Autumnal Abundance with Coastal Tents at Harry Warren House

I hope you’ve all had a lovely week soaking up some glorious and much needed Vit D. However, let us indulge in some autumnal yumminess for just a moment as we take a look back at this tipi editorial with Coastal Tents at Harry Warren House in Dorset.

Expect sea views, abundant foliage and charming autumnal details.

Rosie says…

Harry Warren House felt like the obvious location for this autumnal tipi wedding theme. The lapping seashore below the sunken ceremony area, the tipi on the lawn looking out towards Old Harry Rocks, views across the bay to Poole and boats bobbing along in the water. It’s a perfect spot for a couple looking for coastal views and a blank canvas venue. We wanted a juxtaposition to the seascape of Harry Warren by showing how tipis can lend themselves to a rustic charm and create a seasonal autumnal abundance by the sea.

The design team of Rosie Barrett and florist Emma Whicher of Martha and the Meadow worked together to elevate and illustrate a feeling of seasonal abundance but in an elaborate rustic design concept. Tipis, naturally lend themselves to bold use of foliage, it seems that many other colours and textures can sometimes get lost within their lofty canvas spaces. So with previous experience decorating such tents, we knew what aesthetically works and what does not.

It was September so we embraced apple season, working with taupe linens to sit alongside the Canvas of the tipis, lots of green foliage with touches of burgundy to pull the colour out of the pinks in the apples.

The large overspilling bell glass vases filled with branching autumnal foliage created the feeling of a canopy over the dining table and with the table set in a zig-zag, the space felt relaxed yet formalised. The tables themselves were simply decorated with beautiful Portuguese ivory porcelain plates and a flood of varying glassware filled with candlelight to create reflection and warmth under the canopy. The use of a tortoiseshell water glass lifted the neutral palette and with simple but beautiful stationery depicting the repeating apple motif throughout the day. Apples were not only used in branches in the flower arrangements but filled perspex stands which were used as simple effective table plans. We followed the theme and used apple crates filled with foliage and flowers, framing the table plan adding an extra depth to the rustic abundance. Furniture was green velvet or heavy linen from The White Chair Company‘s Louis range, glass coffee tables with gold edges used to reflect more light and small floral arrangements appeared to float above the coir matting in the tipi. A barrel bar seemed the obvious choice in the rustic interior and apple cocktails were served with charred apple slices as decoration.

Emma, the florist, used seasonal foliage like Cotinus, Beech and branching crab apples. As well as rich burgundies to lift the hues out of the fruit itself, she used Chrysanthemum blooms, grasses, seed heads and sedum in cut glass vases on the occasional tables, the bar and through large arrangements in apple crates framing the table plan. Bountiful crab apples and small windfall apples were used across the table, on place settings, scattered between glasses and in the perspex columns as a table plan.

The entire concept illustrated that a small intimate wedding (within pandemic restrictions) did not have to be lacklustre in any way. Showing how couples can work on creating impact overhead not just from hanging installations, lots of warmth from candlelight and a cohesive design to create that intimate setting for their wedding breakfast.

Venue Harry Warren House

Tents + Tipis Coastal Tents

Photography Tom & Lizzie Redman Photography

Design + Styling Rosie Barrett

Design + Florals Martha and the Meadow

Furniture White Chair Company Ltd

Tableware Fabulous Company

Stationery From Sally with Love

Celebrant Grace The Day

Photobooth Swit Swoo

Bar The Copper Still Mobile Bar

Trees Whitestem