Guest Blog Wild Tipi. The Tipi Rises
The Tipi Rises – with wild Tipi
Wild Tipi believe that the best weddings are those which capture the imagination…
and gives a true reflection of the couple themselves and in particular, awakens the senses of everyone who comes along. From the crunch of the gravel as they first arrive, to the nervous rustling of the order of services… the smell of smoke drifting lazily up from the fire-pit as guests make their way to the wedding reception, their eyes taking in the stunning landscape as the Cornish breeze dances over the native hedgerows, bringing with it the soft scent of local wildflowers. The sounds of glasses tinkling and the glistening colours of the sumptuous canapes which soon are melted away into hungry mouths. All of these experiences will touch your guests in different ways and make your day unique and memorable.
A tipi itself offers such a wonderful sensory experience…
and Wild Tipi just cannot get enough of that first moment a bride and groom come to view one of their Giant Hats; initial gasps of delights are emitted as they gaze in child-like wonder past the warmth of the fire-pit and high up into the tipi crown, the fairy lights twinkling like stars overhead. What usually follows, is one (not naming any names) crying out “oh look at those gorgeous lights, its so pretty!” and one pondering, “cor, that’s high… I wonder how much each one of those poles weigh?”. So in this blog, Wild Tipi answer your questions and explain what does go into a tipi wedding set up?
It all starts with a healthy dose of tipi magic!
Aside from a healthy dose of tipi magic (helped largely by the natural beauty of Cornwall, the backdrop to most of our Wild Tipi Weddings), an awful lot of hard work goes into the physical set up too. Work on a three tipi wedding will usually take place two to three days before the big day, depending on the technical difficulty of the site itself, the weather conditions and any additional requirements such catering tents, hardwood flooring, chill-out areas and of course the time needed to decorate and get those all important finishing touches just right.
The amazing tipi team
The team of six will start by testing the wind direction and then pacing out the site; each tipi has a diameter or ten metres (thirteen with the sides extended) and they can be configured in a variety of different ways depending on the requirements of your day.
The right team for any size wedding
Wild Tipi have hosted intimate weddings for 70 with one giant hat, right through to a huge wedding with seven tipis connected together to include beautiful hardwood flooring throughout, stunning double entrance doors, a midi-tipi for the orchestra, guest chill-out area and dance floor (with serious wedding envy at that one!). The possibilities for your set up are numerous and we are happy to help and advise you as to how to get the best layout for your day.
each sustainably sourced English pine pole weighs 50 kilos
Once the tipis have been carefully paced, out the team works together to bring in the components; each sustainably sourced English pine pole weighs 50 kilos, so a true team effort is needed! The crown, which forms the centre of the tipi’s structure, is set and the first four poles are connected and lifted together into place. Once these are in place, the remaining five poles are lifted and fixed to the crown, with the horizontal poles slotting in to connect the structure securely, completing the frame. Once this is done, the natural coir matting flooring is rolled out and hand pinned to the ground before six workers combine their efforts to lift the massive 100-kilo canvas into place.
Wild Tipi can help you every step of the way
Once the tipi has risen, the rest is up to you; Wild Tipi can be as involved as you wish; from simply providing the main structure to on the day wedding coordination recommendations for suppliers, decorations, Wedding caterers or even something as small (and important) as your sparkler walk… Wild Tipi believes in forming connections and love working closely with our couples as we try to bring every aspect of your perfect day to life.