Peppers Creek | Hunter Valley Wedding
- Nick Varady
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Ben and Abi's Peppers Creek wedding was picture perfect! Peppers Creek is one of the most popular wedding venues in the Hunter Valley as it's so well set up. It has the cute little chapel, a large open cellar room for the reception, and of course lots of beautiful vines for that classy vineyard aesthetic. There's also multiple accomodation options nearby for travelling guests and the bridal party. I'm always looking for interesting light and backgrounds/settings. Peppers Creek is set up well but there's still an element of knowing the venue and what looks good at what point during the day that comes into play to get the best photos!
Preparation
Abi and her bridesmaids stayed nearby at Holman Estate which was an absolutely GORGEOUS large stately house, which we actually returned to for extra photos because it was so nice.
Ceremony
The little stone chapel was the perfect size for their 60ish guests and the stucco walls and exposed beams create a really lovely rustic Italian feel. As the Chapel is cozy, I had to be a little creative with some of the angles but it was a chance to practice my ninja skills - the ability to be present and at the right spot at the right time but draw 0 attention to yourself is an underrated wedding photographer skill! Weather permitting - the patio immediately next to the Chapel is a great spot for formal photos with family and other guests.
Bridal Party Photos
Holman Estate was just too beautiful to not use as a photo location so we returned there with the bridal party after some family photos and a little bit of mingling. The outlook was peak Hunter Valley: Rolling hills, vineyards, and the occasional tree and dam. We also made use of some nearby vines. Since it was overcast, it meant we could face whatever direction we liked. I always give lots of prompts to draw out natural smiles and interactions and Ben and Abi leaned into that really well - being affectionate and just enjoying each others company. Later we returned to Peppers Creek to make use of the Cellar Door - as it moves to twilight the lights on the patio begin to stand out - which I like using, and some creative use of the flash makes for some classic wide shots framed by the door. Inside, the wall of Barrels is always a cool background too. Familiarity with the venue makes a BIG difference in terms of using the most of the time to get some amazing shots
Reception
The Peppers Creek staff were so good - professional, communicated well and easy to work with. It made the whole reception go very smoothly. The fiary lights and candles add so much atmosphere, and gave me lots of scope for creatively using them in either the foreground or background - keeping the magic and sparkle in the photos. The lighting is dim and varied in the hall, but the benefit of professional grade cameras AND knowing how to get the most out of them meant it wasn't an issue. I try to avoid using to much flash as it can be distracting, but its always fun to use it creatively especially during dancing photos. Was fun to sneak in an obligatory awkward selfie too haha!
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