Wedding Photographer

Richard Johnston

At Lonely Hunter, I only photograph a limited number of weddings each year and do book out quite far in advance.
Don't leave it until I'm are already booked before you decide to make an enquiry..

A Peterson House Wedding: The Best Bits from Hayley & Josh’s Day

As a Hunter Valley Wedding Photographer, one of the things I really like about a Peterson House wedding is how naturally the day can move between its different spaces. Hayley and Josh’s wedding was a great example of this, with their ceremony, portraits, cocktail hour and reception all happening around the property without the day ever feeling rushed.

On this particular day there was a driveway ceremony that turned out better than the “proper” spot, two dogs who stole every scene they were in, and a sunset that the couple deliberately stopped the party for. Here’s what made the day special, and what I wish every couple touring the venue knew before booking their own.

The Ceremony Spot Nobody Tells You About

Instead of marrying inside the chapel, Hayley and Josh held their ceremony on the driveway in front of it, using the building as a backdrop rather than a room. It wasn’t a decision made for the photos, it just happened to work out that way. They stood in soft shade cast by the chapel itself, while light bounced up off the pale gravel and filled that shadow with a warm, even glow. It’s not something you’d think to plan for, but it turned out to be some of the best natural light I’ve worked with at this venue, full stop. If you’re planning a wedding at Peterson House, don’t assume inside the chapel is the only ceremony option.

Two Very Important Guests and The Portraits

Rather than disappearing immediately after the ceremony, Hayley and Josh joined their guests for cocktail hour, with music and canapés creating the atmosphere. This is something I always recommend my couples allow time some time for as it can help to slow the day down. Following the canapés, Hayley & Josh squeezed in portraits with their dogs, Clarke and Henry, around the chapel gardens. It was clear straightaway how much these two are part of the family, not just an afterthought for a few cute shots. Having KARE Kanine on hand as a dog chaperone meant the couple could actually be present in the moment instead of managing leads, treats, and wandering noses mid-shoot. The chapel and it’s surrounding gardens are lush and layered in a way that elevates even a simple portrait. Hayley & Josh also took the opportunity to get some photos here as well without the pups before moving onto bridal party photos in some more opens spaces near the vines. From there we opted for a few final portraits infront of the reception marque with it’s lavender lined steps before finishing up down by the pond.

The Sunset Window Worth Building Into Your Timeline

This is the best tip I can give anyone booking a Peterson House wedding inside daylight savings or any venue for that matter: leave a small gap in your reception schedule for sunset. It’s easy to let the timeline run straight through from meal to speeches to dancing, but I recommended Hayley and Josh leave ten minutes between the main meal and speeches to slip away to the from some sunset photos amongst the vines. This was also why we didn’t use the vines from some bride and groom portraits earlier in the day as you don’t want to double up on locations if you can help it. It was a good move as the light and sunset that particular evening was extraordinary, just see for yourself. Their guests barely noticed the gap, and the couple came back with photos that anchor their whole gallery. Talk to your venue coordinator or planner about carving out ten minutes for this if you are getting married during a similar time of year, it’s a small ask on the day but makes an outsized difference to your final photos.

The Couple

Hayley and Josh met in Year 8 and have been together eleven years. Josh proposed in Bali, at Jimbaran Bay, arranging for the beachside band to play Bruno Mars’ “Marry You” mid-dinner before popping the question. That same easy, playful warmth carried through their whole day, helped along by Married by Meredith on the mic for the ceremony, Nick Read Entertainment keeping the reception moving, and the team at Peterson House handling venue, catering, and bar without a hitch. For me, the best part was simply how easily the day flowed, ceremony, drinks with guests, portraits, reception and a quick escape into the vines at sunset, all without feeling like photography took over the wedding day.