Pokolbin wedding photographer: Rows under the range
Of all the Hunter, this is where we drive most often as a Pokolbin wedding photographer, an hour or so up the expressway from Cooks Hill. Pokolbin is where the cellar doors sit closest together, so most couples here have a vineyard ceremony, a reception close by and a whole evening of vines to walk through.
The roads a Pokolbin wedding photographer knows by heart
In Pokolbin the vines run right to the edge of the road and the range sits behind every one of them, so the backdrop is half done before you arrive.
Broke Road and McDonalds Road are the two spines of the district, with many of the best known wineries and a good share of the wedding venues strung along them.
Between them the land is rows, dams and gravel drives, and to the west the Brokenback Range closes off the view with a long dark line of bush. Pokolbin Mountains Road climbs into the hills above it all.
Guests often pass two or three other cellar doors on the way to yours, which is why we aim the portraits into the vines and the hills rather than back toward the road and the car parks.
Where we'd stand you in Pokolbin
Broke Road
The busiest road in the wine country, lined with vines, gums and old post and wire fences.
The verge itself is no place for portraits, but the long straight sections and the rows running back from them toward the range make strong wide frames from a safe spot well off the bitumen.
McDonalds Road
A road through the middle of Pokolbin with vineyards on both sides and the range off to the west.
Late in the day the rows on its western side are lit from behind, which makes the leaves glow and puts a rim of light on hair, shoulders and veil.
Pokolbin Mountains Road Lookout
A lookout up in the hills with the vineyards laid out on the valley floor below.
It's a drive up a winding road, so it suits a session the evening before or the morning after rather than a squeeze between ceremony and dinner, and we check the road and access with you first.
Pokolbin's light is shaped by the range on its western side. Through the afternoon the hills throw long shadows across the nearest vineyards while rows further out on the valley floor stay lit, so we choose the spot to suit the hour.
Summer haze softens the sun well before it sets, which gives the last hour a warm, gentle glow instead of hard edges.
In winter the valley often fills with mist on cold mornings and frost whitens the grass between the bare rows, which is worth an early start for anyone getting ready on site.
Questions couples ask about Pokolbin
Can we stop at a different vineyard on the way for photos?
Only with that vineyard's say-so. Every row in Pokolbin belongs to someone, and pulling over to walk into a block that isn't your venue's isn't fair on the grower. If there's a place you love, tell us early: we'll ask on your behalf, and if the answer is no we'll find something as good on your own venue's land.
Is the lookout on Pokolbin Mountains Road worth it on the wedding day?
Usually not on the day itself. The drive up and back takes a big bite out of the time between the ceremony and the reception, and the view is best when you can wait for the light. We suggest it for a session the evening before or the morning after, when nobody is waiting on you for speeches.
Which time of year do the vines look their best?
It depends on the album you want. Spring brings fresh green shoots, summer gives full canopies, and late autumn turns whole blocks yellow and rust before the leaves drop. Winter's bare canes suit a moodier, quieter set of pictures. We'll talk you through what each season looks like at your venue before you choose.
How much time should we leave to move between Pokolbin venues?
More than the map says. Broke Road and McDonalds Road get slow on weekends with tour buses, cyclists and visitors looking for cellar doors, so a ten minute drive can take twenty. If your ceremony and reception are at different places, we build in a buffer and spend it on portraits if the road is clear.
Will other weddings show up in our photos?
On a busy Saturday in Pokolbin it can happen, because some venues sit close together and marquees can be seen across the rows. We note where the neighbouring lawns are on the walk-through and point the camera away from them. A longer lens helps too: it pulls the range in behind you and leaves the neighbours out.
Do we need anything special for a winter wedding in Pokolbin?
Warm layers for after dark, and a plan for the early sunset. In June the sun is down around five, so we move the ceremony earlier and keep the portraits close to the venue. Cold clear mornings and open fires make winter one of the prettiest times in the vineyards, as long as you dress for it.
Stay out for the last of the sun.
Give us your venue, your month and how long the reception runs. We'll find the rows that hold the light longest on your date.
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