A Family Summer Wedding at Lichfield Registry Office - Christie & Jonathan

Christie and Jonathan married at Lichfield Registry Office on a hot Friday afternoon in August. Their ceremony was at half past two, and I was in Lichfield shortly after one. I’ve photographed several weddings here, so I knew the building backs onto Museum Gardens, with Minster Pool just across Bird Street. I didn’t yet know how busy the gardens would be. Nor did I know that Christie’s dad had spent more than twenty years photographing weddings himself.

The two of them first met in 2015, through Jonathan’s sister, and got together in October 2022. Years earlier, Christie had said jokingly that she’d always dreamed of getting engaged in front of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. On a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando in 2025, Jonathan made that happen. There’s a small-world detail I liked too: Jonathan’s parents grew up on the same street as Christie’s grandparents.

Christie and Jonathan each have two children. In her questionnaire, Christie told me that her nan and all four children were the heart of the day. That influenced almost every decision I made at this Staffordshire registry office wedding.

Arriving Early in Museum Gardens

I parked in the Bird Street car park and walked through to the registry office in the heat. I used the quiet time before guests arrived to photograph the Old Library building. First I shot it from inside the gardens, then from the front after crossing Bird Street. There was building work behind the registry office that summer, and a crane crept into some of those frames. I removed it in the edit.

It soon became clear that Christie and Jonathan wouldn’t be the only couple marrying that afternoon. One wedding was already underway inside. Another group was waiting at the door, and a third wedding party had gathered elsewhere in the gardens. At one point I could see three photographers, each working a different wedding. My first guess at which group was ours turned out to be wrong.

Guests started arriving just after two. Jonathan arrived by car, with family gathering around him. Christie pulled up further down the road, and her dad came to tell me she’d arrived.

We got talking, and that’s when I learned about his twenty-plus years as a wedding photographer. I hadn’t known beforehand. He was easy company, and later he really helped round people up for the groups.

Before the Ceremony

While Christie had her pre-ceremony meeting with the registrar, I photographed the page boy and flower girl outside. There had been no bridal preparation coverage, so the children hadn’t yet seen Christie dressed as a bride. I placed myself where I could see their faces as she came out.

Christie had asked me especially for her son’s reaction. When he saw her, he went straight to her for a hug. I don’t direct moments like that. The job is to get there early, then stay still.

The Ceremony

The ceremony room at Lichfield Registry Office is small and lit by crystal chandeliers. It’s licensed for up to 50 people, and that figure includes the couple, the registrars and the photographer. Once everyone is seated, there isn’t much room to move.

Christie had asked me to photograph a memorial cloth laid on one of the chairs. It was a quiet way of keeping someone missing from the day in the room, and I made sure it was part of the coverage.

From earlier weddings here, I expected the registrar to lead from the front. This time the registrar worked from a table in the corner to my right. That turned Christie and Jonathan side-on to where I’d planned to stand. To see their faces, I squeezed into a tight spot very close to the registrar.

The harder problem was the light. From that position, a bank of windows sat directly behind the couple. On a bright August afternoon, that leaves two poor choices. Expose for the windows, and the couple fall into shade, or expose for the couple, and the windows burn out.

The children walked in first, then Christie. When the children stood to give their readings, I asked whether Christie and Jonathan could move slightly. A small turn put them more square-on, with the wall behind them rather than glass.

That adjustment made a real difference. I photographed the first kiss, the signing of the register and the walk back out from there. Having worked through the edit, the ceremony photographs are better than I feared while standing in that corner.

Christie, Her Nan and the Veil

Before confetti, there was one set of photographs Christie wanted above all others. She had brought her nan’s original wedding veil with her. She placed it on her nan, so the bride and grandmother were both wearing a wedding veil. Then Christie crouched down next to her.

What followed was quiet, and it was theirs. There was nothing for me to arrange, only a moment to photograph as it was. It’s the sequence from this wedding that has stayed with me most.

Confetti That Didn’t Go to Plan

Christie had asked for confetti and the main groups to happen early. Some of her family needed to leave to get the food ready back at her dad’s house. I lined the guests up in two rows and set Christie and Jonathan at one end. The idea was simple: they walk through, and the confetti falls around them as they go.

When I gave the word, almost all of it went up at once, rather than as they walked through. There wasn’t a great deal of confetti to begin with. So the walk I’d planned never quite happened.

I did think about adding confetti in the edit. I decided against it. These are photographs of Christie and Jonathan’s wedding, not an improved version. Documentary wedding photography only works if couples can trust that what they see is what happened.

Groups in the Afternoon Sun

The whole group fitted around a monument and flower bed in the gardens. It was the only spot I found with room for everyone. Cloud had been coming and going all afternoon. It moved on at exactly the wrong moment, and the group ended up in strong, direct sun.

For the smaller groups, I moved everyone into shade under the trees elsewhere in the gardens. The light there was far kinder on faces. Christie and Jonathan wanted both sides of the family and the children in several combinations. There were more groups than I’d expected, and they took a good share of our time. Those photographs mattered to this family, so it was the right use of it.

Portraits Around Museum Gardens and Minster Pool

Christie and Jonathan had told me they loved water and natural settings. They didn’t want portraits anywhere busy or crowded. Christie also said she was less confident being photographed on her own, while Jonathan had enough confidence for both of them.

We started on a tree-lined path in the gardens, walking together, then used a bench for some seated portraits. The flower beds gave me another option. I placed Christie and Jonathan beyond them and photographed through the flowers, so soft colour sits in the foreground. It was still very bright, even there.

Minster Pool is just across Bird Street. I set the couple on one bank and walked round to the opposite side to photograph them across the water. From that distance, they sit within the scene rather than filling the frame. Then I came back in for some closer portraits by the water.

For Christie’s own portraits, Jonathan stayed involved. He lifted her veil and let it go, and I photographed it falling around her. Before they left, I photographed their rings and hands with Christie’s flowers, then the two of them in the car. They headed off to an afternoon celebration with family, which I didn’t photograph.

Why Lichfield Registry Office Works So Well for Wedding Photography

Lichfield Registry Office is in the Old Library building on Bird Street, and its biggest photographic asset is outside the front door. The building sits beside Museum Gardens, part of Beacon Park, which covers around 69 acres of the city centre. Within a few minutes’ walk there are tree-lined paths, benches, flower beds, statues and plenty of shade. Minster Pool is just across the road, and water completely changes the feel of a portrait.

The ceremony room is the more demanding space. It’s small, and everyone counts towards the 50-person limit, including your photographer. Where the registrar stands decides which way the couple face. At Christie and Jonathan’s wedding, that put a bank of windows behind them. Next time in that room, I’ll bring a wider lens, around 18–35mm, for more options in a tight space.

The gardens are public, and on the afternoon I was there, several wedding parties were in and around the building at once. It didn’t get in the way, but it’s worth knowing ahead of time. On a short registry office booking, that much variety close by is what makes Lichfield work so well.

With more time and cooler weather, I’d like to take a couple towards Lichfield Cathedral and the older streets around it. The heat and a long group list ruled that out this time.

Planning a Wedding at Lichfield Registry Office? A Few Things Worth Knowing

• Plan your parking before the day. There’s very little parking at the registry office itself. A few spaces sit behind the building, but they may be private, so don’t count on them. The large Bird Street car park is the sensible option, but it gets very busy, so give guests extra time to find a space and walk over.

• Don’t cut your arrival fine. The registration service says its registrars usually have other ceremonies that day. A late start can’t simply be pushed back. Follow the arrival times they give you, and ask your photographer to arrive well before your guests.

• Expect to share the gardens. Several wedding parties were around the building during Christie and Jonathan’s afternoon. Tell your guests exactly where to wait and who to look out for, so nobody joins the wrong group.

• Keep your group list focused. Each group takes around five minutes to gather and photograph. On a three-hour booking, that time comes out of your portraits. Name a helper from each family to round people up, as Christie and Jonathan did, and put the must-have groups first.

• Bring something with a family history. Christie’s nan’s wedding veil gave this wedding its most meaningful photographs. A veil, a ring or a piece of fabric carries a story a camera can show.

• Check the confetti rules, then provide enough for guests. I haven’t confirmed the office’s current confetti policy. Ask the registration service before you buy any. On the day, ask guests to throw as you reach them rather than all at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Lichfield Registry Office?

Lichfield Registry Office is in the Old Library Building, Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6PN. Its official name is Lichfield Registration Office. It sits beside Museum Gardens in Beacon Park, with Minster Pool directly across Bird Street.

How many guests can you have at Lichfield Registry Office?

The ceremony room is licensed for up to 50 people in total. The registration service says this includes everyone in the room. That means the couple, the registration officers and any photographer or videographer. Confirm current capacity when you book.

Is there parking at Lichfield Registry Office?

There’s very little parking at the registry office, so the best option is the nearby Bird Street car park. It’s a large car park close to the building, but it gets very busy. Allow extra time, especially for older or less mobile guests.

How much does it cost to get married at Lichfield Registry Office?

The local registration service sets ceremony fees, and they vary by date. I haven’t listed figures here because they change. Check the current fee directly with Staffordshire Ceremonies on 0300 111 8001.

How much does a photographer cost for a Lichfield Registry Office wedding?

My Registry Office Wedding Photography package is £395, and the Enhanced Registry Office package is £595. The £395 package covers three hours, from guest arrivals to couple portraits. It includes 100–150 edited images. The enhanced option adds bridal preparation and 200+ images.

Is Lichfield Registry Office good for wedding photography?

Yes, mainly because of what’s right outside. Museum Gardens and Minster Pool offer tree-lined paths, flower beds, benches, statues, shade and water within a short walk. The ceremony room is small and can be backlit, so choose a photographer who adapts quickly.

Can you throw confetti at Lichfield Registry Office?

Confetti was part of Christie and Jonathan’s wedding, but I haven’t confirmed the current policy. Ask the registration service when you book. Check where you can throw confetti and whether it needs to be biodegradable.

Do you photograph weddings in Staffordshire?

Yes. I’m based in Worcestershire and travel to Lichfield and across Staffordshire. Lichfield is around an hour and a quarter’s drive for me. I’ve photographed several weddings at this registry office.

Planning Your Own Lichfield Registry Office Wedding?

Christie and Jonathan kept their wedding small and built it around the people who mattered most. What I’ll remember is family: a son’s hug, a grandmother’s veil and a very long list of groups.

Perhaps you’re marrying in Lichfield and want natural, documentary coverage that makes the most of the gardens and the water. If so, I’d be glad to hear about your plans. I’m Paul Hickey of Once in a Lifetime Photography. I’m based in Worcestershire and photograph weddings across Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.