Dark Horse Vineyard is one of the most stunning Hunter Valley wedding venues that I have had the privilege to photograph at. Set in manicured lawns, with its private vineyard, you will find two custom-made American-style barns designed to be the perfect backdrop for your big day.
Danielle and Cody were after a chilled, fun and romantic day with their family and friends. They kept the styling to a minimum, embracing the fact that the venue already looks great, and chose to invest in the things that were most important to them. One of those things was recording the day! For the first time, I arranged a package that included both photography and videography.
Dark Horse Barns
The first thing that struck me about the Dark Horse barns is the colour. Both barns are painted black, with white accents that really make them pop. Black is a colour you don’t often see in the wedding industry, making it very unique. Everything is lined up to create symmetry, which Wedding Photographers absolutely love!
The main event space is styled as an old-fashioned horse stable, with the accompanying barn house used as both the accommodation and the post-ceremony bar. All the details carry through on the equine theme with bold ‘Dark Horse’ signage and the Horse’s head creating a visual centrepiece on the kitchen wall.
“Chris and his team were fantastic! They were professional and friendly and captured our special day so beautifully. Chris made sure he knew what we wanted and was able to make great suggestions, which we really appreciated. So many of our guests commented on how impressed they were with the photographers work ethic and how stunning the photos are.”
Cody & Danielle
Photography on The Wedding Day
Danielle & Cody had wanted to hold their ceremony in between a row of pear trees but when I arrived at the venue the skies were overcast and rain appeared imminent, so the decision was made to hold the Ceremony on the covered deck, which connects to the Stables. This is a great wet-weather option to have as it is still really beautiful. However, as the day went on the weather got better and better. During the Ceremony the sun shone and afterwards we were treated to a stunning sunset, which we were able to use for some beautiful backlit photos.
Sophie, our celebrant kept things bith fun, light-hearted and sentimental all at the same time.
Food was courtesy of Fennel & Co, the operators of the Dark Horse venue; and Pati Telea Music kept everyone entertained for the night.
As the dancefloor was pumping I checked out some spots for a cool night photo. Being out in the open can often give the opportunity for some stars and by combining three exposures I was able to capture the couple under a starry night sky. The perfect end to the day!!
Hunter Valley Wedding Vendors
Venue | Dark Horse Vineyard
Photographer | Underatreehouse
Celebrant | Celebrant Sophie
Catering | Fennel & Co
Music | Pati Telea
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