Now it’s no secret that we love a wedding tipi at Festival Brides. I (Laura) had two giant nordic tipis at my wedding back in 2013 and I know that hundreds of our brides have booked them as well. There is just something so awe-inspiring and breath taking about them. Couples often talk about creating the wow factor at their venue and a giant hat tipi most definitely does this. They look amazing against a blue skyline or set within stunning countryside and inside they create an atmosphere that is intimate, unique and very cool. They are also the perfect addition to a Festival Wedding. I don’t think I have ever been to a major festival where one hasn’t been used in someway.
Their are hundreds of wedding tipi companies in the UK so finding one that suits you can be a task in itself. Well, that’s where we come in! Our Festival Brides Love series features only the best suppliers in the festival and outdoor wedding industry and asks the questions that we feel you need to know whilst hunting for suppliers. Suppliers like Cotswold Tipis who we are in the spotlight today. Not only are they experts in creating amazing spaces using their giant hat tipis but also experts in creating amazing events. Their customer focus and attention to detail is second to none and they will always strive the extra mile to help you plan your wedding day. What makes them that extra bit special is they also supply bell tents and can help you create a glamping village that will rival the likes of Glastonbury (ok maybe not quite Glastonbury but you get my point!)
We asked Geoff and Rhian, the owners of Cotswold Tipis, all about their giant nordic tipis, bell tents and the services they can offer you for your wedding.
Tell us a little bit about yourselves?
We create amazing spaces for our happy couples wedding day using the power of giant tipis! Cotswold Tipis is the brainchild of Geoff Vaughan and Rhian Evans and we really do love what we do!
A bit about Geoff:
Looks after the hands on parts of Cotswold Tipis. Geoff manages the build team and will be there on site during any recces, and of course the tipi build, to give a helping hand, offer suggestions and wax lyrical about his beloved tipis. Geoff has years of experience in the field and would happily live in a field given the chance.
Geoff has decided he wants to ‘do’ triathlons. He talks a lot about them and seems to be training but has yet to actually do a race. Geoff has 2 small boys, 3 & 6 yrs old, who both speak Spanish better than him after his 8 years of lessons…. however he does a mean Argentine Barbeque and even roasted a whole lamb at his own wedding!
A bit about Rhian:
Heads up all things digital at Cotswold Tipis. Oversees the team and balances this with looking after 3 small boys – a similar skill set being required for both elements. Rhian is passionate about great customer experience and making sure people have a good time.
A keen rugby player for Bath she has the highest metabolism in the company if not the Cotswolds – is able to consume 4-5 chocolate bars in an afternoon without putting on an ounce of weight. Hails from Wales as the name suggests and best avoided during the Six nations. Holds the office record for the highest number of Martyr points ever received in a week of work.
If you had the chance to go to any music festival, which one would it be and why?
I can’t speak for the whole team but top of my bucket list is the annual amazing event called Burning Man. Not really a music festival but when you bring 60,000+ people together and build a temporary low impact city in the desert for a week I’m sure music plays a part. Could we take the tipis to Burning Man? Why not!
What made you decide to start Cotswold Tipis?
Since 2009 we have created, designed and operated campsites and temporary structures for some amazing events: Olympics, Charity Bike rides, Tour de France, Tough Mudder, Champions League Final, Commonwealth Games, Edinburgh Fringe, Music Festivals, Le Mans 24 Heures, Weddings, you name it! In 2017 with a host of bookings looking for tipis we decided to take the plunge and place the orders we had always wanted to. Since 2010 we have been slightly obsessed with the beautiful nordic giant tipis and now we are the proud owners of many of them!
What makes your tipis and the services you supply stand out from a crowd?
A large part of what we do is helping create that wow moment for a couples’ big day. That moment, that afternoon, that night’s party may have been 1 year in the planning and a lot more in a happy couples’ imagination. Our role is to help create these moments, supporting couples and families along the way. Our service begins with a website visit, an e-mail or a phone call and ends 6 months to 2 years later with a clean site, a very happy couple and wowed guests.
Booking a tipi with us is not just placing an order and that’s it. We are on hand to help you along the way. We have years of experience of creating camping and event sites for some of the biggest events there are. We stock a huge amount of equipment including Bell tents and are more than happy to help advise you along the way.
You mention you can also supply bell tents so couples can create their very own glamping village. Can you tell us how this works?
At my own wedding in 2013 we camped for 2 nights post wedding with 60 of our guests. That ability to stay over at an event and even lengthen the event was something we wanted to do. We wanted to have our friends and family there and have the opportunity to chat to every one of them properly.
In terms of a glamping or camping village we stock a large amount of beautiful Bell tents as well as over 150 standard family tents. Enough for over 300 wedding guests. These can be rented and set up for you to create your very own village. We can fully decorate and furnish the tents with mattresses, duvets, bedding, chairs, lighting etc or leave them empty for your guests. If you want to create your very own festival environment do contact us as we stock everything from catering tents, water urns, site lighting, festoons, signage, extinguishers, chairs the list is endless!
We love a glamping village at Festival Brides! Why do you think they are a great alternative accommodation option for couples and their guests?
Camping is a great addition to any Tipi event like a wedding. Offering camping solves the problem of ensuring there is enough accommodation for your guests and helpers. Your happy campers will be able to enjoy themselves without inhibition – no designated driver, no having to call it a night when the taxi arrives and it’s a great option for guests with children. If you are going full DIY, camping is a great way for your wedding helpers to stay with you while setting up or being on hand for those finishing touches.
Bell Tents are wonderfully charming, and a great way to enjoy the outdoors and create additional accommodation. They are aesthetically pleasing; white canvas circular tents with a central pole and half-moon side vents that let natural light flood in. They are spacious, with standing height throughout.
We can’t really emphasise enough how much camping could positively impact your guests’ and your own experience at your wedding or event. Being able to stay on site is so valuable, and the prospect of getting up in the morning to share breakfast with the wedding party, friends, family takes the pressure off your special day. It will go fast enough as it is, make the most of it.
If our readers were to book you for their wedding, what sort of service can they expect?
What we pride ourselves on is the people you deal with over the phone and e-mail will be the same people you meet in an empty field months or even years before your event. It will be the same people who will answer your questions throughout the process and it will be the same people who put up the tipis for your big day.
We are a sharing bunch and we have created events for years. We will provide you with user guides to make sure your day is as stress free as possible. You don’t want to be worrying about having adequate power supply or toilet ratios on the morning of your big day. We will help you along the way.
Do you have any good tips for styling, dressing and lighting your tipis and bell tents?
The great thing about tipis compared to a white marquee is that visually they are naturally styled as they are. Saying that though there is almost no limit to what you can create. For a giant tipi a typical wedding will use 2-4 giant tipis depending on the number of guests. As the tipis are joined together this gives you different ‘zones’ to let you imagination run riot. With 3 tipis you might have 2 set up for 120 guests for the wedding breakfast with a dancefloor for later and 1 set up with a fire pit and bar with chillout areas. This allows you to light the areas in different ways (fairly lights around the poles or coloured uplighters etc) and even theme the areas.
We are more than happy to help you along the way on what is possible.
What’s your best piece of advice to couples trying to choose a venue where your tipis and bell tents can be used?
Our best piece of advice is choose a piece of flat land!! We may be biased but outside of that consideration we think the tipis look and feel fabulous everywhere, so whatever kind of place floats your boat.
You must have done your fair share of outdoor weddings and events in the past. Are there any that really stand out and why?
Le Mans 24hr race in 2017. We provided 2 Giant tipis and 34 Bell tents in South West France. Our brief was to provide Glamping accommodation, a bar and dining area. The temperature hit 36C all week and the ground was like concrete; it was so hot we had to buy giant paddling pools for the Cotswold Tipi Team just to cool down! It was really magical though, hearing the cars racing all through the night (our tipis were close to the iconic track).
Finally, what’s your life quote/motto at Cotswold Tipis?
“We can definitely do that!” – we love a challenge and always back ourselves to deliver so are happy for customers to throw some curve balls…
Cotswold Tipis is a Festival Brides preferred supplier and a member of our Festival Wedding Directory. For more information on all of their services, please visit their Cotswold Tipis website or view their listing in our directory.
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