Kent Tipi wedding

Hiring a tipi for your Kentish garden wedding

If you’re trying to think of a way to totally personalise your outdoor wedding and possibly save some money on venue costs, hiring a tipi for a back garden wedding is one very popular option! I’ve previously been a tipi wedding photographer in London and photographed tipi garden weddings in Essex. This couple held their Kent tipi wedding in their family back garden, with a gorgeous three topped tipi hired from Canvas and Light. Canvas and Light offer two to three sectioned tipi options, which is enough to seat up to 100 guests. Hiring a tipi on private land can allow you more time for an stress-free wedding day set up. The caterers and suppliers can easily start preparing when it suits them best.

This particular family were lucky enough to have a generous neighbour who also allowed them to partly use his land for parking and for the drinks reception, so they were able to section off parts of the day, just like a proper outdoor wedding venue. Having a back garden wedding can also mean you can have special guests there, who might otherwise not be allowed, such as your most beloved dog! As a dog owner I love seeing dogs at weddings!

Mount Emphraim Gardens wedding photography

I started this gorgeous Kentish wedding day at the home with the groom (and their dog!) in his green Beggars Run suit. I then travelled over to Mount Emphraim Gardens where the bride was getting ready. She wore a dress made by her mum, which was so unique and special. Her mum embroidered in a secret message into the hem of the dress alongside the wedding date. Mount Emphraim Gardens is a stunning wedding venue in itself, famous for, unsurprisingly, it’s outdoor gardens, but this couple wanted the freedom of their garden wedding!

Kentish church wedding ceremony

The church ceremony for this Kent tipi wedding was a short 10 minute walk away. I walked over with the bridesmaids who carried the custom illustrated orders of service. The priest delivered a fun modern wedding service. After the church ceremony we were all blessed with amazing weather. As the couple left the church the sun backlit them perfectly! I took the chance to photograph a few big group photos on the church grounds, before a majority of the guests took the 10 mins walk back to the family home for the garden wedding reception.

dog at church wedding

Tipi wedding in a Kent family home

The guests arrived and had reception drinks in the apple orchard. The lovely canapés and all the food was supplied by Minno Kitchen. The beautiful Autumnal theme decorated three tier cake was by Dolce Lusso Cakes. Pesh Flowers did the floral decor both on the tables and floral arch at the entrance to the tipi. The table plan and table place cards were all hand illustrations of the family dogs!

Natural golden hour couple photos

Between the sun kissed drinks reception and the start of the wedding dinner served at long trestle tables, I took the couple for some relaxed photos. The factors that determine my choice of photo location include angle of the sun, lovely leading lines in the backdrop, or shapes that provide some unique framing. At their home we were spoiled with several different areas, including wide spacious landscapes and the gorgeous orchard trees.

How to plan a Kent tipi wedding dinner

Tipi weddings really suit a trestle table style layout, it’s the best way to maximise the space inside a round shaped tipi, as you can go right up to the corners and squeeze more guests in! Minno Kitchen provided gorgeous sharing platters, with speeches given between the courses. If you worry about the temperature dropping at night, know that you can order heater blowers and heater lamps, as well as outdoor fire pits to keep everyone super comfortable! They cut the gorgeous cake in the most perfect light.

If you loved the look of this Kent tipi wedding don’t forget that I can photograph tipi weddings anywhere! I specialise in Essex tipi weddings too, and love to create unique documentary wedding photography in your stunning outdoor setting.