Why Choose Special Event Tipis & Marquees?

16th March, 2026

Why Choose Special Event Tipis & Marquees?

Choosing the right structure for your wedding or event is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. Whether you’re planning a countryside celebration, a corporate gathering or a relaxed garden wedding, the team behind your tipi hire or sailcloth marquee hire can make all the difference.

At Special Event Tipis & Marquees, we combine experience, beautiful structures and a highly personal service to help create unforgettable events. From the first enquiry to the final handover, our goal is simple: to make your special event run smoothly and look incredible.

Here are just a few reasons why couples, venues and businesses across the UK choose us for their tipi and sailcloth marquee hire.

Tipi wedding in the Lake District for a beautiful sunny tipi wedding with a baby Nimbus Tipi as an outdoor chill out zone for the wedding breakfast. Outdoor wedding ceremony and tipi decorated with homemade bunting
Outdoor wedding ceremony with sailcloth marquee, wedding, outdoor ceremony with crossed back chairs and woven matted aisle made from stiletto proof, reusable matting. Cumbrian wedding venue silverholme manor overlooking windermere in the lake district cumbria
Beautiful Sailcloth marquee in South cumbria castle wedding venue, beautiful wedding floral displays either side of the sailcloth marquee entrance

Experience and Reliability

With over 15 years of experience and more than 1,700 successful events, we know exactly what it takes to create the perfect event space.

Every site is different. Some are remote, some have tricky access and others require careful planning around the weather or surrounding landscape. Our team has worked in all kinds of locations and conditions, so we know how to make your event work beautifully wherever it takes place.

Our track record speaks for itself. We have successfully delivered every event we have committed to, even during some extremely challenging circumstances.

For example, during Storm Arwen, we had structures installed near Edinburgh just as the storm arrived. David spent 36 hours on site, checking the tipis every 15 minutes through the night to ensure everything remained safe in the severe winds. Thanks to his experience and careful management, the wedding went ahead exactly as planned the following day.

In addition, we are an independent and financially secure business. We own all of our equipment and structures outright, which means we are never reliant on external funding or third-party suppliers to deliver your event.

A Family Business That Truly Cares

Special Event Tipis & Marquees is a family-run business, and that personal approach is something our clients really value.

Kate manages the planning side of the business and works closely with every client to help shape their event. Meanwhile, David leads our experienced installation team, many of whom have been part of the crew for years.

Because of this, you’ll deal with a small, dedicated team who genuinely care about your event. From the moment you first get in touch to the day your tipi or sailcloth marquee is handed over, we aim to make the process friendly, efficient and stress-free.

Working in the wedding and events industry is a privilege, and we never forget that our structures are playing a central role in one of the most important days of your life.

Authentic Tentipi Tipis and Luxury Sailcloth Marquees

When it comes to the structures themselves, quality is everything. That’s why we only work with some of the finest tents available anywhere in the world.

Our Tentipi tipis are handmade in Sweden using premium natural materials. These iconic structures are renowned for their strength, beauty and versatility, making them perfect for weddings, parties and corporate events throughout the year.

Alongside our tipis, we also offer luxury sailcloth marquee hire across the UK. Our elegant sailcloth marquees are manufactured in the Netherlands by Qtents, one of the most respected names in the industry.

With sweeping peaks, wooden centre poles and beautiful translucent canvas, sailcloth marquees create a light and airy atmosphere that feels both timeless and modern. They are particularly popular for summer weddings and outdoor celebrations, where natural light and open space play an important role in the overall feel of the event.

We would never risk a client’s wedding or special event with anything less than the best structures available.

24-Hour Support for Outdoor Events

Outdoor events are incredibly special, but they also require careful planning and flexibility. Weather conditions and site logistics can change quickly, so it is important to have a team that is prepared for every eventuality.

That’s why we offer a 24-hour call-out service. Our crew, vehicles and spare equipment are always ready should anything unexpected arise.

We can also help organise essential event infrastructure such as:

  • Luxury loos
  • Generators
  • Showers
  • Fridge trailers

In addition, we keep emergency equipment such as heaters, hard flooring and clear sides for tipis in stock. These can be added to your event package at very short notice if needed.

This level of preparation ensures your tipi or sailcloth marquee event runs smoothly whatever the weather decides to do.

Aerial shot from a drone of the sailcloth marquee set up at Lake District Wedding venue in Cumbria overlooking Windermere
Tipi tents set up for a corporate event at Honister Slate mine, the Lake District

Expert Event Planning and Layout Advice

Designing the perfect event space is about much more than simply fitting tables into a marquee.

Over the years we have refined our installation and planning process so that every layout works both practically and beautifully.

We can help you decide:

  • Where your marquee should be positioned on site
  • Which openings work best depending on the weather
  • How your internal layout should flow

For example, we consider questions such as:

  • Can your caterers move easily between tables?
  • Is there enough space around the bar for service?
  • Will guests have comfortable areas to mingle and relax?
  • Can the top table see the entire room?

Because we work inside these structures every week, we can confidently guide you towards layouts that create the best possible atmosphere for your event.

Beautiful Finishing Touches

Creating the perfect event space is often about the small details.

Each year we carefully expand and refine our collection of interior furnishings and decorative elements so that both our tipis and luxury sailcloth marquees feel warm, inviting and beautifully styled.

Our annual showcase viewings are the perfect opportunity to see these finishing touches in person. From elegant seating and bars to carefully chosen décor pieces, these details help bring the entire space together and create that all-important sense of atmosphere.

Lighting, in particular, plays a huge role in transforming a marquee once evening arrives. We offer lighting packages designed specifically for our tipis and dedicated lighting packages for our sailcloth marquees, ensuring each structure is illuminated in a way that complements its unique design. The result is a soft, warm glow that enhances the natural canvas, wooden poles and the beautiful atmosphere inside the space.

In our sailcloth marquees, the oyster coloured canvas allows natural daylight to filter through the tent during the day, creating a bright and airy space that feels beautifully connected to the surrounding landscape. As the sun sets, festoon lighting, Edison chandeliers and carefully positioned up lighting help create a magical evening atmosphere.

For our tipis, features such as clear sides, panels and our unique clear tipi tops allow light to flood into the space, ensuring the structures stay bright and welcoming whatever the season. Warm festoon and fairy lighting then adds a soft, twinkling glow as the evening sets in.

These thoughtful finishing touches help transform a simple structure into a truly memorable setting for your tipi or sailcloth marquee wedding or event.

Styling Inspiration for Your Tipi or Sailcloth Marquee Wedding

We spend a great deal of time researching event styling trends and exploring new ideas for our structures.

Whether your vision is:

  • Elegant and romantic
  • Colourful and fun
  • Rustic and country-inspired
  • Relaxed and festival-style

We can help you bring your ideas to life inside a tipi or sailcloth marquee wedding space.

Viewings at our annual showcases allow you to experience the structures first-hand, experiment with layout ideas and try out our different furniture options. Many couples find that stepping inside the space helps them visualise their wedding day much more clearly.

For additional inspiration, you can also explore our Pinterest and Instagram pages, where we regularly share real weddings and styling ideas from past events.
Personalised wedding decorations inside giant hat tipi wedding hire in cumbria and the lake district
Relaxed lounge seating inside a Nordic wedding tipi
Giant Hat Tipi Hire in the Lake District - Internaln shot of tipis with fairy lighting, long wooden tables and cross back chairs with simple wedding flowers with hydrangeas

Trusted Supplier Relationships

Over the years we have developed close relationships with some truly fantastic wedding and event suppliers.

From experienced venues and planners to talented photographers, florists, caterers and bands, we can recommend trusted professionals who consistently deliver outstanding results.

These partnerships help ensure that every element of your event works together seamlessly.

Clients Who Return Year After Year

One of the greatest compliments we receive is repeat business. We regularly work with siblings and friends of past clients who loved their events so much that they return to us for their own celebrations.

In addition, we have provided structures for a wide range of well-known organisations for corporate events including:

  • Center Parcs
  • Harper Collins
  • The Bank of New York
  • Lloyds
  • Virgin
  • Playstation
  • The National Trust
  • Honister Slate Mine

These returning clients are a testament to the reliability and quality of our tipi and sailcloth marquee hire service.

What Our Clients Say

Nothing speaks more clearly about our work than the words of our clients.

“Absolutely outstanding – the tipis are amazing and of the highest quality. The extras they offer make everything work perfectly, and the people involved are without exception top class.”

“We couldn’t recommend Special Event Tipis enough. From our first enquiry through to the wedding day, the team were professional, reassuring and incredibly helpful. Even during the pandemic they made everything feel completely under control.”

Reviews like these mean the world to us, and they remind us why we love what we do.

Planning a Tipi or Sailcloth Marquee Event?

If you’re considering tipi hire or sailcloth marquee hire in the UK, we would love to help you plan your event.

Our experienced team can guide you through layouts, styling ideas and practical considerations to ensure your celebration runs perfectly from start to finish.

You are always welcome to visit one of our viewings, where you can experience our structures in person and start imagining your own special event.

Back to Blog