Adams Peak Country Estate Wedding
Ultimate Guide
Adams Peak Hunter Valley Weddings
Adams Peak Country Estate in the Hunter Valley would have to be one of my very favourite wedding venues ever. I have shot many weddings there over the years and I have loved everyone of them. And what is amazing is that every one of them is totally different. The light, the climate, the environment and of course the couple make every wedding unique.
Adams Peak is located in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, but what I love about it is that is out of the main tourist part. It is located in a prettier and more epic location… the little town or village of Broke, about 20 minutes from Pokolbin. Broke is much quieter and more scenic. It is closer to the Brokenback Mountain Range and the iconic Yellow Rock giving you an amazing backdrop to your wedding photos.
As a wedding photographer in the Hunter Valley, the one thing that always impresses me so much more than the amazing location… is the amazing service from the team at Adams Peak. The owners and the staff are just so so friendly and accommodating to both myself and couples. When choosing a wedding venue I always say that you should choose service over location. You could have the best wedding venue in the world, but if the service you receive from them isn’t good, then it will ruin the whole experience for you. At Adams Peak Country Estate you get both. An amazing location and venue, plus amazing, friendly service from the team there.
Adams Peak Wedding Venue
Adams Peak Country Estate is a family owned and operated wedding venue. It is a large country property and has about one hundred acres of land. Once you arrive at this venue, you are there for the entire weekend. There is onsite accommodation. You have your ceremony there. There are tonnes of beautiful photo locations and there are a couple of options for your wedding reception as well. It is everything you need and should look for in a wedding venue.
I remember the first wedding I did at Adams Peak in 2014 and the owner Karyn was so friendly and welcoming. She showed me around the property, I hopped into her Ute and took me to some of her favourite spots and it was so nice. If she is this nice to me, you can image how nice she would be to couples. As the business has grown they have a full time events manager, Kim. And she is just as amazing and committed.
The other thing I really love about Adams Peak is that they are continually improving their venue. They never stop building and adding to their property. When I first did a wedding back in 2014 there was a house and a reception room. Today it is totally transformed! And even as Covid struck, they have added extensions to “The Cabin”. They never stop improving.
Wedding Accommodation
Adams Peak Country Estate offers onsite accommodation for 24 people. When looking for a wedding venue I believe you should try to book a venue that has accommodation available onsite. Even if it is just for the couple. It makes the day much less stressful for you as there is no travel involved at all.
“The House” is divided into eight private suites, each with a queen-size bed and its own bathroom. Some rooms also include additional single beds, making them ideal for groups of up to 20 people.
“The Cabin” is a gorgeous two bedroom cabin located at the northern end of the property, away from the main areas. It is for the wedding couple and is used for wedding day preparation. Adams Peak is currently adding an extension to The Cabin and some more screening to add more privacy. Always improving!!
By having these two separate properties onsite, it mean you can both get ready onsite on the wedding day and still not see each other. Then for the ceremony, all you need to do is step out of your rooms and walk to the ceremony. So easy!
Obviously there will not be enough accommodation available for all your wedding guests onsite. But Broke has a lot of wonderful properties, cottages, villas and homesteads within a very short distance to Adams Peak.
The other thing a lot of couples do, is to organise a bus to pick up the majority of their guests from large resorts like Crown Plaza or Cypress Lakes. That way your guests can drink and have a great time without having to navigate the country roads back home.
Wedding Ceremony at Adams Peak
There are three options for your wedding ceremony at Adams Peak Country Estate. “The Lawn”, “The Hill” or “The Secret Tree”.
“The Lawn“. I have photographed many weddings at Adams Peak and I have only ever photographed ceremonies at “The Lawn”. I think it really is the perfect location for the wedding ceremony. Amazing views over the mountain ranges and it is located down some stairs, so the bridal entrance is hidden from view till the last minute.
The only thing I would say is that there is no shade during the ceremony. So you and your guess will be in full sun for the entire ceremony. This is not too much of a problem most of the year, but if you were having a wedding in Summer, then things could get very hot.
“The Secret Tree“. During summer I think you should seriously consider The Secret Tree because it can offer some shade from the heat of the sun. The sun will set behind the tree so the light is really beautiful. The main drawbacks are that is a further walk for your guests and there are no toilet facilities. And I personally like to leave The Secret Tree for wedding photos afterwards.
“The Lawn“. I’ve never photographed a wedding on The Lawn. It is where pre dinner drinks and canapés normally take place and I think it’s best kept for that purpose. The location is not as good as the other two locations.
Adams Peak have a great wet weather backup options for your ceremony. Depending on where your reception is being held, you can have ‘The Hay Shed’ or ‘The Barn’. It is so good to know that there are really good options available to you just in case it is raining for your wedding ceremony.
Wedding Photos at Adams Peak Country Estate
Adams Peak is located on 100 acres of land, so there is lots of options for beautiful photos. The one-hundred year old Ironbark tree, which they call “The Secret Tree”, is a beautiful location for wedding photos. There are plenty of open fields, highland cows and even a dam with a jetty. There is enough locations onsite for your wedding photography.
One thing worth mentioning, is that they don’t have vineyards or vines. So if that is something you had your heart set on, then you would need to go offsite to another winery. There are lots of options around Broke, but just be aware that you can’t just show up to any winery and take photos. You have to organise it with them. There will probably be some fee involved… or maybe you can buy xx cases of wine from them in exchange for using their property? But make sure you get permission, and get that permission in writing.
Reception at Adams Peak
There are three options for your wedding reception at Adams Peak Country Estate. You can have it outdoors, in the “Hay Shed” or in “The Barn”.
I have never done an outdoor wedding reception at Adams Peak but I think it would be awesome. I love outdoor wedding in the Hunter Valley. Particularly in the warmer months. Assemble lots of festoon and fairy lights and it would be amazing.
The Barn is where I have photographed most of my wedding receptions. It can seat up to 150 guests and is an awesome rustic, country venue. It has everything you need at a reception, with front and side decks, toilets, bar and lots of permanent fixtures and lights. You really don’t need to decorate this room very much at all for it to look good.
It has a fireplace and cosy and warm in winter. It is, however, not air-conditioned which is fine for most of the year as it does have good airflow with lots of double doors which open up. But if you were having a wedding in summer, I feel a better option would be “The Hay Shed”.
Update… The Barn is now fully airconditioned!!! So it is perfect for hot summer weddings. I would totally recommend it over ‘The Hay Shed’ for summer weddings.
The Hay Shed is where I would recommend weddings in the warmer months because it open on all sides. It can routinely hit 35 to 40 °C in the Hunter Valley and you will want the airflow that the Hay Shed provides. It has three walls and no windows, so it is like dining outdoors while still being protected from the elements. It also has its own bar and toilet facilities.
If it does rain, wind-down blinds can be lowered on three sides. The photos below are from a January wedding where it was warm and humid all day and night. Probably around 30+ °C and it did rain on and off as well. The lower blinds worked perfectly.
Thanks for checking out my little wedding guide on Adams Peak Country Estate. They are an awesome venue and I highly recommend them. By having your wedding there, you are almost guaranteeing yourself beautiful wedding photos and a wonderful wedding experience overall.
Address: 66 Adams Peak Road, Broke, NSW
Contact them via their website to get a kit or to view their property.
Hey, I’m Adam. A Hunter Valley wedding photographer who loves to shoot fun, relaxed couples in a natural and candid way.
I shoot weddings all over Australia, so if you are engaged and looking for a photographer, please check out my work. If you can see yourself in these photos, feel free to get in contact to check my availability. Thanks :)