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Wedding photographer
Newcastle & the Hunter

(02) 5550 7136

Peterson House wedding photographer: Sandstone and sparkling

A Peterson House wedding starts at the first corner of wine country, where Wine Country Drive meets Broke Road. It's one of our favourite venues because the chapel, the vines and the water are all on the one property, so the hour after your vows goes on pictures, not on driving.

Check your date at Peterson House(02) 5550 7136

A groom holds the bride close among the vines, her bouquet of white and blush roses at her waist
From the studio
44 km north-west
Sunset, January
8:06pm
Sunset, June
4:55pm

Stone, timber and water: the Peterson House wedding we love

The chapel is built from big sandstone blocks under restored timber trusses, and stone like that takes the late sun beautifully: it warms to honey on the outside and throws a soft, even light back onto faces.

Inside, the old trusses give the ceremony a frame of its own.

Then there's the jetty, which the venue itself calls the place for sunset pictures, and the Glass Marquee, whose floor to ceiling doors open to the vines, so even the reception has a view worth turning the camera toward.

Few Hunter venues give you stone, timber, water and vineyard inside one short walk.

Getting there

From Newcastle it's about an hour: the Hunter Expressway west, then Wine Country Drive south until it meets Broke Road, with Peterson House on that corner at 2457 Broke Road.

Because it sits at the entry to the wineries, guests coming from the expressway don't have to wind through Pokolbin to find you.

The ceremony spots the venue lists are all on the property, in and around the chapel and out by the vines, so the walk from vows to drinks is a short one.

The venue doesn't publish getting-ready rooms, so we'll meet you wherever you're staying and drive in with time to spare.

How the day runs

The chapel works at any hour and in any weather: it's indoors, air conditioned, and the venue lets you set the ceremony time.

That freedom matters more than it sounds: we work out sunset for your date and set the ceremony so the formal pictures land in soft light, then go out to the jetty for the last half hour.

The venue's own package has offered access to the entire property for photographs, which we'll confirm for your date.

Before your day

Before the day we'd visit with you at your ceremony time, walk from the chapel to the jetty, and check with the venue's coordinator which ceremony spot and which pre-dinner deck you've booked.

Where we'd photograph you at Peterson House

  1. Front of the Chapel

    The venue's outdoor ceremony spot, with the sandstone wall of the chapel as the backdrop.

    After the ceremony the same wall makes a calm, warm background for family groups, and the stone keeps its colour long after the sun drops lower.

  2. The Sandstone Steps

    An outdoor setting the venue lists with vineyard views.

    Steps are a gift for a big bridal party, because everyone gets a level to stand on and no face hides behind another, and the rows of vines fill the space behind them.

  3. The jetty

    Peterson House's own wedding material names the jetty as the place for sunset pictures.

    Boards running out over the water give a strong leading line toward the two of you, and calm water doubles the colour of the sky, so we'd save it for the very end of the light.

  4. The vines by the Glass Marquee

    The marquee's glass doors open straight onto the vineyard. Stepping a few rows out from the reception gives us a quick set of portraits between courses, with the lit marquee glowing behind you once the sky starts to go blue.

Questions about photographing a Peterson House wedding

Should we marry inside the chapel or in front of it?

Inside gives you even, gentle light under the trusses and no worry about weather or wind. Out the front, the sandstone wall is lit by the open sky and feels more relaxed. If it's a hot summer afternoon, inside is kinder to you and your guests; on a mild autumn day the front is lovely.

What time should the ceremony be for the best light?

Peterson House lets you choose your ceremony time, so we'd work backwards from sunset on your date. In summer that can mean a later ceremony than you'd expect, with portraits on the jetty close to eight. In winter we'd bring it forward so the jetty still has light when you get there.

What happens to the photos if it rains?

The chapel is indoors, so the ceremony itself is safe. For portraits we'd use the chapel's interior and the glass walls of the marquee, then watch for a break: a passing shower in the Hunter often leaves a wet, glowing sky that's worth running out to the jetty for, umbrellas in hand.

Is the jetty available for portraits?

Yes, the venue's own wedding material talks about sunset pictures on the jetty. It's narrow, so we take the two of you out there rather than the whole bridal party, and we'll walk it with you at the walk-through to see how your dress and shoes handle the boards.

Where do we get ready for a Peterson House wedding?

The venue doesn't advertise bridal suites, so most couples get ready at their accommodation in Pokolbin. Tell us where you're staying and we'll plan the morning around it, leaving enough time to drive to the corner of Broke Road before your guests arrive.

Can our guests watch while we're out for portraits?

The venue offers pre-dinner drinks at the chapel bar or on a deck facing the vineyard, so guests are happily occupied while we're away. We keep portraits close, around the chapel and the jetty, so you can wave to everyone on the way back rather than vanish for an hour.

Save the last light for the jetty.

Tell us your date and whether you're leaning toward the chapel or the vines. We'll work out when the sun reaches the water and plan the day around it.

Check your date(02) 5550 7136

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