Guide to Luxury Weddings in the Hunter Valley
The Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s best luxury wedding destinations. From the region’s centre of Pokolbin, spans a wonderful selection of places to stay and things to do for an extended celebration with your closest family and friends.
Most well-known for its world-class wineries, the Hunter Valley is also an international destination for popular music concerts and festivals. With a year-round calendar of events and it’s close proximity to Sydney & Newcastle, the region sustains a wonderful selection of amenities and services. You’ll find plenty of premium venues, award winning restaurants, luxurious accommodation and spa facilities in the area.
If you want to celebrate your special day in the fresh country air, enjoying 5 star views with premium cheese & wines and indulging in luxurious experiences from spa treatments to hot air ballooning, the Hunter Valley is the perfect wedding destination for you!
So where to get started planning your wedding? Below is a selection of top quality wedding vendors that service the Hunter Valley area. From luxury wedding venues to high-end photographers and stylists - here’s everything you need to create your dream destination wedding in Australia’s most picturesque wine region.
Luxury Wedding Venues in the Hunter Valley
The Hunter Valley has a great range of 5 star resorts, wineries and hotels that offer premium wedding packages. One to consider is the award-winning Château Élan. With 3 ceremony and 3 reception venues to choose from, plus luxury accommodation, a full-service spa and a premium golf club, it’s one of Australia’s finest resorts.
Château Élan
Luxe setting, great food and indulgent services. No matter if it’s a micro-wedding or a nuptial for hundreds of people, Château Élan’s in-house wedding team works closely with Brides, Grooms & planners to create events of excellence. Chefs are at your disposal to discuss any culinary requirements, on-site salon and spa therapists are there to assist with all hair and make-up needs, and the wedding coordinators make it all a flawless process.
Be it floral arrangements, a wedding rehearsal, beverage packages or theming, all the details are considered, and each venue is unique. Ceremonies can be held in the Carriage House - a unique sandstone chapel, on the Movie Lawn or at the Fairway Rotunda, while receptions can take place in one of two rooms or in a marquee on the expansive lawns.
There’s plenty of wide open space at Château Élan, so you can arrive at your wedding by helicopter. Share relaxed moments with your family and friends while enjoying local world-class wines in one of the spa’s two Jacuzzi’s or relax in your luxury accommodation or at the wine bar.
Arcadian Retreat
Arcadian Retreat is a picturesque country getaway ideal for intimate weddings of between 40 and 60 guests. The entire 110 acres is exclusively yours for your wedding day and there are 5 self contained cottages that can sleep up to 16 guests.
A true country oasis, the property boasts breathtaking views of your own private valley, 4 bush tracks, a hidden dam, two friendly cows, an outdoor fire pit and free range chooks that deliver fresh eggs daily for breakfast.
Couples who get married at Arcadian Retreat love the privacy and secluded valley views from each cottage. There’s a swimming pool to cool off in and plenty of stargazing opportunities while you enjoy stargazing next to the fire.
Cypress Lakes
Image: Curly Tree Photography
A breathtaking backdrop, superb facilities and impeccable hospitality awaits you at Cypress Lakes Resort. Surrounded by lush, native hinterland, sprawling vineyards and manicured golf greens, the resort blends outstanding ceremony and reception venues with beautifully appointed onsite accommodation. Premier leisure facilities include an 18 hole golf course, tennis courts, 3 pools and restaurant and bar.
Cypress Lakes caters for weddings from 2 - 800 guests, with indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception spaces. The grounds offer spectacular photo settings, ‘just married’ golf buggies, excellent menus and luxury villa accommodation. There’s a dedicated wedding team who will also organise pre-wedding events for you including an engagement party, indulgent high-tea, pampering in the day spa, a traditional day on the green or bachelor & bachelorette parties.
The wedding packages at Cypress Lakes are all-inclusive and you also receive a complimentary night of accommodation on your first anniversary plus a voucher towards your honeymoon when you book. Friday and Sunday weddings come with added value inclusions.
Estate Tuscany
Located at the foothills of the Broken back ranges, Estate Tuscany is a luxurious, boutique wedding venue with uninterrupted vineyard and mountain views. Set on 26 acres of beautiful countryside, and with a chef’s hat in 2020, this Tuscan inspired estate offers a truly spectacular wedding experience.
You can have a garden wedding ceremony overlooking the magnificent views or in wet weather head under the stunning awnings or into one of the indoor spaces. Wedding receptions for up to 200 guests can be held in The Mill - the on-site fine dining restaurant or catered under the stars in the Estate’s romantic courtyard.
With 38 rooms at the property, you can enjoy exclusive use of the grounds with your wedding guests. The cafe-style Brokenback Bar is the ideal place to relax with family and friends while sampling local Hunter Valley wines and beer.
For more luxury venue options, get our complete list of 64 Hunter Valley Wedding Venues.
Luxury Wedding Stylists in the Hunter Valley
Anna Wang
Image: Kevin Lue Photography
One of Australia’s leading ethereal wedding stylists who travels to the Hunter Valley from Sydney. Anna’s work includes extravagant florals & ceiling installations, candlelit spaces, lush centrepieces and guaranteed wow factor.
Honey Lane
Specialists in ‘blank canvas’ and private estate weddings, Honey Lane provide full service wedding planning, styling and design. Lara & her team design bespoke events working with you to produce wedding journeys that are hallmarks of unabashed joy.
Ashdown and Bee
Image: Scott Surplice
Mel designs & styles bespoke weddings, engagements and proposals in Sydney & surrounds including the Hunter Valley. Simon creates handcrafted signs and murals. Together they have all the props you’ll need + a classic American Cadillac you can hire too.
Hunter Events
Based locally in the Hunter Valley, Louise will assist your wedding plans from start to finish sourcing and arranging as much or as little as you require. From intimate family gatherings to lavish black-tie affairs, Hunter Events are your go-to experts for local wedding knowledge.
Luxury Wedding Photographers in the Hunter Valley
Within 2 hours drive of the Hunter Valley live several of Australia’s best wedding photographers. And with gorgeous sunsets, spectacular scenery and stylish venues on offer, they absolutely love accepting weddings in the Hunter region! Here’s a couple of our favourite high end photographers.
Olguin Photography
Fun, innovative and great communicators are some of the endorsements that husband and wife team Alex and Cassie have received from peers in the wedding industry. They’ve also been nominated a rising star by Rangefinder Mag - which is a pretty big deal in the wedding photography world. Alex will capture the raw emotion and feelings on your wedding day focusing on the profound, unplanned and natural interactions.
James Day
James is a wonderful down-to-earth human being who takes the type of highly emotive images that go viral on social media. He started his career shooting marquee style weddings on private country properties and his passion for these relaxed style weddings hasn’t wanned. If you are a couple who are madly in love, and who have a heart for adventure, it’s very likely James will be excited to hear your story.
Fox & Kin
Nicola (you can call her Nic) has a way with words. “I’m here for the real shit,” she says. “The raw stuff, the double-chinned laughter and the happy tears. I want to capture not only what your wedding day looked like, but what it felt like.” Nic thrives on human connection and intimacy and her images show it. Which is probably why she’s been named Capture Magazine’s Top Emerging Wedding Photographer of 2020. The accolades don’t get much bigger.
Jack Henry
Jack is an international wedding photographer with an impressive portfolio of fashion photography. He has shot campaigns for well-known wedding brands including One Day Bridal, Rue De Seine and Karen Willis Holmes and his work is regularly featured in magazines such as Hello May. Jack’s clients love his warmth, attention to detail, his ‘fly on the wall’ approach and his relaxed nature which many point to making them feel comfortable on their wedding day.
Custom Wedding Couture
One of the other exciting items on your wedding to-do list is likely to be finding your perfect wedding gown or suit. At Wedlockers, we have a wonderful range of wedding gown designers based all around Australia from the most noted names in the industry to up and coming labels. You can use our style filters to view suits & gowns and find designers who have a creative aesthetic you love.
The Hunter Valley is a wonderful destination to celebrate your wedding with family and friends in style. The beautiful landscape makes an incredible backdrop for your special day and offers the finest in services for total luxury during your stay.
If you’d like help finding other suitable suppliers to make your luxury wedding in the Hunter Valley come true, please don’t hesitate to shoot us an email at info@wedlockers.com.au. We’re always delighted to help.