Getting to Know - Magical Events Ltd

Interview With: Matthew Mazurek

Company Name: Magical Events Ltd

Location / Coverage: Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Essex and Beyond!

Who are Magical Events and what do you do?

Magical Events is a family business run by myself and my wife, with the help of our great crew who are experienced in erecting our Tipis and Bell Tents. We offer Giant Hat Tipi hire along with our Bell Tent hire for all events, whether it’s a small family gathering, a festival themed wedding or a huge 60th Birthday Party. Whatever the occasion we can help to make it Magical!

Image courtesy of Katherine Ashdown Photography

How and when did Magical Events start?

Having owned and run successful businesses previously (albeit industries I had no interest in!) I decided that life is too short and I should actually do something that I really enjoy — camping and events! We launched our first website ‘Magical Camping’ in January 2012 and the business went from strength to strength. We added more Bell Tents to our ‘fleet’ in 2013, and in the Summer of 2013 we also started working on launching our Giant Hat Tipis for hire. In January 2014 ‘Magical Events Ltd’ was born.

What wedding services do you provide?

We offer our Giant Hat Tipis with a range of finishing touches that can be added to create a unique structure for our customers; they can seat between 72 and 300+ guests depending on the event. Along with the Tipis we can cater for up to 180 guests who want to stay for the evening inside our Bell Tents. This can be for a group of friends, a couple, or our very special ‘Honeymoon Suite’!

What is a bell tent?

A Bell Tent is a very simple structure used for camping — it is a 19th century design but has certainly stood the test of time. Bell Tents were used an awful lot in the Zulu War, South Africa, and were mainly used by the British Army Troops. Today, the Bell tents are used for a whole host of things — we have used them for 1 year olds’ birthday parties, Tattoo Parlours, Children’s Crèches, Honeymoon Suites and everything in-between.

What is the difference between a tipi and a marquee?

A Tipi creates a wonderful rustic atmosphere both inside and out, gives a great focal point and gets people talking. With the almost unlimited facility to join them together you can choose to have different areas within these structures. Unlike a Marquee, the Giant Hat Tipis can have open fires inside which again adds to the character of them. With the wooden poles reaching from the ground to the apex, the Tipis certainly do have a certain charm about them.

Can couples have their wedding ceremony in a tipi or bell tent?

You wouldn’t be able to have a ceremony in a Bell Tent due to space! You can however have your ceremony in a Tipi depending on your location/venue. We work with a couple of venues in Norfolk where the registrar is happy to carry out the ceremony within our Tipis. Alternatively, if you cannot find a venue/registrar that would do this you could have a blessing within the Tipi after you have carried out the legal side at a registry office, Church etc.

Why do you think tipis and bell tents are so popular for weddings?

I think that a number of people are looking for an alternative to the traditional wedding and are wanting to stand out from the crowd. I believe that weddings are becoming more of a relaxed style party as opposed to the formal sit down meal, and it’s a way to have fun with friends and family. We have also found that weddings are being carried out over longer periods, so rather than a day/evening party it has now becoming a weekend event — in some cases even longer! This means that our customers get the use of the Tipis for this time and also the Bell Tents to stay in for the duration too — just like a little festival!

What sets Magical Events apart from other wedding tipi and marquee services?

Firstly, we absolutely love what we do and take great pride in our work. There is nothing better than seeing a blank field transformed by Giant Hat Tipis and Bell Tents; it’s something I will never tire of. As well as our work being our passion we are a small business and every customer counts. This means we treat every one of our customers as though they are our only one. We will spend time listening to what our customers want and will advise on certain aspects, if of course they want us to!

We also style our Tipis and Bell Tents slightly differently to most. We use more vintage/rustic items that create a really quirky feeling and we guarantee that no two weddings or Bell Tents we set up will ever be the same. I am always at every set up and Lisa is usually at most too. We are very hands on and always putting up Bell Tents or Tipis somewhere in the UK, or even Europe throughout the summer.

What type of wedding styling do you think works well in a tipi or bell tent?

As above really; we love the look of vintage/boho furnishings and think that this works well with the current wedding trends. We have a whole host of vintage furniture, from Lloyd Loom Chairs to Chesterfield Sofas. We love using crotchet blankets in the tents which creates some great styling effects. Using bespoke, handmade tables and benches made from reclaimed woods really sets the Tipis off too, especially with some handpicked wild flowers in jam jars on top!

Where can Magical Events’ tipis be used?

They can be used anywhere (as long as there is enough space!). We like a challenge and will always do everything we can in our power to bring our Tipis to our clients.

Random question… Have you been affected by the flooding this year?

I want to say no but I don’t want to tempt fate! We really do feel for all of the people who have been affected by them and our thoughts are with them. The only advice I can give is to move to Norfolk — it’s a wonderful county and does seem to have a different weather system to the rest of the UK. Now I’ve said that we will probably wake up to a river flowing through our house!

What are your top tips for couples looking for a tipi or bell tent for their wedding?

Be yourself with the styling and do your own thing. If you really want something in particular then run with it; we will support you in any decisions that you make. You must also enjoy the experience and not get stressed… that’s what the suppliers are there for, to take this away from you. Weddings are supposed to be fun so let your hair down and enjoy the party!