Ultima Function Centre wedding photos: Sagal and Abdifatah stand beneath glowing lamps and grand stone columns at dusk in Melbourne
Home/Weddings/Ultima Function Centre, Keilor East
Real ballroom wedding · Keilor East, Melbourne

Ultima Function Centre Wedding Photos: Sagal & Abdifatah

Ultima Function Centre · Keilor East VIC · Melbourne

Ballroom Wedding · Cultural & Traditional Wedding · City: Melbourne · Venue: Ultima Function Centre

Two white horses with tall plumes pulling a carriage up to the front door, a bride who made three entrances in three different looks, and a dance floor full of colour. Sagal and Abdifatah’s celebrations finished with a big, bright reception at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor East, in Melbourne’s north-west, after a portrait afternoon that took us from Williamstown’s Gem Pier to Footscray Park and the steps of Parliament House at dusk. We were there for every hug and every cheer.

The gallery
Two hand painted shields in blue, white and green with white stars, set beside a beaded blue jug on a blue tablecloth
Two little boys in black suits and bow ties play up for the camera at a round table during the family gathering
A smiling young boy in a grey suit and grey scarf leans on a white tablecloth at the family gathering
Four boys in suits wait at a round table set with bananas and salad as red, white and blue balloons float overhead
Three young men in suits and blazers stand together on a footpath outside the hall, smiling under a palm tree
Five men in shirts and blazers raise their fists and grin for a group shot inside the hall foyer
Abdifatah walks into the hall grinning in a dark suit and open collar, past tables of guests and red and blue balloons
Abdifatah sits among six men in suits along a patterned sofa, smiling as the speeches begin
A man in a dark blazer speaks into a microphone as guests listen from the sofas lining the room
Guests stand together beneath draped white fabric and heart balloons, watching the speeches across the hall
A man in a blue checked blazer holds the microphone and speaks while older guests listen from the sofa behind
An older man in a patterned cardigan speaks into the microphone as the men seated on the sofa listen closely
A row of guests listens to the speeches in soft side light, a man with a trimmed beard in sharp focus
Men in dark suits sit in a row with hands folded, listening intently as the speeches continue
Three smiling guests in suits share a plate of rice and salad at a round table during the gathering
Abdifatah shakes hands with a guest in a lilac shirt while two others hug beside him in the hall
The groom stands in the middle of five friends in leather jackets and striped shirts for a group shot
Abdifatah poses with three guests, one in a long dark robe and white cap, beside the tables and sofas
The groom shakes hands with a guest in a cream blazer as four men line up on the timber floor for a photo
Abdifatah smiles between three guests, one wrapped in a cream shawl, in front of the sofas and fruit platters
Two friends throw their arms around the groom's shoulders, all three grinning on the polished timber floor
The groom stands between two older guests, one in a navy coat and one in a cream blazer and cap
Abdifatah and a friend in a grey suit stand by a blue draped table under heart balloons printed with the couple's names
Abdifatah and a friend in a grey suit smile through the open car window, seatbelts still on, on portrait day
A gold ring set with tiny sparkling stones waits in an open red velvet box on soft white fabric
A woman in a white head wrap gazes out through the window glass, reflections softening the frame in black and white
An older loved one in a bronze patterned scarf cuddles a smiling little girl in a pink dress and pearl necklace
Sagal in her white lace gown and veil stands with three women in white, teal and cream gowns and a little girl in pink
Sagal looks over her shoulder in a high necked white lace gown, her hand covered in fine dark patterns
Sagal sits on a sofa with her veil and lace gown spread around her, patterned hands resting in her lap
Sagal smiles softly beneath her lace edged veil by the window in black and white
Abdifatah sits back on a black leather sofa in a black bow tie, pleated white shirt and white pocket square
Sagal and Abdifatah walk hand in hand at Gem Pier, Williamstown, with moored yachts and the city skyline across the bay
Sagal glances back with a red lipped smile as she and Abdifatah stroll the timber boards beside the grey water
Abdifatah wraps his arms around Sagal under her veil, the marina's yachts blurred on the water behind
Sagal and Abdifatah smile at each other beneath her sheer veil, the soft grey afternoon light filtering through
Abdifatah looks down at Sagal with a quiet smile as she glances aside, the bay pale and calm behind them
Sagal leans into Abdifatah at Williamstown's Gem Pier, a forest of yacht masts and the Melbourne skyline behind
Sagal looks down in her beaded lace gown and veil, her patterned hands folded at her chest above the bay
Abdifatah smiles down at Sagal in her lace edged veil, sunlight glinting on the water beside them
Sagal and Abdifatah gaze into each other's eyes, close together against the shimmering bay
Abdifatah leans in behind Sagal, her face framed in lace and sheer veil in a close wedding portrait
Sagal's jewelled silver sandals peek out beneath the hem of her white gown, her feet patterned in dark designs
Abdifatah grins in his black bow tie and white pocket square, the city skyline soft across the water
Abdifatah stands sharp in the foreground while Sagal waits softly out of focus by the water behind him
Sagal smiles in her lace gown and veil while Abdifatah stands blurred in the foreground beside the bay
Abdifatah slips a hand in his pocket at Gem Pier in Williamstown, moored boats and city towers behind him
Sagal smiles in her high necked beaded lace gown and veil beside a white bollard at the water's edge
Sagal stands calm and smiling in her lace gown, beaded bodice and veil, the blue water of the marina behind her
Sagal and Abdifatah hold hands on the timber boards of Gem Pier, the grey hull of the old warship moored behind
The whole family gathers around Sagal and Abdifatah on the lawn before a clipped hedge, palms and old trees
Sagal stands among the women and girls of the family in bright scarves and gowns on the Footscray Park lawn
Abdifatah and Sagal line up with a family group of men and boys in suits on the grass before a long hedge
Sagal smiles between a woman in a gold shimmer scarf and a man in a brown blazer on the garden lawn
Sagal stands with five women in gold, brown and patterned scarves, a man in a cap and a little boy in a bow tie
Sagal poses in the gardens of Footscray Park with family in white, grey and yellow, flower beds edging the lawn
Sagal and Abdifatah stand with a man in a pinstripe suit and four children, two girls in pink bows at the front
Abdifatah and Sagal line up with loved ones and small boys in black bow ties, a girl in white beside them
Abdifatah and Sagal stand between a man in a dark suit and a woman wrapped in a gold and white shawl
Sagal links arms with a smiling woman in a gold shawl and a man in a brown suit beside the clipped hedge
Sagal and Abdifatah stand with a man in a red cap and a row of young women in bright scarves and long skirts
Sagal and Abdifatah pose with two women in black and cream and a man in a grey suit on the clipped green lawn
Sagal stands between Abdifatah and a grinning friend in a blue cap, pale blazer and purple pocket square
An older loved one in a rust patterned scarf and a man in a cream blazer flank the smiling couple on the lawn
Two girls in white dresses, jackets and gold collars stand hand in hand at Footscray Park on the Maribyrnong River, palms behind
Sagal and Abdifatah gather with family, a little girl in pink tulle in front and a toddler on one man's hip
Sagal and Abdifatah stand with a woman in a brown gown and patterned scarf and a man in a pinstripe blazer
Sagal and Abdifatah hold hands with two girls in white dresses who stand either side of them like bookends
Sagal shows her patterned hands as the two girls in white and gold collars stand close beside her
Sagal kneels on the grass in her lace gown, smiling between the two girls in white beside the flower bed
Sagal crouches on the lawn with two little girls, one in a sequinned jacket and one in a polka dot skirt
A little girl in a pink tulle dress hands a yellow flower to a loved one in a long brown gown on the lawn
The little girl in pink holds up a tiny yellow flower and grins at a loved one in a patterned scarf
Two young women in a brown gown and a copper satin gown stand arm in arm, smiling on the park lawn
Sagal and Abdifatah stand with a man in a striped scarf, a woman in a red scarf and two little girls under tall trees
Sagal and Abdifatah pose on Spring Street at dusk before an ornate arched facade as a yellow taxi passes
Sagal smiles up at Abdifatah against rows of arched windows on a grand old city building at dusk
Abdifatah holds Sagal close against a wall of glowing glass block windows on a dark city street
Sagal's beaded lace train spills across the dark pavement as Abdifatah embraces her by the glowing glass blocks
Sagal and Abdifatah stand on the footpath with the columns of Parliament House rising at the end of the street
Sagal and Abdifatah cross the road hand in hand under a lilac dusk sky, city towers lighting up around them
Abdifatah leads Sagal across the street at blue hour, her lace train sweeping the bitumen as taxis slide past
Abdifatah wraps his arms around a laughing Sagal under city street lights and autumn leaves after dark
Sagal lifts her train beside Abdifatah at the foot of Parliament House of Victoria, its columns uplit against a blue sky
Sagal and Abdifatah stand in the uplit colonnade, a long row of stone columns leading back to an arched timber door
Abdifatah holds Sagal from behind in the warm uplights of Victorian Parliament House after dark
Abdifatah looks down at Sagal between two glowing stone columns, her patterned hands at her side
Sagal and Abdifatah stand before the carved timber doors of Parliament House, Melbourne, a lantern hanging above
Sagal and Abdifatah embrace between two columns at the top of the steps, city lights glowing under a deep blue sky
Sagal and Abdifatah are framed by soft blurred shapes and a red glow in front of a carved timber door
A white wedding cake trimmed in royal blue ribbon and topped with sugar roses waits in the ballroom at Ultima Function Centre
An older guest in a violet scarf patterned with gold flowers smiles softly as the ballroom fills for the reception
Women wrapped in emerald, saffron and red head scarves and gold shawls walk in through the glass doors to the ballroom
Two girls in amber tops and striped skirts, wearing chunky beads, hold painted shields at the ballroom reception
A hand patterned in dark designs carries a small beaded vessel past a gown of white and gold stripes
Sagal makes her first entrance at Ultima Function Centre, Keilor East, in white and gold with coral beads, flanked by two girls
A guest in a teal scarf and green head wrap with gold earrings looks down, lips parted, in the busy ballroom
A dancer in a striped amber dress and gold necklace watches the floor at Ultima, her hands patterned in dark designs
A dancer with her hair swept into a braided bun and teardrop earrings waits her turn in profile in the ballroom
A dancer with long braids and a jewelled headband smiles in her striped amber dress at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor Park
A dancer in a striped amber and maroon dress with layered amber beads looks across the ballroom dance floor
Four dancers in striped amber dresses bend low across the parquet floor of the ballroom at Ultima Function Centre as guests watch
Women in violet, saffron, green and patterned scarves sit along the ballroom's edge, one holding a hand drum
Guests in emerald, saffron, magenta and gold stand clapping and smiling in the ballroom at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor East
The bride in white and gold hugs an older loved one in a violet scarf as women around them clap and smile across the ballroom
Sagal beams in her white and gold gown, coral beads and silver hair comb at Ultima as hands reach in around her
Guests hold a white sheet high overhead as women in teal, gold and lace gather beneath it on the ballroom dance floor
A woman in a teal scarf sings from a sheet of paper as women clap around her at Ultima Function Centre, Keilor East
A laughing guest sends a pale green shawl patterned with roses spinning past the lens as she dances across the ballroom
Two dancers in cream shawls and striped skirts face each other across the parquet floor at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor Park
A dancer in a cream shawl smiles with hands clasped as girls and women in teal and gold crowd in to watch
An older guest in a gold and black shawl dances with arms outstretched in the ballroom at Ultima in Melbourne's northwest
Four women in shimmering champagne gold gowns walk down the steps into the ballroom reception, lifting their hems
Women in champagne gold gowns move around the open parquet ballroom floor at Ultima Function Centre as a ring of guests looks on
A woman in a shimmering gold gown and pearl collar dances face to face with another in matching gold
A dancer in a champagne gold gown with braided hair looks down at her patterned hands as seated guests watch from the ballroom tables
Sagal returns through the ballroom glass doors at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor East in royal blue and gold, a gold collar at her neck
Sagal smiles as she walks in wearing royal blue and gold with a jewelled tiara, her hands patterned in dark designs
Women in champagne gold gowns clap around Sagal in royal blue as she dances in the middle of the ballroom floor
Sagal dances in royal blue between women in gold gowns across the floor of her ballroom wedding reception at Ultima
Sagal smiles in royal blue and gold with a jewelled tiara as women in gold gowns and bright scarves watch behind her
A girl in a black lace dress rests her head against Sagal, who beams in royal blue and gold among the ballroom guests
Sagal stands with loved ones in black and gold and violet patterned scarves and a smiling girl in black lace in the ballroom
Sagal dances hand in hand with women in white lace and dark scarves across the parquet ballroom floor at Ultima Function Centre
Sagal in blue and gold poses with three guests in purple, black and a rust head scarf against a pale ballroom wall
Sagal holds a bunch of deep red roses beside a smiling woman with braids and a jewelled headband in a champagne gold gown
Sagal holds her red roses between guests in champagne gold and cream and black lace in the ballroom at Ultima in Melbourne's northwest
Sagal smiles between two guests, one in a pink head scarf and black wrap, one in a champagne checked shawl
A beaming girl in teal and a blue head scarf hugs Sagal tight in the ballroom, both their hands patterned in fine dark designs
Sagal makes her third entrance in a white lace gown and long veil at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor Park, bridesmaids in champagne lace behind
Sagal holds deep red roses between two flower girls in white, bridesmaids in champagne lace standing either side on the ballroom parquet
Sagal smiles under her lace veil in the ballroom with a bouquet of deep red roses, two flower girls in white jackets beside her
A flower girl with a silver tiara and a curled braid looks down shyly in her white jacket as the ballroom crowd looks on
Sagal joins hands in a line across the ballroom with bridesmaids in champagne lace and a guest in a teal head scarf
Sagal lines up with four women in champagne and cream gowns across the empty floor of the ballroom at Ultima Function Centre, Keilor East
Sagal walks hand in hand between two bridesmaids, one in a pale yellow head scarf, as guests line the ballroom walls behind
Sagal laughs beneath her lace veil as bridesmaids in champagne lace with braided buns gather close around her in the ballroom
Sagal hugs an older loved one in a pale blue and silver head scarf while a woman in yellow and red reaches in
Sagal grins beneath her jewelled veil as a guest in a dark scarf takes her patterned hands in greeting across the ballroom
Sagal plants a kiss on the cheek of a guest in a lilac and white patterned shawl as women in orange and violet clap
Sagal stands in white lace among women in purple, gold and green shawls on the ballroom floor at Ultima, red rose petals at her feet
Sagal laughs in the ballroom and reaches out her patterned hands to a smiling guest in a lime green and black head scarf
A woman in a teal head scarf leans in close behind Sagal, who gazes calmly across the ballroom in her white lace and veil
Two white horses with tall white plumes draw a white carriage up to Ultima Function Centre at night, the driver in red
Abdifatah in a black bow tie and dinner suit rests a hand on one of the plumed white horses, a lantern glowing behind
Abdifatah stands tall between the white horses and their tall plumes, white pocket square bright, the driver in red behind
Abdifatah and a groomsman in a grey suit and red bow tie sit side by side inside the white carriage
Abdifatah grins beside a groomsman in a red bow tie on the pale leather seat of the carriage, lights glowing through the window
Abdifatah and two groomsmen in red bow ties pose by a plumed white horse and the carriage under the street lights
Abdifatah, two groomsmen and two bridesmaids in champagne lace line up by the carriage wheels outside Ultima Function Centre in Keilor East
Two bridesmaids in champagne lace double over laughing with Abdifatah and two groomsmen beside the white carriage
A bridesmaid in champagne lace and a groomsman in a blue suit and red bow tie pose under the covered entrance
A grinning groomsman in a red bow tie points ahead as he walks arm in arm with a bridesmaid in champagne lace
Abdifatah holds a single red rose under the lit covered entrance at Ultima, the white carriage waiting by the palms
Bridesmaids in champagne lace and groomsmen in red bow ties walk in pairs through the glass doors into the foyer
A man in a grey suit walks through the glass doors into the ballroom at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor Park as women dance
Abdifatah walks in with a red rose in hand through a corridor of guests in bright scarves clapping and filming
Sagal smiles under her veil behind two groomsmen in red bow ties dancing past in the foreground, phones raised across the ballroom
An older loved one in a lilac patterned scarf reaches out to take Sagal's patterned hand as women in red and gold look on
Abdifatah, red rose in hand, meets Sagal in the middle of the ballroom floor as she smiles up at him beneath her veil
Abdifatah takes Sagal's patterned hand on the dance floor at Ultima Function Centre, Keilor East, as guests in bright scarves watch
An older loved one in a pink and gold patterned scarf smiles softly as Abdifatah looks down at Sagal's hand in the ballroom
Sagal and Abdifatah share a smile side by side at the ballroom top table, her red roses resting on the white cloth
Sagal and Abdifatah sit with their bridal party under a swag of purple and white, a ballroom wedding at Ultima in Melbourne's northwest
Sagal and Abdifatah stand behind the top table with a groomsman in a red bow tie and a bridesmaid in champagne lace
A groomsman in a navy suit and red bow tie and a bridesmaid with a braided bun flank Sagal and Abdifatah in the ballroom
Sagal beams between Abdifatah and a young woman in a peach head scarf over a lilac band, all three close together among the ballroom guests
A smiling guest in a dark shawl rests a patterned hand on Sagal's shoulder as Abdifatah stands beside them
Sagal and Abdifatah pose with an older loved one in a black and gold floral scarf by the ballroom wall at Ultima Function Centre
An older loved one in a lilac and silver floral scarf raises a patterned hand beside a smiling Sagal and Abdifatah
A loved one in a champagne head scarf and black lace flowers hugs Sagal close on the ballroom floor while Abdifatah stands smiling beside them
The girl in teal and a blue head scarf tucks in under Sagal's arm as Abdifatah wraps an arm around them both in the ballroom
Abdifatah grins with an arm around Sagal as a young woman in a peach scarf and violet gown leans in on her other side
Sagal and Abdifatah hold hands at the top table at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor East beside a woman in coral and a girl
Two women in cream and coral shawls hug in close to Sagal as Abdifatah holds her patterned hand by the ballroom top table
Sagal smiles up at Abdifatah in the ballroom, her patterned hands wrapped around a bouquet of deep red roses and ruffled red blooms
Sagal's patterned hands grip her red roses and ruffled red blooms as Abdifatah rests his hand on the bouquet
Abdifatah and Sagal stand with an older loved one in a mauve patterned scarf in the ballroom, her deep red roses held close
The white carriage waits beyond the covered entrance of Ultima Function Centre, Keilor East, framed by two palm trunks at night
Abdifatah and Sagal walk out arm in arm under the covered entrance as guests film on their phones and red petals dot the paving
Bridesmaids lift Sagal's long lace train as she and Abdifatah step up to the open door of the white carriage
Sagal and Abdifatah stand with two bridesmaids and two groomsmen before the gilded white carriage outside Ultima Function Centre in Keilor Park
Sagal and Abdifatah sit side by side on the white seat of the carriage, smiling and holding hands, ready to roll
The wedding story

Our Ultima Function Centre wedding photos: a skyline from Gem Pier, three grand entrances and a horse-drawn carriage at night

Gathering in the hall · Gem Pier, Williamstown · Family groups in Footscray Park · Parliament House at dusk · Three entrances at Ultima · The carriage arrival

Read the full story

Balloons and bow ties

Our first afternoon with Sagal and Abdifatah’s families was a gathering in a hall a few days before the reception. Red, white and blue balloons floated over the round tables, and two little boys in bow ties played up for us between plates of food. Abdifatah walked in grinning, in a dark suit with an open collar, and the room rose to meet him. Loved ones took turns at the microphone in front of the sofas, and we kept a longer lens on the listeners, because a room’s reaction often says more than the speech. Then came handshakes, hugs and group after group with the groom.

A ring box by the window

Portrait day started slowly. Abdifatah and a friend pulled up in the car, seatbelts still on, and a gold ring sat waiting in a red velvet box for its close-up. Indoors, an older loved one in a bronze patterned scarf cuddled a little girl in pink for us. Sagal sat in her lace gown and long veil, her hands covered in fine dark patterns, and we shot one frame through the glass in black and white so the reflections did the softening. Abdifatah waited on a leather sofa in his black bow tie and white pocket square, ready to go.

Skyline from Gem Pier

At Williamstown we walked Sagal and Abdifatah out along Gem Pier, with moored yachts on one side and the city skyline sitting low across the bay. It was a soft, grey early winter afternoon, the kind photographers love: no squinting, no harsh shadows on a white gown, and the water turns silver behind them. We drew Sagal’s veil over both of them for a close frame full of filtered light, then stepped back for a wide one, hand in hand on the timber boards, with the old warship HMAS Castlemaine moored behind. Her jewelled sandals got a frame of their own too.

Everyone on the Footscray Park lawn

Then the families met us in Footscray Park for the big groups. We lined everyone up on the lawn in front of a long clipped hedge, with palms and old trees behind, from small boys in suits to a little girl in a pink tulle dress. A crowd that size needs the camera a little higher than eye level so the back row is not hidden, and a lot of patience, so we called up one family at a time. In between, the little girl in pink held hands with an older loved one, and two girls in white stood either side of Sagal like bookends.

Parliament steps at blue hour

We finished the portraits in the city as the street lights came on. Along Spring Street, arched old facades glowed against a lilac sky while taxis slid past, and Sagal and Abdifatah walked hand in hand across the road with her train sweeping the bitumen. Parliament House was our last stop. After dark its colonnade is lit from below, so we worked with those uplights instead of a flash and let the long row of columns lead the eye to them. A carved timber door made a frame within a frame, and we closed with the city lights glowing between two columns.

Three looks, one dance floor

Two nights later the reception filled a ballroom at Ultima Function Centre in Keilor East. A white cake trimmed in royal blue and topped with sugar roses waited as guests arrived in scarves of emerald, saffron, violet and gold. Dancers in striped amber dresses and beads took the floor, a pale green shawl went spinning past our lens, and Sagal made her first entrance in white and gold with coral beads and a silver comb in her hair. Then she returned in royal blue and gold. Our Ultima Function Centre wedding photos from this stretch are pure colour: a fast lens wide open keeps her sharp and melts the crowd.

Lace, roses and flower girls

For her third entrance Sagal came in as a bride, in a white lace gown and long veil, with a bouquet of deep red roses and two flower girls in white walking at her side. The bridesmaids in champagne lace fanned out across the parquet floor around her, and older guests reached in for a kiss on the cheek as she passed. A white gown in a crowd of bright colour needs care with exposure, so we set it for the lace detail and let the scarves around her fall slightly darker. Nobody missed a thing: every phone in the room was up.

White plumes at the front door

Late in the night we headed outside to wait for Abdifatah. Two white horses with tall white plumes drew a white carriage up to the front entrance, and he stepped down in his black bow tie to stand between them. The groomsmen in red bow ties climbed out after him and paired up with the bridesmaids beside the carriage wheels. Night arrivals are all about light: we used a flash on the horses so their white coats held detail, let the lanterns glow behind, then moved under the covered entrance, where the ceiling lights do the work.

Together at the top table

Abdifatah walked into the ballroom through a corridor of clapping guests and met Sagal in the middle of the floor. An older loved one in lilac came forward to greet them both, and then the two of them sat side by side at the top table under a swag of purple and white, sharing a smile. We kept the family groups quick and close by the wall, with her red roses and patterned hands in one last detail frame. Then out to the carriage waiting under the palms, and our final photo: Sagal and Abdifatah side by side on its white seat, ready to roll.

Photographer's venue notes

Ultima Function Centre, Keilor East: three ballroom entrances and a plumed carriage at the front door

Read the venue notes

How the night moved through Ultima

Sagal and Abdifatah had their portraits on a separate afternoon, so the night at Ultima was all about the reception. Guests came through the glass doors into the ballroom, where the cake waited and the parquet dance floor stayed open for the dancers. Sagal made three entrances there across the evening. Later we stepped outside to the covered entrance for Abdifatah's carriage arrival, followed him back in through a corridor of guests to meet Sagal on the floor, then photographed them at the top table before the final walk out to the carriage.

Working with night light

Everything at Ultima happened after dark, so we planned around the room's own light rather than daylight. The ballroom lights were warm and even from above, which let us keep the glow of the room instead of flattening it. With guests crowding the parquet, we picked spots along the edge of the floor and waited for gaps to open between dancers. Out the front, the lanterns and the lit drive made a gentle background, and we kept the palms in frame so the carriage arrival read clearly as a night scene.

Photo spots across the reception

The steps down into the ballroom were a great place to catch each group as they arrived, especially the women in shimmering champagne gold lifting their hems. The middle of the parquet floor, with guests ringing it, gave us wide frames full of colour and clapping hands. The top table under its swag of purple and white made a tidy backdrop for the couple and their closest groups. Outside, two palm trunks framed the white carriage beautifully, and its pale leather seat gave us the quiet closing frame of the night.

Tips for a big ballroom night

With several entrances in one evening, share the order with us beforehand so we can be waiting at the glass doors before each one begins. Ask a couple of loved ones to clear a little space on the floor for the moment the bride walks in, because phones go up fast. If you are planning a carriage, time the arrival for a lull between dances so guests can step outside to watch. A separate portrait day also takes the pressure off the reception and leaves the whole night free for family.

Keep exploring

Ultima Function Centre weddings

Every Veri wedding at this venue

Melbourne weddings

More real weddings across the city