Matara Centre Wedding Photographer & Videographer

An exclusive-use Cotswold house in 28 acres

The venue calls itself Matara, and many couples and listings know it as the Matara Centre. It is near Tetbury in Gloucestershire (GL8 8YA). Its own website describes an Asian inspired, exclusive-use venue in 28 acres, licensed for indoor and outdoor wedding ceremonies, intimate enough for 25 guests and able to host up to 200. The house at its heart is described as a Grade II listed Regency home.

We photographed Danniella and Ben's wedding here on 21 December 2021, and their day is the one in this guide. Our Cotswolds guide shows more weddings across the region, and here we stay with the house and the couple. What we say about the spaces comes from the venue's own website, and what we say about the photographs comes from looking at them.

For current venue details, explore Matara Centre. This wedding was on 21 December, so the photographs here show the house and gardens in winter light only. Ask the venue how the grounds look in spring and summer, and how its timings change through the year.

01 / The spaces / From the venue's own description

A lawn, a cloistered courtyard and a domed room

The venue's spaces page lists five places for a civil ceremony: the front lawn of Kingscote Park House, licensed for up to 200 guests; the Hilarium, its main reception room with a large dome, for up to 150; the Cloistered Courtyard, which it calls the centrepiece of Matara, for up to 100; Unity and Beech, two joined former carriage houses, for up to 70; and the Sun Room in the house, for up to 30. The Hilarium is also given as seating up to 150 for a sit-down wedding breakfast.

The same page describes the front courtyard, once the stableyard, as a suntrap for drinks and canapes, and Unity, Beech and Mandela as three connected rooms for drinks and a quiet space once the dancing starts. The wedding page adds that the Church of St John the Baptist, Kingscote, is at the edge of the property. It does not give evening numbers or finishing times, so ask for both in writing.

For overnight stays, the venue says the house has 10 bedrooms, with four private en-suite bedrooms and a honeymoon lodge on the estate, and that together these allow it to host up to 30 guests. On food, its wedding page mentions alfresco or sit-down dining, a hog roast and a vegan menu, with seasonal menus made by its own chef. Its recommended suppliers page lists photographers and videographers, so ask whether you can also bring your own.

02 / December 2021 / Danniella and Ben

Danniella and Ben: a guard of honour at the door, two dogs on the gravel and a dance after dark

Danniella and Ben married on 21 December 2021, the shortest day of the year. The opening photograph shows the two of them leaving through the guard of honour: Ben in a grey tailcoat and a navy checked waistcoat and Danniella in a lace gown with a bouquet of white flowers, hand in hand, walking out beneath raised axes held by men in black uniforms and silver helmets, while white flecks drift through the air.

The ceremony photograph was taken outside. Danniella, in a long-sleeved lace gown and veil, laughs out loud as Ben holds both her hands, with a man in a navy suit reading at the edge of the frame, guests seated beyond them and a stone balustrade and a wooden-roofed building behind.

Indoors, they sign the register at a round table with a white cloth, Danniella smiling and Ben writing, a bouquet of white flowers in front of them and a round domed ceiling hung with lights above. We have not matched this room, or the outdoor spot, to a named space on the venue's list, so ask which of its spaces suits your numbers.

Back at the front of the house, the two of them stand in an arched stone doorway under a pair of lanterns, both laughing, with two dogs on blue leads, one in a bow tie. In the next, Danniella laughs with her head back as Ben leans in beside her, a lead still in her hand.

On the gravel drive they walk towards us hand in hand with the dogs between them, the white-fronted house and its arched doorway behind and bare trees to the left.

Their portraits then moved into the garden, to an arched opening in an old stone wall. They stand close together in the gap, framed by clipped hedges and bare winter branches, Danniella holding her bouquet low.

After dark, Danniella and Ben dance hand in hand on a stone-paved yard in front of a wall with warm lit windows, white flecks falling through the air around them.

Planning your photographs at the Matara Centre

A few things worth asking the venue, and how we would plan around the answers:

1. Which space: The venue lists five ceremony spaces, from a 200 guest lawn to a 30 guest Sun Room. Danniella and Ben married outdoors in December. Ask which space fits your numbers and which one the venue moves you to if the weather turns.
2. Short winter days: On a December day the light goes soon after four o'clock. If you marry in winter, think about an early ceremony so the portraits fall in daylight, and we will check sunset for your date and build the afternoon around it.
3. Special touches: The guard of honour at the door made one of the strongest pictures of the day. If you are planning something similar, tell us early and tell us where, so we know where to stand.
4. Dogs: Two dogs gave this couple their front door portraits. Ask the venue about pets in the grounds and the house, and ask a friend to take them home or look after them once the portraits are done.
5. Group photographs: We suggest around 15 groups, which usually takes about 20 minutes. Pick a spot with shelter in case of rain, and ask someone who knows both families to gather people.
6. Portrait walk: We usually take a portrait walk of about 15 minutes with photo and video together. The drive, the lawn and the garden wall each gave this couple a different backdrop, so ask the venue which parts of the grounds are open to you.

One team for the photographs and the film

Cam and Beth have photographed and filmed over 400 weddings together, so a country house with a lawn, a courtyard and a long evening is familiar ground. One conversation about the timings, one list of questions for the venue and one plan for the portraits covers both photographs and video.

The photo and video team package carries a £120 deposit and a £400 saving over booking photography and videography separately. We are based near Cardiff, and travel across England and Wales is included in standard full-day packages. When the drive is over two hours we always stay in a hotel the night before and cover it.

Questions about a Matara Centre wedding