Home/Weddings/The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave
Real ballroom wedding · Mulgrave, Melbourne

The Grand on Princes Wedding Photos: Zulfia & Muizz

The Grand on Princes · Mulgrave VIC · Melbourne

Ballroom Wedding · Cultural & Traditional Wedding · City: Melbourne · Venue: The Grand on Princes

A champagne and gold outfit stitched with emerald green, a ball of red roses and a slow walk down a sweeping staircase on her dad’s arm into a room of more than three hundred guests. Zulfia and Muizz’s wedding at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave filled a red and white ballroom in Melbourne’s south-east with laughter, playful bargaining and a whole lot of hugs, then rolled on through the reception to a tearful send-off at the car. We loved every minute.

The gallery
Zulfia's face in a hand mirror at home, red lips and a jewelled headpiece across her hair as she checks her makeup
A helper settles a gold and crystal headpiece with a red and green drop onto Zulfia's dark brown hair
A young woman in a gold top and red embroidered wrap holds a camera in the hallway while Zulfia gets ready
Silver jewelled heels with crystal straps waiting on a glossy black table before the wedding
Two women in pale scarves lace the back of Zulfia's champagne and gold top, green and red embroidery at the cuffs
Women of the family lift the layers of Zulfia's peach tulle skirt over a red rug in a white bedroom at home
A girl in a white dress with a red sash and an older woman in white help Zulfia into her heels on the red rug
A ringed hand buckles a silver heel on Zulfia's foot below a hem of gold, green and burgundy beading
Seated on the edge of a chair, Zulfia lifts her skirt while a woman in mint green kneels to fit her silver heels
A helper fastens a heavy emerald and gold necklace as Zulfia lowers her eyes, gold shadow and red lips catching the light
Zulfia's hands painted in fine brown patterns rest against a jewelled waistband of green, burgundy and gold
Zulfia stands ready in front of a red flower painting, layered emerald and ruby necklaces over her champagne top
A woman in a cream scarf and gold bangles clips a long jewelled earring onto Zulfia in front of a bold red canvas
A soft blur of fabric frames Zulfia in profile as she fixes an emerald drop earring with her fingertips
Two women pin Zulfia's headpiece at once, one in red and cream, one in a sheer gold sparkling wrap
Zulfia laughs as two helpers adjust her headpiece and earrings together beside the red flower canvas
Patterned hands cup an open timber ring box, the diamond engagement ring sharp against blurred gold sparkle
Zulfia glances back over her shoulder in her champagne top, emerald and ruby jewels stacked at her throat
A soft smile from Zulfia in her finished look, gold eyeliner, crystal sleeve bands and a jewelled band across her hair
Three women in gold, burgundy and mint drape a red and gold veil over Zulfia's hair in the living room
Hands from every side pin the red veil edged in green and gold beading as Zulfia sits still and watches
A woman in burgundy sleeves and gold bangles tucks the veil into place while Zulfia looks down at her lap
Zulfia sits with a small clear box in her patterned hands while a helper pins the veil above her headpiece
Zulfia bursts out laughing behind her hand as the women around her keep tugging and pinning her veil
Veiled and fully dressed, Zulfia stands still as two women in burgundy and sage fix her bangles in the lounge
Zulfia points and grins at someone across the room, a woman in a cream scarf and red velvet standing behind her
A helper slips a jewelled hand chain linking ring and bracelet over Zulfia's patterned fingers and purple bangles
Seen from above, Zulfia looks down at her rings, the red and green beaded veil falling over one shoulder
Zulfia straightens a ring on her patterned hand while a woman behind her settles the veil on her shoulders
Red painted nails, a ruby hand chain and stacked gold and white bangles rest on Zulfia's beaded skirt
Zulfia meets the camera with a calm gaze, ruby and emerald jewels layered over champagne silk and beaded red veil
Framed between red and white sheer fabric, Zulfia smiles up as helpers lift her headpiece into place
A woman in a cream scarf holds a gift wrapped in red cellophane and gold ribbon beside a young woman in red and gold
Family photos at home against a plain white wall, Zulfia with two women in red and cream and a man in a black vest
The same family group turns towards Zulfia, her jewelled clutch and green and red veil bright against the white wall
Zulfia touches up her lipstick in the bridal suite mirror before her ballroom entrance, a bridesmaid in purple and gold behind
Zulfia holds her red rose ball bouquet between two bridesmaids in purple with white and blue calla lilies at The Grand on Princes
Seen through glass, Zulfia and two bridesmaids in purple share a laugh against the soft light of the curved windows
Zulfia, three bridesmaids in purple and a flower girl with a red bow line up in the suite at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave
Side-on to the window, Zulfia holds her red roses and a gold jewelled purse, ready for the walk into the ballroom
Zulfia rests a hand on the curtain and looks down at her roses in a curved window at The Grand in Mulgrave
Zulfia appears twice, in a tall oval mirror and beyond it, with her red roses in the white suite
Zulfia checks her veil and gold purse in the tall oval mirror, a guest in red and gold blurred in the foreground
The white curved walls and glass balustrades of The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave stand bright under a pale grey sky
A tall white quilted cake trailing red roses before the ballroom stage, a sparkling sign spelling Muizz and Zulfia in front
Close on the crystal letters of the couple's names and a copper glitter heart beside the rose covered cake
The empty ballroom stage at The Grand on Princes, a tufted white chaise under swags of red and cream drapes
Two older men in dark suits lean in deep in conversation by the window while a young woman in a red wrap waits behind them
A family group of ten in teal, pink, purple, red and dark suits lines up by the windows at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave
A young woman in a cream and red embroidered outfit smiles beside a man in a dark three piece suit against a white wall
Four family members in red, cream, orange and a dark suit lean in together by the grey curtains at The Grand on Princes
Muizz waits in the back seat of the car in a cream and gold jacket and red and white rope as guests crowd the window
Muizz in his tall red and white headdress stands in the foyer between a man in a grey suit and a woman in red
Muizz steps onto the parquetry dance floor of the Grand Ball Room under crystal chandeliers as guests wait at their tables
Muizz takes his seat alone on the white chaise across the ballroom stage, the rose trailed cake in the foreground
Muizz sits with his hands on his knees on the tufted white chaise at The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave, crystal strands behind him
A young woman in red and gold dabs her eyes with a white napkin at a ballroom table washed in purple light
Muizz turns a steady look to the camera from the ballroom stage, red velvet rope over his cream jacket and crystals glittering behind
A woman in a gold satin scarf and burgundy velvet watches the stage from a ballroom table near the white staircase
A man in a dark suit and champagne tie glances across with a half smile from a table at The Grand on Princes
A young woman in a cream top and red beaded wrap sits very still at her ballroom table, watching the stage
An older woman in an ivory satin scarf and orange embroidery listens quietly among the glasses on her table
A couple in burgundy velvet and a dark suit stand watching beside a table of guests under the chandeliers of the Grand Ball Room
An older man in a white cap and cream robe speaks into a microphone beside Muizz and a man in grey on the ballroom stage
A man with folded arms and a smiling woman in a gold scarf pose by the curtains at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave
Men in a black cap, a red jacket and a cream robe sit in a row on the ballroom stage, listening with heads bowed
A couple seated side by side at a reception table, she in a gold satin scarf and red, he in a dark suit
Three young women in purple, red and teal with pale scarves smile from their table in the crowded ballroom at The Grand on Princes
Through a gap in the curtain, Zulfia waits at the top of the stairs on her dad's arm, ready for her ballroom entrance
Two flower girls in white tulle with big red bows carry little white baskets between the ballroom tables
Three bridesmaids in purple and gold walk across the parquetry dance floor at The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave with calla lilies
Her dad in a white jacket walks Zulfia down the sweeping staircase into the ballroom, past pale curtains
Her dad leads Zulfia between the tables from the foot of the staircase as Muizz waits in the foreground
Muizz hugs her dad in the middle of the ballroom while Zulfia stands beside them holding her red roses
Her dad pats Muizz on the shoulder as he hands Zulfia over, the staircase and balcony of The Grand in Mulgrave behind
Muizz and Zulfia walk back between the tables together, every head in the ballroom turned their way
Three bridesmaids in purple and two flower girls in white stand in a row beside the stage at The Grand on Princes
Zulfia and Muizz settle side by side on the white chaise in the ballroom, red drapes and roses on crystal stands behind
Muizz and Zulfia pose on the ballroom stage at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave, the tall rose cake at the edge of frame
Two women in red and gold and in cream with red roses give a speech together at a clear lectern on the ballroom floor
A young woman in red and cream reads her speech at the lectern while a bridesmaid in purple waits beside her
Microphone close, the speaker in red and cream talks on as Zulfia and Muizz listen from the stage of the Grand Ball Room
Muizz and Zulfia smile together on the chaise while a guest in the foreground blurs into soft gold
A bridesmaid in purple takes the microphone at the ballroom lectern and the woman in red beside her looks on
Tears come quickly for the woman in red as the bridesmaid in purple speaks into the microphone beside her
Crystal chandeliers hang over the ballroom at The Grand on Princes as Zulfia and Muizz sit on the red and white stage
Muizz glances out over the ballroom while Zulfia sits poised beside him, the cake and name sign at the front of the stage
A woman in red and gold sits beside a man in a grey suit and red tie at The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave
At a ballroom table below the staircase, a man in a dark suit and a woman in a gold scarf and red velvet pose together
A young woman in cream and red and a woman in a gold scarf sit together at table twelve, white railings behind them
Family group on the stage at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave, Muizz and Zulfia seated before four women in gold, pink and teal
Muizz and Zulfia on the ballroom stage with a woman in orange, a man in a grey suit and a woman holding a toddler
Muizz and Zulfia sit shoulder to shoulder with a woman in burgundy and a young woman in red for a close ballroom group
Seven family members gather around the newlyweds on the white chaise at The Grand on Princes
Laughing women in red grab at Muizz's hand in a playful tussle while he grins and a guest leans in close
Muizz throws his head back laughing as the women around him tug at his wrist and bangles slide between hands
A young woman in red and cream walks off grinning with one of Muizz's cream shoes as he laughs barefoot on the ballroom stage
Holding the cream shoe high, the young woman in red dances across the floor of the Grand Ball Room as guests clap behind her
Barefoot on the chaise, Muizz laughs between Zulfia and a woman in a gold scarf and burgundy velvet
Men in matching red and gold brocade jackets crack up laughing on the ballroom stage, one clutching a pair of cream shoes
A man in a dark suit leans over the chaise to rest a hand on Muizz's shoulder at The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave
The man in the dark suit grins down at the newlyweds while a woman in a gold scarf smiles from the end of the chaise
Muizz and Zulfia sit for a portrait on the chaise, a woman in a gold scarf beside him and a man in a suit behind
Men in red and gold jackets haggle with the young woman in red on the dance floor at The Grand on Princes
In the ballroom crush, a man in red brocade waves cash notes as the young woman in red holds out her hand, laughing
Guests crowd in around the bargaining in the ballroom, a woman in pink and gold holding cash notes as men in red jackets lean close
Muizz slips bangles onto Zulfia's wrist in front of the stage at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave, the rose cake beside them
Close on Muizz's hand easing red and gold bangles over Zulfia's patterned fingers, the white chaise blurred behind
Muizz and Zulfia stand close in front of the ballroom stage, her patterned hand resting over his to show her new bangles
Zulfia and Muizz cut the tall quilted cake together at the foot of the stage at The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave
Muizz and Zulfia clink glasses of red drink beside the cake as a boy in red and gold watches from the ballroom stage
Children and guests hold their phones high to film the cake cutting from the edge of the floor at The Grand in Mulgrave
A beaming older man in red brocade and a cream scarf films on a tablet among smiling young men in the ballroom
A boy in red and gold peeks out from behind Muizz and Zulfia as they pose beside the cake on the ballroom stage
A friend in teal and a pale scarf hugs Zulfia tight on the ballroom dance floor as smiling guests wait their turn
A woman in red with long dark hair beams as she wraps Zulfia in a hug among the crowd at The Grand on Princes
A woman in a gold scarf holds two gold embroidered cushions in front of Muizz and Zulfia among the ballroom guests
Zulfia rests a hand on Muizz's shoulder as they stand together on the parquetry floor at The Grand on Princes in Mulgrave
An older woman in orange holds Muizz's face and kisses his cheek in the ballroom while Zulfia stands beside them with her roses
An older woman in a mint scarf pulls Zulfia into a long hug in the ballroom as her dad in his white jacket watches
The woman in the mint scarf cups Zulfia's chin as they talk on the ballroom floor, a woman in a gold scarf holding the roses
Muizz and Zulfia stand with six women in blue, yellow, burgundy, black and red for a group at The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave
Her dad follows as Zulfia and Muizz walk out between the ballroom tables, guests rising from their seats to see them go
Arm in arm, Muizz and Zulfia leave the ballroom under rows of small ceiling lights, family close behind them
Family follow Zulfia and Muizz down the curved stairs by the entrance of The Grand on Princes onto the red carpet
A woman in burgundy and a cream scarf holds Zulfia in a tight farewell hug by the entrance at night
The young woman in cream and red buries her face in Zulfia's shoulder for a farewell hug outside the entrance
A woman in burgundy velvet and a gold scarf holds Zulfia close outside The Grand in Mulgrave as a young woman wipes away tears
Muizz grins over the shoulder of a man in a grey suit as they hug goodbye outside in the dark
The woman in the gold scarf hugs Muizz goodbye, eyes closed, as guests in teal and red gather close
A man in a dark suit holds Zulfia tight, her red veil pulled forward over her face, as guests watch from the steps
Muizz and Zulfia walk along the red carpet to the car at the front of The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave, her roses in hand
Zulfia looks up through the open car window in the dark, a hand at her chin and her jewels catching the light
Zulfia and Muizz sit together in the back of the car under the cabin light, her red roses resting in her lap
Our final frame from outside in the dark, Zulfia smiling through the car window, her face softly lit inside
The wedding story

Our Grand on Princes wedding photos: a jewelled headpiece, a staircase entrance and a tearful send-off

Getting ready at home · Bridal suite at The Grand on Princes · Muizz on the ballroom stage · Staircase entrance · Speeches and cake · Farewell at the car

Read the full story

Jewels at the mirror

Our day with Zulfia began at home, where she sat at a mirror with her makeup nearly done and a jewelled headpiece already draped across her hair. Women of the family crowded in to help: one buckled her silver heels over a red rug, another fastened a heavy emerald and gold necklace, and two more worked on her earrings at once. Her outfit was champagne and gold, embroidered with green stones and trimmed in red. In a small room we shoot over shoulders and through gaps, letting the helpers frame her face, because their hands tell half the story.

A red veil and a ring box

Zulfia held her ring box open in cupped hands, and we moved in close with a longer lens so the diamond stayed sharp while the gold of her outfit melted into a blur behind it. Then a red and gold veil came down over her hair, and as the helpers tugged and pinned it she burst out laughing behind her hand. Bangles went on, one wrist at a time. Before leaving, she stood for family photos against a plain white wall, which we love in a busy house because it keeps every colour clean.

Curved windows in the suite

At The Grand on Princes, Zulfia’s bridesmaids were waiting in a room lined with tall curved windows, dressed in purple and gold and holding white and blue calla lilies. Her own bouquet was a tight ball of red roses, and a flower girl in white with a big red sash joined the line-up. Curved glass throws soft, even light from almost every angle, so we stood Zulfia side-on to the window and let the pale sky glow behind her. Whenever we plan The Grand on Princes wedding photos, this is the room we want for portraits.

Roses on the stage

Outside, the white curved walls of the building stood bright against a pale sky. Inside, the ballroom stage was dressed in swags of red and white with a tufted white chaise and strands of crystal, and a tall white cake trailing red roses waited beside a sparkling sign spelling out Muizz and Zulfia. Empty rooms are worth ten quiet minutes of our time, so we caught the stage while every petal was still exactly in place. Family gathered by the windows for groups, and two older men in dark suits leant together deep in conversation while a young woman in a red and gold wrap waited behind them.

Muizz takes his seat

Muizz arrived by car in a cream and gold jacket, a tall red and white headdress and a red and white rope draped around his neck, while guests pressed up to the window to see him. He walked in across the parquetry with the men of his family and took his place on the white chaise. An older guest in a cream robe spoke into a microphone beside him as the men around them listened closely. Under warm ballroom lights we work from the side of the stage with a longer lens, close enough to read faces and far enough away to stay out of the moment.

Down the sweeping staircase

The flower girls in white tulle and the bridesmaids in purple had already made their entrance across the dance floor when the room turned to the staircase. Zulfia appeared at the top in her red veil, and her dad, in a white jacket, walked her down step by step and across the room to Muizz. We shot the descent from the foot of the stairs with a wide lens, then hurried ahead for the meeting. Muizz leant in to hug her dad, and the couple walked back between the tables together with every head in the room turned their way.

Speeches and bargaining

On the stage the newlyweds settled onto the chaise side by side. Two women stepped up to a clear lectern for the speeches, and when a bridesmaid in purple took the microphone the tears came quickly for the woman beside her. Then came a happy crush around the couple: bangles slipped onto Zulfia’s wrist, an older guest leant in between them for a word, and men in red and gold jackets bargained with the bride’s side, waving cash notes and pointing while everyone laughed. We stay low and wide in moments like this, right inside the circle, so the faces around the couple stay in the story.

Cake, cushions and hugs

Zulfia and Muizz cut the tall white cake together, its red roses spilling down one side, while children lined up in front of the stage with their phones held high. Two gold embroidered cushions were carried through the crowd, and then came the hugs. An older guest in orange wrapped Muizz up and held his face, and friends and family queued to hold Zulfia close. We gathered the families for one more group on the dance floor. With a crowd this size, plan your family groups early in the night, while everyone is still in the room.

A send-off in the dark

At the end of the night, Zulfia and Muizz came down the curved stairs by the entrance together with family close behind. On the red carpet outside, an older loved one held Zulfia tight, her red veil pulled forward over her face, and Muizz was hugged goodbye too. Then Zulfia slid into the back of a black car with her roses in her lap and looked out through the open door one last time. Our final frame came from outside in the dark, her face lit softly inside the car, a quiet ending to a loud and joyful day.

Photographer's venue notes

The Grand on Princes, Mulgrave: curved window light, a staircase entrance and a red carpet farewell

Read the venue notes

How the day moved through the building

Zulfia arrived already dressed and went straight up to the suite with the tall curved windows, where her bridesmaids were waiting. Muizz came in separately by car, crossed the parquetry with the men of his family and took his seat on the stage first. That order gave us two clean halves: his arrival on the floor, then her descent down the sweeping staircase on her dad’s arm. Everything after that stayed in the ballroom and around the stage, until the two of them came down the curved stairs by the entrance to the red carpet and the waiting car.

Daylight upstairs, warm light below

The suite was the only place where daylight did the work, so we gave it our full attention before the entrance. Curved glass spreads a pale sky across the whole room, and with Zulfia turned side-on to it, the gold and green of her outfit held their colour without harsh shine. Downstairs the ballroom ran on chandeliers, stage lights and a wash of purple over the tables. We balanced for skin under that mix and kept the red and white of the stage true, so the drapes stayed crisp rather than drifting pink.

Where we stood for the big moments

Before the staircase began, a gap in the curtain at the top let us catch Zulfia waiting quietly on her dad’s arm. During the handover and the walk back between the tables we stayed low in the aisle, so the faces turning in their seats framed the couple. On the stage we split our angles, one from the side with a longer lens and one close in among family, because the crowd around the chaise kept shifting and both views were needed to tell the story of the night.

Tips for a big ballroom night

Do your family groups by the windows before the entrance while hair and outfits are fresh, as this family did, then keep the stage for closer groups later. If your entrance is down the staircase, agree on a short pause at the top so the whole room has time to turn and look up. And give the farewell real time. The hugs at the entrance went on and on, and the soft cabin light inside the car made a lovely last portrait, so ask your driver to leave that light on and the door open a little longer.

Keep exploring

The Grand on Princes weddings

Every Veri wedding at this venue

Melbourne weddings

More real weddings across the city