Marybrooke Manor Wedding Photos
A 1940 mock-Tudor guesthouse on the edge of Sherbrooke Forest, with a chapel, a gazebo lawn and rooms upstairs
Marybrooke Manor is a National Trust-listed guesthouse and reception centre on Sherbrooke Road in Sherbrooke, about 30 km east of Melbourne in the Dandenong Ranges. Eric Dowdle built it in 1940 as the grandest of his six mountain guesthouses: four storeys, timber-framed, mock-Tudor, with a curved bedroom wing. It served as a children’s rest home during the war, ran the Baron of Beef restaurant from 1968 to 1988, and was renovated from 1992 into the hotel and wedding venue it is now.
We have photographed and filmed weddings at Marybrooke Manor. The eight-acre grounds sit right against Sherbrooke Forest, so ceremonies happen on the gazebo lawn under the canopy or in the indoor chapel with its fireplace and garden windows. There are 20 suites on site plus a cottage, which means the morning preparation, the ceremony, the portraits and the reception all happen without a car trip in between.
How to prepare for your wedding photos (without overthinking it)
Seven small things that make a real difference on the day — learned across hundreds of weddings. None of them involve practising poses.
In motion, unposed · FR 15A1. Be yourselves — that's where the magic is
You don't need to perform or worry about what you look like. The best photos come from real moments: a glance, a laugh, a shared breath. Let go a little — we'll guide when needed, and the best unfolds naturally.
2. Build buffer time into your timeline
A little breathing room between getting ready, the ceremony and couple portraits makes all the difference. It gives us space for spontaneous shots — and gives you time to soak it all in.
3. Choose locations that feel like you
A quiet lane, an open field, a textured wall — we love meaningful or interesting spots. Trust us to find great light, but if you've got a place you love, let's work it in.
4. Consider an unplugged ceremony
Phones can distract from the emotion (and your photos). Asking guests to be fully present makes for cleaner frames and a more heartfelt atmosphere.
5. Get ready in calm, light-filled spaces
Clutter-free rooms with natural light are a photographer's dream, and calm energy in the morning sets the tone for the day. Keep the space tidy — or assign a friend to do a quick sweep before we arrive.
6. Keep a drink and snacks nearby
Especially during portraits — hydration and a little sugar go a long way in keeping energy and moods high.
7. Trust the process
We've worked at hundreds of weddings and we're here to make you look and feel amazing. Trust us with the light, the angles, the pace — we've got you.
Photographing a wedding at Marybrooke Manor
The forest keeps the light soft and green for most of the day, so midday portraits work here when they would not elsewhere. The heritage drawing room is the spot for quiet frames if the mountain mist rolls in, and the chapel is the standing wet-weather plan. Sunset arrives early behind the ridge in winter, so we bring the couple session forward by half an hour. The Tudor front with its timber and gables reads best from the driveway side.