Ring a ding ding let the wedding bells ring! Happy couples are increasingly hoping to find unique and intimate properties to host their weddings or elopements. The trend is rapidly shifting away from “invite all the people, spend all the money, decorate everything” and toward “be more present with fewer guests, spend less money, be somewhere naturally beautiful”, and that’s why wedding hosts are wanted.

PHOTO CREDIT HEATHER WILMOT

WHAT MAKES A GREAT WEDDING HOST?

So how do you know if you’ll make a great wedding host? Well first and foremost, do you love love??? That’s pretty important. Second, do you have a property on which you could support the basics for an intimate celebration? Also important. Although, you could still be in daydream mode, and that’s good, too. Because as far as we can predict, people are going to keep falling in love, and keep wanting to get married, and that means wedding hosts are wanted now, and will be in the future. So whether you’re already in love with the idea of helping kick-off wedded bliss as a tent host, or you’re still toying with the tinder of the notion, here’s what you’ll want to keep in mind in order to be the tent and wedding host that will appeal to lovebirds everywhere:

YOUR PROPERTY

• ACCESS - How remote is your property? Couples seeking a secret or sudden elopement may really treasure a tent site that’s tucked into a remote location. Secrets are fun. Though others may be hoping for an off-grid glamping vibe, but that also allows easier access for a handful of guests to attend. The seclusion and access factors of your particular property will help determine what types of weddings you’ll be able to host, and then you can leverage either the remoteness, or ease of access as marketable features to the right couples.
• SIZE - Perhaps it goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway! How large your property is and how it can be configured will help you understand how many tents you’d like to host. Tents can be used for overnight sleeping arrangements, and also as lounge areas, dressing rooms, photo backdrops, karaoke, and more. You’ll want to consider the outside areas, your maximum capacities for overnight guests, as well as for parking.
• NATURAL FEATURES - What’s the landscape like? Are there natural features that would make for appealing backgrounds for a ceremony, or for orienting the tent flaps so that newlyweds could toast the sunset after they’ve said “I do”? The natural landscape of your property and how you integrate it with the tent site can create a dreamy effect that is irresistible, romantic, and memorable, making you the wedding tent host that couples want to work with the most.

PHOTO CREDIT: @JAYMEELYNNPHOTOGRAPHY

ACCOMMODATIONS

Depending on the size of your property, you may have options for what kind of overnight accommodations you want to provide. You could set up a single bell tent or have multiple, you could allow people to bring in their own camping set ups or not. You could erect a tent platform for a more established, glamping feel, or keep it closer to the earth for more of a boho vibe. All of these variables have appeal, and there are lovebirds looking at all of the options. The great thing about being a tent host (compared to a tiny home, or a cabin, as examples) is that set up and take down is super easy. So you can rearrange your accommodations as needed, and appeal to a wider audience by the variety of overnight options you can offer.

PHOTO CREDIT HEATHER WILMOT

AMENITIES

The size of your property and the natural features might not be details you can modify, but when it comes to amenities, that’s where wedding hosts can really get creative, setting the scene for nuptial bliss. Amenities can include:

• Separate areas for ceremony and reception, an awning for extra shade

• Onsite access to running water, restroom facilities, and showers

• Kitchen area or access to cooking options

• Campfire rings or a woodstove

• Tent comforts: mattress and bedding, rugs, ambient lighting, tent features like roll-up walls or skylights in the ceiling, thoughtful details

RESOURCES

Finally, consider what else might be in your toolkit of wedding resources. Who do you know, and what else can you offer? Are you willing and wanting to be full-service, with event set-up for a ceremony in addition to being a tent host? Music, photography, food and beverage … even if you don’t personally want to offer any of these classic wedding elements, you’ll want to at least know what’s available in your area, so you can point couples in the right direction and help round out their romantic celebration with all the dreamy details.

Read more ideas here on how to create a romantic space with a canvas bell tent.

PHOTO CREDIT: @JAYMEELYNNPHOTOGRAPHY