Marquee Hire and Event Planning
If you have an event coming up and you are researching potential options for your venue, a marquee could be a convenient and practical solution. Marquees offer so much flexibility and they can be used for all kinds of events, providing a bespoke venue for corporate or private functions. The cost of a venue will usually take up a large part of your budget so making the right choice is important.
Marquees are suitable for so many different events including garden parties, weddings, special occasions, charity events, local markets and fairs, corporate exhibitions or even sporting events. A marquee has a number of benefits over a traditional bricks and mortar venue:
Versatility – A marquee can be transported anywhere that you want to host the event, from an add on to your home or a community green.
Flexible – A marquee can increase (or decrease) in size depending on your guest list.
Selection – You can choose from a whole range of different marquees in many different styles, shapes and sizes to suit the size of the event and the attendees, regardless of the occasion or theme.
Marquee Events – The providers of marquees deliver complete packages for clients that will cover everything you need during the event.
Marquee Considerations
When considering a marquee for any type of event, whether it’s a corporate gathering or a private function, there are several things that you will need to take into consideration.
The Location
Large fields or gardens make the perfect setting for a marquee event, but if you don’t own land yourself or know of any land that you could hire, many venues such as country halls, hotels and caravan parks have plenty of land designed for marquee events. Your marquee hire company should be able to advise on nearby land which you can hire for the event. If you have some land in mind you should think about:
The landscape – Ideally the land on which you host your event should be flat, but it doesn’t have to perfectly even, many marquee companies provide flooring, so you are not walking directly on grassed or muddy areas.
Access – You will need to choose an area that is suitable for large vehicles to access to deliver equipment and you also need to consider guests arriving and parking arrangements.
The Area – The site of the marquee would ideally be free from overhead power lines or underground pipes.
Marquee Design
One of the main benefits of a marquee event is that they offer a completely blank canvas in terms of decoration. If the event is a wedding you can style the marquee in a variety of ways, creating themes, colour schemes and more. Marquees can offer complete customisation from the flooring and ceiling linings through to doors and windows. Many suppliers will also provide tables, chairs and other furniture as well as extras such as guest umbrellas or coat rails.
Catering
Certain events such as weddings may need on site catering and if this is the case you will need to ensure that there is a separate area for food preparation, cooking and serving the meals. You will therefore need at the very least a power source – your marquee company can provide generators if needed. Depending on the event, the food may be prepared off site, for example if it’s a cold buffet but you should still ensure that the site is easy to access for any delivery vehicles. You may also want to leave space for a bar if it’s a private function or wedding.
With so many marquees available for hire, you may feel overwhelmed with the choice. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the different types of marquee that you can hire so you can choose the one that would be the best fit for your event.
Lighting and Heating
Modern marquees are great because they are suitable for use throughout the year. Many are suitable for use during the winter with the addition of heating and lighting to keep your guests warm and comfortable even on the coldest of nights. The addition of decoration and flooring can also make the marquee feel more inviting too.
There are lots of different types of marquee and the type that you choose will depend on a number of factors such as the style of your event, your theme and the location.
Frame Tent Marquee
This type of marquee is adaptable and can be assembled in almost any location throughout the year. You don’t need any ropes or internal poles to hold it in place and it can be used in combination with other types of marquee such as a pagoda. They are suitable for all types of event, particularly high end parties, corporate events and weddings.
A frame tent is so versatile that it can be used to create something incredibly elaborate or something simple. Perfect for large or small events they are suitable for unconventional spaces, tiered gardens, tennis courts and they can even be used over ponds or swimming pools. With extendable legs, different parts of the marquee can be constructed at different levels to accommodate tiers or steps.
House Extension Marquee
If you are hosting an event in your home and there are lots of guests attending, this type of marquee would be cost effective and create the additional space you need to accommodate the extra guests. This type of marquee uses the structure of the frame tent and they are great if you want to create a small, informal dining area for guests or an area for entertaining. Carpets and wooden floors can be installed to make it feel more homely too.
Pole Marquee
Suitable for rustic, shabby chic or vintage themed weddings, a traditional pole marquee offers a relaxed and traditional marquee atmosphere which doesn’t need any lining or flooring to complete the look. The pole marquee may not be the best for something modern or a corporate function, but they would be great for a vintage themed wedding. The traditional marquee can only be erected on grass and has limited use during the winter. A pole marquee features large wooden poles on the interior which are supported with guy ropes on the exterior.
Chinese Hat Marquee
These are elaborate and aesthetically pleasing structures which are perfect for adding something a little special to an event. They prove extremely popular at garden parties or they make excellent decorative entrances. This type of marquee can also be used as a reception space or breakout area for corporate functions. A Chinese Hat marquee can be used as a standalone structure or as an add on to a larger marquee but whatever they are used for they certainly add a degree of elegance and sophistication to any event.
Reasons to choose a marquee for your event
There are lots of reasons why a marquee would be the perfect option for any type of event including:
- The ability for a marquee to be purpose built for the event. Everything from the layout and design through to styling can be carefully planned and created to fit the event.
- Marquees are incredibly flexible, and they allow you to use any type of lighting, decorative elements and other features to really make it a special venue.
- Many marquees are situated in a beautiful private garden which offers a great backdrop for your event, whether it’s a wedding, special occasion or corporate function.
- In the summer you can use the marquee and the outdoor space making them perfect for summer receptions.
The majority of marquees are light, bright and spacious, accommodating large gatherings making them perfect for weddings and business events.
Marquees offer a practical, convenient and cost effective venue for many different types of event and they are well worth considering, whether you are a business owner looking to host a corporate gathering or a private customer looking for a suitable wedding venue, they have lots to offer and can be completely customised to suit your requirements.
