Indian Wedding & Reception | Battersea Arts Centre | London

Probably one of the most dramatic wedding venues I’ve photographed in, Shiven & Neelam chose the incredible Battersea Arts Centre as the setting for their big day.

The day started at The Chelsea Harbour Hotel a few minutes away for getting ready shots of the bride and groom. After capturing some candid moment of them individually in their rooms, I made my way over to the venue.

A spectacular and unique setting

It was the first time I had seen the Battersea Arts Centre in person and wow, what a spectacular venue. The decor was already beautifully set up by Jay & I Events which gave me the opportunity to take some venue shots.

It wasn’t long before Shiven and his family made their way to the venue for the jaan arrival. It was a lively affair as the two families greeted each other outside, and made their way in to take their seats.

With Shiven welcomed into the main hall and seated in the mandap, the priest, Ravi Shastri, began the Hindu ceremony. When the time came for Neelam to make her entrance, we soon realised that she wasn’t even in the building! It just so happened that the Hindu ceremony actually started early which very rarely happens. So Neelam wasn’t late, she was fashionably on time 😉

When Neelam did arrived, she made her way down the aisle with her niece and nephews in her striking red wedding dress by Sequinze.

A ceremony full of colour and joy

Once the ceremony between the bride and groom was underway, I could really take stock of the set up in the Battersea Arts Centre. The mandap looked stunning within the rustic, exposed plasterwork setting. It was a joy photographing the ceremony amongst the intimate crowd in such a grand setting.

Both Shiven & Neelam looked amazing and the colours really popped from their decor through to their outfits. Capturing the emotions was also a joy as they were there in abundance. So many smiles, laughs and tears, you could even see them through the masks!

One thing for sure, I was definitely looking forward to capturing some portraits of the newlyweds. After the ceremony, we made our way around the venue and found some hidden spots. One in particular was a corridor that very much echoed the rest of the venue, with its exposed brickwork and crumbling plaster. Again, Shiven & Neelam’s outfits were on point, and very fitting for such a venue.

The evening reception

The vidai was soon followed by a short break, allowing guests to get ready for the evening entertainment. It kicked off again with a drinks reception outside on a warm evening.

With the hall turned around for the reception, guests made their way back inside and took their seats at two huge, beautifully decorated tables. Speeches provided many laughs and plenty of hands over faces, as guests continued to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Shiven & Neelam’s wedding at the Battersea Arts Centre has to be up there with one of my favourite weddings. They were brilliant to work with, and everything about their day was beautiful. It was an honour being there as their Asian Wedding Photographer, and documenting all that happened.

And all that’s left to say is, congratulations to the happy couple and here some highlights from their epic day! Enjoy.