Brompton Oratory Wedding Film | Natalya & Hugo's Wedding at Brompton Oratory and Spring Restaurant
The London Oratory — known as Brompton Oratory — is one of London’s most magnificent Catholic churches, and Spring Restaurant at Somerset House is one of the city’s most beautiful dining rooms. This is the story of Natalya and Hugo’s wedding across these two venues — and what it’s like to combine them for a London wedding.
What is it like to have a wedding at Brompton Oratory?
Brompton Oratory is breathtaking. The church is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in London — vast, ornate, and deeply atmospheric. The scale of the interior, the quality of the stonework and detailing, and the way sound carries through the space all elevate the emotion of a wedding ceremony. Natalya walking down the aisle with her father, with 72 guests in the pews and the full Catholic liturgy unfolding, was one of the most powerful ceremony moments I’ve filmed. For couples wanting a Catholic ceremony in London, or simply a church with real architectural grandeur, the Oratory is hard to match.
Can you have a Catholic wedding at Brompton Oratory?
Yes. The London Oratory is an active Catholic church and hosts Catholic wedding ceremonies. Hugo was raised Catholic and attends the Oratory regularly, so this was a deeply personal choice rather than just an aesthetic one. The ceremony included two readings — one from Hugo’s stepfather and one from Natalya’s brother — and the full Catholic marriage rite. The church’s acoustics make every word feel significant.
What is Spring Restaurant like as a wedding reception venue?
Spring Restaurant is located inside Somerset House on the Strand, and it’s one of London’s most elegant dining rooms. The space is light, airy, and effortlessly beautiful — high ceilings, natural light, and a refined but warm atmosphere. For Natalya and Hugo’s 72-guest reception, it felt perfectly intimate. The restaurant handled the transition from cocktail hour to dinner to speeches to dancing seamlessly. Guests arrived at 5.30pm and the party ran until midnight.
Can you take wedding photographs at Somerset House?
Yes. Natalya and Hugo had a dedicated window during the day for couple’s portraits in the courtyard and spaces of Somerset House, which provided a stunning architectural backdrop. The contrast between the grandeur of Somerset House and the intimacy of Spring itself made for beautiful, varied imagery throughout the day.
What does a wedding day at Brompton Oratory and Spring Restaurant look like?
Natalya got ready at The Chelsea Townhouse on Cadogan Gardens, while Hugo prepared at a private address in South Kensington. Groomsmen arrived at the hotel at 1pm for photos and buttonholes. The bridal party left for the church at 1.30pm. The ceremony ran from 2pm to 3pm, followed by family and group photography outside the Oratory until 3.30pm. Couple’s portraits followed at Somerset House. Guests arrived at Spring at 5.30pm for cocktail hour, with dinner from 7pm, speeches spread across the evening (parents, maid of honour, bride and groom, and best man), a choreographed first dance at 9.30pm, and dancing through to midnight.
How many guests can Spring Restaurant accommodate for a wedding?
Natalya and Hugo hosted 72 guests, which felt like the perfect size for the restaurant. Spring is suited to intimate-to-medium weddings — the space is beautiful but not enormous, which means it retains its atmosphere and warmth even with a smaller guest list.
Natalya and Hugo’s Story
Their story is a favourite. They met in March 2023 and their first date was an exhibition at the Barbican. Natalya felt awkward — she wasn’t used to quiet daytime dates in crowded galleries, and Hugo doesn’t really drink. Hugo insists she ran away at the end. But he was such a good conversationalist that they ended up having a two-hour phone call before the second date. She pushed him away when he tried to kiss her on dates two and three. On date four he didn’t even try, and she was taken aback. By date five she finally let him kiss her. By week six they were inseparable.
The church was Hugo’s dream. Spring was Natalya’s choice. The day ended with a vodka toast — a nod to Natalya’s Russian heritage — and a choreographed first dance that kicked off the party. They described themselves in one word as sassy, and wanted the day to feel like a really good house party where people leave in high spirits feeling like they’ve made new friends. That’s exactly what happened.
Wedding Details
- Ceremony venue: London Oratory (Brompton Oratory), Brompton Road, London SW7 2RP
- Reception venue: Spring Restaurant, Somerset House, Lancaster Place, London WC2R 1LA
- Getting ready: The Chelsea Townhouse, Cadogan Gardens (bride); South Kensington (groom)
- Season: Spring (May)
- Guest count: 72
- Photographer: Chris Parkinson
- Florist: Kate Floweran
- Wedding videographer: Arran Kenny — London and UK wedding filmmaker
If you’re planning a wedding at Brompton Oratory, Spring Restaurant, or anywhere in London, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch here.