Your Glos and Wilts Wedding - October/November 2019 (Issue 17)

How to style these firm favourites The magic of marquees, tipis and tents Simon Richards of Buffalo Tipi, located in Corsham, Wiltshire, tells how these wonderful structures not only look great but are also very flexible. “What’s special about the tipis is their timeless and natural design. The colour of the canvas and timber makes decorating them easy, and the lofty structure creates an amazing party atmosphere. We are a design-focused tipi and marquee supplier, offering a service that’s as creative and flexible as the tipis themselves, along with a beautiful range of event furniture, lighting and accessories.” Simon explains how most weddings have two or three tipis that can be joined together. “Two tipis provide room for between 50 and 80 seated guests, and three tipis hold between 90 to 130. This means that guests can dine in half of the space, leaving the other part free for a bar, evening entertainment and, most importantly, somewhere for everyone to stand. Four tipis are usually only hired for a larger affair of between 140 and 180 seated guests.” Simon also told us how a single tipi is often used as a chill out area alongside a more conventional venue or for a very small wedding of between 30 to 50 guests. 01225 585 586, buffalotipi.com buffalotipi Where to hire them M arquees, stretch tents, tipis and yurts are more popular than ever. Gone are the days of the standard marquee structure, as they now come complete with reveal curtains, elegant draping and scope for statement styling. We spoke to suppliers in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to find out where to hire them from and how to dress them. MARQUEE HIRE IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE Spaceintense, 01452 813 658, spaceintense.co.uk @Spaceintense TIPI HIRE IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE Cotswold Tipis, 01453 367 667, cotswoldtipis.co.uk cotswoldtipis Yurts are another charming alternative to the traditional marquee. Cheltenham Yurt Hire offers Kazakh-style structures with wooden framework and a traditional canvas cover. They can be decorated as simply or elaborately as each couple wishes, and traditional wooden trestle tables and chairs, plus a pine dancefloor, can be added. One suggestion the company makes is to hire its elongated banqueting yurt, with four doors that can be coupled with a smaller one to act as a bar or chill out space. Why not spend the first night as newlyweds in a romantic bell tent complete with a mattress, duvet, rugs and lanterns? 01453 705 130, cheltenhamyurthire.co.uk @cheltenhamyurts Did you know that tipis and yurts are suitable for year-round weddings, but the stretch tent is a popular choice for summer? Photography of Buffalo Tipi courtesy of josiehooperphotography.co.uk, other images courtesy of gettyimages.co.uk WEDDING PLANNING 53 