Circa 1876 The Convent wedding of Ebony & Jared was an amazing event at one of my favourite wedding venues in the Hunter Valley.
They both got ready at the same property. A huge Tuscan style house, out at Broke called Talits Estate, which is an stunning place to get ready before the wedding. And is actually place I have photographed weddings at previously. There are a few levels to the house, so the boys got ready up one the top level, while the girls got ready on the ground floors. So they managed to still not see each other till they walked down the aisle.
The wedding ceremony and reception were held at Circa 1876 which is such a beautiful place for a wedding. I have lost count of how many weddings I have photographed there. But I never get tired of photographing weddings there, the venue and the staff are just wonderful!
The ceremony was held out in the garden behind the restaurant. For the ceremony, Ebony & Jared brought their ‘furbaby’, their boy Chase. I always say to couples, that dogs at weddings are awesome! If you have a dog and you consider them to be part of the family, then you should definitely bring them along.
So enjoy this amazing Circa 1876 The Convent wedding. It was a pretty epic day with an incredible couple!!
The Uluru elopement Mary-Anne & Edward was an amazing experience and one that has been on my elopement bucket list for a long time. We actually honeymooned at Uluru and had thought of doing our elopement at Uluru ourselves. So I am so grateful that they trusted me with this really special Uluru elopement.
Uluru is located right in the centre of Australia in the Northern Territory and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also known as Ayers Rock, a name given by the Europeans in 1873. But Uluru is the Aboriginal name and its official name. It is probably Australia’s most famous and iconic landmark. People come from all over the world to see this amazing, giant stone monolith. Which at 348 metres tall is higher than the Eiffel Tower. It is 600 million years old and is an incredibly spiritual place, particularly to Australia’s indigenous people. And it can be said that Uluru is Australia’s heart.
And it absolutely blows my mind that more people, and yes I mean Aussies, aren’t getting married and eloping in this magical destination.
Uluru is only a three-hour flight from most state capitals. It has heaps of accommodation options, ranging from camping grounds, apartments to five-star luxury and more. It is a great central destination to have your wedding or elopement. So if you are planning a destination wedding, I strongly recommend you short-list Uluru. If you don’t mind a little red dirt on your wedding dress, then Uluru is the ultimate location to have a truly Australian wedding.
Longitude 131 Elopement
Mary-Anne & Edward decided to have their elopement at the luxury desert resort called Longitude 131. It is the premier place to stay at Uluru and is the ultimate in glamping if you can even call it that. Luxury tented pavilions with the most amazing views of Uluru from every room.
I met up with them the day before the elopement at Uluru to have a chat, meet them in person, meet their amazing kids and take a couple of casual photos of them.
The elopement day itself was a beautiful relaxed day at Longitude 131 and was all about their two families coming together as one. A sunset ceremony at ‘The Dune Top’ with 360° panoramic views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. It doesn’t get any better than that. And it was so wonderful to witness them say their personal vows to each other.
After the ceremony, we popped some champagne and did a few photos around the property. And as the sun fully set they were whisked off to a secluded private dinner just for Longitude 131 guests.
They had travelled from Cairns and I had travelled from Sydney. So we arranged to meet up the following morning for a few photos before we caught our flights back to our home cities. Uluru is a truly amazingly beautiful and spiritual place. I feel so privileged that have been chosen by these guys to photograph their elopement. And I can’t wait to return and explore more of this amazing region of Australia.
Uluru Milky Way
I really wanted to get a night shot of Uluru under the stars. On the night of the elopement, there was actually clouds in the sky… I know it never rains in Uluru and I got clouds. So on the final night, before I left to return home to Sydney, I headed out to a sand dune in the dark and took this panorama photo below. I was just hoping for a clear sky so that I could see the stars. I wasn’t expecting to see the Milky Way like this!
It is actually about 30+ photos, stitched together because you just can’t fit the whole milky way in, in one shot. And the milky way actually went over Uluru like this. It was incredible to witness in person and this photo really doesn’t do it justice. I haven’t photoshopped the milky way from somewhere else and put it in this photo.
And while taking this photo in the pitch black, I swear I could hear a Dingo sniffing around in the bushes not too far from me… but it was totally worth it for this Uluru elopement!
“In one word, amazing! We love them all and the variety and quality of the shots is just what we were hoping for. You truly have a wonderful eye and superb skills.”
The Collits Inn wedding, in the Blue Mountains, of Dave & Inca was such a beautiful and epic wedding day, at one of the most stunning wedding venues in NSW.
Collits Inn is gorgeous, county and rustic wedding venue located just a couple of hours from Sydney in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales. It is heritage-listed and is actually just over the mountains, towards Lithgow in a town called Hartley Vale. It is situated on fifty acres of country and bushland, at the base of the breathtaking Mount York. And this is my type of wedding venue!
Collits Inn History
What I love about this venue is that it is has a real history in Australia. And it is not just a place property where they have built a reception venue on. Collits’ Inn has a long history in Australia and the Blue Mountains and is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. This former inn was built in 1823 by the Collits family and was originally known as the Golden Fleece. This was the first inn built west of the Blue Mountains and serviced people and their stock who descended Mount York.
It was an important site during colonial times as it linked all the early travellers who ventured west of the Blue Mountains. It provided a rare service to the region and was an important social gathering place.
When you first enter this wedding property, you can immediately tell that this place is steeped in history. From the rustic and rusty Barn and the Woolshed. To Collits’ Inn itself, a single-story old colonial Georgian building with four bedrooms.
The current owners are such lovely, accommodating people who have owned numerous restaurants around NSW and have been in the food & beverage industry for over forty years. And they have done such an amazing job with this wedding venue. As far as venues go, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Collits Inn Blue Mountains
I met Inca & Dave a few months before the wedding for their engagement shoot. They were so relaxed and fun during that session that I just knew that their wedding day was going to be awesome.
The groom and groomsmen got ready about 15 minutes away in a private residential property, while the Bride and her bridesmaids got ready on-site at Collits Inn.
What I also love about Collits Inn is that the whole day from start to finish can happen here. There is accommodation available, there are numerous locations you can have your wedding ceremony. They have lots of land so there is a variety of locations for photos. And they have an awesome Barn for your wedding reception.
By having your entire day in the one location, it means you will spend much more time with you family and friends and less time travelling around from place to place.
Wedding Ceremony
You can have your ceremony anywhere at Collits Inn. The Bride & Groom chose to have their wedding ceremony under a canopy of trees at the front of the property.
I really like this location for this outdoor ceremony, because of the direction of the sun. The sunlight was shining behind them through some trees, which filters the harsh light and ensures the light is even on their face.
The ceremony had a really cool symbolic ritual of ‘hand-fasting’. Inca & Dave stood facing each other and had their hands tied together by their celebrant Arlene McInherny.
This is where the phrase “tying the knot” comes from.
You don’t see this ceremony very often in Australian ceremonies. It is more common with Irish and Scottish weddings. As it is an ancient Celtic tradition dating back over two thousand years.
It symbolises the binding together of their two individual lives. And it shows the commitment they are making to each other as they start this new journey into married life.
Collits Inn Wedding Photos
After the ceremony, we did a few family photos and then did some photos around the property with the couple and their crew. We hung out with the local farm animals in their paddock and ventured into the bushland at the back of the property.
You can see by the photos in the bushland that the scenery is quite different than it normally is. This is because of the devastating Blue Mountains bush fires. You can also get an indication of how close these massive fires came to destroying the historic Collits Inn.
Pierce’s Barn Reception
The wedding reception was held in the Pierce Barn. Which was named after its original owner. It is the original barn that has been fully restored to what you see today. The guest tables are made from actual pine trees that were cut down from the front of the property.
If you are looking for a barn wedding reception, then this is the perfect example of that. You don’t need to do much to the room either. Some flowers and candles and the reception room is perfect for a rustic country wedding.
These guys had some touching and really funny speeches. Speeches should be spoken from the heart and that is exactly what happened here.
Sunset Photos
When you have a wedding in Summer, the sun doesn’t set till around 8 pm or later. So it is a really good idea to schedule some time for a few photos at sunset during your wedding reception.
So we ducked outside together for a few minutes at sunset. Inca & Dave also found it was nice just to be alone together for a few minutes while I got some photos of them together in this spectacular landscape.
This was an absolute dream wedding. This beautiful couple were two amazing, down-to-earth souls that just enjoyed their day and each other. And it reflects in the wedding photos.
I love outdoor country weddings. And I love wedding venues that are unique and different. And that is exactly what this Collits Inn wedding in the Blue Mountains was.
I can’t wait to go back there and photograph another Collits Inn wedding there. It is such an amazing place and I highly recommend it.
The gorgeous Mindaribba House wedding Hunter Valley of Ebony & Luke was such an awesome, fun day to photograph.
The wedding took place at one of my favourite Hunter Valley wedding venues, Mindaribba House. There was tears, laughter, cows, a beautiful wedding ceremony and some amazing family and friends.
We hope you enjoy this beautiful Mindaribba House wedding Hunter Valley :)
The Bistro Molines Tallavera Grove wedding of Chloe & Andrew’s was a pretty awesome day to be a part of.
I was up before sunrise on a cold misty morning to capture this amazing day. This beautiful wedding was a day-time wedding in the Hunter Valley. The wedding ceremony was held at St Patricks of Nulkaba and the wedding reception was at Bistro Molines.
We hope you enjoy this beautiful Bistro Molines Tallavera Grove wedding. Here are a few of my favourite images from the day :)
Any event at The Convent Hunter Valley wedding is bound to be simply amazing. They do lots of weddings and they do weddings really, really well. They have an amazing team, in a beautiful location and they can tailor each wedding to suit your needs and style.
I have photographed countless weddings at this amazing wedding venue. And I can confidently say, that if you have a Convent Hunter Valley wedding, you will most probably have a fantastic wedding and a fantastic experience of planning a wedding.
This is my guide to having your wedding at The Convent and Circa 1876 in the Hunter Valley. Written by a wedding photographer who has photographed many many weddings there over the years.
The famous tree lined road, in Autumn, leading to The Convent.
The Convent Location
The Convent is located 2.5 hours drive from Sydney up the M1 or about 40 minutes from Newcastle. It sits in one of Australia’s best wine regions, Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley.
It has a very unique location and is basically part of a large estate consisting of three main buildings. The Convent, Pepper Tree Winery and Circa 1876. Pepper Tree Winery is a separate business and not associated with the others. The Convent is located at one end, Pepper Tree is in the middle and Circa 1876 is at the other end of the property.
The Convent and Circa 1876 are part of the Escarpment Group, which owns five luxury hotels and resorts. They have properties in the Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains and all of the properties are beautiful wedding venues.
View of Circa 1876. In the background there is Peppertree and then The Convent in the distance.
The Convent Hunter Valley
This beautiful property is a large Hampton property with European luxury interiors and an Australian country house feel. It consists of:
Accommodation Rooms – recommend for wedding preparation.
Restaurant Eighty Eight – hotel restaurant, occasionally used for weddings.
Marquee – rarely used for weddings but available.
Swimming pool & tennis court.
Circa 1876
Circa 1876 is a multi-award winning, hatted restaurant. It is also the main location for most weddings. The majority of weddings at The Convent will have their wedding outside in the gardens, followed by the reception inside Circa 1876.
What I love about the food at Circa 1876 is that there is a true ‘paddock to plate’ philosophy. They have a chicken coop, beehives and gardens onsite which they grow and use for food. There is also a head gardener that looks after it all. And during a wedding ceremony, and during pre-dinner drinks, you can actually see chefs in the garden collecting fresh vegetables and herbs. Which is pretty wonderful to see.
Circa 1876Front of Circa 1876 at night
History
The reason why it is called “The Convent” is because it was once home to the Brigidine order of nuns in Coonamble. It was built in 1909 to house a community of Irish born Catholic nuns who were setting up schools in Australia.
I found out this information while shooting a wedding at Circa and a guy said to me that he is from the town where this building originated from. I naturally thought he was crazy. But it turns out he wasn’t.
In 1980 the building was no longer being used and was in danger of being demolished. A joint project between Peppers Guest House, James Fairfax and Robert and Sally Molines (now running Bistro Molines), they carefully dismantled the building. The building was moved 600 kilometres from Coonamble and reconstructed to where it sits today in the Hunter Valley.
Back then, it was under the Peppers brand, until it was bought by the Escarpment Group in 2016.
Accommodation Options
One of my biggest tips for couples when organising a wedding is to try to get accommodation at the same place where you are having your wedding. By doing this you will reduce any unnecessary travel time, and because you don’t have to travel anywhere, it will definitely reduce your stress and anxiety levels.
There are four neighbouring properties just behind The Convent which offer boutique accommodation, which are good options for you and your family and wedding guests.
My two favourites would have to be The Woods, and Carriages Boutique Hotel & Vineyard. I have done Bride & Groom preparations at both these properties and they both offer great accommodation with lots of room in a country setting.
The good thing about Carriages is that there is also a small walking track that links it to The Convent, which is handy if you have guests or family staying in both.
But if possible I would recommend that you book accommodation at The Convent. It means you will be onsite for your wedding, making it so much easier for yourself.
It features 19 luxury rooms in its boutique accommodation. There are four rooms types:
Deluxe Room – smaller rooms and a little bit darker.
Superior Room – good rooms that open up to the balcony.
Premier Room – These rooms are normally the Bridal suite. They are bigger and open up to the Balcony. I recommend you book this if possible.
Garden Suite – Great rooms with lots of space. A bit further away from the other three room types. So a really good option if you are getting ready separately.
Pro tip – Book Convent accommodation early!
The Convent will hold multiple weddings every weekend. They may have a Friday, Saturday and even a Sunday wedding. So accommodation will book out early. So book it early to avoid disappointment.
And tell your guests to book accommodation early as well. It’s not unusual for the whole of The Convent to be booked out by one wedding. Also note, if there is a concert in the Hunter Valley, accommodation everywhere will book out and also increase in price.
Wedding Preparation at The Convent
I would recommend that couples both get ready at The Convent. It makes it much easier to photograph both of you as I can easily walk between rooms.
You can still get ready at the same place and not see each other.
Generally speaking one of you will get ready in one of the rooms on the top floor, while the other will get ready downstairs or out the back in the garden rooms. It makes it really easy not to see each other.
One of you will also leave for the ceremony before the other, so it is quite easy to avoid seeing each other if that’s what you want.
Groom leaving for the ceremony with Bride watching him.
This couple below actually got ready on the same level with the same adjoining balcony. With rooms at each end of the balcony. One they were dressed, they did a ‘first look’, because they wanted to do some photos before the ceremony.
Wedding Ceremony Options
In their wedding brochure, they say that you can have your ceremony in one of six locations.
Circa 1876 Gardens
Chapel
Grand Marquee
Willow Tree
Wisteria Garden
Convent Fountain
The reality is that every single wedding I have photographed there has had their wedding ceremony at the Circa 1876 Gardens unless it has been moved because of rain.
The Gardens is, without doubt, the best location for your wedding ceremony. It has been designed to have a ceremony here.
The photo below was from my first wedding I photographed there. Back in 2012 when the place was called Roberts. It started getting more and more popular for weddings that the grass dies from wear and tear. It turned into more of a dirt track that they tried to grow back over the off-season. Then in 2016 or 2017, they put a path and paved area in, which looks lovely as well.
This was a ceremony from 2012 on a very overcast day.Today. Trees look a bit different and there is a path and paved area.
The main reason I like the ceremony location so much is because of the light. The sun will be behind the couple and it is filtered through the trees making the light even on faces and much softer overall. The direction of light is perfect!
Wet Weather Ceremony Options
If it does rain on your wedding day, there are a few ceremony options that I know of.
The Chapel would be a good wet weather option but only if your numbers are relatively small. It is a fairly small space inside there.
The Grand Marquee, located towards The Covent end of the property could be another good option. Particularly if you have large numbers.
The only place I have actually photographed a wet weather wedding on the property is on the verandah/deck of Circa 1876. Where the dance floor is normally located. As you can see it’s not too bad an option. It looks onto the vines, but can get pretty tight with a lot of people and photographically speaking… it is quite heavily backlit.
If it is only a really light drizzle on your wedding day, I would be pushing for an outdoor ceremony first. Use this only if you really need to.
Wedding Photos at The Convent Hunter Valley
The wonderful thing about having your wedding here is that you do not need to travel anywhere else to do wedding photos. It is set is such a picturesque location that all you need to do is walk outside and you are ready to take photos. Everything is in walking distance, so no transport is needed.
Here are a few of my favourite images from weddings around The Convent and Circa 1876 in the Hunter Valley.
The Convent Reception Venue Options
There are a few options for your wedding reception at The Convent.
The Chapel
Grand Marquee
Restaurant Eighty Eight
Circa 1876
I have never done a wedding reception in The Chapel or the Grand Marquee. But I have done one wedding at Restaurant Eighty Eight. And I think it was in Restaurant Eighty Eight because there was already a wedding in Circa 1876. Every other wedding at The Convent Hunter Valley has been at Circa 1876.
Restaurant Eighty Eight
Restaurant Eighty Eight is located inside The Convent building itself. It is ideal for up to 50 guests and is a beautiful intimate room that opens up to the Wisteria courtyard.
Circa 1876 Wedding Reception
Circa 1876 is where 99% of wedding receptions happen. It is set up perfectly for weddings. You have the ceremony in the garden, have drinks outside, then enter the French doors into this historic cottage and into this room…
Circa 1876 has been the location for so many beautiful weddings in the Hunter Valley over the years. It is an amazing wedding venue that has seen so incredible moments happen and every single wedding has been totally different but the love and celebration from family and friends is the same.
The ‘First Dance” and party afterwards happens on the deck adjacent to the reception room. So wedding guests can party the night away on the dancefloor or stay inside and drink and mingle.
The Convent Hunter Valley
88 Halls Road, Pokolbin, NSW 2320
www.convent.com.au
I photographed my first wedding at The Convent Hunter Valley back in 2012 when it looked a little more rustic and it was under different owners. But they did beautiful weddings back then and they still do weddings extremely well today. The difference is now, people know how good a wedding venue they are and they are booked out every weekend.
When I look at wedding venues, there are three main factors which, in my opinion, make some better than others
Location – A beautiful location with somewhere nice for a wedding ceremony. That has a decent amount of land so you can get a nice variety of photos.
Accommodation & venue onsite – A wedding venue where you can do the whole day from beginning to end (accommodation, wedding ceremony, photos and reception) is a huge, huge plus in my eyes. It makes the day so much more relaxed for everyone and far less stressful. And it means you spend more time with your family and friends and less time travelling around.
Staff & management – It doesn’t matter how beautiful a wedding venue is if the staff are not helpful or friendly. This includes owners, wedding coordinators and venue staff. It can ruin the whole wedding experience for you. So trust your instincts when looking for your wedding venue. If they are unhelpful when you enquire they are not suddenly going to be amazingly helpful and friendly on your wedding day.
The Convent Hunter Valley ticks all these boxes for weddings and even more. Cassie and her amazing team will make sure you have the wedding of your dreams and I can confidently say that if you have a wedding there, your wedding photos will be beautiful.
Hey, I’m Adam. I’m all about capturing couples in a relaxed, unobtrusive way with a bit of awesome!!
If you love natural, candid moments and hate anything cheesy, then check out more of our work.
The Leaves and Fishes wedding of Andrea and Mitchell in the Hunter Valley was a beautiful and intimate wedding with some really lovely moments. I love shooting weddings in the Hunter Valley and I particularly love shooting at wedding venues that I have never been to before. So I was really excited to photograph this wedding as I have heard so many good things about this amazing venue.
Leaves and Fishes
Leaves and Fishes is located in Lovedale, right in the heart of Wine Country in the Hunter Valley. It is just two hours from Sydney and just forty-five minutes from Newcastle.
This beautiful property is set overlooking a gorgeous lake and has a luscious natural Australian bush surrounding it. The restaurant and the reception venue have an almost Tropical North Queensland feel to it with some of the huge palm trees and ferns surrounding it.
It first opened in 2004 and has become known for its luxury accommodation and delicious and innovative food. What I also love about this venue is that the whole day from start to finish can happen here. There is accommodation available, and you can do the ceremony the photos and the reception all onsite. So it makes it much easier for you and for your wedding guests.
Wedding Preparation
The bride and groom both got ready in separate properties. The boys got ready at a private property just around the corner from Leaves and Fishes, while the girls did their wedding preparation onsite at Leaves and Fishes.
Leaves and Fishes offers some beautiful and luxurious wedding accommodation called ‘the boathouse accommodation’. There are only four of these private boathouses available. They have their own deck and they overlook a lovely pond. And they are perfect for wedding preparation. This is where Andrea and the girls got ready.
Leaves and Fishes wedding ceremony & photos
The wedding ceremony took place just out the back from the wedding reception in a beautiful garden area surrounded by trees.
After the ceremony, we took some family photos before taking a few relaxed photos around the pond. We chased the setting sun and got some lovely golden light through the trees.
The Wedding Reception
The wedding reception took place at “The House”, which is separate from the main Leaves and Fishes restaurant. There were heaps of laughs, just the right amount of tears and some crazy dancing!
So enjoy this beautiful Leaves and Fishes wedding and I can’t wait to go back there to photograph more weddings at this gorgeous venue.
