Bagpipes, Baby Guinness & a Hedgehog! Alex & Mark’s Real Tipi Wedding
When a hedgehog photobombs your wedding gallery and the band has everyone dancing before dessert, you know you’ve had a day to remember. Alex & Mark’s real tipi wedding brought church traditions, village-green vibes and festival-style fun together for a relaxed but classy outdoor wedding. Complete with a sweetheart table for two, surprise singing waiters, and a free bar run by their favourite local pub.
What made you decide on a Tipi wedding?
It just felt like us. I (Alex) grew up in the village, so I always knew I wanted to get married in the church. And in the countryside, it’s almost tradition that you put a tent up in a field afterwards and celebrate. When we first stepped into the Tipis at a Sami Tipi Open Day, we knew instantly — they had this cosy, intimate atmosphere that a traditional marquee just doesn’t have.
We did look at sailcloth tents too, but the Tipis were definitely more “us.” Especially in the evening — they’re darker, atmospheric, and so much cosier, which is exactly the vibe we wanted.
We were lucky that close family friends had already said years ago, “When you get married, you can use the paddock.” They even spent over a year prepping the ground for us, so it was wedding-ready. It really felt personal and rooted in the community — the sort of village where everyone mucks in.
How long did you spend planning your day?
Around two years in total. We started planning straight away after getting engaged — booking the big things like the church, the Tipis, food, and some of the key suppliers. Once those were secured, we actually had the luxury of taking a bit of a breather.
We spent a good chunk of time just mooching around, collecting ideas, and noticing the details that felt like “us.” It was really nice not to feel rushed or under pressure to make decisions quickly. By the time the wedding was coming together, we’d booked pretty much everything apart from the final little details, and we had a clear idea of what the day was going to look like.
Having that time made such a difference — it meant we could pick, choose, and actually enjoy the process instead of stressing.
Tell us about your ceremony
For us, there was never really a question about where we’d get married — it had to be the village church. It’s such a big part of Alex’s life, with family roots going back generations, so it felt really special and personal.
The church itself is small and intimate, holding just under 100 people, which suited us perfectly. It meant the ceremony felt really warm and full, with all of our closest family and friends around us.
One of the loveliest parts was being able to walk from the church through the village up to the Tipis afterwards. People popped their heads out of doors and windows to wave and say congratulations — it felt quintessentially village life and made the whole thing even more memorable.
What did you both wear?
I (Alex) wore a Stella York gown from Dress Me Pretty in Hinckley. It was exactly what I wanted — timeless, comfortable, and something I could actually move in. I didn’t want a dress that felt too big or “princessy.” It was important to me that I could eat, breathe, and dance without feeling restricted, and this dress did all of that. Kerry Arnold did my alterations and made sure it fitted perfectly.
The bridesmaids wore moss-green satin dresses from Six Stories, which we found in the Black Friday sales. They looked stunning, and the colour tied in beautifully with the flowers and the relaxed, natural style of the day.
Mark and the groomsmen wore beige suits from Moss, with matching pocket squares to tie in with the bridesmaids’ dresses. It all came together in a way that felt relaxed but really pulled together.
How did you style your Tipis?
We always wanted the Tipis to feel relaxed, colourful, and a little bit wild, so flowers were at the heart of everything. Louise Hammond, who’s a close friend, did all of our flowers and we just let her run with it. The only brief we gave was “cottage garden, colourful, and natural” — and she absolutely nailed it. She included thistles and white heather as a nod to family heritage, which felt really meaningful.
We had two large floral hoops hanging inside the Tipis, which completely transformed the space and gave it a real wow factor. Outside, she lined the aisle with flowers on shepherd’s crooks, which we then brought in after the ceremony so nothing went to waste.
For the tables, we kept it simple and elegant — washed-linen napkins, little bud vases, and glass candle holders at different heights to create warmth. We chose long tables because they felt more sociable and relaxed, and we had a sweetheart table just for the two of us. That was one of our favourite touches, because it gave us a rare moment to sit together, breathe, and take it all in.
How did you feed your guests?
Food was such a big part of our day. We got engaged in Spain, and we have a family tradition of Easter paella, so it felt natural to weave that into the wedding.
During the drinks reception we had canapés from Anthony’s Catering — things like little sausage rolls, smoked salmon bites and bruschetta that people could graze on while playing games and listening to the piano. Later, they also served up mini desserts like lemon meringues and brownies, which disappeared quickly!
For the main meal we had Two Counties Giant Paella, who put on an incredible spread. They served tapas first, then huge pans of paella, and in the evening came back with a hog roast. It kept the atmosphere really informal and sociable, and meant there was always plenty of food going around.
The best bit was that they returned the next morning and cooked a full brunch for everyone who stayed over — in the same giant paella pans. After a late night of partying (and Baby Guinness shots!), it was the perfect hangover cure.
How did you run the bar?
The bar was a real village effort. We asked our local pub, The Fox & Hounds in Knossington, to run it for us. Rangel, who runs the pub, and his former barman Pedro came along and set everything up inside a pallet bar that actually belonged to another family in the village. It felt really personal, like everyone had chipped in to make it happen.
Our original plan was to charge just enough to cover costs, but our parents made the call on the day that it should be a free bar. It turned out to be one of the best decisions — it kept the atmosphere so relaxed and generous, and people really appreciated it.
We stocked it with local Rutland Osprey ale, Guinness, VB, wine, spirits and plenty of Baby Guinness shots, which definitely became a theme of the night! Two Counties also handled the rubbish and recycling for us, and neighbours even brought over extra bins the next morning to help clear up. It was such a community effort, and we loved that it all tied back to the village.
How did you entertain your guests?
We wanted the whole day to flow with no dull moments, so entertainment was a big priority for us. As soon as guests arrived at the Tipis, there were garden games set up — tug of war, croquet, Connect 4 — which kept everyone busy while drinks and canapés were served.
Music was a thread running through the whole day. James Roscoe played piano during the drinks reception, which created a lovely background atmosphere while we had a few photos taken.
The biggest surprise was the singing waiters. They blended in as staff all through the meal and then staged a clattering “accident” with a wine cooler before bursting into song. The reveal was brilliant — everyone was up on the dancefloor straight away, singing and dancing. It carried the whole afternoon and gave the day such a buzz.
For the evening, we had The Ridgeways, who played three sets and were absolutely incredible. In between, they used our playlist so the dancefloor never emptied. By the time evening guests arrived, the party was already in full swing, and it carried on right through until 2am.
And of course, our dog Ernie was part of it all. He snoozed happily between the Tipi poles during dinner, got endless fuss from the guests, and then joined us later for glamping cuddles and cigars. He wasn’t the only animal guest either — one of our friends turned up with a rescued hedgehog to pass on to another guest who runs a hedgehog rescue. It ended up being one of the funniest photo-bombs of the day!
What are your top tips for other couples?
First and foremost, do what feels like you. There are so many traditions and expectations around weddings, but the best decision we made was to create a day that genuinely reflected us as a couple.
Having a sweetheart table was one of our favourite choices. It gave us time just the two of us to sit, breathe, and take it all in — which is harder to do than you think on a day that flies by.
We’d also say, feed your guests little and often. Canapés, sharing-style food and evening snacks kept the energy up and stopped there being any lulls. The same goes for entertainment — don’t underestimate how much it shapes the atmosphere. People might not remember the exact details of your flowers, but they’ll always remember how the day felt.
Another tip is to go along to showcases and open days. Standing inside a Tipi really helps you visualise your own day and get ideas you’d never think of from Pinterest alone.
And finally, trust your suppliers. We were so lucky with ours, and having Beth from Sami Tipi coordinating everything meant we could fully relax. As we kept saying to each other: if Beth isn’t stressed, then neither are we.
Suppliers You Loved and Would Recommend
Structure: Sami Tipi
Photographer: Darren Cresswell
Catering (canapés & desserts): Anthony’s Catering
Catering (tapas, paella, hog roast & Sunday brunch): Two Counties Giant Paella
Bar: The Fox & Hounds, Knossington
Band: The Ridgeways
Singing Waiters: Surprise Singers (Ryan & Kieran)
Pianist: James Roscoe
Bagpipes: Andrew Moss via The Piping Experience
Flowers: Louise Hammond Flowers
Glamping: Pitched Perfect
Glassware & Tableware: Stamford Tableware Hire
Linen: Couple’s own
