Mornington Peninsula – A wonderful wedding destination from Melbourne

It’s a 1.5 – 2h drive from Melbourne but the locations are just worth it. Rough nature – coastal clifftops and great beaches. From Point Nepean to Cape Schanck – the Sorrento back beach or the rough coastal landscape and hills. You might even take the Queenscliff ferry for some different wedding photos.

We chose the amazing cliffs and the boardwalk as our location for the pre-wedding shoot. It was a bit cold but the couple was brave and explored the area. Melbourne winter is not always nice to us but on this day we had some beautiful sun as backlight – just magical for wedding photos.

The styling was kept fairly relaxed and suited the location. Complemented by a native Australian bouquet this was just the perfect receive for the best pre-wedding photos. When you plan a wedding make sure you leave plenty of time for your photos at one beautiful location – explore! Make sure you know when your sunset is (and stay a bit flexible in case of overcast weather). Wedding photos take some time and you get the most emotion when you are not accompanied by a big bridal team.

Should you venture to the beach or the rocks make sure you also look at the tide times. It can be disappointing when you expect the wide beautiful Sorrento back beach for your wedding photos but you realise it is high tide and there is not much beach left. Same for the cliffs – at high tide, it can be inaccessible or even dangerous.

Portsea and Sorrento Wedding Photographer

Portsea is a wonderful location for wedding photos – the Portsea Hotel has a wonderful room upstairs and is located directly at the water – a great location for a wedding ceremony. A beautiful pier is pretty close to the venue and some amazing beaches and coastal scenery is close by (still calculate a bit for travel … time flies on a wedding day – and you always should calculate 1.5h for your wedding photography in Portsea or Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula. Or even hire a sailing boat and go on a short trip … think outside the box (I would need a little rubber boat to be able to shoot you on the boat from the water

Mornington Wedding Photography

Walking on the stones around cliffs is not the easiest in high heels on your photoshoot. It’s worth it for the photos. But don’t worry – you can also walk around barefoot. Take your time – your husband will guide you around (hopefully :-).

Enjoy the images of this wonderful pre-wedding photography shoot on the Mornington Peninsula.

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Every vineyard up in the Yarra Valley has it’s own special appeal. Whatever your taste and budget are, there’s sure to be a winery to suit you. We’re going to give you a run-down on some beautiful wineries to help you choose your perfect winery wedding location. The great thing is that the Yarra Valley is only an hours drive from Melbourne’s CBD so your guests have the option to stay overnight or head back to town.

Tips for a Yarra Valley Wedding:

• Be nice and organise a bus to pick up guests from the city and to drop them back off at the end of the function. Your friends can enjoy themselves and the beautiful wines of the Yarra Valley without having to worry about driving.
• If your chosen winery has a cellar door, maybe organise for your guests to arrive earlier for a wine tasting. Just make sure there is someone to round them up for your ceremony!
• Some vineyards have an on-site chapel if you require a traditional church wedding.
• Some wineries have on-site accommodation which makes it convenient for yourselves and some of your guests. You might want to stay the night prior to your wedding day so that you can start your wedding preparations there. You’ll be a lot more relaxed for it.
• Some wineries are surrounded by mountains and hills which means that the sun disappears faster than the predicted sunset time. Check with your venue and your wedding photographer to get your timeline right.
• Winter means that the sun will disappear much sooner so maybe your intended 5 pm wedding ceremony is not such a great idea! Maybe aim for an earlier ceremony to utilise the natural light. Check our wedding photography article here.

Yarra Valley Weddings – Vineyard Venues perfect for Wedding Photography:

Chateau Yering

One of my favourite restaurants in Melbourne is the restaurant at Yering Station. The food and wine is amazing, the service is impeccable and the grounds are picturesque. Chateau Yering offers their brides and grooms a wedding venue which oozes some old-world charm. With its stunning heritage-listed gardens, a restored 1854 Victorian Mansion and 32 hotel suites which are decked out with welcoming antique furnishings, your wedding day will be as romantic as you envisioned.

Don’t take my word for it, go up there and take a look for yourself. Sample their award-winning food and wine and soak up the beautiful surroundings. It will be hard to pass up this venue for your special day.

More info: Weddings at Chateau Yering in the Yarra Valley

Stones of The Yarra Valley

This is another exquisite wedding venue with an on-site Chapel. With uninterrupted views which travel right up to the Great Dividing Range and two superb restaurants which have gained a great reputation for its eclectic menu and extensive wine list – this premier wedding venue will make your wedding day something to remember. The event will be etched into your guests’ memories for a long time after.

The Barn and the Stables are the two restaurants at Stones of the Yarra Valley. The Barn hosts impressive private functions, including weddings. It’s also a great place to head for a relaxed weekend lunch. The Stables is open for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. There’s Tapas on offer for Saturday and Sunday lunch. They’re open all year long so why not treat yourself and your guests to some sensational food and excellent service.

More info: Weddings at Stones in the Yarra Valley

Balgownie Estate

Balgownie Estate, nestled within the heart of the Yarra Valley, is another one-stop wedding venue. They will cater for your ceremony, function and accommodation needs. You can exchange your vowels in a lovely large, white marquee which seats up to 80 guests (holds up to 100) and then move to their Melba function room for the party. Their 4.5-star accommodation (equipped with a luxurious day spa) is offered at a discount price when you book your wedding with them. You and your bridal team can indulge in some spa treatments (at the Natskin Spa Retreat at Balgownie Estate) on offer during your wedding preparations and you won’t have to travel far after a great day of celebrations. There are 70 suites available so your guests will be very happy as well.

More info: Weddings at Balgownie Estate in the Yarra Valley

Coombe Yarra Valley

This elegant wedding venue, set across 7 hectares of manicured gardens, will set the romantic scene for your special day. You will have a choice of different locations for your ceremony to suit your style and size of your guest list.

Your reception will flow into the stunning Clock Tower restaurant, where you and your guests will experience the unique dishes made from predominantly estate-grown produce and sip on award-winning wines from the vineyard. This venue seats up to 150 guests. There is no on-site hotel at this Yarra Valley wedding venue.

More info: Weddings at Coombe Yarra Valley

Immerse Winery

This quaint winery has it’s on Chapel for your traditional wedding ceremony needs. For the not-so-traditional, you can choose to have your ceremony with the vines in the background. The stunning gardens and man-made lake will provide the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos.

The on-site hotel makes for a relaxed start and finish to your special day. Their indulgent day spa treatments will take away any stresses prior to your ceremony and have you floating down the aisle with ease.

You and your guests will then enjoy fabulous hospitality in the light-filled Immerse Restaurant, which has been written up several times in the Age Good Food Guide. The food is created from produce which is locally grown and farmed. Wash down the delicious flavours with Immerse’s award-winning wines, crafted from the grapes grown on their vines.

More info: Weddings at Immerse in the Yarra Valley

Zonzo Yarra Valley

If a rustic vineyard wedding with Italian flavours is what you’re after for your wedding day, look no further than Zonzo Estate in the Yarra Valley. Formerly known as Zonzo Train Trak Winery, this wedding venue has a full-time wedding coordinator to help your day run smoothly. You can choose to have your ceremony outdoors against the picturesque landscape or set up inside their rustic barn.

You and your photographer can then head out to wander through the vines, across the rolling fields and along the abandoned train track for your photoshoot. The breathtaking scenery will provide the perfect backdrop for your wedding portraits.

Zonzo serves up traditional Italian fare, using some produce from their own garden. Guests can nibble and mingle away on the terrace to start off with, before being fed a homestyle Italian feast, including antipasti and wood-fired pizza, for dinner. Zonzo’s 45 acres of vines produce some lovely drops to accompany their delicious Italian fare.

More info: Weddings at Zonzo Estate in the Yarra Valley

Wedding Photography in the Yarra Valley

Photographing weddings in the Yarra Valley is always an experience. The beautiful backdrops and scenery are just there. No need to travel. Ideal for a relaxed wedding. Make sure you have a look at our wedding portfolio when you are looking for a wedding photographer in the Yarra Valley. We would love to capture your big day.

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Vintage weddings in Melbourne

The bride got ready on the Mornington Peninsula in a wonderful Bed & Breakfast overlooking the Melbourne Bay. A spacious apartment gave the family and friends plenty of space to enjoy the morning and get ready for the big day. No stress. Relaxing time on the couch. Sipping some champagne and reflecting on the big things to come.

The ceremony was held outside overlooking the sweeping hills. The traditional ceremony included an aboriginal ritual for the bride and groom (as the owners of the land) which was a pleasure to follow and gave the wedding a very special touch. The guests enjoyed some drinks, snacks and played party games (such as a massive Jenga or vintage boule game) on the grass. Fun times.

Melbourne vintage wedding photography – Sunset photoshoot

We took out the lovely couple around the farm hills behind the barn to capture some of the last light which disappeared quickly behind the hills.  The Mornington Peninsula is a perfect spot for such a vintage-inspired wedding. Walking along the fields gave the couple some relaxing time. No need to pose them in any way … we love to keep it natural …  just let them be themselves.

Just after sunset, we went back to kick off the function in a barn.

Melbourne barn wedding photography – A rustic wedding venue

There is no such thing as Melbourne Barn Wedding Photography. We just happen to photograph in a barn … simple as that. You need a bit of an organisational talent to get all the basic things running in a barn – think about electricity, lights, a kitchen, tables and chairs … all not readily available in a barn. The couple did a great job in organising a perfect Melbourne barn wedding which was a pleasure to photograph.

Dancing under the fairy lights … wonderful food … great fun … sipping some champagne … stepping outside to enjoy the stars and breath in the fresh air. Just as you expect from a wonderful vintage barn wedding.

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