The Bimbadgen Palmers Lane wedding of Francesca & Kate was a beautiful same sex wedding in one of the most picturesque locations in the Hunter Valley.
This was my first time to Bimbadgen Palmers Lane in the Hunter Valley. But I quickly realised that I had been there before it was an actual wedding venue. It used to be one of my favourite locations on a wedding day. It has gorgeous rolling hills with vines and lots of long grass, that really shows off the beauty of the Hunter Valley region.
Bimbagen Palmers Lane is actually separate from Bimbagen winery. Bimbagen Winery used to do weddings but because they do a lot of concerts there, they were never really able to book weddings too far out. So this obviously made it tricky for couples trying to plan a wedding.
Now, Bimbagen Palmers Lane is a purpose built wedding venue and it has quickly become one of my favourites. It is perfect for country weddings and is located in such a beautiful spot.
The Wedding Day
On the wedding day, Francesca got ready on one of the properties onsite while Kate got ready at her parent’s place which was literally three minutes down the road. Bonnie-Lee did a beautiful job with makeup.
The wedding ceremony was held between the two trees overlooking vineyards and mountains. It was stunning! The celebrant was Mel from Hitched in the Hunter, who always does an amazing job.
But what was even better was seeing two people so totally in love and so happy together. They couldn’t stop giggling and laughing the whole ceremony.
After the ceremony, we all hopped on their quad bike and drove around the property for a few sunset photos.
The wedding reception was held out under the stars and looked stunning. I love how personal Francesca & Kate made their reception. They wrote an individual message and individual photo for each wedding guest. Which would have taken a lot of work and I don’t think I have seen done before at a wedding I have shot. After eating and some beautiful, touching speeches, there was some awesome dance floor craziness till late into the night.
This Bimbagen Palmers Lane wedding was an amazing day to be a part of and I can see this venue becoming one of the most popular wedding venues in the Hunter Valley.
The Banjo Paterson Cottage Restaurant wedding of Kristen & Keith was such a beautiful day and was totally my kind of wedding. A small intimate wedding, in a beautiful location with a lovely couple.
There was no preparation coverage for this wedding. The day for me started at the ceremony at Banjo Paterson Cottage with the wedding ceremony. The ceremony had lots of laughs and some lovely candid moments. After the ceremony we took some casual photos around the area before heading into the restaurant for an amazing dinner and celebration.
So please enjoy this beautiful Banjo Paterson Cottage Restaurant wedding and i can’t wait to photograph another wedding there soon.
I have lost count as to how many weddings I have photographed at Peterson House and you really can’t go wrong with Peterson House weddings in the Hunter Valley.
It is located right in the heart of Pokolbin on the corner of Broke Road and Wine Country Drive. So pretty much everyone visiting the Hunter Valley will drive past Peterson House. It is best known for its amazing sparkling wines. Who knew there were so many types of sparkling wine? They are so good and we actually bought cases of their sparking and used it for our own wedding.
It is also known for its award-winning food, that comes out of Restaurant Cuvee. So it is pretty obvious why Peterson House is so popular for weddings!
Peterson House Wedding Chapel
Peterson House also recently build one of the best sandstone wedding chapels in the Hunter Valley. And I really mean that. It is a beautiful sandstone building with handcrafted timber trusses and it has been cleverly designed and it great for photography. There are large double wooden doors, high ceilings, a rustic chandelier and it can accommodate up to 150 wedding guests.
It is spacious, yet still feels quite intimate when you are inside. There is also an upstairs balcony section where more people can sit. They have also built a church bell. So the bells can ring out across wine country when you are officially married!
It also is fully air-conditioned!! Woo hoo!
In Summer, I hate churches or chapels in the Hunter Valley that are not air-conditioned. Why? Because they tend to be about ten degrees hotter inside than outside. And it can get very hot in the Hunter Valley. It routines goes above 40°C and I have had three weddings where people have collapsed from the heat of a church or chapel in the Hunter Valley. So by having your wedding ceremony here, you can rest assured that your guests, and particularly your older and very young guests, are comfortable and well taken care of.
Here are a few photos from weddings I have photographed at Peterson House Chapel. This will give you a good look at the set up of the chapel and what it looks like before guests arrive.
The styling from this set of photos was done by Jade Macintosh.
This is the view from the balcony area
Here are some photos from real weddings photographed at this beautiful chapel. As you can see there is a large area for guests to mingle as well a pretty grand driveway and fountain.
Garden Wedding Ceremonies
If you prefer the outdoors, you can also choose to have your wedding ceremony in the gardens. There is the option to have your ceremony down by the vineyard with the jetty and dam in the background.
Or you can have the ceremony in front of Petersons House restaurant itself. It is a lovely aluminium and sandstone building with a high pitched roof and it makes a nice rustic backdrop for your ceremony. Before the chapel was built in 2019, this was the main location used to have most of their wedding ceremonies. I think it gives a nice relaxed garden atmosphere to weddings.
I love outdoor wedding ceremonies but the only issue I have with outdoor ceremonies at Peterson House is the lack of shade. So on hot summers days, you will be in full sun. So I would not recommend an outdoor ceremony here is Summer. Winter would be perfect! Autumn and Spring would also be lovely but later in the day, towards sunset. For a summer wedding you should really consider their beautiful wedding chapel for the ceremony.
Peterson House Wedding Photos
Peterson House is a beautiful location to have your wedding photos. There are a few locations onsite for photos. There are a large number of vines surrounding the property. As well as some lovely gardens areas between and around the buildings on the property. They also have a beautiful dam with a small jetty which is perfect for photos at sunset.
As with all the wedding photos, the best time for photos is at sunset. And I would definitely recommend doing your couple portraits at sunset. If you do choose to do them earlier when the sun is still high in the sky, the light can be pretty harsh and unflattering, particularly if there are no clouds. There are a couple of shady spots where you can head to. A small cluster of trees is located near the entrance to the property. As well as another cluster of trees on the other side of the lake. And at the very back of the property, there are a few big trees and some more lovely vineyards.
It is also worth noting that you are not able to do any drone photography at Petersons House as there is a small airport located right across the road.
The jetty with Peterson House in the background.These are the vines that look out from the reception room.
The best photos at the jetty will be taken at sunset.
Peterson House Wedding Venue
There are two locations where you can hold your wedding reception. In Restaurant Cuvee or in their marquee.
The Marquee at Peterson House is a permanent structure located on the grass near the vines. I have never photographed a wedding in the marquee, but it looks like a really nice option. It can hold more than the restaurant, with a capacity of 200 guests. It can fairy lights, chandeliers and the side of the marquee open up fully, so it will almost feel like you are dining in the vines.
Update: Peterson House have done a big upgrade on the Marquee and made it the best option for a reception in my opinion. They have put in concrete floors, full air-conditioned and there is now a toilet block. It is such a huge improvement over the restaurant. Highly recommend the Marquee if you are having a Peterson House wedding.
The Marquee
Restaurant Cuvee is where I have photographed most of my Peterson House weddings. It is located in the main sandstone building but at the opposite end to the wine tasting room. The room has huge beams of recycled timber and iron and it has beautiful views over the vineyards. It has a lovely rustic elegance to it. The restaurant has won numerous industry awards over the years so you know that the food is amazing. So you know you will never run out of bubbles.
I have photographed smaller more intimate wedding there as well as larger weddings as well. They can accommodate up to 140 wedding guests.
This is the reception room. On the right-hand side of the building is the reception room. On the left-hand side is generally the dancefloor area.
The dancefloor was in a different location for this wedding. Inside the restaurant on the timber floors, as opposed to on the verandah area.
As one of my past couples, Sarah & Luke, said in an interview with Hunter Valley Wedding Planner Magazine:
“Peterson House was the perfect balance of elegance and homeliness without pretension. We were able to have a small, intimate wedding at a beautiful location, at a reasonable price.”
The Redleaf Wollombi wedding of Liv & Simon was a beautiful and intimate wedding at one of the most stunning properties in the Hunter Valley.
Redleaf Wollombi is an absolutely stunning Tuscan inspired luxury property and wedding venue.
It sits on one hundred acres of land in the small historic town of Wollombi which is located in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. It’s private, luxurious and secluded and one of the best wedding venues in Wollombi and the Hunter Valley.
Redleaf can cater to larger weddings and marquee weddings, but this wedding was a small and more intimate wedding which really highlighted the beauty of the venue.
The other thing I really love about this wedding venue is that the entire day from the very beginning to the very end can happen on-site. There is no need to travel anywhere at all. There is accommodation available, you can have the ceremony and the reception there. And of course it perfect for wedding photos and photos in general.
Wedding Preparation
The Bride & Groom both got ready in the morning at Redleaf. What is awesome about Redleaf is that both Liv & Simon could get ready there on the wedding day and still not see each other.
Liv and the girls got ready in the main area of the house which has the main living area, kitchen and four bedrooms. And Simon and the boys got ready at the opposite end of the house. In an almost separate house that has two bedrooms. So it is really easy not to see each other if that’s what you want to do.
It also made preparation photos really easy and convenient for me as I just easily walked back and forth between both of them.
I must also say the Liv’s wedding dress was absolutely stunning, and I have had people on Instagram already ask me who did the dress. Her dress was by Alison Davis.
Wedding ceremony at Redleaf
The wedding ceremony was held outside in the gardens just in front of the large lavender field. The ceremony was conducted by the always awesome Monty King!
Liv was walked down the aisle, not just by her Dad… but as her Mum put it “All her Dads”. Here three other Dads were men who were very influential in her life in some way. It was really special to watch and I am sure it was even more special for all of them.
It was a touching and very meaningful ceremony. Tears were flowing from everyone as they said their vows. I always recommend that couples write their own vows and say them to each other. It makes it more special and intimate for everyone if you speak from the heart and make your promises to each other.
And Liv & Simon’s vows were just amazing to witness.
I have photographed a few weddings at Redleaf and I find that each time it is totally different. This place changes so much, depending on what season you get married in and what the light is like on the day.
I always love doing wedding photos with the couple. I find that after the ceremony they are so much more relaxed than they were in the morning. This is basically the first time they are together as a married couple. And you really get to see who they are and what they are alike around each other.
They both just couldn’t stop smiling and laughing together.
Wollombi wedding venue
The wedding reception at Redleaf was another highlight for me.
It was set outside under the stars and under fairy lights. One long table outside the front of this Tuscan inspired house.
The weather was actually very warm and a little bit overcast and the forecast was for some rain. But the owner of the property, Matthew, knows how the weather works here and confidently said that it won’t rain. And he was totally right. And I am so glad it didn’t because the set up was absolutely magical.
The wedding was fully styled and decorated by the awesome wedding planners ‘Honey Lane’. Lara and her amazing team worked so hard all day and night to ensure everything was perfect. And I think you would have to agree with me that the set up looks absolutely incredible.
And any couple would dream of having a wedding set up like this!
This would have to be one of my favourite wedding venues in the Hunter Valley. Every time I shoot there, it is completely different and just awesome.
Redleaf Wollombi has that European feel to it. Like you are having a wedding somewhere in provincial France or Tuscany in Italy. It is really unique, especially for Australia.
By having a Redleaf Wollombi wedding you can pretty much guarantee that you will get beautiful photos on your wedding day. I highly recommend this wedding venue and can’t wait to go back there to photograph more weddings.
The Southern Highlands has some of the mosts gorgeous wedding venues in Australia and Alicja & Mathew’s Terrara House Estate wedding would have to be one of them.
They both got ready onsite at Terrara House Estate, Alicja in the Salon and Mathew in the Stables. So preparation was really easy as I could simply walk back and forth between them.
We had some nice weather for their wedding, but it was just after record rainfall, with the last twenty six of the last thirty days raining. Therefore they had the wedding ceremony on the Terrace instead of in the gardens, but it was still gorgeous. The property around Terrara House is huge, so there were so many locations for beautiful photos.
We are really excited to share this amazing wedding with this lovely down to earth couple. This Terrara House Estate wedding has now added to the list of my favourite venues in the Southern Highlands. Enjoy!
The Seacliff House Gerringong wedding of Jo and Chris was a beautiful and stunning wedding that took place in one of the best South Coast wedding venues around.
Seacliff House is located around two hours drive from Sydney in the small South Coast town of Gerringong. Which is only about ten minutes south of Kiama. And what a perfect location for a wedding.
Every time I drive past Gerringong I am in total awe of how beautiful the landscape in this area is. Rolling green hills and lush pastures, that are full of dairy cattle. And this beautiful farmland is located right on the coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Seacliff House South Coast
Seacliff House sits on top of a hill on five-acres of land, overlooking the sweeping landscape and overlooking Werri Beach and Werri Lagoon. It is modern seaside luxury.
What I really love about Seacliff House in Gerringong, is that the entire wedding day from beginning to the very end, can all happen on site. It makes it so much easier for everyone attending the wedding, as once they arrive, they can just drink and be merry.
The wedding day started off with the boys at a private house in Gerringong while the Bride and her entourage stayed onsite at Seacliff House. The accommodation house on site is a beautiful modern five-bedroom home with three bathrooms, kitchen, BBQ area and a luxury pool.
I love it when couples walk back down the aisle and their wedding guests throw stuff at them. It is such an awesome moment and the confetti really added another element. This confetti was definitely one of the most epic I have photographed.
So after the wedding ceremony, we did a few family photos and then Jo & Chris just hung out with all their wedding guests.
The Bride & Groom had their ceremony slightly earlier than normal for a wedding around this time of the year. But the reasoning was perfect. They just wanted to hang out with their guests on the lawn, drinking, eating and chatting and to make use of the stunning landscape and views. Because once the sun has set, you can’t see the rolling green hills. So why enjoy the daylight more and hang out with your family and friends for longer.
I think it really worked well. They really got to chat to everyone and enjoy the day, instead of going straight into wedding portrait photos.
They knocked out a couple of speeches during this time. And it is such a great idea, especially if you have a lot of speeches planned. Do a couple of speeches outside while everyone is just hanging around eating and drinking.
Seacliff House Wedding Photos
After an hour or so, and once the first set of speeches finished, we then did a few location portraits with just the two of them.
Doing some wedding photos with just the wedding couple is one of my favourite parts of a wedding. One of my main goals is to just let the couple relax, have fun and be themselves. When this happens and they just enjoy the moment together, then you get to capture some beautiful, natural expressions in a scenic location.
And these guys were amazing. This is just a very small sample of some of the wedding photos we captured at Seacliff House.
The Barn at Seacliff House
The Barn at Seacliff House Gerringong, was the location for the wedding reception. In 2017 it was converted from an actual working farm shed that contained farm machines and equipment, to what you see now. A modern and rustic wedding venue. With large white sandstone and floor to ceiling glass windows and doors. Prior to 2017, they used a marquee for the wedding receptions.
What I also love about this wedding reception venue is that is a a bit of a blank canvas venue, but the interior has been done so nicely that you really don’t need to do too much to it. A few flowers and some candles and it looks perfect.
After the meals were served, Jo & Chris had some really funny and heartfelt speeches followed by an absolutely packed dance floor. It was a pretty epic wedding reception and just an overall amazing party.
Seacliff House is one of those special wedding venues. By having your wedding there you can pretty much guarantee an awesome time and experience and of course beautiful wedding photos. I had such an amazing time photographing this stunning Seacliff House Gerringong wedding. And I can’t wait to go back there and photograph more weddings in the future.
The Margan Wines Hunter Valley wedding of Amy & Istvan was a pretty epic day in this picturesque part of the country.
The wedding took place in the small town of Broke, which is about a thirty minute drive west from Cessnock. I love this location as there is nestled at the base of some beautiful mountains, with very little phone reception, very few people and very little light pollution at night. So on a cloudless night it is the perfect spot for those beautiful night shots with stars.
Both the Bride & Groom got ready on properties in Broke which were very close to the wedding venue. Which meant, very little time spent travelling and more time to spend with their family and friends. The ceremony was held in the garden area at Margan Wines & Restaurant, and the wedding reception was held in Margan’s beautiful ‘barrel room’. And if you didn’t already know, Margan has some of the best food and wine in the Hunter region.
What I also loved about this wedding is that they brought their other family member to the wedding… their pet Macaw. Quick tip… if you have a pet who is a family member to you… bring them to your wedding. Even if its just for a few photos after the ceremony.
So enjoy this beautiful Margan Wines Hunter Valley wedding and thank you to Amy & Istvan for having me there to capture your special day ?
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