Here’s our top 10 tips for planning your perfect tipi wedding, here at Healing Manor Hotel.
There are so many options when it comes to hosting your perfect tipi wedding. You can light up your tipi by our moated island and lake after your humanist blessing within the grounds, or or you can celebrate your Civl Ceremony in either our Barn or Cadogan Suite, before heading over to the island for your reception. Tipi’s provide a versatile choice that can be customised for any wedding theme.
Tip 1. Budgeting
This is the one that no one really likes to talk about, but budgeting for your tipi wedding has to be one of the first things to consider. As well as the grounds hire and food, there’s going to be the structural costs for the tipi, plus all of the other necessities that will be on your wedding day wish list.
What ever the location for your tipi wedding, always start with the land or venue hire, tipi hire and food costs, as these will be the 3 priciest items on your list.
Tip 2. The Floor Plan
Whilst numbers can be restricted by a venues capacity with indoor weddings, tipi and marquees weddings can grow and grow to accommodate most numbers. Before you make contact with any tipi company, always have the number of guests to hand, as this will dictate how many tipi’s you’ll need to accommodate all of your guests and help with that all important budget.
Another thing to think about early on, is your layout. Are you making space for a bar and dance floor, do you have grand visions for a cheese and cake table, will you be hiring a photo booth, and how many guests will you be seating around each table?
Tip 3. The Ceremony
Have you thought about the type of ceremony you’d like for your marriage? Most brides, more so than the grooms plan aspects of their wedding years in advance, most of us before we’ve even met the person we’re about to marry.
If you’re planning a civil ceremony, our Barn or Cadogan Suite are the perfect backdrops for a fully licensed ceremony. If you’re slightly more traditional or wanting a religious wedding, Healing Church less than 100m from our front door and a beautiful quiet backdrop for declaring your vows to one another. If you’re planning a small and intimate wedding at your local Town Hall, a blessing on the island could the perfect way for all of your guests to celebrate your marriage with you, before enjoying the reception and evening dance off’s.
Tip 4. The Essentials & Boring Bits
Hosting an outdoor wedding means taking into consideration a few essentials that would automatically come when booking a venue.
Whilst we have toilets dotted around the hotel, the island is a short walk away, and budgeting for some luxury loo’s near by might not be a bad call – especially once the beer and fizz starts flowing.
Talk to our Wedding Co-ordinator about your food preferences. If you’d like a sit down meal – a pop up kitchen will be essential. However, if you’re straying towards the idea of a picnic, BBQ or Afternoon Tea style reception, these can often be created away from the main kitchens without having to hire in a whole kitchen and catering tent.
Power and water are a must. A generator can often be provided by the tipi company, or the venue can hire one in for you. Our moated island is a national monument, which means we’re unable to fit any form of permanent electricity on it, and come dusk lighting will be essential.
Tip 5. The Great British Weather
Most Brides & Grooms that we meet have already anticipated the chance of rain, no matter what month they’re getting married in. Tipi’s are waterproof and can even stand the test of snow, but it’s always a good idea to take into consideration additional cover for any outdoor activities, and heating for when the temperature drops come the evening. Some tipi companies can even provide a log fires for those wanting to toast marshmallows whilst half drunk guests dance in the rain!
Brides – think about your footwear for the day. Whilst there’s flooring inside the tipi’s, if you’re planning on some outdoor actives and photographs, opt for some flats or heel guards!
Tip 6. Your Venue Decor
Have you decided a theme for your wedding? Tipi’s can make the most beautiful backdrops for most styles of weddings. Is rustic, vintage or modern your chosen style? Keep in mind both the outside and inside!
Meet with 2-3 local Lincolnshire Wedding Stylists to help plan your wedding decor. There’s so many incredible Venue Stylists who all have different styles, and meeting with more than one can open up your eyes to options you might have never thought about. Treat this in the same way you would when choosing your wedding dress!
Jo from the Wedding & Flower Boutique provides everything from bespoke table settings, fairy lights and romantic back drops, through to fresh flowers and sequin table cloths.
Sam from Stem & Co not only creates the most beautiful rustic floral displays but designs beautiful table centres and ribbon backdrops.
Amy from Jack Loves Jill will help you bring the outdoors in, with rustic haystacks and cable wheels, floral and leafy walls and log slices, all with a modern and romantic twist with pops of colour and beautiful textures.
Photograph by Chris Waud
Photograph by Henry Lowther
Tip 7. The Food
We’ve already spoken about the logistics for planning your wedding menu in the ‘boring bits’ above, but food is quickly becoming one of the most thought about aspects of any wedding. At the end of the day, everyone loves to eat and no-one likes a ‘hangry’ mother of the bride!
The chances are, if you’re considering a tipi wedding, you’re not going to be too fussed about all of the traditions. Why not consider food stations, or something less formal, such as picnic hampers or afternoon teas for each table.
An ice cream cart in the summer months can provide the perfect in-between and distraction for any energy-ridden children between your ceremony and reception and whilst your photographer is doing the rounds.
On Yer Bike hire out their beautiful cart, serving delicious ice creams and even have a uniform to go with it!
Come the evening, an outdoor hog-roast or BBQ is the perfect food for helping guests to soak up the booze they’ve consumed throughout the day time, and they’re just as delicious and enjoyable for children and all of the dedicated drivers.
Tip 8. The Bar
When it comes to planning your bar, our best tip is to keep it simple. Why not treat your guests to a gin or prosecco bar. Whilst we’ll still stock up with all of the essentials to keep all of the beer and wine drinkers happy, a gin and prosecco bar encourages guests to mix and match flavours, and most importantly, well-garnished drinks look pretty in their glasses and photographs!
A prosecco bar can be a fun way for guests who LOVE prosecco, to pimp up their drinks with seasonal fruit purée’s and Belvoirs range of cordials.
Our very own (self proclaimed) Gin-King, Jamie Loring can be on hand to design your very own gin menu with garnish and tonic pairing. We also have local Lincolnshire Pin Gin on supply for all lovers of anything local and gin.
Tip 9. Entertainment
Booking outdoor friendly entertainment, is an essential part of your planning your perfect tipi wedding.
If you’re planning to make the most of the long summer days, why not provide outdoor games for you and your guests in-between all of the formalities and dining. How about your very own DIY sports day with sack racing, croquet & old fashioned outdoor games.
Note – We can’t take responsibility for competitive guests!
Come the evening there’s some great local live bands, or why not hire a DJ to play through all of your favourite songs, new and old.
Tip 10. Lighting
The same can be said for any indoor wedding, but lighting up your tipi is essential. Even during the day time romantic candle light won’t go a miss. Come the evening, not only do you need to consider lighting inside the tipi, but also creating a trail for your guests between the tipi’s loo’s and car park.
Lincolnshire Tipi Hire
Credits
A huge thank you to Kate & Oliver for sharing your beautiful tipi wedding with us here at Healing Manor.
Tipi & outdoor styling – The Wedding & Flower Boutique
Wedding Photographer James Green Studio (unless otherwise stated)
