When we first began planning {un}convention London with Nova Reid, the fantastic editor of Nu Bride, back in the fall, Nova suggested we check out the newly opened JJ Studios. It sort of reminded her of an Apple store, she said: minimalist, modern, and ultra cool. JJ Wimborne, one of the two buildings housing the studios, is a renovated warehouse space in the heart of Shoreditch that was absolutely perfect for our conference, but we could easily imagine the space transforming to host a beautiful wedding or a creative shoot.

{un}convention London at JJ Studios. Photo by Sanshine Photography.

In fact, the parent company JJ Media Group is a family company that was founded to provide unique locations for photo and film shoots, making it perfect for editorial style wedding photography. Today the company includes 10 bespoke spaces in Shoreditch, ranging from shabby-chic to sleek, and they have a full stock of lighting and film equipment to produce shoots for companies like Chanel and events for Facebook and Google. Mario Testino, a full-service creative agency, regularly rents their spaces. Each studio is like its own little wonderful world, mixing together different elements original to the buildings, such as exposed brick, vaulted ceilings, original metal windows, and natural wood floors and paneling, with sleek and bright white modern updates. If an outdoor wedding is more of what you’re interested in, the rooftop studio can be used to give your day a London skyline backdrop.

Rooftop views at JJ Studios in Shoreditch. Photo by Amy and Omid Photography.

{un}convention London was hosted in the View Studio at JJ Wimborne, which includes a wonderful rounded white cove that provides a photo backdrop that has no sharp edges where the wall meets the floor and is away from any harsh direct light. The large original windows mostly face north, so the natural light is subtle while still providing gorgeous views of Shoreditch Park across the road. The floor to ceiling corner window is the perfect backdrop for a wedding ceremony, and behind a velvet curtain is a dressing room perfect for getting ready on your big day. Once your vows are exchanged, you won’t need to move locations, as the View Studio has plenty of space to accommodate tables for a full dinner and space for dancing late into the evening.

Wedding ceremony in the View Studio at JJ Studios in Shoreditch. Photo by Amy and Omid Photography.

Wedding reception at JJ Studios in Shoreditch. Photo by Amy and Omid Photography.

The JJ Media team loves to produce events, so no request is out of the realm of possibility. JJ views its spaces and resources as the toolbox for your creation; not to mention they have an amazing network of caterers, rental companies, and anything else you might need for your wedding day. While most venues have strict limitations and guidelines, JJ Media is the perfect venue for hosting a truly original wedding at a highly competitive price point, starting around £5,000.

Need even more proof that JJ Studios are the perfect venues for your wedding day? Hear direct from their staff as to how they can serve you.

What is the mission of your company?

JJ Media Group provides a continuous line of service, from the first point of contact to the execution of a project. With our complete spectrum of services, we provide the toolbox for your creation.

JJ Media is the foundation for creating beautiful content and breathtaking events. We are dedicated to showcasing the very best products and services to the creative industries. From an editorial shoot, to a wedding, we have the knowledge and expertise to help create the perfect day!

Wedding reception at JJ Studios. Photo by Annalie Eddy Photography.

What is your company's origin story?

In a nutshell, JJ Media group, a family founded company, started from ‘Motordrive Location Co’, which provided location vehicles for photographic and film shoots. This led to scouting locations and our first studio opening in the courtyard oasis of Perseverance Works in Shoreditch, an area of designers, creatives and East London scenesters!

We continued to grow our portfolio of studios and locations, and in June 2016 we were thrilled to announce the acquisition of SNAP Studios and ThreeFour Lighting and Camera Hire. All together JJ now spans 30,000 sq ft, comprising 10 bespoke spaces in Shoreditch, a full stock of lighting and camera equipment and a growing library of over 2000 locations.

Ceremony space at JJ Studios. Photo by Rebecca Goddard Photography.

What is one of your favorite projects you've ever worked on?

That’s a tricky one! Each shoot or event is unique to the client, so each brings something new and interesting. I guess having the legend that is Mario Testino using our studios regularly has to be pretty up there, but then seeing our clients such as Facebook and Google transform our spaces for their events is always very impressive! And of course, it’s always incredible to be able to facilitate someone's perfect wedding day!

How are you a 'wedding space disrupter'?

We’re engaging with so many different areas of the industry, and let's face it, how many people can say they had their wedding reception in a space where Chanel have shot Keira Knightley?

What are some traits of your ideal client?

Our ideal client wants to create their day, their way! We love helping transform our spaces to create breathtaking, original wedding spaces. Something our guests will truly cherish and remember forever.

What problems are you solving for your clients?

We’re helping our clients create a wedding that maybe doesn’t conform to the norm. More and more clients are happy to create their day without an event planner, and that's where we come in. With our expertise and contacts, we make this decision stress free.