Marquees

Trevarno Marquees
 
The 'where'™ of weddings is one of the biggest questions to ponder. Because one of the reasons the south-west entices couples to tie the knot here is exactly that: its endless diversity.

Here, you can get married by ' or even on ' the water thanks to the numerous beaches, rivers and lakes, or opt for a ceremony in the wild with countryside, clifftop and cairn, woodland, field and valley all at your fingertips.

But if you're still not sure exactly where to wed and find yourselves bouncing between building, tent and open space, we've enlisted the help of the experts to share their top reasons for choosing a marquee wedding.


Absolute Canvas

1. Be part of your surrounds
'One of the most obvious reasons for choosing a marquee or tipi wedding is to fully immerse yourself in gorgeous scenery as a backdrop for your whole day,' says Hayley Jones from Sunset Tipis (sunsettipis.com). 'In Cornwall we're blessed to have a wealth of clifftop locations with dramatic sea views or rolling countryside vistas. What could be more romantic for you and your guests than to gaze out to the sparkling ocean bathed in sunshine as the sun sets'

Marquees can be placed on almost any type of terrain, and to optimise the feeling of bringing the outside in, the sides and windows can be positioned to frame the views, or better yet can be opened up to physically merge with the outside space.

'Clear window walls allow the best possible views and make the most of the beautiful scenery,' explains Andrew Thomas from Coast2Coast Marquees (coast2coastmarquees.co.uk). Providing a naturally picturesque backdrop to proceedings as well as protection from any weather fronts, they allow your guests to swoon upon sun-spilled field or rain-lashed clifftop to equally as beguiling effect.


World Inspired Tents


Coast2Coast Marquees

2. Any event, anywhere
Though you'll need to discuss aspects such as access and facilities with your supplier, one of the main benefits of a tent is that it can be pitched on practically any site.

'One of the main advantages of a marquee wedding is the ability to have the reception pretty much anywhere you wish, be it a place with sentimental connections or simply breathtaking views,' says Andrew.

As such, couples can creatively use space and location for a day that matches their requirements and vision, be it a grand-scale celebration in a wide open space or a small party in a private setting.

'A marquee can often give the option of having a larger number of guests than a lot of venues are able to provide,' says Peter Bickford-Smith of Trevarno Marquee & Event Hire (trevarnomarquees.co.uk). 'Also, if someone wants a small intimate wedding or the option of having the wedding at home or at a family property, a marquee can be the answer.'

A marquee's versatility also extends as far as seasons go, with most being able to withstand and adapt to everything from a heatwave to gale force winds and torrential rain, making it a stellar all-weather, all-location choice.


Sunset Tipis


Absolute Canvas

3. You call the shots
If you dream of complete creative freedom with minimal restrictions in order to design the most distinctive of days, then a wedding under canvas might be the best option for you.

'Another benefit of a marquee or tipi wedding is that you have complete autonomy over your catering and drinks selection,' explains Hayley. 'You are essentially the creative director of your whole day. Whether you want elegant plated meals, relaxed sharing platters or food vans parked outside, the feel of your wedding lies in your hands.'

'With a marquee, the client can choose everything from the colouring, lighting, table and chair options down to their choice of crockery, cutlery and glasses… and you can choose the entire layout of the marquee,' says Peter.

'There is also greater flexibility with timings,' he continues. 'Often a couple will have at least one full day before the wedding to do any decorating and can also have use of the marquee the day after the wedding.' For couples wanting to take their time with the final preparations or extend their celebrations by hosting an after-party the next day, a marquee provides the perfect solution.


Coast2Coast Marquees


Trevarno Marquees

4. Blank canvas
With more couples seeking to stamp their personality via every detail and create a day that's utterly unique, a marquee provides a blank canvas to imprint their imaginations exactly as they desire.
 
'The ability to dress the marquee to your spec enabling a completely bespoke layout is another advantage,' says Andrew. 'There are so many places in marquees that decorations can be attached and suspended; you are only limited by your imagination and guidance from your marquee company as to what will work.'

Tipis also make a brilliantly versatile canvas for styling. 'You can dress tipis in many different ways, from casual festival to a more traditional feel; its adaptability means that it can work around the vision of any couple,' says Jo Bastien at World Inspired Tents (worldinspiredtents.co.uk). 'The tipi structure allows for lots of hanging décor (pom-poms, bunting, ribbons, chandeliers), or draped flowers and foliage. You can also light the outside of the tipis with festoons that can be hung peak to peak or on shepherds' crooks to form a pretty walkway.'

Alternatively, take a pared-back approach and allow the surrounding scenery to take centre stage against the natural design and colours of the canvas.

'We also love tipis for an outdoor wedding venue as they require so little in the way of wedding décor,' says Hayley. 'With fairy lights strung everywhere, firepits, and the cosy modular design of the tipi, they're perfectly party-ready as they are. Then it's easy to add little touches of colour and flowers to personalise the tipis without feeling overwhelmed by the amount of empty space to decorate.'


Absolute Canvas


Trevarno Marquees

5. The bespoke factor
From place and tent type to décor and layout, a marquee wedding is the ultimate in bespoke events. For example, you can select a tipi village for a festival-style wedding, a classic clear-span marquee for floor-to-ceiling views, or a giant hat tipi for statement impact.

'Tipis also provide a stunning backdrop in wedding photographs,' says Jo, citing another selling point of a wedding under canvas.

'The feeling of organising your own tipi wedding can feel so fulfilling as you know your wedding day was completely original and personal to you,' says Hayley. 'And as you welcome your guests into the tipis, the exclamations of 'wow!' can be heard everywhere. Add the dramatic views and all your loved ones to share it with ' what could be better'


World Inspired Tents

TIPI-TOP TIPS
Hayley from Sunset Tipis shares her advice on how to plan the perfect wedding under canvas


World Inspired Tents

Have a Plan B
'It would be naive of me to say that every single marquee or tipi wedding is bathed in glorious sunshine with no wind or rain. Ask your provider exactly what the contingency plans are for extreme weather conditions. At Sunset Tipis, we offer full height walled window panels that allow maximum head space inside the tipis allowing you to enjoy the view while still protecting you from rain. We'll also talk through all your options for anything else that might crop up and help plan around it.'


Trevarno Marquees

Get insurance
'This is our advice for any kind of wedding! Do your research and put wedding insurance high on your list of priorities.'


Coast2Coast Marquees

Ask the experts
'Use your marquee or tipi providers for help with sourcing suppliers, and they should be able to help point you in the right direction of what you'll need in regards to power, toilets etc. They've also put up marquees and tipis all over the place so if you're looking for a field or venue, ask them.'


World Inspired Tents

Words Hannah May