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!
Evelyn & Michael’s Norah Head Lighthouse wedding ?
Norah Head Lighthouse on the Central Coast is a venue I have wanted to shoot a wedding at for a long time. I go to Norah Head at least once a week with the family and our puppy Beau so I couldn’t wait to photograph this wedding. And this wedding didn’t disappoint! It was a beautiful intimate wedding with just a small gathering of family & friends and an amazing couple, with a beautiful, unique style and spirit. Norah Head also turned on an amazing sunset for us!
So enjoy Evelyn & Michael’s beautiful Norah Head Lighthouse wedding.
The Adams Peak Wedding in Broke of Kayte & Adam was a wedding that was literally very close to home for us. As Kayte & Adam are actually our neighbours and live just across the road from us. So I really wanted to do a good job for them :)
The whole day & night all happened on property at Adams Peak. They both got ready in different rooms on site so it was really easy for me to walk back and forth between them. The wedding ceremony and reception, which was held out in ‘The Barn’, was all beautifully decorated by the Bride & Groom. Lots of DIY. They needed a truck to bring all the decorations and also used their Grandparents furniture on the lawn for the pre dinner drinks area.
The Bride & Groom also had an ‘unplugged’ ceremony. Their dad just asked the guest to put down their cameras, be present and enjoy the wedding ceremony.
Adam & Kayte’s Adams Peak wedding was an amazing day to be a part of.
The Blair Athol Estate Wollombi wedding of Madeline & Julian is my idea of the perfect wedding. An amazingly down to earth, friendly, awesome couple, and a small group of family and friends having a celebration on a stunning luxury property, with 800 acres of land to explore and play with.
The whole wedding happened on site at Blair Athol Estate. They both got ready in different cottages so they didn’t technically see each other. But they really wanted a quick chat before they made their vows. So Julian blindfolded himself and they had a quiet moment together before they made their way up to the cliff top ceremony.
After the ceremony we drove around the property, patted horses, jumped muddy puddles and shot till the sun set over the mountains. Then they had a five star dinner and party at the Pavilion with the amazing talents of musician Gareth Hudson singing the night away.
So enjoy this beautiful Blair Athol Estate Wollombi wedding… it’s a pretty amazing day to be a part of ?
Hair & make up: Mel & Kylie from Evolve Hair and Beauty Gorokan
Dress: The Bridal Outlet, Somersby
Cake: Cakes by Kayla, Newcastle
Celebrant: Michael Martin
Music: Gareth Hudson
Decorator/Stylist: Tennille Hogan from Blair Athol Estate & Lauren MacDougall from Silver Sparrows Events
The Ben Ean wedding in the Hunter valley of Cathy & Zisheng was simply stunning with a couple of the nicest people you could ever meet.
I met these guys at least a year before their wedding at one of their friend’s weddings. They had already booked me, so I was totally shocked and happy to see them. They both booked me without telling the other, so it’s nice to know that they both had the same taste in wedding photography.
Their wedding day started at two separate private houses around the Hunter Valley region
Ben Ean was the location for the ceremony and reception and is an absolutely stunning Hunter Valley wedding venue. It is 200 acres of rolling hills and vineyards and it is definitely one of the most picturesque wedding venues in Pokolbin.
Ben Ean used to be known as Lindeman’s Estate and I have photographed many weddings under the former name.
The Petersons and McGuigan families have joined forces and taken over Lindemans and have done quite a lot of renovations, particularly around the wedding and events side. Everything looks much more modern yet it still keeps its rustic country feel.
Ben Ean wedding ceremony
There are three potential locations you can have for your wedding ceremony at Ben Ean. The Fig Tree, the Garden Terrace Lawn and the Heritage Courtyard.
The Bride & Groom here chose the beautiful and rustic setting of the Heritage Courtyard. It is located right outside the actual reception venue and is undercover and totally protected from the elements. The Courtyard has a real barn-like feel to it and the transparent roof lets plenty of natural daylight into the area.
The wedding ceremony was personal and heartfelt. They both opened themselves up and let their emotions show. And it was beautiful. There were tears on both sides.
They also incorporated a tradition that I have never seen before. Salting a jar full of kumquats.
At the end of the ceremony, they walked back down the aisle to a sea of bubbles. Which was really awesome! Let me tell you now, that 99% of the time bubbles just don’t work and photograph very well at wedding ceremonies. The two reasons why it worked so well this time was:
The darker background of the wood walls and roof made the bubble really show up nicely. At most outdoor ceremonies, the bubbles tend to blend into the sky and other lighter backgrounds.
There was no wind. It just takes a tiny breeze and the bubbles blow away or just pop. There was absolutely no wind in the courtyard, so the bubbles really hung around beautifully.
Ben Ean Wedding Photos
After the wedding ceremony, we went up to Ben Ean’s most picturesque location. Up to The Fig Tree. This location is seriously one of the most beautiful locations in all of the Hunter Valley. The only way to have photos here is to have a wedding at Ben Ean. And I think it is worth having your wedding at Ben Ean just to get photos here. It is simply stunning!
The Fig Tree is located at the top of a hill and it overlooks rows and rows of vineyards. Ben Ean is basically, pretty epic for wedding photo and photography.
Wedding Reception at Ben Ean
The wedding reception can be held in three different locations at Ben Ean. The Laraghy Room, which is the main reception room. The Garden Terrace, an outdoor area, perfect for summer weddings. And the Heritage Listed Courtyard, which can fit around four hundred people!
These guys had their reception in the Laraghy Room, with is timber roof and wooden pillars.
Once again, there was some high emotion with some really beautiful speeches from family and friends that had the room in tears. They did a highly choreographed ‘first dance’ which was beyond impressive. And then they partied the night away in the dancefloor.
The Hunter Valley is full of awesome wedding venues, but a Ben Ean wedding definitely rates as one of the best around. From a wedding photographers point of view it has such beautiful locations and scenery.
And from my point of view, if you have your wedding at Ben Ean, and you take your photographers advice on when and where to get photos, you will get awesome wedding photos.
It was such a pleasure to photograph Cathy & Zisheng’s Ben Ean wedding in the Hunter Valley. What an amazing experience. They are amazing people and they had such a beautiful 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.
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.”
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