The Secret Garden

Jodie, the owner of Sami Tipi, kicks off today’s inspiration…

Lakeside Meadow approached us at Sami Tipi to work with them to launch their new site. I popped along to see what I thought would be a field and was blown away by what I saw. Lakeside Meadow has very much a garden feel about it as it was once part of the original farmhouse, with mature trees, lush grass and a lake with scenic bridges over it.

A ‘Secret Garden’ immediately sprung to mind as you really would not know this space existed! It’s wonderful.

The key suppliers involved with the shoot came along to see the site, too, so they could understand its natural beauty, and we could work together to create the look of the tipis. Tara from Tickety Boo Events was instrumental in developing and executing the vision; she explains how she took the initial concept from mood board to tipis.

“The overall theme and direction for the shoot were relaxed, end of summer vibes,” says Tara, “We wanted to catch the colours and different light that you get at this time of year, particularly in a lakeside garden, which was such a unique setting. As the seasons change, so do the trees and flowers. Every season will be different there, which is an exciting prospect for a couple. It also felt like a very intimate setting, and we wanted to capture this in how it was shot.”

Tara continues, “This shoot was captured at the beginning of September; the site gave a sense of calmness with its lake set within a beautiful garden. To complement this, we worked with a colour palette of white, green and silver; this made the space inside the tipis feel fresh. The trees and greenery around the garden gave such a breathtaking backdrop that it enabled to capture different looks from various angles across the site.”

The design brief was shared with Ally from Alexandra Anne, who opted for the divine ‘Beaumont’ v-neck dress and exquisite blossom-covered ‘Calla’ top by Charlie Brear. Both pieces’ rich colours and textures lent themselves beautifully to the Secret Garden look.

The tablescape and décor complimented the theme, with fresh flowers and a hanging twig feature filled with greenery and lights; I felt that this brought the Tipis to life and gave a sense of a magical indoor garden. Each table had a bird box with flowers and small sprayed silver animals you would find outside. The stationery and signage worked beautifully with the styling with pops of pastel colours, florals and a watercolour effect. The style was effortless, and more or less could be added, like décor or table pieces.

The addition of the floral LOVE letters from Love In My Life made a change from the usual light-up ones and also enhanced the dance floor area. We couldn’t resist having them outside for some of the shoots as they worked beautifully with the area. The cake was also in keeping, simple with florals on top and styled on an industrial galvanised trolley.

For the flowers, we worked with Marianne of Frances & Rose. She used seasonal flowers for the shoot, centring around the colour of lush grey-green and soft whites and blush pinks; the café au lait Dahlia and the Eucalyptus were the show’s stars. The tones were pastel to match the late summer softness of the venue and the stunning flowers on the dress.

To style a tipi for a wedding, it is so important that it has the right look and feel. How you feel in space can impact how you behave, and for a couple planning a tipi wedding, it is often a relaxed feeling they are after. This is evident in their choices, from cake to table runners.

The venue itself had a real sense of peace surrounding it. We had two options to marry outside: a weeping willow draping over one ceremony area and a hidden woodland area perfect for exchanging vows. For potential couples wanting to marry there, it provides a choice depending on the time of the year and the style concept they have chosen.

For couples styling their wedding, the colour palette is so simple and soft that adding brighter or pastel shades would work. The watercolours from the stationery could work in a darker or brighter colour, and an injection of brighter flowers would add to it.

So, whilst we LOVE this colour scheme, couples could adapt it for their day.

Photography Emily Little Wedding Photography

Venue Lakeside Meadow

Tipis Sami Tipi

Styling Tickety Boo Events

Bridal Fashion Charlie Brear courtesy of Alexandra Anne

Flowers Frances & Rose

Prop Hire Love In My Life

Linens Executive Linen

Celebrant My Perfect Ceremony

Stationery Rose Press

Cake Hello Cake

Film Jimmy Knott