Loving the idea of a tipi wedding? We don’t blame you. Choosing a tipi wedding venue gives you the freedom and flexibility to really create a bespoke wedding day – one that properly reflects who you are as a couple. What’s not to love? At Hadsham Farm Weddings we understand that planning your tipi wedding may feel a little daunting at first, but we’ve hosted hundreds of couples at our Cotswold tipi venue and can promise it doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Here’s our stress-free, step-by-step guide to planning your tipi wedding, covering everything from the logistics to the fun DIY extras.
1. Set your budget
Boring, we know, but before you start looking at tipi wedding venues you need to get a budget in place. Work out exactly what you can afford and set up a spreadsheet (it’s your wedding planning BFF). Just remember you will need to factor in the cost of big day ‘extras’ like catering when you plan a DIY tipi wedding.
2. Work out a guest list
While you don’t need to come up with a definitive guest list at this stage, it is important to have a general idea of numbers before the venue hunt. This way you can make sure you’re looking at tipi venues with the right kind of capacity.
3. Find a tipi venue
Your venue sets the tone for the whole for your wedding day, so of course finding the right one is a big deal. There’s two ways you can throw a tipi wedding; you can hire a tipi and set it up with permission in a suitable space (a large garden or local field) or book a pre-set-up tipi venue, like Hadsham Farm Weddings.
Choosing an existing venue definitely makes life easier as they will usually offer the practical essentials like power and toilets in the booking. Our Cotswolds tipi venue is a family-run affair, so we’re on hand to help you out with your planning if you need us.
When choosing a tipi venue, or a site to pitch the tipi, make sure you consider accessibility for your guests, particularly those with mobility issues.
It’s also important to look into the hire terms, in particular how long you have the venue for. At Hadsham Farm Weddings the tipi is yours for three days, giving you a day to set up, a day for the actual celebration, and a final day to clear the venue back down (after a hearty brunch cooked up on our BBQ, of course).
4. Sort the practical bits
You’ve found your dream tipi wedding venue – hooray! – now you need to tick off the logistics. The absolute essentials are power, water, toilets, lighting and a sound system.
Some venues (including us!) will provide the tables and chairs for your celebration too; if your venue doesn’t, remember to factor this into your budget.
5. Organise the catering
Food and drink are key to an epic celebration, so of course you want to get the catering spot on. Most tipi wedding venues will ask you to arrange your own outside caterers, which means you’ve got total freedom to create the wedding menu of dreams. Taco van? Wood-fired pizzas? Hog roast? The world’s your oyster. Don’t forget to tap into your venue’s experience and ask them for any recommendations from past weddings. We have an awesome Little Black Book of caterers we’re always happy to share with our couples. We also have years of experience in hosting external caterers for weddings so you’re in safe hands.
Alongside the catering, you’re going to need a bar, so get this booked in when you sort your caterers. Whether you’ve got your heart set on a fancy cocktail bar or kegs of beer, anything goes at Hadsham Farm Weddings. We won’t even charge corkage if you prefer to bring your own drinks for the day.
6. Plan the music
What kind of music do you want for your wedding party? If it’s a live band or DJ, best get them booked in straight away. Alternatively, why not create your own couple’s playlist to guarantee all of your favourite songs make an appearance? Check in advance that your venue provides an in-house PA System otherwise this is something you’ll need to arrange.
7. Think about accommodation
Do you want to your guests to be able to stay over at the venue the night of your wedding? If so, look for a tipi venue with accommodation on site. At our Oxfordshire venue we have a luxurious Shepherd’s Hut Wedding Suite for our newlyweds, as well as 12 fancy lakeside glamping bell tents for guests. There’s even some extra space for guests to pitch their own tents if they wish.
If you can’t find the right venue with accommodation on site, look for one with hotels, pubs or B&Bs close by.
8. Book your ceremony
Think about what kind of ceremony you want. If you have your heart set on a church ceremony look for tipi venues with a nearby church and get in touch as early as you can to check for availability and any restrictions. Most of our couples choose to get the legal bit done at a registry office before their tipi wedding, then hold a celebrant-led (or friend-led in many cases!) ceremony at our lakeside spot. Whatever you decide, make sure you get the legal bits sorted ahead of time.
9. Sort the décor
A tipi is the coolest blank canvas for you to personalise for your wedding, so have fun coming up the perfect theme, colour scheme or general vibe for your big day. We’d suggest taking a look at some other real weddings held at your venues, for a bit of styling inspiration.
Flowers play a big part in bringing a wedding look together, so search for local florists or ask your venue for suggestions. We grow our own flowers at Hadsham Farm, and can provide you with the most beautiful, in-season, homegrown blooms for your DIY wedding flowers. We also have a huge list of decor items in our Prop Shop – think everything from festival style flags to garden games – which you’re welcome to hire out for the day.
10. Send out your invites
Aim to send your wedding invites out around four to six months before the big day. This gives guests plenty of time to make plans if they need to travel far, as well as lots of notice for those who need to book accommodation.
11. Personalise with cool details
With all the main things ticked off your to-do list, and an idea of what’s left of your budget, you can focus on all the fun extras that make a tipi wedding so excellent. In our experience, a photo booth is always a crowd-pleaser, as is a pop-up glitter station or a help-yourself basket of glow sticks. We also love the trend for wedding illustrators, who will sketch your guests as they chill out at your drinks reception.
12. Round up your helpers
The beauty of a tipi venue is that you can make it your own, but it’s not a one-person job so now is the time to round-up your dream team. Ask your immediate wedding party – family, bridesmaids and groomsmen – to help out with the setup. So many of our couples say they have the best memories of the day before their wedding, when all of their favourite people got together to bring the wedding vision to life.
13. Enjoy it all
And that’s it – you’ve successfully planned the coolest tipi wedding of them all! Now all that’s left is to enjoy every minute of your day.
Ready to plan a tipi wedding?
If you’re at the start of your tipi wedding planning journey, we’d love the chance to show you around Hadsham Farm Weddings. Tucked away in the northern Cotswolds, our Oxfordshire tipi venue is something special. With dreamy panoramic countryside views and a romantic lakeside setting, our luxe tipi venue is the perfect choice for couples who want a day packed with personality. We offer multi-day hire so you can come on in and make yourselves at home. Click here to book a viewing or to ask the team any questions you may have.
