Can you have an ice cream van inside your wedding venue?

Why ice cream vans stay outside

A standard ice cream van is a full-size vehicle. It needs road access and hard standing, it's too tall and wide for most doorways, and venues won't let an engine run indoors. So the van parks outside and guests go out to it, which is lovely in July and less lovely in a Yorkshire downpour.

What can come inside

Smaller set-ups like carts, trikes and our tuk-tuk are designed for exactly this. The Ice Cream Tuk fits through standard double doors, so we can drive it into barns, halls, marquees and converted buildings and serve in the middle of the room. When we served at Left Bank Leeds, the couple said their guests were "genuinely amazed" when the tuk drove into the building.

Once it's parked, the only thing running is the soft-serve machine, which plugs into a mains socket. There's nothing to melt and no freezer to restock while guests queue.

What to check with your venue

• The route: the tuk can't go up steps, round very tight bends or through narrow gaps. A quick video of the route from the car park to the room is ideal.
• Doorway width: standard double doors are fine. Single doors usually aren't.
• Floor: we'll need to know about delicate floors, rugs or ramps.
• Power: a mains socket within 15 metres of where we set up.
• Space: room for the tuk and a small queue, away from the band or DJ so we can talk to guests.
• Paperwork: most venues ask for public liability insurance. We hold £5 million cover and all our equipment is PAT tested.

Indoor wedding ideas

• Rainy-day backup: plan the tuk outside, with an agreed indoor spot if the weather turns.
• Winter weddings: soft-serve by the bar or dance floor works all year round.
• City-centre venues: warehouses and townhouses in Leeds and Manchester, where a van simply can't get close.
• The grand entrance: guests love seeing the tuk roll into the room.