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 Lake Crackenback Resort wedding of Clare & James was an absolutely gorgeous wedding in one of the most beautiful locations in Australia.
A small wedding in a beautiful location with an awesome couple, equals my ideal wedding to photograph. I absolutely love travelling to different locations for weddings and this wedding was totally worth the seven hour drive.
Both the wedding ceremony and reception were held in the Snowy Mountains at Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa. The weather was absolutely beautiful, with the temperature staying just above freezing! There was a lot of DIY as well as kangaroos, deer, a few European wasps, some gum boots and an old military sword that was used to cut the cake.
So we hope you enjoy this beautiful Lake Crackenback Resort wedding :)
Rachel & Brendan are two of the most relaxed and easy going people and their Balmoral Beach wedding was an amazing day to be a part of.
They both got ready in the city in the same apartment block, just in different rooms on different floors. The wedding ceremony was held at Balmoral Beach on Rocky Point Island. After the ceremony we wondered around Balmoral for photos before walking down to their reception venue which was at Public Dining Room.
Enjoy the story of Rachel & Brendan’s Balmoral Beach wedding.
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.
As with all marquee weddings in the Hunter Valley, I probably wouldn’t do them in winter as it gets freezing at night. The coldest wedding I ever shot was a marquee wedding in winter and it was so so cold.
Restaurant Cuvee is where I have photographed all 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 stunning Chateau Elan Hunter Valley wedding of Rebecca & Kahn was an absolute honour and privilege to photograph.
Everything happen onsite at one place…  the beautiful beautiful Chateau Elan.  The wedding ceremony was held at The Carriage House and I got to witness Rebecca’s Mum & Dad walk her down the aisle.
Enjoy this beautiful Chateau Elan Hunter Valley wedding… and feel free to leave a comment for the Bride & Groom or us ;)
The Somerley House wedding of Holly & Jaye was just about the perfect wedding. There was beautiful details, spectacular scenery and some wonderful, touching moments.
The wedding all happened on Somerley House in the Southern Highlands of NSW. This would have to be one of my all-time favourite wedding venues. It’s has 70 acres of beautiful land, it’s very country & rustic and can be styled to suit most weddings. As a Somerley House wedding photographer, it is very exciting. And with so much property, there are endless photo opportunities that you can bearly scratch the surface of.
We are very excited to share this beautiful Somerley House wedding and hope you enjoy the story of their special day :)
2018 was a massive year for us with weddings. There were some amazing moments, crazy weather and awesome couples!
Some moments that stand out were, catching lightning with couples at three weddings… no, the lightning was not photoshopped in ;) Getting caught in huge, huge downpours twice, where we all got totally soaked. Seeing all the men on the dance floor take their shirts off when “Thunder Struck” was played ??… seeing all the men on the dance floor drop their pants when “Eagle Rock” was played ?. Using a drone on wedding days to capture perspectives I previously could only dream of. Seeing Grooms cry, seeing parents shed a tear. And watching couples let down their guard and be themselves in some of the most beautiful places in NSW.
A big thank you to all our couples for trusting us to capture your special day. And a big thank you to all our past couples, wedding venues, vendors and photographer friends who recommend us. It means a lot and we really appreciate it.
2019 & 2020 are looking just as busy. So if you are looking for a wedding photographer and can imagine yourselves in these photos, then please contact us. Or if you know someone who is engaged, we’d love it if you could share this page with them :)
 
