Matara Centre Wedding Photographer | Updated for 2020

We know that one of the most challenging things about planning a wedding is finding the perfect venue. If you are looking for somewhere that is intimate, beautiful, and relaxed, you won’t be disappointed with the Matara Centre, which is located in the stunning woodlands of the Cotswolds. It’s a picture-perfect setting which makes for very happy wedding photographers and loved up couples alike!

ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY AT THE MATARA WEDDING VENUE

Set in 28 acres of strolling grounds, this Asian inspired wedding venue provides a joyous and tranquil setting for any occasion. No matter whether you’re looking for a big celebration with 200 guests or an intimate gathering of 25 people, this Grade II listed Regency home does not disappoint. It is licensed to host both indoor and outdoor ceremonies for multi-cultures, so you can have the fairy-tale wedding you have always dreamed about. I’ve photographed many different types of weddings at this location. I’m super lucky that it is just a stone’s throw from where I live in the village of Horsley. Being able to head home without a long drive and get into your own bed after a day of documenting a wedding is a real treat. Of course, this isn’t the only reason why I rate the Matara Centre as one of my all time favourite locations to capture weddings 😉

I’M INSANELY PROUD TO BE A RECOMMENDED PHOTOGRAPHER!

TRANQUILITY WITHIN THE NATURAL GARDENS

The Matara Centre is set in 28 acres of beautiful wetlands and meadows, offering true beauty and serenity. The owners of the venue are caretakers of the land. So half of the 28 acres has been allocated to natural habitat, allowing them to protect and encourage diverse wildlife. You will find everything from hedgerows to flower meadows, woodlands, and wetlands here. Gardens which have a life of their own, and they are developing in diversity and richness all the time. It’s lovely to take a moment to reflect and relax here and, of course, it creates the most stunning background for magical photographs.

I always encourage my couples to allocate just 10 or 15 minutes during the day to spend alone with each other. Taking a stroll around the grounds of Matara is the ideal opportunity for me to capture some beautiful portraits of the loved up couple. There’s no posing and little direction from me. It’s all about capturing real moments through the lens. At this point the couple are freshly married and buzzing with excitement. The last thing they want to do is pose for a camera. Allowing the couple to enjoy being alone and working around them with little influence is the best approach. The gardens at Matara provide a tranquil and positive energy. Any couple look and feel great as they take a stroll and explore the grounds. Maybe discovering the romantic bridge or perhaps ending up in the lush tropical greenhouse. Depending on the time of year, the colours are always changing and I particularly like photographing against a backdrop of deep reds and gold in Autumn.

ONSITE ACCOMMODATION TO RELAX AND UNWIND

This exclusive venue includes nine bedrooms and 5 baths inside Kingscote Park House, the main house, as well as three receiving rooms, two dining rooms, and exclusive use of the kitchen. This makes it an excellent place for family retreats. The estate also features four private en-suite bedrooms. Then there’s the romantic hidden honeymoon lodge (fully equipped with jacuzzi and private garden), meaning that up to 28 guests in total can stay the night. What better way to completely relax and unwind, knowing that you can have your nearest and dearest stay with you onsite. You could all stay for a couple of nights meaning you can really make a special weekend retreat of it. Even better, the party can continue long into the night! For those not staying onsite there’s plenty of accommodation options nearby. One being Hunters Hall Inn which is handily located just on the opposite side of the A4135 road.

When you book this venue you get a blank canvass. Matara never say to couples ‘this is how you need to do it’ and in fact, by their own admission, it is much more fun if each wedding is unique. If you want to have a festival on site they’d be more than happy to do that, the more different the better. Matara’s own events and wedding planner is more than happy to take the lead if the couple’s wish her to. Your imagination really is the limit!

EXCLUSIVE WEDDING VENUE HIRE PRICES 2021

The Matara Centre offers several different packages, which are catered to all budgets. You can find their rates in full by downloading the brochure on their website. For 2021, prices range from £3,250 to £5,250 for hire of the venue between November and February. If you want to hire the Matara Centre in March or April, prices range from £3,750 to £5,750. The cost is between £5,250 and £7,250 for May through to August. Finally, events in September and October cost between £4,500 and £6,500.

A 50% deposit at the time of booking is required and the rest is due 30 days before. It’s not unusual for people to book two or three years in advance and in these cases the initial booking deposit is just 25%. A huge amount of mid-week weddings take place at Matara. People want to make it more than just the one day and so the house gets booked for three or four days and the families can then stay on site. Mid-week weddings with the accommodation gets booked up around a year in advance, so act pronto if you’re thinking of booking!

Matara also offers a number of other packages to help you create the wedding of your dreams. This includes the Summer Fun Package, which consists of the Honeymoon Lodge the night of the wedding, a fire pit with marshmallows, a personal wedding coordinator, indoor and outdoor fairy lights, catering, the hire of the Matara Centre, and a series of games.

WEDDING PHOTOS FROM AN AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER

So if you’re looking for documentary photography for your Matara Centre wedding (or anywhere else for that matter) and you feel that my style doth butter your parsnips, please do CHECK MY AVAILABILITY today and I’ll be in touch. Or if you want to know more about hiring me as your phenomenal wedding photographer you can access my pricing brochure below:

I ONLY SHOOT AROUND 30 WEDDINGS PER YEAR, SO DON’T DRAG YOUR FEET!

“We chose Matara because it was different to all the other venues. The fact the owner showed us around was a nice touch. Everything was included rather than building up a scary invoice. We fell in love with the uniqueness of the place and the quirky little hideaways you can find yourself in.” – Carly & Tom

“Hands down the best decision we made about the wedding was asking you to be our photographer.” 

“Jonny is someone who felt like a guest more than a photographer and he made the day even more special than we ever realised it could be. Jonny has honesty, integrity, humility and kindness. We not only feel like we found an amazing photographer, but also a friend for life.”

“Our wedding photography was definitely a worthwhile investment. As time goes by, its value will only continue to grow. All our family and friends were singing Jonny’s praises. He’s so relaxed, is super lovely to work with and has an awesome documentary style, without gimmicks.”

A RELAXED & UNPOSED PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE

The way I like to shoot is almost entirely unposed and I have very little influence on the day. There’s no barking orders or asking anything of you other than to have fun and enjoy every second. Rest assured, I certainly will not be posing you. Instead, I prefer to be in the moment and capture everything as it unfolds naturally in front of me. For me, capturing the emotion and details of a wedding is best done without bossing people around or setting up loads of equipment. I allow my couples to forget about the photography, to relax and to enjoy their weddings without being bothered by a photographer!

Couples book me because they like that approach and they love photography. Simple as that. So if you are passionate about your wedding photography and you’re getting married at The Matara Centre (or any other wedding venue) then please get in touch to tell me your plans, especially if you are looking for a natural photographer who shoots in a documentary fashion.

 LOSE YOURSELF AND FIND YOUR TRUE HAPPINESS

The Matara Centre wedding venue is so much more than just another venue. If anyone ever gets the opportunity to visit the Matara Centre they will understand why it’s such a magical wedding venue. There is honestly something so exceptional about Matara and until you experience it for yourself you won’t understand. Everything the venue stands for is unique and personal. It is a place to lose yourself and find your true happiness. Every corner holds a new secret and the whole place is laced with fairy tale magic.

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE FROM THE EVENTS & WEDDING PLANNER

I caught up with Matara’s very own Event and Wedding Planner and asked those important questions that may just help you decide if this stunning licensed wedding venue is the one you’ve been searching for.

Starting with a short history of the venue I learned Geoffrey, the owner, bought the house as his personal residence years ago and he lived here with his wife June. He worked in organisational change for years travelling the world and earning a lot of money. June sadly was diagnosed with terminal cancer so Geoffrey built the Matara Centre in the grounds of the house so he could fly his clients to him and he didn’t have to leave June. Sadly June passed away and it wasn’t until about 20 yrs ago when their daughter wanted to get married and asked to use the space that he realised it could be used in such a way, as a place of celebration.

During it’s time as a wedding venue there’s been a huge array of weddings here. From an OK magazine wedding brimming with celebrity guests, to the small, low-key days that are so intimate and just as memorable.

WHAT MAKES THE MATARA CENTRE A UNIQUE VENUE CHOICE?

If I had to tell you just one interesting fact about Matara, I’d mention their tree dedication program. For every single couple that marry here a tree is planted and dedicated to them. On their wedding day the tree is already planted to ensure it survives and they have some extra soil and a can of water for the bride and groom to dedicate their tree and become part of the 28 acres. Lots of couples come back to visit their tree. It’s really is something special.

There are a few things that really make The Matara Centre near Tetbury in Gloucestershire stand out. I’ve mentioned the tree dedications. Well did you know they are also a social enterprise? Meaning at the end of the year when they look at the profits 50% goes direct to charities. The other 50% goes into developing the site. Being sustainable and contributing back to the community is at the core of what Matara stands for.