Charlie & Will's Relaxed Tipi Wedding at Castle and Cotswold Tipis
REAL WEDDING
Charlie & Will's Relaxed Tipi Wedding at Castle and Cotswold Tipis
By Lauren Batten · Lauren Batten Events
Some weddings just feel like the couple, and Charlie and Will's was exactly that: relaxed, joyful and full of personality, under canvas at Castle and Cotswold Tipis. I had the joy of coordinating their day last August, and I'm so pleased it's now featured as a real wedding in Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding magazine. In this post I'll share their celebration, the wonderful team behind it, and why a relaxed tipi wedding is one of the loveliest days you can plan.
A celebration under canvas
There's something wonderful about a tipi wedding. The soaring canvas peaks, the open sides that let the outside in, the way the space feels both grand and completely informal at once. Castle and Cotswold Tipis gave Charlie and Will the freedom to make the day entirely their own, with bell tents from Brilliant Bell Tent Hire adding to the relaxed, festival feel.
A day that felt like them
This was a wedding built around the things that mattered most to the couple: good food, good music and the people they love. The Merry Kitchen took care of the catering, The White Horse Flower Company brought the space to life with florals, and the celebrations carried on with live music from Hobo Chic and a brilliant silent disco to see out the night. Every choice felt personal, which is exactly what makes a relaxed wedding like this so special.
Why tipi and outdoor weddings are so special
Tipi weddings have soared in popularity, and it's easy to see why. A tipi wedding is a dry-hire, DIY celebration at heart, which gives you complete freedom to create a day that's entirely your own, rather than fitting into a fixed template. The open sides bring the outside in, the giant canvas peaks feel both grand and relaxed, and the space flexes from an intimate ceremony to a lively dance floor as the day unfolds. Add bell tents, festoon lighting and your favourite suppliers, and you have a celebration that feels personal from the first moment to the last dance.
Why a dry-hire or DIY wedding needs a coordinator
As wonderful as they are, tipi, marquee, dry-hire and DIY weddings come with more moving parts than a traditional venue. There's no in-house team quietly running things in the background. Power, water, the loos, catering, furniture, and a long list of suppliers all need coordinating, often arriving and leaving across a single day on what starts as an empty field.
That's exactly where I come in. For Charlie and Will, I made sure every supplier knew where to be and when, the timeline flowed, and the inevitable small hiccups were handled quietly, so the couple never had to think about logistics for a single moment.
My role on the day
Charlie and Will planned a wedding that was completely theirs, and my job was simply to hold it all together so they didn't have to think about a single logistic. That's what day-of coordination is for: I took on the timeline, the suppliers and the small problems that inevitably crop up, so the couple could stay fully present with their guests.
In their own words, I was great at "sorting out the small stuff and fixing minor problems on the day", which is honestly one of the nicest descriptions of my job I could ask for. This is exactly the support my Day-of coordination package is designed to give.
In the couple's words
"We hired Lauren Batten Events, based in Reading, who was great at sorting out the small stuff and fixing minor problems for us on the day."
The dream team
A day like this is the work of many talented hands. With huge thanks to:
·Venue & tipis: Castle and Cotswold Tipis
·Photography: Stone Photos
·Coordination: Lauren Batten Events
·Catering: The Merry Kitchen
·Florals: The White Horse Flower Company
·Bell tents: Brilliant Bell Tent Hire
·Live music: Hobo Chic
·Silent disco: Silent Disco 4 Hire
·Bridal wear: & She Loves
·Menswear: Moss
·Rings: Ridge, H R Tribbeck & Son and Goldsmiths
See the feature
You can read Charlie and Will's wedding in Your Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wedding, Issue 119.
Planning a relaxed wedding of your own?
Charlie and Will's day was relaxed, personal and beautifully run. If that's the kind of celebration you're dreaming of, I'd love to help you get there. Whether you'd like me to coordinate the day itself or support you from the very beginning, there's a way to work together that fits. You can read more about me and how I work here.
For more inspiration, step inside my Bridgerton-inspired styled shoot.
With love,
Lauren x
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you coordinate tipi and outdoor weddings?
Yes, and I love them. Tipi, marquee and outdoor weddings have a few more moving parts than a traditional venue: power, weather, logistics, and multiple suppliers arriving on site. That's exactly where a coordinator earns their keep.
What's different about planning a tipi or marquee wedding?
With a dry-hire or DIY venue you're effectively building everything from scratch, from power and catering to furniture and loos. It gives you wonderful freedom, but it also means more suppliers to manage, which is why a coordinator makes such a difference.
Do I still need a coordinator if friends have offered to help?
It's lovely to have willing friends, but the people you love should be enjoying the day, not running it. A coordinator means no one you care about is stuck managing suppliers or watching the clock.
What happens if it rains at an outdoor wedding?
We plan for it. Part of my job is having a clear wet-weather plan so that, whatever the British weather does, the day flows beautifully and you barely notice the change.
What is day-of coordination?
It's for couples who have planned their own wedding and want a professional to run the day. I build the timeline, manage your suppliers and handle anything that comes up, so you can simply enjoy yourselves. It's my day of coordpackage.
Dreaming of a relaxed, beautifully run wedding day?
Tell me about your plans at laurenbattenevents.com
Planning it yourself?
Join Wedmin free at app.laurenbattenevents.com/join
