Marquee weddings part two

Following on from last month’s article, we’ll continue to look at different options for your marquee wedding. Most people have a very clear picture of what their marquee should look like for their wedding day but they aren’t too clear of all the elements that make up this picture. 

There are many options available, but we’ll just look at the most basic elements that will transfer your marquee from a tent in the backyard to a personalized reception centre.

Marquee wedding magic

Soft lighting by lanterns

Lining & Walls

When ordering a marquee you do need to decide if you want to have a silk-lining (as shown here, ceiling). This is an extra item and has to be ordered to fit the actual size of your marquee. That is, if you are hiring a 10m wide (gable end) marquee you need to make sure your supplier has that size lining to fit.

 Similarly, you will probably have the option of wall panels with windows (also shown above) which work well for daytime events, allowing natural light to create ambience.

 Lighting

If your function is going to be at night, then you will need to organize some lighting for inside the marquee.  A popular and cost-effective option is white lanterns which can be hung from the centre roof frame to provide soft mood lighting. Or if you are looking for something more classical you may prefer chandeliers which are also very popular.

Don’t forget to ask about extension leads and power boards when ordering lighting and make sure you let your supplier know if you are using mains power or a generator so the right connections are delivered. If you require a generator its best to order a silenced generator as I am sure you don’t want the constant noise of the non-silenced generator running in the background while speeches are made.

 Flooring /Dance floor

Depending on the site of your marquee (e.g. grass or hard surface) you may wish to investigate flooring for your marquee. Flooring can range from artificial grass, a plastic flooring system commonly referred to as pro-floor or even a raised timber flooring with carpeted surface or parquetry.

 Think about the surface the flooring is going on, the effect you’re looking for and the likely weather during the event.  Artificial grass is great for entrance ways to marquees, parquet flooring is best suited for dance floors whereas carpet is best suit to eating and high traffic areas.

 Tables & Chairs

Whether you intend to have a seated meal or cocktail style event, you will need some tables and probably chairs (for older guests).  Tables can be rectangular or round. If you are planning to have seated meal, then the decision of whether you prefer rectangular or round tables is important as it will affect the size of marquee you need. For instance, a 6m x 6m marquee can fit 48 people using rectangular tables but only 36 at round tables.  Discuss your guest numbers with the supplier and check that you can fit everyone comfortably in the area allowed.  Make sure you factor in extra space needed for serving tables, bar area, dance floor and DJ/band.

 There are various styles of chairs from white plastic to folding with padded seats.  You may also prefer to have something more formal and order chairs with chair covers and optional colored sashes but make sure you’ve ordered an appropriate chair style that the cover will fit easily.

Linen

Linen can also be supplied to fit the table size you order.  Whilst many colors are available the most common and economical colors are generally white and to a lesser extent black.

See Marquees for Weddings for more tips and suggestions.

 

Marquees for weddings

So you’ve decided to get married! Congratulations! But now the real work starts…planning it.  Many people like the idea of a wedding in a garden, park or at the beach so need to find out about marquees.  Marquees are fantastic for creating the romantic atmosphere that couples desire at their wedding.

Here are some quick tips to help you start working out what size marquee you will need and what information you will need to provide to your supplier when hiring a marquee.

Marquee size

Marquee sizes vary from quite small (4m x 6m) to extremely large (30m x 120m).

In order to work out what size you need for your wedding, you will need to know the number guests and whether they will be standing only, seated theatre-style or seated at tresle tables or round tables.  We’ve prepared a Marquee Size Calculator to estimate what size you will need.

If the marquee is 100m2 or over you will need to contact the council about a siting permit.  For more information on this see our previous article on Permits. Your event hire company should also be able to assist you with this requirement.

You may also need a permit if you are erecting a marquee in a park, foreshore area (beach) or other public space. Contact the relevant local council to see if they issue permits for the area or if it is controlled by Parks Victoria or a Foreshore Committee of Management. 

Weighting requirements

Marquees are subject to council regulations for temporary structures and must be erected by approved suppliers. This means they should be pegged to the ground to ensure that they are stable and secure in all weather conditions.  If you are planning to have a marquee on a hard surface (eg concrete, asphalt or a surface that cannot have pegs put in such as a tennis court) then the marquee will need to be weighted to meet building regulations.  Make sure your event hire company is aware of these requirements and inspects your site to check what equipment is required to safely erect the marquee.

 Clearance from other structures or trees

A site inspection will also ensure that the marquee can be safely erected in the designated area and have appropriate clearance from other buildings, trees or other structures.

 Underground services

Similarly, depending on where the marquee is going, you may need to provide a map of underground services such as water and gas pipes and drains. If your wedding is happening in a public space then the local authority (see above) should be able to assist with plans of underground services.