Sami Tipi

Sami Tipi is a Derbyshire company that hires Nordic tipis and sailcloth marquees for weddings. It also runs three private outdoor wedding sites in Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and is based at Old Hall Farm in Swarkestone.

Why it suits LGBTQ+ couples

Sami Tipi is a strong fit for couples who want to design the day from scratch. Each site is private to your wedding, and you choose the layout, the caterer and the bar. Sami Tipi has featured a two-grooms wedding on its own website and says it has helped a number of gay couples have the day they want.

Ceremonies

You can hold your ceremony outdoors on the site, next to the water, in a meadow or in the woods. The Cuttle Brook site at Swarkestone sits where the brook meets the River Trent near Swarkestone Bridge, and the site has a waterfront setting. The Hideaway at Ticknall is a secluded meadow close to Calke Abbey. Priory Meadows at Breedon on the Hill has open meadows and hill views.

Receptions and food

The reception takes place in a Nordic tipi or a sailcloth marquee supplied by Sami Tipi. You arrange your own catering and bar. At Cuttle Brook there is no corkage, so you can bring your own drinks or work with a mobile bar company. A hog roast, a ploughman style evening spread and a live band have all featured at weddings on the website.

Because the structures arrive on site for your wedding only, the setting changes with the season, and a site viewing helps you picture the layout.

Staying

There is no overnight accommodation in the tipis. At Cuttle Brook, The Pavilion, a Landmark Trust property on the farm, suits the couple, and booking goes through the trust. Guests can use local bed and breakfasts, a nearby pub with lodges, or camp. Sami Tipi can recommend bell tent companies for a glamping village.

Getting there and the area

Swarkestone is south of Derby, near the A514 and Melbourne. The sites are all within easy reach of Derby, Burton upon Trent and Loughborough.

Good to know

• Site viewings can be booked.
• Only a limited number of weddings are held at each site each year.
• You choose your own caterer and layout.