The Best Confetti for a Chelsea Old Town Hall Wedding

The wide stone steps onto the King’s Road are the reason so many couples choose Chelsea Old Town Hall, and the confetti moment on those steps is one of the most photographed wedding shots in London. It looks effortless, but the best versions are quietly planned. Here is what works: what to throw, where, and how to make it count.

Where you can throw it

The throw happens outside, on the front steps, right after you step out of the building. The Royal Borough asks for biodegradable, natural petal confetti only, and only outdoors, never inside the ceremony rooms or the building itself. Paper confetti, rice and anything non-biodegradable are not allowed. Rules can change, so it is always worth confirming the current policy when you book, but in practice natural petals on the steps is exactly the shot you want anyway.

The best material to use

After photographing a lot of these, here is what I have found photographs best:

• Large, dried natural petals. Delphinium and larkspur petals are the classic choice, lovely mixed with dried rose petals. They are big enough to catch the air and drift down slowly, which is what gives you that suspended, magical look rather than a quick blink-and-it-is-gone scatter.
• Bright colours over pale ones. The building is pale stone, so soft cream and white petals can vanish against it. Pinks, corals, blues and deeper tones read clearly and photograph with far more life.
• Skip the tiny stuff and anything papery. Very small petals look like dust in a photo, and paper is not permitted in any case.

Bring more than you think

This is the single biggest thing couples get wrong. A thin scatter disappears in a photograph and can read as a few specks of dirt in the air. Be generous: aim for a good handful or two per guest, and hand it out just before the moment so nobody throws it early. A cone or a small pouch per guest keeps it tidy and easy to distribute on the steps.

How to choreograph it on the steps

The shot that works almost every time is simple. Your guests form two lines facing each other, making an aisle down the steps, and you walk down slowly through the middle while everyone throws. Walking slowly is the secret: it keeps you in the confetti longer and stops it being over in a single stride. The Chelsea registrars are wonderful about this and will hold you just inside the doors until I am in position outside, so the timing is right and nothing is wasted. Straight afterwards is the perfect moment for a big group photo on the steps, while everyone is together and still laughing.

A note on timing

On a quiet weekday there is usually time to do the walk twice, which is a nice safety net. On a busy summer Saturday the next ceremony is often close behind, so the moment is more compressed and we need to do it quickly and decisively. That is exactly why a little planning, plenty of petals and a clear plan for where everyone stands, makes all the difference.

Make the most of the moment

Confetti on the King’s Road steps is the kind of photograph you will come back to for years, so it is worth getting right. If you are marrying here, read my complete guide to getting married at Chelsea Old Town Hall, my guide to the venue and its rooms, or see how I photograph weddings. I would love to be on the steps for yours.