off the grid PLANNING CHECKLIST

Planning a tipi wedding or tipi event? Use our simple tipi planning checklist to get started or get in touch to discuss.

1. VENUE

   Where will you put the tipis? Step one, with any event, is to confirm the venue where you would like your tipis to be set up! Commercial venues book far in advance so if you have a commercial venue in mind, do reach out to them first to confirm availability and tipi suitability. If you want to have a look at the sizing of the tipis check out our layout options here.
   If you have private property - great! If you’re unsure about tipi setup, get in touch with Element Tipis and we will happily organise a site visit.

2. DATE

   The next important thing to lock in is your date. This will ensure you can align all your suppliers.

3. ESTIMATED GUEST NUMBERS

   It’s important to have a rough idea of the number of guests you are looking to invite to your wedding. This will ensure you can have the right tipi configuration for your guests.

4. SETUP REQUIRED

   Once you confirm the numbers, have some thoughts on your wedding setup. You don’t need to finalise details, but this will help configure the number of tipis required.

   • Do you want to have your guests seated?

   • Do you want to have a dance floor with a band?

   • Do you want to have a ceremony indoor backup option inside a tipi?

   • Do you want a lounging area and bar inside?

LET’S GET YOU BOOKED!

ONCE YOU HAVE THE FIRST FOUR STEPS, WE CAN GET YOUR DATE LOCKED IN. LET’S CHAT.

Once your booking is confirmed, you can move on to the next steps of planning your tipi wedding:

5. CATERING REQUIREMENTS

Event caterers book out quickly, so once you’ve confirmed your date and venue, you want to confirm your catering. It just so happens we have our FOOD BY FIRE catering business, which compliments the Element Tipis perfectly. We can provide a quote with your tipi booking to ensure you have one point of contact.

Get a Food by Fire catering quote >

With an off-the-grid wedding you’ll need to discuss the following with your venue & caterer:

6. BAR REQUIREMENTS

• Your bar will need to be off-the-grid also for a tipi event.

  Our most popular option is our Bedford Bar Truck, which is available for hire with our tipis.

  7. FURNITURE HIRE

  Confirm your furniture hire requirements, once your tipi setup has been locked in. We usually set up tipis two days before your event, so you can organise furniture hire and set up for the day before your event.

  In Christchurch, we recommend Long Acre Hire for rustic furniture hire.
  Mention your Element Tipi booking to receive a discount on your base hire^ Terms and conditions apply.

  Element Tipis can also provide quotes to hire the following from us directly:

• Firepits

• Sheepskins

• Minihat tipis

• Festoon Lighting

6. ELECTRICITY

Will your venue be providing power? If not, you’ll require a generator and extension cords to power your setup.

7. BATHROOMS

Will your venue be providing bathrooms? If not, you’ll be required to hire a bathroom. We recommend Outback Bathrooms for a more sophisticated toilet option - especially when glamping.

8. OPTIONAL: GLAMPING

If your venue allows, add a glamping village to your tipi setup to allow your guests to stay.

We can provide a quote for up to 10 glamping tents through our friends at Canterbury Glamping.

9. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

Check out our FAQs page, or send us an email with any questions or give us a call to discuss your dream event.