Are you on the hunt for an amazing Hunter Valley wedding photographer? You’re in luck.
Hi, I’m Chris, and I am a Hunter Valley wedding photographer who has photographed dozens of weddings in the Hunter Valley region. So, I have seen a lot of venues over the years.
The Hunter Valley is just two hours from Sydney and is one of the most popular wedding destinations in NSW. And for good reason. The landscape is breathtaking, with rolling hills and vineyards as far as the eye can see. It also has some of the most delectable food and wine in the country. There is plenty of accommodation available, from private houses to resorts which makes it perfect for a destination wedding.
There are many options for wedding venues stretched across the region, and more and more seem to appear all the time – some being better than others. Below is a list of the best wedding venues in Hunter Valley to photograph in. Let’s take a look!
If you’re interested in getting wedding photos done in the Hunter Valley area, contact us today.
1. The Convent & Circa 1876
Circa 1876 is a beautiful rustic restaurant that is part of The Convent Escarpment Group. I have lost count of how many weddings I have shot there, but it is a lot. And you are guaranteed a beautiful wedding if you choose this place.
On-site accommodation, a beautiful outdoor ceremony spot, great locations for photos, and an amazing restaurant with fantastic staff. It has everything you need for a perfect wedding. Can accommodate up to 150 guests.
Address: 64 Halls Rd, Pokolbin
2. Enzo Weddings Hunter Valley
Enzo Weddings Hunter Valley is located at Iron Bark Hill vineyard and is one of my favourite wedding venues. I have shot this venue so many times. I would describe it as modern rustic elegance. And I highly recommend it.
It has on-site accommodation, a beautiful air-conditioned chapel & reception venues which overlooks the vines. And it has 30 acres of land, so there is plenty of places for photos. The staff are amazing and it can accommodate up to 150 guests.
Address: 694 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin
3. Adams Peak
Adams Peak is one of the best venues in the Hunter Valley and certainly one of the most popular.
It is a family run business and they are so lovely to deal with. It has some of the best views in the Hunter, on-site accommodation and multiple ceremony and reception locations.
One of the best features for couples is that you book the place for the whole weekend. It can accommodate up to 160 guests.
Address: 66 Adams Peak Road, Broke
4. Peppers Creek Chapel & Barrel Room
Peppers Creek is a rustic, vineyard wedding venue in the heart of Pokolbin.
It has an intimate sandstone chapel set among the vines called Peppers Creek Chapel. The side of the chapel even opens up so more people can easily see and you get a lovely breeze through the ceremony.
It doesn’t get any more rustic than the reception room Peppers Creek Barrel Room. Which can accommodate up to 180 guests.
Address: 1946 Broke Road, Pokolbin
Bimbadgen Palmers Lane is relatively new but it quickly becoming one of the most sought after wedding venues in the Hunter Valley.
It was built just to do weddings, so it has modern elegance but still with rustic charm. There is onsite accommodation available. Beautiful options for your wedding ceremony. And you can have your wedding reception either outdoors under the stars, or indoors with airconditioned comfort.
It also sits on a large property with views over mountains and vineyards and can accommodate 130 guests. It is a pretty awesome wedding venue for landscape photography.
6. Peterson House
Over the last couple of years, Peterson House has gone from a restaurant that does the occasional wedding to one of the best and busiest wedding venues in the Hunter Valley.
They built a wedding chapel and fully upgraded their marquee. The chapel is undoubtedly the best wedding chapel in the Hunter Valley region. It is spacious, has two levels, is fully airconditioned, and it just looks great. The marquee has hard flooring, is airconditioned and looks out over the vineyards.
There is no accommodation available onsite, but Peterson House is located right in the centre of Pokolbin, so there are many choices for you and your guests. It can accommodate up to 200 guests and is a great place to have your wedding.
Address: Corner Broker Road and Wine Country Drive, Pokolbin
7. Ben Ean
Ben Ean is formally known as Lindemans Winery and since the name change, there has been a huge refurbishment of the whole venue. And I must say, the changes look great!
It is located right in the heart of Pokolbin, and photographically it has one of the most beautiful landscapes for photos. Rolling hills with rows and rows of vines and a single tree perched on top of a hill.
The ceremony can be held at the Fig Tree or in the courtyard. And a wedding reception in the courtyard is amazing, especially since it was refurbished. One of my favourite venues!
Address: 119 McDonalds Rd, Pokolbin
8. Redleaf Wollombi
Redleaf Wollombi is a luxury country retreat set on one hundred acres of land in the historic town of Wollombi.
The house itself is a huge Tuscan inspired home that can accommodate 8 to 12 guests. There are two separate parts to the house so a couple can easily get ready there and still be far enough apart that they don’t see each other.
Can accommodate up to 60 guests in the Redleaf Barn, or you can hire a marquee for larger numbers.
Address: 2480 Wollombi Rd, Wollombi
9. The Woodhouse Wollombi
The Woodhouse Wollombi is located in the beautiful Wollombi Valley, about 30 minutes from Cessnock. It is probably the most iconic building of any wedding venue in the Hunter Valley.
It is an elegant, park-like country venue with lush lawns, manicured gardens and tall trees
There is on-site accommodation and multiple location options for your ceremony. I love that it sits on 100 acres of land, as it really gives you so many photo opportunities for your wedding day.
It can accommodate weddings of up to 150 people, and it is a beautiful venue that you really can’t go wrong with.
Address: 2640 Paynes Crossing Road, Wollombi
10. Wandin Valley Estate
Wandin Valley Estate is a working winery where you can have your wedding. It is a huge property with on-site accommodation. There are also hundreds of Kangaroos!
There are three wedding ceremony options. The Barrel Room also makes a great wet-weather backup ceremony venue. The reception is held at the Cricketers Pavillion overlooking the cricket oval. Can accommodate up to 120 guests.
Address: 12 Wilderness Rd, Lovedale
11. Wallalong House
Wallalong House is a stunning marquee wedding venue set on a historic property surrounded by farms.
The whole day from start to finish, can happen at this amazing property. There is onsite accommodation in the historic house and stables. The ceremony normally takes place between two giant fig trees with a country backdrop. And the reception takes place in the permanent Indian Tent. It can accommodate up to 150 guests.
Perfect for an elegant garden-style wedding in the country.
Address: 76 Wallalong Rd, Wallalong
12. Bistro Molines at Tallavera Grove
Bistro Molines is an amazing restaurant located at Talavera Grove Vineyard. It has won numerous ‘chef’s hat’ awards and is one of the best restaurants in the Hunter Valley.
It is located at the top of a scenic hill in Mount View, with some of the best views in the Hunter. Photographically speaking, it probably has the best vines in the Hunter Valley for wedding photography. It is epic!
There is a small house on site where you can get ready. And this country vineyard property is just beautiful. It can accommodate up to 90 guests.
Address: 794 Mount View Rd, Mount View
13. Tocal Homestead
Tocal Homestead is a heritage-listed homestead located at Paterson in a beautiful rural country setting.
There is some onsite accommodation available. You can have your ceremony outside the homestead under the giant fig trees. And your reception is held in the barn with stunning country views.
The property is quite large, with old buildings, barns, trees and paddocks, so there are a lot of opportunities for photos. Can accommodate up to 120 guests.
Address: 957 Tocal Rd, Paterson
14. Margan Wines & Restaurant
Margan Wines and Restaurant has one of the best mountain views in the Hunter Valley and one of the nicest barrel rooms of all the Hunter wedding venues.
It is probably best known for its amazing wines, which win numerous awards every year. But it is a beautiful property to have a wedding. Lots of land, with vineyards, sheep and alpacas around. There is no onsite accommodation, but there are plenty of properties around the Broke and Pokolbin areas.
Address: 1238 Milbrodale Rd, Broke
15. Albion Farm Gardens
Albion Farm Gardens is a combination of 100 acres of farmland, 25 acres of beautifully manicured gardens and a lake. You get the best of both worlds with this stunning venue.
There are numerous places around the property to have your wedding ceremony. “The Barn” is one of the most beautiful and rustic barns I have seen for a ceremony.
It doesn’t offer wedding receptions, but there are a few locations very close by they do recommend.
Address: 869 Paterson Rd, Woodville
Tips on How to Choose a Hunter Valley Wedding Venue
The Hunter Valley is famous for its wine, and its food, and it is now one of the most popular places to have a wedding. The Hunter Valley is my backyard, and I am there most weekends. Having shot well over 500 weddings, I have seen a lot of wedding venues. And the Hunter Valley has some of the best!
There are so many wedding venue options for couples to choose from. Every time I go to the Hunter Valley, I see another place has started to do weddings. But the Hunter Valley is not just Pokolbin. The Hunter Region is a huge area.
So here is some advice on how to choose the best wedding venue that suits your personal style and vision. And also my personal preference on what works well for Hunter Valley weddings.
What I Look for in a Wedding Venue
There are a number of factors I consider when looking at a wedding venue. As a photographer, sometimes you look at the venue and just can’t wait to shoot there again. Other times you think that it’s going to be a challenging day. Having said this, my favourite Hunter Valley wedding venues all have a couple of things in common. They are all in a beautiful location, have amazingly friendly venue staff, and most have the ability to have everything on site. Where the start of the day to the end of the night can be done at one location.
Hunter Valley Photo Locations
Being able to do photos on-site is another factor that I look out for. Some venues have stunning landscapes and scenery, which means there is no need to leave the property to get some beautiful photos. I also love a venue that has a fairly large property so that you can get a nice variety of locations and looks. Ideally, there should be some trees and shade because the Hunter Valley can be an extremely hot place, particularly in the summer months when it can crack the forties!
Hunter Valley Reception Venues
This is very much a personal choice. But if you are getting married in the Hunter Valley, I prefer the setting to be individual and unique to the property and the landscape. From a rustic barn-like property to an elegant restaurant. What I hate the most is when a room looks like a generic function room that could be anywhere in the world.
If you’re getting married in summer, then you should also look for a venue with air-conditioning or with lots of outdoor space so guests can get fresh air and a breeze. And in winter, a fireplace or firepit is a bonus.
The Venue Staff & Management
I have been to a lot of wedding venues, and I can tell by the way the staff and management interact with themselves and with other wedding vendors how the service will be.
For example, there are a couple of very popular Sydney wedding venues that used to work at a lot… I like to call them ‘wedding factories’… and the staff just looked depressed and overworked. They never smiled and barely interacted with guests. Then you look at the supervisors/managers, and you can see that they look stressed and barely smile. I am a firm believer that the way owners & management treat their staff will reflect on the service given.
So, when you are talking to coordinators or property owners, if they are not particularly friendly, helpful & accommodating when you first meet them, imagine what they will be like on the day when the pressure of a wedding is on them.
At Dusk: The Perfect Wedding Destination, The Perfect Wedding Photographer
Your wedding day is a special moment of bliss between you and your beloved. Why not have the right location and the right wedding photographer by your side to capture all of the beauty?
At Dusk, I’ve made it my mission to be one of the best wedding photographers Sydney has to offer, ensuring that our couples are given the proper treatment they deserve on their big day.
I photograph weddings of all kinds, from all areas, and walks of life, to know how to tailor your wedding album to your love story.
From Hunter Valley, Northern Beaches, Blue Mountains, I love shooting weddings and will travel and far and wide to make your dreams a picture-perfect reality.
If you’re looking for the right photographer to pair with your Hunter Valley wedding venue, look no further.
Let’s get the camera rolling!
