Top 10 Tips for a Festival Wedding in a Tipi

If, like I had, you've been dreaming of a festival style wedding complete with a giant tipi, quirky décor, ‘Wedfest’ wristbands and a vibrant laid back atmosphere, but also like me you’re sitting there thinking “Where the heck do I start?”, then fear not, you've come to the right place. Having recently celebrated our marriage with a festival-themed wedding reception in a beautiful tipi, on our friend's farm, it's safe to say we learned a thing or two about making the day magical and memorable for everyone. 

Here are my top tips to consider while planning your dreamy festival tipi wedding:

Tip Number 1 - Find Your Field of Dreams: 

Take some time to seek out the perfect spot to pitch up your giant tipis. We were fortunate to have family friends with a picturesque farm in the beautiful rolling hills of Cheshire, who kindly offered us a spare field to host around 70 of our nearest and dearest to share our special day. But don’t despair if you don’t have a farming friend on speed dial; it’s likely you’ll be able to find a friendly farmer or landowner in your local area to help you out. 

Before speaking with our friends and their resident sheep, who had to vacate their lush field for a few days, we reached out to local landowners and farmers to seek a space for our wedding reception, and found that we could have potentially rented a field for between £1,000 - £2,000 for the weekend. It’s a worthy investment for those breath-taking countryside vistas and the freedom to party under the stars until the early hours. So, channel your inner location scout and find that special space. 

It's worthwhile shortlisting some tipi suppliers and getting some quotes before securing a field or space.

Tip Number 2: Anticipate the Challenges of a Remote Wedding Venue!

Let’s be honest, hosting your wedding in the middle of nowhere is wonderfully romantic and gives you the freedom to design everything from scratch, literally from the ground up, but of course it also comes with its own set of unique challenges too. It’s super important that you face into the planning of your festival space with your eyes wide open, think outside the box and expect the unexpected. It's really important to consider the essentials that you wouldn’t need to think about in a hotel function room, like toilets, electricity and a water supply. 

It’s super important that you face into the planning of your festival space with your eyes wide open, think outside the box and expect the unexpected.

So first things first, with any remote venue, portable toilets are an absolute must! Whilst our friend's farm house was only a short stroll across the field, we didn’t want hoards of guests ploughing through their home to powder their nose, nor did we want lazy guests disappearing into the bushes either. We kept things comfortable for everyone and hired a lovely portaloo unit which was delivered on site, complete with proper toilets in cubicles and sinks with running water. We parked ours up behind our Tipi and put a matted pathway leading to it. This way, nobody had to stare into a portaloo whilst tucking into their main meal. 

Next up, remember to think about your power requirements for things like lighting, speakers for music, electrical requirements for a band, a DJ and caterers, along with fridges to help keep drinks cool. It’s likely you will need a generator for this, so make sure you pick one that can cope with your requirements. Whilst whimsical candles and battery lights may seem like a wonderful solution come dusk, it's highly likely you will also want to light up your space with more than just a few solar lights. Our tipi company provided gorgeous fairy lights which spiralled up the main poles, creating a magical atmosphere, even in the daylight, along with festoon lighting zigzagging along the walkways to help guide our guests safely. Lighting is not just about visibility; it sets the mood and keeps the festival vibes alive long after dark. It's also worth mentioning, generators can be noisy, so again we placed ours behind our tipi out of the way and switched it off whilst the speeches took place. This is when our battery powered bottle lights and candles on tables were given their moment to shine. 

Tip Number 3: Be Ready for the Weather, But Don’t Let It Dampen Your Spirits!

Ahh the good old British weather! As we all know it can be very unpredictable at times so it's best to be ready for anything, from blazing sunshine to sudden downpours. We stocked up on umbrellas to help our guests use the outside space during a couple of light showers, ensuring everyone stayed dry and stylish.

Being as prepared as possible, can help to ensure that everyone enjoys the beauty of the remote setting without any hitches.

On the flip side, don’t forget the sunscreen too and remember to provide plenty of water. We didn’t have a water supply to our field so we set up a useful hydration station complete with a water dispenser and cups, which was regularly refilled to keep everyone hydrated. We also found it helpful to have a first-aid kit on hand and a few cosy blankets for when the night became cooler. 

Top Tip Number 4: Keep Your Perfect Space Looking Perfect:

Plan carefully where vehicles will manoeuvre and park! Accessibility and parking is a key thing to remember when choosing where your tipi will be situated. You will likely have a couple of small wagons arriving on site in the days leading up to your special day, loaded with things like the main structure and furniture to set up your dream space. It's important to create assigned entry routes for all vehicles needing access, perhaps somewhere behind your tipi, this is just in case their tires churn up the grass when manoeuvring.

Whilst you're going for the festival vibes, let's be honest, no one really wants a full-blown Glastonbury-style mud bath for your guests to wade through on arrival.

Also, when you’re planning out where things like toilets and food trucks will park, be mindful of their entry routes too, the last thing you want is them arriving the morning of your wedding and creating tire tracks everywhere. This is especially annoying if, like us, your videographer uses drone footage as part of your wedding video. Our wonderful catering team unknowingly left stripes and circles all over the freshly mowed grass with their van and trailer. Luckily for us, the ground was dry, and none of our guests noticed.

Consider including a map with the invite or with the order of the day on their seats in the church.

Finally on this point, it’s also helpful to ensure your space is easy to access for your guests too. Think about having designated parking for them, so your excited festival goers don’t just rock up and park randomly in the middle of your field, spoiling the aesthetics and causing havoc. Ensure your guests have clear directions to your venue. Consider including a map with the invite or with the order of the day on their seats in the church. This can save a lot of stress on the day. Signs for parking and traffic cones can also be handy to help navigate your guests to the designated parking areas. We also enlisted a couple of our Ushers to assist with this too.

Top Tip Number 5: Be Prepared for Lots of Uneven Surfaces:

We tried our best to choose the flattest most suitable part of the field for our tipi to be erected on, and the company we used provided matting for the inside and a sizable space out-front too, unfortunately we learned the hard way that high heels and grassy fields, even with heavy duty matting on, don’t really mix. With the best will in the world, if you're partying in a field you need to be prepared that the surface under your feet isn’t always going to be perfectly flat. My solution? Prepare your guests in advance by advising them to wear flat shoes, along with setting up a cute shoe station where guests can swap their heels for brightly coloured flip flops instead. We bought these in bulk from an online supplier for just a few pounds each. Whilst everyone found navigating the uneven ground easier after a couple of glasses of fizz, some of our guests still appreciated kicking off their heels and swapping to more subtle footwear.

We also added extra matting to create a pathway from the parking area to the main space. This was especially helpful for our elderly guests and those with poor mobility. My bridesmaids and I were also very grateful not to have our heels sink in the soft ground.

Top Tip Number 6: Crafting the Perfect Wedding Menu in a Field!

When planning our wedding, one thing I was absolutely sure about was steering clear of a formal three-course sit-down meal. I wanted to capture the relaxed vibe of a festival and infuse our personalities into the catering. After much deliberation, we decided on a Lancashire-based Hog Roast company to provide a delicious feast. The enticing aroma of BBQ smoke upon arrival added an extra layer of excitement to our reception.

Instead of traditional starters or canapés, I set up a snack station for our guests upon their arrival. They could grab a cone filled with crisps, pretzels, and other tasty treats to enjoy with their welcome fizz or beer. This was a huge hit and easy to replenish as needed. Once seated, we had pre-filled jars of olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian-style breadsticks for guests to nibble on during the speeches. 

We flipped the traditional running order around and had the speeches right after we sat down and before our meal.

After heartfelt speeches from my husband, his best man, and my wonderful mum, everyone could relax and enjoy a hearty hog roast at their own pace. We flipped the traditional running order around and had the speeches right after we sat down and before our meal. This brilliant idea, courtesy of my husband, allowed him to fully enjoy his meal without the stress of pending speeches and meant if anyone wanted to mingle outside or by the bar we didn't then have to usher everyone back to their seats again. 

Our caterers also provided a selection of delightful desserts that were enthusiastically received. And, instead of an evening buffet, reflecting my unconventional style, our wedding cake, a three tier giant pork pie, was sliced and served on platters later in the night, alongside cheese, crackers, and an array of pickles and chutneys. It was a deliciously memorable way to cap off our special day.

Top Tip Number 7: Bar & Drinks - Self Serve vs Serviced Bar

Deciding how to manage the bar was a decision that required careful consideration. We deliberated between hiring a professional full bar service or arranging a self-service bar where our guests could help themselves. After weighing the pros and cons, we settled on a hybrid approach that combined the best of both worlds. We took a trip to a local cash and carry to stock up on a diverse selection of beers, wines, spirits, and soft drinks. To ensure seamless service throughout the event, we partnered with a nearby restaurant to handle pouring drinks and serving guests, then later in the night when the bar staff went home our guests took it in turns at serving drinks which they thoroughly enjoyed.

To enhance the ambiance and provide a genuine bar experience, we rented a stylish half-circle wooden bar counter and glass-fronted fridges from our tipi provider. These additions not only complemented the rustic charm of our venue but also made it convenient for guests to enjoy a variety of beverages in a professional setting. This thoughtful approach allowed us to strike a balance between quality service and personal involvement, ensuring that our guests had a memorable and enjoyable experience at the bar throughout the celebration.

Top Tip Number 8: Create a Handy Hideaway for Clutter

As the festivities unfolded, we quickly realised how easily boxes of beer, spare supplies, empty glasses, and guests' bags could clutter up our event space. Reflecting on our experience, we recognised the importance of having a designated area to store these essentials. A small marquee or an extra tent dedicated solely to storage would have made a significant difference. It could have effectively maintained our main area clutter-free and organised, ensuring that everything had its rightful place. Furthermore, such a setup would have provided guests with a secure spot to store their belongings, alleviating concerns about tripping over items as the celebration progressed.

At one point during the day, I found myself searching through a pile of handbags and carrier bags in the corner of the tipi, trying to locate my own bag of makeup. Meanwhile, my mum was unable to access the knife we had brought for cutting the cake, which was stowed away in a box behind the bar. We also misplaced some stacks of cups intended for the coffee machine, and boxes of wine and beer were piled up haphazardly in a corner behind the bar looking quite unsightly. 

Reflecting on these challenges, I emphasise the importance of learning from our oversight. Planning ahead with a designated hideaway space would have ensured that our event remained both functional and visually appealing. This foresight would have created a seamless experience for us and our guests, allowing everyone to fully enjoy the celebration without unnecessary disruptions. Take this lesson to heart and prioritise setting up a dedicated storage area out of sight, to keep everything organised and easily accessible throughout your event.

Tip Number 9 - Seek Help from the Pros: 

It's worthwhile shortlisting some tipi suppliers before securing a field or making any solid plans. They may also be able to help you locate a field or space by putting you in touch with venues they've used before or by making recommendations based on their knowledge of your local area.

The company we hired for our tipi and furniture from were incredible. They talked to us in-depth about everything during the planning stage and helped us navigate every eventuality. They made creating our perfect space effortless and fun, and they had fantastic ideas about how best to use the space we had. I’d highly recommend working with professionals who do this kind of thing day in and day out; their help can be invaluable.

Moreover, professionals bring a wealth of experience and creativity to the table, often suggesting ideas and solutions you might not have considered. Their expertise can save you time and stress, ensuring that all logistical aspects are covered and that your vision is brought to life seamlessly. From handling unexpected weather changes to optimising the layout for guest flow, their insights can significantly enhance the overall success and enjoyment of your event.

Top Tip Number 10: Thoughtful Details to Help Guests Relax and Remember your Forever!

Last but by no means least, my final top tip for anyone planning a wedding is to try and include some thoughtful details to help guests both relax into the festivities and remember the time they had for many years to come. To help with this we tried to ensure everyone felt comfortable and cared for throughout the day, with thoughtful details that added a personal touch and helped create a relaxed atmosphere for our guests.

Personalised Wedfest Wristbands - We ordered personalised ‘Wedfest’ festival wristbands for our guests to wear upon arrival, a nod to where we first met all those years ago in a muddy field. These wristbands, crafted with our wedding date and a unique design, became cherished keepsakes that our friends and family could take home, serving as a lasting reminder of our special day. We used a company called Wedfest for ours and they were perfect!

“Oh Shit Kit”: One of the small but practical touches was our "oh shit kit" placed in the bathroom. Stocked with essentials like plasters, tissues, and deodorant, it was a thoughtful gesture created by my mum that didn't go unnoticed. Guests appreciated having these necessities at hand, ensuring they could freshen up and continue enjoying the day without worry.

“Don’t take my drink, I'm dancing!” - To encourage our guests to mingle and dance without worrying about their drinks, we provided reusable coasters. These coasters not only protected their drinks but also served as handy identifiers to help guests keep track of their glasses throughout the evening. It was a simple yet effective way to minimise waste and ensure everyone could enjoy the party hassle-free. 

Glass Charms - We also incorporated charms for guests to mark their glasses as we used proper glassware and didn’t have enough to keep replacing them. This personal touch not only added a bit of fun but also encouraged guests to reuse their glasses throughout the night, reducing the environmental impact and adding to the festival vibe.

Quotes and Banners- As music lovers, we adorned the tipis with festival banners featuring quotes from our favourite songs and movies. These quotes added a whimsical and nostalgic touch, creating a backdrop that resonated with our shared passions. Carrying on the music theme, I designed our seating plan and table name/number cards, which were printed on old records and stood in stands. This creative touch not only added a nostalgic and artistic flair to our décor but also reflected our love for music, making the experience even more personal and memorable for our guests.

‘Shake it like a polaroid picture’ - For our guest book, we opted for polaroid pictures. It was heart-warming to see guests capture spontaneous moments throughout the day and leave messages alongside their photos. This interactive guest book became a cherished keepsake, filled with heartfelt messages and snapshots of laughter and joy.

Always in our Hearts - Finally, we lit a candle in memory of loved ones who couldn't be with us. This quiet tribute ensured they were present in spirit, adding a poignant touch to our celebration. These thoughtful details not only enhanced our wedding day but also reflected our values of hospitality, sustainability, and honouring those who matter most to us.

As I reflect back on our wedding day, I’m filled with such joy and a sense of accomplishment. I spent many months creating decorative items, personalised gifts and accessories for our guests, knowing every moment of our special day was crafted with care and filled with happiness. Our festival Wedding was a testament to the magic of blending personal touches with a relaxed, festive atmosphere.

If you're dreaming of a wedding that’s truly your own, don’t hesitate to just  go for it. Embrace the freedom to create a celebration that reflects your unique journey together. With thoughtful details, a bit of creativity, and the love of friends and family, your festival wedding can be everything you imagine and more. It's an experience filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories, and it's one you and your guests will treasure forever.

So go ahead, take the leap, and create your own festival of love!