The Matara Centre is an unusual wedding venue near Tetbury in Gloucestershire. It’s really quite beautiful actually. There’s a Japanese theme to the grounds and gardens that is tastefully done. The surrounding gardens are a great place for interesting photos and there is an amazing water garden right in the complex.

The main room is ample to accommodate most weddings – it’s large and square with a really cool dome in the ceiling. One whole wall is perpetually lit with a mesh of fairy lights – it’s a nice touch!

Halflight have played at this venue several times and are booked for a good few more weddings this year at the venue. Although the evening entertainment room is the same one as the wedding breakfast room, because it’s so large, it’s never been a problem moving a few tables aside and getting set up in time for the evening.

The acoustics are a little strange, most likely because of the dome, all the flat hard surfaces and lack of soft furnishings, but it does the job and there’s plenty of room for a large dance floor area and for there to be tables around the edge of the room for those who want to talk.  Then there’s always the water garden with its covered areas to escape the noise of the party.  There’s also a small garden at the back of the main room where hog roasts and bbqs are sometimes held, with a small copse beyond that with paper lanterns hung from the trees.

It’s a bit of a drive for most people, but it’s not too far from Cheltenham, Gloucester and Bristol. One of our favourite venues.