▶Collits Inn · 101 Hartley Vale Rd, Hartley Vale NSW 2790 · Sydney
▶A heritage wedding at Collits Inn, a colonial inn of the early 1820s in the Hartley Valley below Mount York. The bride got ready at the inn itself, the couple married outdoors under the trees on an early autumn afternoon, and 87 guests sat down in the old barn for dinner, with speeches spread over three rounds between the courses and a first dance later in the evening.
Robes on the verandah · A red carpet through the grove · Everyone on the lawn · A horse at the fence · Speeches beside the cake
The bride's gown hung in the old window of the inn while her three bridesmaids toasted in blush robes on the verandah, and her dad got the first look by the front door. Down the valley the groom and his groomsmen in pale grey jackets fixed bow ties before walking in across the lawn. At four a red carpet ran between the trees to a timber arch of autumn flowers, with benches and lanterns either side. The bridesmaids came through in teal, the bride walked in on her dad's arm under a soft grey sky, and the groom read his vows from his phone before the kiss and the signing under the canopy.
The whole guest list crowded onto the lawn in front of the inn for one big cheer, then family groups and the bridal party posed against the ridges. Portraits took in the gums on the paddock edge, a run across the grass, and a horse that leaned over the fence to meet the bride. By half past six the barn was full, festoon lights over slab timber walls, the cake and the lectern side by side. The couple were announced in through the barn doors, speeches came in three rounds between courses, the cake was cut, the first dance filled the floor, and we finished in the paddock with a dip against the hills.
Ceremony spot · Moving between spaces · Light · How the day ran · Portrait spots · Our advice
The vows were outdoors in the garden grove at Collits Inn, where a stand of trees makes a natural aisle. The venue laid a red carpet between timber benches, lanterns marked the front row, and a timber arch dressed in red and orange autumn flowers stood between two trunks, with the paddocks and the Mount York ridge visible behind the couple. Guests were under the canopy the whole time, which matters on a bright day. The bride's walk came across the lawn from the inn, so her first view of the groom was framed by the trees. Watch at 1:40 Watch at 2:02 Watch at 2:14
The inn, the grove, the lawn, the paddocks and the barn all sit within a few minutes' walk of each other, and the bride never left the property. Guests walked from the grove to the front lawn for the big group photo, drinks carried on there while we took the bridal party out to the paddock fence, and the barn doors opened just as the light went. The groom's party arrived by foot across the lawn after dressing down the valley. One address with rooms upstairs means nobody is watching a clock for a bus. Watch at 0:46 Watch at 3:08 Watch at 4:34
This was an overcast autumn day in the Hartley Valley, and that was a gift. Soft, even cloud light under the trees meant no dappled patches on the gown and no squinting, and skin looked wonderful in every frame. Out on the paddock the grey sky let the green hills and the teal gowns carry the colour. Inside, the barn's slab timber and iron walls warm up under festoon lights and lanterns, so speeches at the lectern glowed amber without any extra lighting from us. If you are offered a cloudy forecast here, take it. Watch at 2:26 Watch at 3:20 Watch at 4:44
The bride and her girls were at the inn from eleven, the groom's party arrived mid afternoon, and the grove ceremony at four ran about half an hour. Family groups and the whole crowd on the lawn came straight after, then ninety minutes with the bridal party and the couple around the paddocks before the barn at half past six. Eighty seven guests sat for dinner, speeches were split into three rounds between courses so nobody sat through a long block, and the first dance followed at twenty past eight. The DJ played until half past eleven. Watch at 0:14 Watch at 3:10 Watch at 5:56
Everything is on the fifty acres. The front lawn of the inn held the whole group and family photos first, with the weatherboard house behind. The open paddock with the ridges gave the bridal party their line up, the big gum on the paddock edge gave the couple a quiet close frame, and the stables fence produced a horse that wanted in, which became the shot of the day. Allow ninety minutes from a quarter to five, finish with a run across the grass, and keep ten minutes for a dip in the paddock before dark. Watch at 3:20 Watch at 3:44 Watch at 6:16
What our team noticed was how the colours were chosen for the place: teal gowns, burgundy and orange bouquets and grey jackets all sang against the green paddocks and the timber barn. Pick a palette that suits an old property rather than fights it. Splitting the speeches into three rounds kept the barn lively all night, and placing the lectern beside the cake meant one frame told each story. Let the horse in. And give Collits Inn a cloudy day: the soft light flattered everyone from the grove to the last dance. Watch at 2:16 Watch at 3:44 Watch at 5:44
Collits Inn was built by Pierce Collits in the early 1820s as the leading inn on the old western road over the Blue Mountains, held the first post office west of the range, and now sits on the NSW State Heritage Register. The weatherboard inn with its stone flagged verandah sits in the Hartley Valley at the foot of Mt York, with stables, a woolshed and the barn spread over about 50 acres of gardens, orchard trees and paddocks. For a historic venue wedding it is rare to have this much texture in one place, and every corner of it reads on camera.
Ceremonies happen outdoors in the garden, where a grove of trees makes a natural aisle and the venue sets out timber bench seating and a signing table. The canopy is generous, so on a bright day expect dappled light; under cloud the light is soft and even and skin looks wonderful. The celebrant brings their own PA, and it pays to pair it with a small recorder on the celebrant and groom, because a breeze moving through the branches can lift a lot of leaf noise. Photograph the empty aisle before guests arrive, as the lanterns and benches look magical in morning or afternoon haze.
The grounds are big enough that you can walk five minutes and find a completely new backdrop: the white verandah of the inn, the old stables, open lawn with the ridges behind, gum trees out on the edge of the paddocks and the water near the barn. Plan about ninety minutes for portraits and group shots after the ceremony, which lets you move the bridal party around without rushing and still find a few quiet minutes with just the couple. Bring a coat for the evening and comfy shoes for the grass. And if a horse turns up at the fence, let it into the pictures.
The barn, named for Pierce Collits, is a beautiful room to photograph and film. Slab timber and iron walls warm up under fixed festoon lighting and mason jar chandeliers, and tea lights and lanterns add a glow without much extra light needed. The venue's PA comes with a cordless microphone and two large speakers, and for speeches a clean feed from the PA plus a mic at the lectern is the safest setup, since timber and iron can bounce a busy room around. Place the lectern near the cake and the wedding party table so one wide frame tells the whole story of each speech.
Mountain weather changes quickly, so it is worth knowing the backups: the inn's front verandah, the stables or the barn itself can all host the ceremony, and a marquee is possible at the ceremony spot. With exclusive use and accommodation on site, the bride can get ready at the inn and there is no transport between spaces, which gives more time for photos and film. On a clear night the barn opens onto the paved area for dancing under the stars. Mountain evenings get cold, so plan your sparklers or last dance while guests still have their energy.