Katie and Dan were known for throwing a good party! So, when it came to their own outdoor Sailcloth wedding celebration, the speeches and sit-down meal were replaced with Beer Pong and Pizza! So PARTY really was the name of the game!
What made you decide on an outdoor sailcloth wedding celebration?
We always wanted to get married at home in the garden. The Sailcloth’s are beautiful, miles away from your standard marquee. The way I could personalise it, just the way I wanted brought out my inner DIY bride. I wanted on a blank canvas as it allowed me to create my exact vision.
What did you both wear?
When I went wedding dress shopping, I envisioned moments like on the movies when they pull the curtain back and everyone starts crying. This wasn’t for me! Instead, I felt uncomfortable and felt a little disheartened when I didn’t like any of the dresses. Nobody told me either that they put this bag thing over your head when putting the dress to avoid makeup on the dresses! After a few visits, I found the style that suited me, so I went online and ordered some. Trying them on in my lounge was a much better experience.
In the end I got my dress from Coast (in the sale, forever the savvy bride) and I loved it! I only had one maid of honour so it simplified things a lot for me. She didn’t have to match anyone and she could wear a dress she felt comfortable in. We also ended up getting it online after many shopping trips, we wanted something special that she stood out from other guests but not OTT.
The lads hired their suits, I had input that I wanted them in bow ties, but I let them choose what style they wanted and I was quite proud when they showed me their beige jackets and black trousers. I’m glad they went for them as it also made them stand out. Also, we only had groom and best man in matching suits and put a dress code of black tie / cocktail attire for the guests to create a chicer look as sometimes when people know it is in your garden and in the evening, they don’t dress up.
How would you describe your ceremony?
We got married at All Saints Church in Sandon, Stafford a beautiful old church near to where we live. We got married at 4:30pm and I am so happy we did. It meant the morning wasn’t a mad rush. It was more relaxed and gave me time to process all the crazy emotions you have!
How did you feed your guests?
With us having an evening wedding we didn’t have a sit-down meal. After the ceremony, we went back to the Sailcloth and had canapés served. We had a band playing and there were some drinking games. Evening guests arrived at 7pm and Pizza was served at 9pm. Anything left over was boxed up and people took home as a late-night snack.
To be honest it was really hard to find a catering company which would do this. I got a lot of outright no’s or companies trying to sway us towards the sit-down meal, which just isn’t us. We went to a Sami Tipi twilight event and met Anthonys Catering who were amazing. They completely met our expectations and more! They understood what we wanted and the vibe of the wedding. By giving us ideas and talking things through, they came up with some perfectly delicious food. Everyone spoke so highly of them. They also supplied the bar staff, and they worked so hard! They were in constant communication (late-night fridge panic), made menus for us and let us have free reign.
How would you describe your styling?
I styled everything myself so spent most of my spare time making and creating. Canva and Shein were my best friends. I wanted a very clean, chic style wedding as styles can age so quickly. I made a mood board and stuck to it. It’s very easy to get swept way into a Pinterest hole. We are not a sit-down speech kind of couple but are known for a good house party with drinking games. So that’s what we did! We got rid of the meal, speeches and the boring bits. Instead we put that money to a free bar and partied the night away! I wouldn’t have changed a thing. We focused on what we wanted and not what the norm was.
How did you entertain your guests?
I made all the drinking games! We had Beer Pong, Hook a Duck Dare, Ring Toss and Bean Bag Throw outside. We had a terrace on our Sailcloth and some old cable barrels created tables which were perfect for outside. I also made a Sip and Solve which was a quiz all about us. Then a Draw Yourself, which makes a funny keepsake at the end of the night. We also had a band playing to create an atmosphere outside while people played the games. In the evening, we had a fab friend DJ for us, who brought everyone inside the Sailcloth to dance.
What are your Top Tips for planning a Sailcloth wedding?
The worlds your oyster. Don’t let Pinterest weddings take a hold of you, you have a blank space so you create anything you want, traditional wedding or not. You can make it however you would like. Personalise your wedding to you and have fun planning it!
Get a Wedding-Coordinator even if it is just for the day/. We had Rebecca Massey who was amazing. She did everything, so there wasn’t one thing I had to worry about on the day. I just handed everything over to her when she arrived, which is scary after a year and a half planning, but she is worth her weight in gold. Amazing! I could not recommend her enough! She was also always there for anything, a panic go through of the multiple lists you will create or just somebody to talk weddings with for an hour, she understands and helps! She even threw on a high vis and parked everyone.
Suppliers You Used, Loved, and would trust to recommend
Suppliers are really important, without these you have no wedding! You will be talking to them a lot, make sure they understand what you want. I always trusted my gut with suppliers and I know when you first start looking it is a lot. But you will find the perfect people for you.
Sami Tipi (obviously) – They went above and beyond, were always there for any help I needed . Oh and the Sailcloths are so chic.
Anthonys Catering – The food was delicious, they understood our vision and helped so much.
Rebecca Massey Coordinating – She was an amazing lady and nothing is too big or small. I even got her to cut the trail of my wedding dress off so I could dance easier!
Dove Loos – With an outdoor wedding you need toilets! They were so clean and posh! (definitely not your Porta Loo vibe). They were so easy to work with and such a lovely family.
Ruby Ysabelle Hair – The girls are so much fun! As I had a later wedding, I went to their salon in Denstone. They had bubbles chilling for us and it was a really nice way to start the day. Also my hair lasted all day! I woke up the day after with it still in place.
Jenny Harper Photography – Her black and white pictures are beautiful, we wanted very candid photos and she did that perfectly. I forgot she was there sometimes.
What price bracket does your wedding fall into?
Under £15k, I admittedly did a lot myself, but drew the line when it came to making confetti.
Their Supplier Team
Featured Sami Tipi Friends:
Sailcloth | Sami Tipi
Caterer | Anthony’s Catering
Other Key Suppliers:
Photographer | Jenny Harper
On the Day Management | Rebecca Massey
Band | Mona Vale Acoustics
Toilets | Dove Loos
Hair | Ruby Ysabelle Hair
Further Inspiration
