De Vere Tortworth Court, Bristol, Fusion Wedding, Civil wedding, couples portrait

Zlat & Karen

“Wow. We both just cried. They are epic!!! Beyond our wildest dreams.’


Civil Wedding & Reception | De Vere Tortworth Court | Gloucestershire

A hugely entertaining wedding from start to finish at a venue fit for such an occasion


Driving up to De Vere Tortworth Court, you could be mistaken that you’ve entered the world of Harry Potter. Just on the outskirts of the Cotswolds, it looked incredible as I arrived early and raring to go.

A morning of excitement

First stop was to check out the set up for the civil ceremony. Everything was in place in the beautiful Orangery. It now just needed the guests and the happy couple. And the happy couple was where I was heading to see next.

First up was Zlat. His room was a buzz of activity when I turned up. It wasn’t the biggest of rooms, but there must have been about 20 people in there. All trying to get ready. It was carnage, but it was great fun being in there documenting what I could.

We decided to vacate his room and head to the gardens instead to apply the finishing touches. I was grateful for the space to move around in! Zlat and his family were on top form, and the atmosphere was of excitement mixed with nervous energy.

Soon after, I headed up to see Karen. Her room was equally as lively with her family and friends adding their own final touches to their hair and make up. Karen was as excited as I’ve seen any bride and the champagne was already in full flow.

A ceremony full of emotion

Back at the Orangery, guests had started taking their seats and it wasn’t long before Zlat and his entourage turned up. Time seemed to speed up and before we knew it, the flower girls, bridesmaids and Karen accompanied by her mum were walking down the aisle.

It was a highly emotional moment and Zlat couldn’t hold back his tears. But those tears soon turned to smiles and laughter as the ceremony got underway. The Orangery in De Vere Tortworth Estate provided a beautiful backdrop to a lovely ceremony. When Zlat & Karen were finally announced as husband and wife, the party could finally get started.

The guests and newlyweds made their way outside for the confetti run and drinks in the gardens. It was a gorgeous day for people to relax and enjoy each others company. It was also a perfect opportunity to take some portraits of Zlat & Karen, and we were certainly spoilt for choice in the gardens.

Meanwhile, the Orangery was transformed for the wedding breakfast as guests made in, just in time for speeches. With plenty of embarrassing stories and head in hands moments, their reactions provided some perfect photo-fodder.

A multicultural celebration

Zlat is Croatian, so many of his family had travelled over to celebrate their day. It was wonderful to see two beautiful cultures join together, with Karen’s family being Sikh. There was plenty of Croatian songs being sung which added to international celebrations.

Once dinner had finished, everyone vacated the Orangery to start getting ready for the evenings entertainment. With a short break, the venue had once again been turned around for the reception.

There was wild scenes at Zlat & Karen entered the venue to cut the cake. Kudos Entertainment kept the dance floor packed before an announcement was made for guests to make their way back out into the gardens for a surprise.

An amazing fireworks display lit up the sky before people headed back in for some late night food, drinks and more dancing.

As a Multicultural Wedding Photographer, they don’t get much better than Zlat & Karen’s epic day. These two were amazing to work and make a fantastic couple. The smiles never left their faces the whole day, and the same could be said for everyone involved in their wedding.

Their wedding story had so much to tell, but here are just a few highlights of their beautiful day. Enjoy!

Let’s chat

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen, please explore more amazing weddings like this under ‘Stories‘. I would love to hear about your plans so if you’re after a Wedding Photographer, please Get In Touch!

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De Vere Tortworth Court, Bristol, Fusion Wedding, Civil wedding

De Vere Tortworth Court

Situated just north of Bristol, De Vere Tortworth Court, Wotton Under Edge, is a historic hotel in stunning surroundings – a place where a centuries-old story meets an exceptionally modern experience.