Abhey & Aastha Wedding Photography at Crown Horizon
When I first met Abhey and Aastha, they told me they were planning a two-day wedding celebration at Crown Horizon. They also emphasised how important it was for them to capture the traditions and cultural elements of their Indian wedding, including plenty of dancing across both days of the reception.
They asked me whether I and my team had photographed a wedding at Crown Horizon before. I told them that we had photographed many weddings at Crown Melbourne, although at different venues within the Crown complex, including River Room, Garden Room, Aviary, Palladium and more. To be honest, Crown Horizon was the first time I had heard of this particular venue. I assumed Crown had recently added another wedding reception space.
Abhey and Aastha smiled and said it wasn't a big deal. Since we had photographed so many weddings at Crown, they felt we would already be familiar with the area and know the best photo opportunities around the property.
And they were right.
The couple showed me Crown Horizon on their phone. As soon as I saw the floor-to-ceiling marble pillars, panoramic windows and the iconic draped chandelier, I suddenly realised that I had actually photographed this space before — just not as a wedding reception venue.
Several years earlier, the area had been unused, and we had used it as an indoor wedding portrait location for another couple. I later realised that Crown had transformed the space into a beautiful wedding reception venue.
"Brilliant," Abhey and Aastha said. "I think we found the right Melbourne wedding photographer."
Day 1
Day 2
Day One — The Wedding Reception
On the wedding day, we started with the bride and groom getting ready at Crown Melbourne. This was particularly convenient for me as the wedding photographer because I could park in the Crown multi-level car park and leave my car there for the entire day without having to move it between locations.
Because the wedding took place in winter, sunset came very early. By the time we were ready for portraits, there was very little natural light left outside, so I suggested that we take advantage of some of Crown's iconic indoor locations.
One of my favourite spots was the grand staircase near the casino — a location well known to wedding photographers and couples.
We were very lucky that evening because there weren't many people in the background. The ambient lighting around the staircase, combined with the enormous crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, created a luxurious and elegant atmosphere.
I positioned Abhey and Aastha halfway up the staircase. My colleague Alex, the wedding videographer on the day, held an external light to illuminate the couple and separate them from the background. Then we switched roles.
I held the light for Alex while he filmed the couple, allowing both of us to create strong imagery and video footage from the same moment. It was a great example of how a photographer and videographer can work together to create something special.
Inside Crown Horizon
After the bridal party took a short break in the bridal suite, we had some time to photograph the details and styling inside Crown Horizon. The wedding planner had already transformed the space when we arrived. The reception was filled with beautiful floral arrangements, champagne towers, white candles and elegant styling throughout the room.
The reception began with Abhey and Aastha's first dance in front of the enormous panoramic windows.
As they danced, fireworks sparkled outside, adding another layer of romance to the scene. In front of them was a white acrylic sign featuring the couple's initials in gold.
The combination of the dramatic windows, fireworks, candlelight, florals and the couple's first dance created a beautiful collection of images.
After the first dance, the manager of Crown Horizon brought out a bottle of champagne and guided the couple as they poured it into the champagne tower.
Abhey later told me that it took much longer than he expected to fill the entire tower. He joked that he hadn't realised how long the process would take.
For me, though, it was perfect.
It gave me plenty of time to move around and capture the details, expressions and interaction between the couple from different angles. After the champagne tower, Abhey and Aastha cut their wedding cake and then the party really began.
There was plenty of Indian dancing as the DJ played music, with the dance floor quickly becoming one of the highlights of the evening.
Day Two — Yarra River Portraits
On the second day, Abhey and Aastha started earlier so that we could take advantage of the natural light for their location portraits.
Because we had already photographed their preparations on the first day, we could focus entirely on the couple and their portraits.
Abhey wore a formal suit, while Aastha wore a stunning traditional Indian lehenga.
Her outfit was incredibly detailed, featuring rich gold tones, intricate embroidery and beautifully handmade fabric. Every movement revealed another layer of detail.
We headed towards the Yarra River, using Melbourne's skyline as the backdrop.
Aastha looked much more relaxed in front of the camera compared with the first day. She even started dancing for the camera, and I quickly realised that she had a natural talent for movement and posing. When she spun around, her wedding dress followed her movement like a blooming flower.
The shape and movement of the gold fabric were incredibly striking, so I switched to a fast shutter speed to freeze the movement and capture the details of the dress as it flowed through the air.
Abhey simply stood beside her, watching and admiring his beautiful wife.
In another moment, Aastha rested her head gently on Abhey's shoulder. It was a quiet, intimate moment, and rather than directing them heavily, I photographed it candidly.
Those unscripted moments are often some of my favourite wedding photographs because they show the couple exactly as they are.
Day Two — The Reception
The second day's reception was also held at Crown Horizon.
The styling was different from the first evening but remained equally lavish. This time, red was the dominant colour, with beautiful red roses used throughout the reception. Even the wedding cake incorporated rich red details.
Once again, Abhey and Aastha had their first dance, followed by even more dancing and celebration than on the first night.
Across the two days, the combination of Indian traditions, colourful cultural details, spectacular styling, emotional moments and energetic dancing gave us an incredible variety of photographs.
For me, Abhey and Aastha's wedding was a great reminder that every couple brings something unique to a wedding day. The venue may provide the setting, but it is the couple's personality, culture, family and celebration that ultimately create the story.
And for a wedding photographer, being able to capture that story across two unforgettable days at Crown Horizon was a real privilege.
