Cotswolds Wedding Photography
Documentary emotion with editorial direction, brought to the golden stone and
soft light of the Cotswolds.
The Cotswolds ask very little of a photographer and offer a great deal in return. Honey coloured stone that warms every frame, valleys that hold the evening light, and villages that have not needed to change for three hundred years. What they deserve is an unhurried eye. I am Martin Japheth. I have spent thirty years behind the lens, from London runways and editorial commissions to weddings across North Wales and beyond, and I photograph every wedding as a bespoke story. Around eighty percent of my work is quiet documentary, real moments left undirected. The remaining twenty percent is editorial direction, a few considered minutes that give you portraits with the polish of a fashion page. I travel to the Cotswolds for a small number of weddings each year, and I am currently booking 2027 and 2028.
How I work
Here’s what’s waiting for you
Your day is documented as it happens. I arrive early, stay late, and keep out of the way of the moments that matter. Where the light and the setting invite it, I will steal you away for forty to sixty minutes of signature portraits, directed gently and worn lightly. The result is a gallery that feels true to the day and looks like it belongs in print. Before any Cotswold wedding I carry out a full recce of your venue, walking the grounds at the time of day we will be shooting, so that decisions on the day are already made and your time is spent celebrating rather than waiting.
Places to shoot, the Cotswolds I would bring
you to
Every corner of the Cotswolds photographs well. These are the settings I would most gladly carry a camera to.
THE GREAT HOUSES AND CASTLES
• Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe. A chapel, a library and marquee lawns inside castle walls, with gardens that hold their colour deep into autumn.
• Blenheim Palace, Woodstock. Baroque scale and long formal vistas, for couples who want grandeur worn lightly.
• Cornwell Manor, near Chipping Norton. A Georgian manor on two thousand private acres, made for slow, cinematic coverage across a whole weekend.
• Berkeley Castle, Berkeley. Ancient stone above the Severn, dramatic in every season.
THE MANORS AND COUNTRY HOUSES
• Elmore Court, near Gloucester. A storied hall and the celebrated Gillyflower, one of the most photographed wedding buildings in the country.
• Euridge Manor, near Chippenham. Mediterranean architecture overgrown with English gardens, an extraordinary setting for editorial work.
• Calcot Manor, near Tetbury. A fourteenth century barn and understated luxury, beautiful in soft light.
• The Pig in the Cotswolds, Barnsley. Walled gardens and a relaxed elegance that suits natural, candid coverage.
THE BARNS
• Caswell House, near Witney. Fifteenth century stone, orchard courtyards and evening light that falls exactly where you want it.
• Cripps Barn, near Cirencester. Flagstones, fires and countryside on every side, made for warm, honest storytelling.
• Kingscote Barn, near Tetbury. A secret valley all of its own, with long views for golden hour.
• Lapstone Barn, near Chipping Campden. A recently restored stone barn with the flexibility for multi day and fusion celebrations.
THE VILLAGES AND LANDSCAPES, FOR YOUR COUPLE PORTRAITS AND PRE WEDDING SESSION
• Arlington Row, Bibury. Perhaps the most painted terrace in England, quiet at first light.
• The Slaughters. Lower and Upper Slaughter, a river, a mill and lanes that ask to be walked slowly.
• Castle Combe. A village that has doubled for period film sets, golden at dusk.
• Broadway Tower and the escarpment. Long views across five counties for wide, editorial frames.
• Stow on the Wold and Chipping Campden. Market squares, wool church doorways and warm stone in every direction.
If your venue is not listed here, it simply means we have not spoken yet. Tell me where you are marrying and I will tell you honestly how I would photograph it.
FAQ
Do you travel to the Cotswolds?
Yes. I am based in North Wales and photograph a limited number of Cotswold and destination weddings each year, which keeps every commission personal.
Have you photographed at our venue?
Possibly not yet, and it will not show on the day. Every Cotswold booking includes a full venue recce in advance, timed to the light we will actually have.
How far ahead should we book?
I am currently booking 2027 and 2028. Popular Cotswold Saturdays are reserved well over a year out, so earlier is kinder to your plans.
When will we see our photographs?
Your full gallery arrives within six to eight weeks, and within four weeks with the Ultimate Editorial Story, which also includes a seventy two hour sneak peek
Your Investment
The Essential Story
For the couple who values authentic storytelling over everything else. From the quiet moments of bridal preparation to the joy of your first dance, your day will be documented with an editorial eye and a light touch - nothing staged, nothing missed.
Full wedding day coverage - bridal preparation through to first dance.
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Choose between a 20-page wedding coffee table book or 5 (8 x 10') prints, relive your love story through each stunning image.
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A beautifully designed private online gallery, secure and accessible from any device.
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Your complete gallery delivered within 6 to 8 weeks.
Starting From
£ 2000
The Signature Story
Some things should exist beyond a screen.
This package is for the couple who wants their investment to last a lifetime.
Full wedding day coverage - from the quiet moments of bridal preparation to the joy of your first dance, your day will be documented with an editorial eye and a light touch - nothing staged, nothing missed.
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Your day, curated into a handcrafted 20 page 'Fine Art' album - every page considered, every image placed with purpose.
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A beautifully designed private online gallery, secure and accessible from any device.
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Your complete gallery delivered within 6 to 8 weeks.
Starting From
£ 2450
The Ultimate Editorial Story
Fancy Paris or London? Experience an intimate and romantic styled photoshoot of who you are as a couple.
Full wedding day coverage - no time restrictions, no compromises!
A styled, unhurried shoot in a city worthy of your love story. (All inclusive Travel and 1 Night accommodation arranged)
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A dedicated 'after-dark' editorial portrait set at the venue.
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The finest album we offer. A 50 page 'Fine Art' Album handcrafted and beautifully designed, because at this level, the story it has to tell deserves nothing less!
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A 72-hour sneak-peek preview gallery, full gallery within 4 weeks.
Starting From
£ 5250
A twenty five percent reservation fee secures your date, with interest free instalments and the balance settled thirty days before the wedding.
'If the Cotswolds are where your story is set, I would be glad to hear it. Tell me about your day, your venue and the photographs you hope to hold in thirty years, and I will come back to you within a day'.