On Saturday I headed south, further into Cheshire to Delamere Forest where the team from Event in a Tent were holding their open weekend.  I get to work with some lovely businesses, but all too often I can get stuck behind the laptop, so I’m always delighted when an opportunity comes along to go and meet and see what the TNWC businesses get up to.

Event in a Tent hire out those stunning giant tipis that are becoming increasingly popular as alternative wedding venue spaces.  Having been inside the giant tipis once before, it was a treat to go back, and I was disappointed.  These structures are truly spectacular.  As I walked inside there was a log fire going and the tents give off this soft, warm golden colour.

They had set up a couple of their large tipis, all interconnected, and a smaller chill out tent. Inside, the fire pits were lit, and a couple of table options set out – the long wooden trestle tables with benches, decorated with jugs of autumn foliage, and round tables adorned with pretty linens and china from fellow TNWC business Pebble in the Pond.

I particularly loved the hessian covered with lace (these lace table runners and other linens are all available to hire from Pebble in the Pond)…

I also to got meet TNWC competition winners Myfanwy and Tom who were there planning their autumn wedding – you might think that giant tipis are only suitable for summer weddings, but with the fires lit, a bit of additional heating, and perhaps the lovely reindeer skin covered benches (to keep your guests’ bums warm!) they would be a magical and cosy space for an autumn or winter wedding.

Matt and Niamh from Event in a Tent had also invited along Matt from Greengages, a family-run catering business sourcing ethical, regional and seasonal ingredients that they transform into mouthwatering dishes.

Matt also has this incredibly cute food truck – can you just imagine this rocking up at your wedding!

Matt’s passion for where he sources his ingredients from and dreaming up a personalised menu for your wedding day was clear listening to him chat to couples.  I also loitered around the Greengages truck long enough to sample some of Matt’s delicious canapés.

I’m not going to do these tasty morsels justice by describing to you what they tasted like (if I remember correctly, a brined pork topped with crispy puffed rice, skewers of duck, beetroot baked in a salt dough crust, Welsh cakes, and mini scones), so my only advice is to try Matt’s cooking for yourself.

I didn’t think I was much of a canapé person until I saw these…

Greengages also has this stash of rustic serving dishes (other items I spotted were mini flower pots, wooden trays and those very cute twisted canapé sticks)…

If you have the opportunity to go along to open days and alternative weddings fairs I would highly recommend it – there’s nothing like meeting people in person and discussing your ideas with them, seeing their products and services ‘for real’ (rather than just pictures on a website), and in the case of food, to actually taste it.

You can find out more about some of our businesses that have been featured on the blog under the category Featuring Our Lovely Businesses. 

Images: The Natural Wedding Company