Hunter Blackboard Weddings Special Spring 2013

THB WEDDINGS | SPRING 2013 13


Wedding Day Zen Hair Skin Body and Sublime Weddings is a full Hairdressing Salon and Beauty Spa in one loca on in the beau ful Hunter Valley Wine region. Combining innova ve & deluxe treatments in an environmentally friendly establishment, the salon can cater to any need.

Zen has fast become the preferred salon for wine country brides and it isn’t difficult to see why. Owner and Ar s c Director Rachel Kane has had 18 years in the business and knows just what it takes to turn heads on your wedding day.

To arrange a wedding consulta on with Rachel or her team of dedicated stylists, call the salon on 4998-6844 or visit the website at www.sublimezen.com.au.

Turn heads on your


A perfect match...

Kathy Pynsent of A Vineyard Wedding

If you aren’t planning on a formal church service for your vows then a marriage celebrant will be just what you are looking for. Choosing the right marriage celebrant can be a daun ng task.

You need to ensure they are registered, that you have received accurate informa on about their special es and style, maybe a photo, know where they'll work (rather than where they live) and be sure that they're prepared to perform the sort of ceremony you both want. Hundreds of wedding services are performed by marriage celebrants in the Hunter Valley each and every year…so we talked to a few of our favourite Celebrants to find out a li le more about what is involved in the intricate task of conduc ng a wedding ceremony.

Kathy Pynsent of A Vineyard Wedding has come to “Celebrancy” from a long career in teaching, a background which she believes has prepared her well for speaking confidently in public and developing excep onal organisa on skills… “Ini ally, a rela ve in Sydney introduced me to the marriage celebrant world, and this planted the seed in my mind’’ explained Kathy. ‘’I was cap vated by the overall feeling of joy and happiness associated with a wedding, and so I set about pursuing the idea of becoming a celebrant un l I was appointed in 1991. At that me becoming a celebrant was quite different to the current prac ce and the number of celebrants was considerably less.” Since then Kathy has conducted around 2000 wedding ceremonies.

Kathy went on to say that “it’s important that couples feel relaxed and comfortable with their celebrant, and trust that their par cular style will be reflected in the manner in which the celebrant delivers their ceremony. Couples should feel confident in the celebrant's professionalism and genuine approach to their work”

The Ceremony is perhaps the most important aspect of your wedding day and it’s important that you have no regrets. Maree Callaghan of Hunter Marriage Celebrant was formerly the Mayor of Cessnock, a posi on she held for 8 years and one which prepared her well for life as a celebrant. Maree offers good advice to the bride and groom in choosing the right celebrant … “Don’t base your decision on the cheapest price as the celebrant sets the tone and vibe. Google, ask local photographers, the venues and florists for recommenda ons, then check their websites and backgrounds (to ascertain if they are capable of ge ng the legali es right, if they can “perform” on the day). Meet them if you can to see if you gel, as you will be less stressed leading up to the day if you have confidence in the person running the show”

Maree says that the key to arranging your dream ceremony is to know all the op ons that are available to you. “Every single one of my ceremonies is different. I provide a 20-page wedding pack with numerous op ons and encourage and assist couples to produce something unique to them. Most of my couples are me poor, so I provide as much informa on and resources as possible” she says.

Choosing a Wedding Celebrant

When it comes to weddings there are definitely “trends” and this extends way past the style of the dress and hair to the type of ceremony couples prefer. Helen Pickering says one of the biggest trends is the outdoor wedding “the bride and groom love to have the service in the open, close to nature and par cularly in the vineyard areas where the spectacular views add to the romance of the se ng” she says. This is most likely the reason that Hunter Valley wine country has become one of the most popular wedding des na ons in the country.

Maree agrees, “the quality of the venues, food and wine are superior to Sydney and yet prices are lower. The Hunter has a wealth of experienced wedding professionals and all of us, being local, work together (not against each other) to ensure that every wedding goes to plan. Couples also save on the cost of hiring wedding planners as most venues have wedding co-ordinators included in the price. Maybe it is a downside, but couples tell me that it is rare for guests to decline their invita on, as everyone wants a weekend in the Hunter!”

For a wedding celebrant it’s also important that they feel connected with the couple they are conduc ng the ceremony for and some mes a couples dream wedding can be a li le le of centre. Perhaps the funniest story comes from Kathy…”Several years ago, I was asked to conduct a ceremony at a nudist beach, and although I was asked to wear clothes to make the ceremony more formal, it could have been extremely difficult to remain completely focused. Fortunately (?) the wedding didn't go ahead as planned due to family issues about clothing!”

Contact details for Kathy, Maree and Helen can be found on the page opposite. Thanks ladies for taking the me to answer our ques ons.


It doesn’t take much research to discover that the Hunter Valley has everything you could possibly desire as a wedding des na on. Picturesque scenery makes for fairy tale wedding photos and the fine wines, amazing foods and wide variety of recep on venues available for couples to choose from have seen the area grow rapidly in popularity, becoming one of the most fashionable wedding spots in Australia.

Once your wedding date is decided and the real planning begins, it can be temp ng to bring in suppliers close to home, but the Hunter Valley has so much more to offer than food, wine & venues with unique and passionate ar sans on-hand to help you create the wedding of your dreams using local suppliers.

Co-founder (with her sister Penny) of our local Sacred Tree Markets, Ganga Ma will be ge ng married (in the Hunter Valley of course!) in November and has set about making her dream wedding a truly local gig by sourcing and commissioning some amazing and talented locals to create her dream wedding (and as Ganga Ma points out a wedding on a budget!). Here we talk to Ganga Ma about her plans for the big day…..

I take it that you are a local girl? Where did you grow up? I grew up in Lake Macquarie and I moved out here when I met Dame in 2007. I consider myself a local girl now.

Is your fiance also local? Dame grew up on a property in Miller’s Forest which is out past Maitland. He moved to Branxton a er finishing a vintage in New Zealand in 2007.

How did you two meet? I cringe at the thought of it! I was at the then Clubhouse in Maitland with my step sister. I was exhausted and had been begging my sister to go home for hours. I went to get a drink and on the way I caught the gaze of this beau ful soul near the bar. He smiled and it wasn’t long before we were swapping phone numbers. That was it for me. I knew he was the one.

Can you tell us a li le about your wedding proposal? It was one of the most beau ful weekends of my life! A few days earlier Dame had asked me to pack a bag. He told me we were going away but wouldn’t say where. The suspense was intense!

He flew me to Uluru and proposed under a waterfall at sunset. But it didn’t end there. The next morning he flew me to Melbourne and drove me along the Great Ocean Road and the following morning before sunset he drove to Simpson Steps and proposed again at sunrise. Three states and 2 proposals in 3 days. The wait had definitely been worth it. It was the most roman c experience of my life.

When and where will your wedding be held? We are ge ng married at Walka Water Works in Oakhampton in November.

You have made a conscious effort to support local businesses when planning your wedding – what were your reasons for this? We run a local event called Sacred Tree Markets and since star ng the markets and working with so many small businesses we have become really aware of the impact big business can have on the local economy. We made a decision that our wedding is an investment in our future and by choosing locally sourced products we were also inves ng in the prosperity of the community. We feel like sourcing dis nctly local products also gives our wedding a unique Hunter Valley flavour which we wouldn’t get if we bought outside of the area.

Have you found it difficult to find local suppliers? No not at all. The local community are all very keen to support each other so we have found that if one supplier doesn’t have something they will direct you to someone else who can help. Everything so far has well exceeded our expecta ons.

You must have a lot of contacts through your role in running the Sacred Tree Markets – how did you locate all the local businesses you needed? Much of our wedding we have sourced through Sacred Tree Markets. Markets are a great way of connec ng with local designers, suppliers and ar sts. There are so many incredibly skilled locals all in the one place and you can almost be guaranteed that if someone there doesn’t have something they will know where you might be able to source it.

Do you have any advice for brides travelling to the Hunter Valley for their wedding day who want to use local suppliers? Ask around and you’ll find what you are looking for. The Hunter Valley has an endless pool of incredible unique suppliers but because there are no big malls it just might mean thinking a li le outside the square. I use the scenario – “where would Mum have bought from when she was looking?” I find it makes me look smaller-run, sustainable and closer to home. Ganga Ma has been kind enough to share the details of her wedding suppliers with us to share with you! Here are some of our favourites…

Destination WeddingsWeddingsWeddings with local lair

• Invita on Design: Jay Worling www.jworling.com

• Vintage Décor: Nanna Had That www.facebook.com/NanHadThat ... Karen is a vintage queen and always goes out of her way to track down what you are looking for.

• Handmade candles and holders: Polka Dot Candles www.facebook.com/PolkaDotCandles

• Wedding Cake: Fantasy Cupcakes www.facebook.com/pages/Fantasy-Cupcakes/108502689219710

• High Tea Plates: Ally’s Glass Chimes www.facebook.com/pages/Allys-Glass-Chimes/152956334864564

• Flower Girls dresses and Ring Bearer Ou it: Blues Child www.facebook.com/blueschilddummystraps

Good luck with your wedding planning – remember to keep it local for a truly unique day!

Jay WorlingJay WorlingJay Worling Invita on DesignInvita on DesignInvita on Design

Blues ChildBlues ChildBlues Child Polka Dot Polka Dot Polka Dot CandlesCandlesCandles

Ganga Ma & DameGanga Ma & DameGanga Ma & Dame Fantasy CupcakesFantasy CupcakesFantasy Cupcakes


One perfect day

Couples travel to the Hunter Valley to get married for a number of reasons but more and more that reason is the variety of outdoor se ngs within which your dream wedding can be held. The picture-perfect loca on and the very best photographer to capture the magic forever are two essen al ingredients for one perfect day.

At Hunter Valley Gardens couples can have the choice of a the beau ful air condi oned Chapel or a selec on of Garden loca ons for your wedding ceremony, offering a unique des na on unlike any in Australia.

Completed in 2001, Hunter Valley Garden’s Chapel offers a stunning se ng for any wedding. Capable of sea ng 150 guests, the Chapel exterior is lined with white Ornamental Pear trees and features a beau ful courtyard with magnificent views of the spectacular Gardens and Brokenback Mountain Ranges. With two picturesque lakes on either side as the backdrop, this venue will create a truly memorable wedding day.

If you would prefer an outdoor ceremony there are several enchan ng loca ons around the gardens that will provide you with the unique ambience to suit your day. One of our favourites is the Formal Garden. The three ered European garden is for tradi onally elegant couples wishing for a classic outdoor ceremony. If arriving by horse and carriage or bridal car, this garden will allow you to create a grand entrance while your guests look on. Other magical loca ons include the Waterfall, the Sunken Garden or the Oriental Garden.

Having cked the ceremony loca on off your list, you now need an expert photographer to capture the moment on film. Enter April Werz.

April started her photography business in the Hunter Valley 10 years ago a er studying photography and art at Westminster College in London.

Since returning to Australia she has established her business in the Hunter Valley region and has developed a reputa on as one of the leading wedding photographers in NSW. Covering Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Central Coast and Sydney, April is highly sought a er for the magical images that she creates.

April’s passion is art and she is able to incorporate this into her photography, crea ng ar s c images and exquisite memories. Her dis nct and unique vintage style dis nguishes her from other photographers and creates that ‘something different’ that many couples are looking for.

Having lived and worked in the Hunter region for ten years, April has shot weddings at most of the of the big venues and wineries throughout the area but she also knows many of the great hidden loca ons tucked away in various parts of the Hunter that help to create some of her amazing shots.

Many of Aprils clients are newly engaged and o en organise an “E-Shoot”. This is a great way to record a momentous me in your rela onship and also to get more used to the camera before the big day. Aprils’ details are opposite – please contact her for availability

Two essential ingredientsessential ingredientsessential ingredients for

Photography by April Werz

Hunter Blackboard Weddings Special Spring 2013

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