5 Top Tips for Planning a Cotswold Marquee Wedding

Elegant, sociable and striking the perfect balance between inside space and out, there are so many reasons I love a Cotswolds marquee wedding. Today, I’m sharing with you my five top tips for planning one – check them out and be inspired for your day

Time it right

If you’re planning a Cotswolds marquee wedding, you’re all set to enjoy plenty of time outdoors. One of the perks of the Cotswolds is that it offers one of the most picturesque settings going with its idyllic countryside. But, this does mean you’ll be affected by the elements more too, so it requires careful planning.

Start by thinking about the season. Summer is your safest bet, with drier days, warmer temperatures and, if you’re lucky, splashes of sunshine too. Marquees often have carpet flooring and, if there won’t be a watertight base beneath that, you’ll want to be setting up on dry ground or add a more solid base.

If your marquee doesn’t have windows, you’ll also need to think about lighting. Again, this is why the long summer nights can be especially helpful when celebrating a Cotswolds marquee wedding

The perfect pitch

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Before you can plan your perfect Cotswolds marquee wedding, you need to have somewhere to put it! Whether you’d like to pitch a marquee on the lawn of a country house, or hire a field, check out these Cotswolds venues that are perfect for a marquee wedding.

Back to basics

Often, when you hire a marquee you get exactly that: the tent. Many suppliers will allow you to add elements to your package, from flooring to a dancefloor and furniture to servingware. Do take into consideration that if you’re going for a ‘dry hire’ venue, you’ll need the time and budget to arrange all the extras that are easy to take for granted.

This is where a wedding planner can really help, especially if you need to book more technical extras like a catering tent. With an expert by your side, there won’t be any last-minute surprises and you can relax and enjoy your big day. One of my absolute favourites is Krysta at For the Love of Weddings who has created some stunning marquee weddings that I've had the pleasure of photographing

Styling ideas for your Cotswolds marquee wedding

Chandeliers, bunting, flower walls… A Cotswolds marquee wedding provides the ultimate blank canvas to style your day, your way. Get creative with every element and you’ll create a style that truly suits you.

Make your marquee ultra-glam with chandeliers, a flower wall behind the top table and an illuminated dancefloor. For a look that’s more boho-chic, how about suspending greenery hoops from the ceiling and stringing up festoon lights? You could even build a bar out of wine barrels - anything is possible!

Picture-perfect

Photographing a Cotswolds marquee wedding requires a slightly different skillset to photographing weddings elsewhere. For a start, the light levels can be dramatically different to those in country house venues. Your Cotswolds wedding photographer needs to know how to adapt.

Even within marquee set-ups, you can have everything from ultra-airy garden marquees to boho tipis, which often feature darker coloured fabric sides, creating a slightly more intimate, lower-light feel.

That’s why it always pays to book a Cotswolds wedding photographer with experience shooting weddings similar to yours. I’ve been fortunate to photograph many – this Cotswolds marquee wedding held in a garden was one of my favourites. Have a flick through the photos for more inspiration for your dream day