Planning Your Dream Tipi Wedding: What you really need (and why it’s not as scary as it seems)
Planning a Tipi Wedding? You’re in for an unforgettable and magical experience. We get it – at some point, all those little details can feel like a mountain of “to-do’s” that’s about to tumble over. Don’t sweat it. We’ve got your back. Here’s the real scoop on the equipment you might need to pull off the perfect outdoor celebration – without the stress!
The Essential Kit List for a Tipi Wedding (HINT: You might not need all of it)
- Catering Tent
- Power / Generator
- Luxury Toilets
- Accessible Toilets
- Fridge Trailers
- Heaters
- Waste Disposal
Feeling a little overwhelmed by the list? Take a deep breath. This isn’t here to scare you; it’s your go-to checklist so that nothing gets missed. And truth be told, depending on your venue, you may not need all of these things. But if you do, it’s good to be armed with the info.
Catering Tent The unsung hero of Outdoor Weddings
You’ve locked in an amazing caterer, and you’re already salivating about the delicious food – but did you know many caterers expect you to provide a catering tent? Yep, you don’t want that surprise hitting your budget last minute! So plan for it.
If your caterer needs one, ask what size they require and whether it needs to be connected to the main structure. Pro Tip: A supermarket gazebo won’t cut it. You’ll need a sturdy, weatherproof tent.
The good news? Your caterers will bring along all the equipment they need, from hot plates to flyers.
If you are choosing to go for a street food van, you can skip the catering tent. But if your menu involves canapés and a sit-down meal, that’s a pretty clear sign you’ll need to add a catering tent to your list.
Generators
Ah, the generator. It’s like the heart of your pop-up wedding venue, keeping everything humming along.
Here’s our six-step plan to ensure your generator runs smoothly and powers your wedding without a hitch:
One | Book Early; Identifying the need for a generator and getting this booked.
Two | Plan Power Points; Mapping out where your suppliers will be at the event and consider where power points will be need to be placed for all their needs.
Three | Talk to Suppliers; Reaching out to your suppliers and understand what each of them needs when it comes to power.
Four | Mapping it Out; Planning out the electrical needs on your floor plan. This ensures you have all the power points where needed and can help the build team cable it tidily so there are no draping cables.
Five | Leave it to the Build Team If you’re having a Sami Tipi Wedding, the build team will work to your agreed plans and set out sockets, distributing the power where needed. This means your suppliers can arrive, plug in and go!
Six | The Handover. The team will walk you around your Tipi space and show you where the sockets are. This is also the time we will show you how to turn it on and off, (pro tip: record this part so you can share it with others).
You’ve got the power and your suppliers can just plug in and play – easy peasy! And if you’re having a Sami Tipi wedding, don’t worry – this is something we’ll handle for you during your planning meetings and Tipi build.
Luxury Toilets
Who knew that there was so much choice when it comes to hiring toilets for an outdoor wedding? If your venue doesn’t offer these as part of their land hire, a luxury toilet can be hired in. As with anything when planning a wedding, you will still be faced with choices.
As a rule, a toilet unit will be described in numbers and based on your guest numbers this will determine what size you need. The numbers are an indication of the number of actual toilets that are in your luxury trailer. For example:
- 1+1 = One Female and One Male.
- 2+1 = Two Female, One Male and One Urinal.
- 3+1 = Three Female, one Male and Two Urinals.
Hiring the right size toilet is key to ensure that it comes with a large enough size water tank to accommodate your guest numbers and the length of use. If in doubt, go bigger!
The beauty of luxury toilets is that your guests will come away talking about how nice they are. One of the biggest dreads when attending an outdoor wedding is the unknown of what the toilets will be like, so this is just another way of wowing them! Especially if you add hampers with some accessories like deodorant, sun tan lotion and hand cream. A little touch they will certainly remember.
Accessible Toilets
If you or a guest would benefit from hiring an access unit, you have two different choices here:
The Portaloo-style Unit – with a baby changing facility (bonus!), it’s easy access, but more basic using hand sanitiser instead of a hand basin.
The Luxury Access Unit Complete with a ramp, this one is stylish as well as functional, giving guests a spacious, comfortable experience.
Fridge Trailers
If you’re considering running a DIY bar, a fridge trailer could be the perfect investment to store and chill all of your drinks. Bar companies providing a full drinks menu will usually handle their own chilling.
As a side note, some catering teams may state in their T&C’s that you need to provide a fridge trailer for them.
Heaters
If your wedding falls between late September and Early May, heaters are a must. For the warmer months, this could be a last-minute add-on decision once you know the evening temperatures. Remember, with the Tipi, you can have an open-flame fire pit for guests to cosy around.
Waste Disposal The not so glamorous, but important bit
Don’t forget the rubbish! it’s not exciting, but you’ll need to plan for it. Some caterers and bars will handle this for you, but if not, don’t worry. You can arrange a local council collection or hire a mini skip and tuck it out of sight. Also, consider the location, if you’re at a “venue”, they may take care of this for you.
Final Words
Planning a Tipi wedding can feel like a lot, but with the right preparation and expert guidance, it all comes together beautifully. Whether it’s ensuring the power flowers, the drinks stay chilled or your guests have cosy spots to gather around, these little details all add up to make your day magical.
At Sami Tipi, we’ve got your back. From planning meetings to the final build, we take care of the logistics so you can focus on what really matters, celebrating with your family and friends. So yes get excited, trust the process and we promise it will all be worth it.
