Looking for a wedding venue where you have the freedom to create a day that’s totally you? It’s got to be a tipi venue. OK, so we may be a little bit biased, but at Hadsham Farm we honestly believe that a tipi wedding gives you the flexibility and free rein to put together a really bespoke celebration. One of the biggest ways to put your own stamp on things is by choosing your own wedding suppliers. These are the dream team who will bring your big day vision to life and help set the tone for your wedding. If it all feels a bit overwhelming, don’t panic – we’ve got you. We’ve helped hundreds of couples pull off some truly excellent weddings at Hadsham Farm, so here’s our step-by-step, stress-free guide on how to choose suppliers for your tipi wedding.
1. Make a list of what you need
The first place to start is to work out exactly what kind of vendors you need to bring your day together. The most obvious essentials for a tipi wedding will be catering and a bar, but then there’s also florists and wedding photographers to consider. What are your plans for the day and evening? Do you need to book in any entertainment, like a band or DJ, or will you sort the music yourself? Perhaps you want to switch things up a bit with more alternative entertainment like a glitter bar or pop-up karaoke booth. Make a list of ‘must-haves’ and ‘would likes’ then go from there.
2. Think of the logistics
When it comes to choosing the best wedding vendors for a tipi venue, you have to consider the logistics of an outdoor space. Are toilet facilities included in your venue hire? If not, they need to go on the list. What kind of electricity hook-up does your tipi venue offer and are there any restrictions in place? Get all the info from your venue before you start the supplier search.
3. Set your budget
Another thing you need to do before you start approaching any wedding vendors is to set your budget. One of the easiest ways to do this is to set an overall budget for external suppliers, then split that up into what you want to spend, where. Catering will likely take the biggest chunk. Once you have these numbers in place it gives you a clear idea of what, realistically, is affordable. And, if you find a vendor that you love but is over the allocated budget, be prepared to make compromises elsewhere.
4. Speak to your venue
The best way to connect with genuinely great local wedding suppliers is by asking your venue for their recommendations. A tipi venue isn’t usually bound to any particular supplier – we certainly aren’t at Hadsham Farm – so can advise you honestly on the vendors which have worked well for couples in the past, and the ones that maybe didn’t work out quite so well. They may also have some in-house options you can use if you like. We have our own Prop Shop, full of décor items you can hire for your wedding, as well as Hadsham Farm Flowers, our family flower farm, for you to source your big day florals.
5. Visit your venue’s Instagram
It’s always handy to have a scroll through your venue’s Instagram page – you can find ours here – to look at real weddings held at your chosen tipi venue. Suppliers are often tagged in these, and it’s a great way to discover different vendors who align with your big day vibe.
6. Then look at your supplier’s Instagram
Once you’ve spotted some possible suppliers here, visit their own Instagram pages to have a look through the events they’ve worked on in the past. It helps get an idea of what they can offer and how it might fit into your day.
7. Check they have outdoor wedding experience
Head to your potential supplier’s website to find out if they have any outdoor wedding experience. A tipi venue is a world away from a traditional country house venue, so you want to know vendors will be at home in this setting and know how to plan for all eventualities for your wedding. Usually this will be obvious from the information or photos on their website, or in the FAQs, but if not drop them an email to ask the question.
8. Make a shortlist
When you have a few different external suppliers in mind, it’s time to put together a shortlist for each category – starting with the ‘must haves’. It’s helpful to do this at this stage, rather than focus in on one particular supplier only to find they are booked up on your wedding day already.
9. Check out online reviews
Read as many reviews as possible for each of your shortlisted suppliers. There should be reviews or testimonials from couples on their website, as well as Google reviews and reviews in wedding directories (if they are on these). Look through the comments on their socials and see if they’re included in any wedding blogs.
10. Ask all the questions
Once you’ve done this, it’s time to get in touch. Email everyone on your shortlist to find out their availability, prices and packages, their terms and conditions and what the next steps would be (for example, whether you need to book or pay a deposit by a certain time). Once you’ve got their responses back you should have a clearer idea of which suppliers are a good fit. This is a perfect time to meet in person or chat on the phone to ask any further questions you might have.
11. Get them booked in
Once you’ve settled on your dream team, get them booked in. Don’t forget to let the other suppliers you’ve reached out to know you’ve chosen someone else; it’s good manners and they’ll appreciate it. Now the suppliers are booked in, the fun begins!
Searching for your dream tipi wedding venue in the Cotswolds?
We’d love the chance to show you around our glorious outdoor tipi venue, tucked away in the north of Oxfordshire. Hadsham Farm Weddings has hosted hundreds of epic celebrations, and we love offering couples the freedom to build a day to suit their style. With a lakeside ceremony space, luxurious permanent tipi structure and stylish Shepherd’s Hut wedding suite, there’s a lot to love here. Click here to book a viewing or to ask us a question and we’ll get straight back to you.
