them any less emotional. In fact sometimes they feel even more powerful because everything is stripped back.
Before long the paperwork was signed, the rings were on and Ellie and Dave were officially married. And of course, that meant it was time for one of the most fun parts of any wedding day, Confetti.
Confetti Outside Hull Guildhall
If you’ve ever been to a wedding before you’ll know that confetti is one of the moments where the energy really explodes. Everyone cheering, throwing handfuls in the air and celebrating all at once. Ellie and Dave stepped out of the doors of Hull Guildhall into a full confetti shower and it was brilliant chaos in the best possible way.
And the best part? There were only six people there including Ellie and Dave. It just goes to show you don’t need a huge crowd for a confetti moment to feel big. Even with a tiny group it can still be epic when everyone throws themselves into it. If you’re planning your own wedding and want to make sure your confetti photos look amazing, I actually wrote a full guide about it here:
Secret Tips on How To Get Incredible Confetti Photos At Your Wedding
It’s honestly one of the easiest ways to get some of the most fun filled action photos of the day. And once the confetti settled we headed somewhere to Humber Street.
Wedding Photos Around Humber Street
After the ceremony we walked over to Humber Street for portraits. Humber Street has got to be one of my favourite places in the city for wedding photos. There’s so much variety within such a small area which means we can get loads of different looks without needing to travel anywhere.
Within just a few minutes you’ve got:
Historic architecture
Street art
Industrial textures
Colourful walls
Hidden little alleyways
It’s basically a playground for photographers.
It’s also home to Social Humber Street, which is one of the coolest wedding venues in Hull. I actually photographed an amazing rock & roll wedding there with Amy and Callum, which you can check out here: Social Humber Street Wedding | Amy & Callum’s Rock & Roll Wedding in Hull.
So if you’re planning a wedding around the city centre, Humber Street is honestly one of the best spots you could choose.
But more importantly for Ellie and Dave, it felt natural. Rather than disappearing off somewhere formal for photos we just wandered around, chatting and stopping whenever we found a backdrop that looked good.
That’s always the my approach to couple portraits. Just letting couples be themselves and capturing the moments naturally and hopping in every now and then to give a little direction when I came across a cool background.
Their relaxed style worked perfectly with the surroundings too. The mix of city textures, colour and character around Humber Street gave the photos loads of variety while still keeping everything feeling authentic to them.
But their wedding story didn’t end there.
Not even close.
Celebrating A Month Later At Riverlands
While their Hull Guildhall registry office wedding was intentionally small, Ellie and Dave had something much bigger planned.
A month later they brought all their friends and family together for a huge celebration at Riverlands which included a celebrant ceremony and one of the coolest themed weddings I’ve seen. A Viking themed wedding.
It meant they could have the best of both worlds. A calm and intimate legal ceremony in Hull followed by a massive celebration with everyone they love.
Riverlands was the perfect place for that too. The venue has such a great atmosphere and loads of space for couples to really make the day their own.
If you’d like to see the second half of Ellie and Dave’s wedding story you can click here to see their Viking themed wedding at Riverlands, where the celebrations continued in the most incredible way.
Trust me, it’s worth a look. Here’s a sneak peek below from their celebrations at Riverlands
Bespoke Hourly Wedding Photography
For their registry office ceremony Ellie and Dave booked my bespoke hourly wedding photography package, which is something I offer for couples who don’t necessarily need a full day of coverage.
This works perfectly for smaller weddings, registry office ceremonies or couples splitting their wedding into multiple parts like Ellie and Dave did.
They booked just two hours of coverage, which included:
Arriving at Hull Guildhall
The ceremony itself
Confetti outside the venue
Portraits around Humber Street
And honestly, those two hours covered everything they wanted and more.
It’s a brilliant option for couples planning smaller weddings where the important moments happen within a shorter timeframe.
Your Wedding Should Be Done Your Way
One of the things I loved most about Ellie and Dave’s wedding is how unapologetically they did things their way.
Four guests.
A relaxed registry office ceremony.
Photos around their favourite part of the city.
Then a huge Viking themed celebration a month later.
No worrying about what a wedding is “supposed” to look like. No pressure to follow traditions that didn’t feel right for them.
Just a day built around what they wanted.
And honestly that’s something I always encourage couples to think about when planning their wedding.
You’re doing it for you.
Not for traditions.
Not for expectations.
Not for anyone else’s opinion.
If keeping things small feels right, do that.
If throwing a massive festival style wedding feels right, do that.
If you want to split your wedding into two different celebrations like Ellie and Dave did, go for it. There are no rules. And when couples lean into that mindset the result is always something special.
If you are planning a wedding at Hull guild Hall and are looking for a relaxed photographer who captures real moments naturally, feel free to get in touch. I would love to hear about your plans.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
-
Hull Registry Office is based in the Wilson Centre in Hull city centre, and ceremonies often take place at the nearby Guildhall on Alfred Gelder Street. Both are really central and easy for guests to get to, especially with Hull Paragon Interchange just a short walk away.
-
Yes, Hull Guildhall is one of the main ceremony venues in the city. It’s a historic, Grade II listed building with some really impressive interiors, making it a great option if you want something a bit more grand than a typical registry office setting.
-
A Hull Registry Office wedding is usually a more straightforward, legal ceremony, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still feel special. Many couples choose to have their ceremony at the Guildhall, which gives you that classic, elegant backdrop while still keeping things simple and affordable.
-
Yes, the Guildhall has multiple rooms available, so you can have your ceremony there and also host a wedding breakfast or reception in the same building. It’s a really good option if you want everything in one place without travelling between venues.
-
Registry office weddings in Hull are generally one of the more affordable options. Ceremony room prices at the Guildhall can start from around £105 to £160 depending on the day of the week, making it a popular choice for couples wanting a budget-friendly wedding.
-
To book a wedding in Hull, you’ll need to contact the register office to reserve your date and arrange a registrar. You’ll also need to give legal notice of marriage at least 28 days before your ceremony.
-
It might be a shorter ceremony, but it’s still your wedding day. Having a photographer there means you’ll capture those key moments properly, from arriving at the Guildhall to those just-married photos straight after the ceremony.
